Finished it Sunday evening. Really loved the game. Been avoiding looking too much into others impressions because I don't want my good feel for the game soured by people that weren't as much into it.
I was missing the escape room sequences but otherwise I think it's my favorite Uchi title up to now. I may need a bit more distance though to really know how I feel about it. (Started R11 last night)
AI > VLR > 999 > E17 = ZTD
For me so far. Gotta play R11 and I hear good things about it.
E17 had some cool stuff but playing it after the ZE games.. there's a lot of things that were re-used in better ways later.
I was missing the escape room sequences but otherwise I think it's my favorite Uchi title up to now. I may need a bit more distance though to really know how I feel about it. (Started R11 last night)
AI > VLR > 999 > E17 = ZTD
For me so far. Gotta play R11 and I hear good things about it.
E17 had some cool stuff but playing it after the ZE games.. there's a lot of things that were re-used in better ways later.
Can someone help me with the somnium in the leftmost branch that gets unlocked after you reach the lock in the rightmost branch in the storyboard? It's going into
's head. There are way too many options and it's complete trial and error and everything takes so much time so the trial and error is very all or nothing. It's very frustrating. And by help, I mean just give me the solution. This is bullshit and is souring me to the game.
the boss
The only real trial and error in that one is that you need to push over the ladder when you are at the last door. Everything else is just keep moving until you get to the next door and repeat. That one also is one of the few that makes use of your timies in a pass/fail way. Make sure to save your 1 second ones for the very obvious places you should use them.
At the second door there is another interactable nearby that you need to push off the ledge, this is an actual puzzle tho as Date or Aiba comment that there is a pulley string attached to both things. Also the control panel has to options, you need to do one before the other but both use almost no time and I can't remember which is first
Lots of noise there but it's not all that bad all things considered. Sometimes it's good to figure things out and restart to fill back up on time.
Also always make sure to fish for good time saves. Especially in this somnium.
I'm exploring the left branch now, and I'm really liking Mizuki's voice acting. Her lines are great and her VA sells the attitude so well. She's bratty enough to be annoying (and hilarious), but not so bratty that you don't want to care about her. There's enough heart underneath it to tell that she's a kid putting up a front.
I also like the Lemniscate receptionist's voice. Whoever voiced her had a lot of fun going maximum airhead.
The action sequences are still awful.
I also like the Lemniscate receptionist's voice. Whoever voiced her had a lot of fun going maximum airhead.
The action sequences are still awful.
Time for you to fill this out!
Sure!
999
Story: 9
Characters: 9
Plot Twists: 9
Overall: 999
VLR
Story: That's Rad(ical)!
Characters: That's Rad(ical)!
Plot Twists: That's Rad(ical)!
Overall: That's Rad(ical)!
ZTD
Story: NEIN
Characters: NEIN
Plot Twists: NEIN
Overall: NEIN, NEIN, NEIN
AI
Story: 愛
Characters: 👁
Plot Twists: Aye!
Overall: ❤
Sorry, I haven't played the ZE games recently enough to seriously rate them in detail like that. And then there's recency bias, Ai has a strong ending and leaves you with a spinning head so it's hard to be objective right now.
At the moment, I'd rate those four games:
999 >> Ai >= VLR >>>>> ZTD
edit: And I can say with confidence that every Zero Escape fan should play Ai, especially if they also like detective games like Ace Attorney.
Last edited:
Okay so damn, I had NO Idea there was a new game by the creators of Zero Escape! This is awesome news!!!
Sounds like from this thread, y'all really like the game! $59.99 feels really steep, so hopefully it will arrive from GameFly quickly!
Sounds like from this thread, y'all really like the game! $59.99 feels really steep, so hopefully it will arrive from GameFly quickly!
Loved it as well, such a nice way to end the game after hours of twists, reveals and the tense finale. I've re-listened to it a couple of times on YT already, but there's a distinct lack of A-Set on Spotify and iTunes.
I think Ai is really successful in blending the grim murder investigation with lighthearted moments like the Kagami running-gag or those "saved by the magazine" moments. The dance number at the end is my favorite example of this, I had a big smile on my face from the moment when Aibo started to tap her foot to the music all the way to the end of the song.
I think Ai is really successful in blending the grim murder investigation with lighthearted moments like the Kagami running-gag or those "saved by the magazine" moments. The dance number at the end is my favorite example of this, I had a big smile on my face from the moment when Aibo started to tap her foot to the music all the way to the end of the song.
Last edited:
Could it just be the Day 1 performance patch that got released a couple of days later for the EU version? Some in this thread mentioned it wasn't available when the game was released in EU countries.
There was no further update for the JP version after the large Day 1 patch and it's currently on Ver. 1.0.1. If your version is the same then it's probably the first performance patch.
I'm one of those people who couldn't get the patch and I was randomly able to download one yesterday, so it could be that.
I'm pretty early on my playthrough, but I have to say, I really don't like the Somnium bits. I get that they're supposed to be dreams and that stuff doesn't always make obvious sense, but, like, when you're playing a game and it's timed and there's a lot of trial and error, that's not fun, good game design.
Echo the others saying the English VA is really good. VA Direction and localization in general seems really on point.
I for one look forward to Greg Chun's next role as a (admittedly handsome) detective investigating eye related murder cases set in Japan. He needs to add that to his CV, since he has these roles down pat!
I for one look forward to Greg Chun's next role as a (admittedly handsome) detective investigating eye related murder cases set in Japan. He needs to add that to his CV, since he has these roles down pat!
So is it a coincidence, a red herring, or just Uchikoshi being incredibly punny that Iris is Siri backwards?
I think this one is coincidental.
There's already a ton of artificial intelligence / eyes related names/puns
Intentional. Naixatloz is also a Siri reference. Google "zoltaxian."
Iris also sounds similar to Alice, even more so in Japanese. That allowed Uchikoshi to pack in one more pun / 999 reference with All-Ice:
If you're having trouble with the skull icons: Going through the teleport doors or attempting to open locked ones takes much less time than any other action. Save the one second icons for opening the main doors that trigger the cutscenes.
The first key to pick up is the one with the pick in it. The second main door can be opened by pushing down the barrel just past it. The second key to pick up is the 08:00 one.
At the control panel, the proper set of actions is: Investigate (to get rid of the skull icon), turn the key to shrink the platform, use the panel to move the platform, then turn the key again to extend it.
At the end, tackle the ladder.
The first key to pick up is the one with the pick in it. The second main door can be opened by pushing down the barrel just past it. The second key to pick up is the 08:00 one.
At the control panel, the proper set of actions is: Investigate (to get rid of the skull icon), turn the key to shrink the platform, use the panel to move the platform, then turn the key again to extend it.
At the end, tackle the ladder.
Played it to the every end and I loved every minute of it. Felt like it was closer to the infinity games than the ZTD games in complexity, but that's probably because each of the infinity games were allowed to do their own thing and not have to keep up with series baggage like Zero Escape.
For me its
E17 = 999 > AI > N7 > R11 > VLR > ZTD
For me its
E17 = 999 > AI > N7 > R11 > VLR > ZTD
Have just rolled the credits for the first time having completed a run down the left side and am popping in to say that this is my favourite game of the year so far. Am now taking a run down the right side to see where the other side of my first big choice may have taken me.
So, I loved the Ending and it was really cool but I think I have two issues. Why did Saito even want to change bodies with Rohan(Date)? Like, this basically offsets everything, but why would he do that? Also, when they finally change back to their original selves, why did he remove Date's eye and his eye? I thought the problem with the machine was that only one of them had their eye removed. On the Annihilation route, he even poses as Iris, with both of her eyes fine.
RROCKMAN what makes E17 so good to you? I finished it a few days before AI came out and thought it was good but a bit too simple / amateurish?
Yeah that part is a bit inconsistent. Wouldn't think too hard about it.
Not sure if you mean to six years ago or in the present time on the first point. Saito wanted to change bodies in the first place because he's a bored psychopath and it sounded interesting. He probably also thought that being a mob boss would allow him more freedom than being the hidden away son of a father he hates. He wanted to swap back because he missed having a dopamine rush when killing someone.
The prototype machine doesn't have the nanotech cables that can go around the eyeball, you need to remove the eyeball from its socket to get the machine working on both ends. Saito takes care to remove a victim's eyeball so that it's still attached and can be put back in once he's swapped bodies with them. But he doesn't care to leave it intact on a body he's about to abandon anyway, so he rips out his "own" eyeball before using the machine. There's some lines in the game and a data entry about how it's rather easy to put an eye back in its socket as long as it's still attached.
The prototype machine doesn't have the nanotech cables that can go around the eyeball, you need to remove the eyeball from its socket to get the machine working on both ends. Saito takes care to remove a victim's eyeball so that it's still attached and can be put back in once he's swapped bodies with them. But he doesn't care to leave it intact on a body he's about to abandon anyway, so he rips out his "own" eyeball before using the machine. There's some lines in the game and a data entry about how it's rather easy to put an eye back in its socket as long as it's still attached.
I meant on the past, yeah, and I suppose that's an acceptable answer. It just feels that the writing is kinda weak when such a pivotal moment is basically him being crazy, I wish they kinda expanded on the reasons. About the second question, that makes sense, I can't believe I forgot about putting the eyeball back easily, the game mentioned that like 3-4 times. lol[/.spoiler]
Yeah, that's probably the weakest part of the story and it's a shame that it's what gets the ball rolling on everything else. He has no real reason to switch bodies other than boredom and even past that, even for boredom, he wouldn't just rip out his own eye like that until he knew how the machine worked. Going into it the first time, I highly doubt his mind set was "peace out old body, got new shit to do!"
Did the upper left route until they locked me out of it and omg.
It's 2:40am. This game is so good.
EDIT:
EDIT 2: I spoke too soon, lol.
Iris and Ota were killed, we met the original Cyclops Killer and Boss is the new Cyclops Killer?
Nooooooooooooooooo!
Nooooooooooooooooo!
It's 2:40am. This game is so good.
EDIT:
Doing the lower left route now. They're gonna die again...? Sigh.
EDIT 2: I spoke too soon, lol.
Last edited:
I had my physical copy finally delivered today at like 8pm.. it's now 2am and I haven't stopped playing.
It's really engaging, loving it so far.
It's really engaging, loving it so far.
Sounds about right. Once you start the game it's impossible to put it down.
Look who showed up. Should've went with the right branch first.
Made it to Day 3 on the red route after having finished Iris's route earlier.
I love how after the whole Iris route builds up Okiura as the most suspicious guy who seems to be behind everything going on, this route just kills him off right away. Things are already moving in a very different direction this time around. I am becoming more suspicious off the possibility that Date might be the original Cyclops killer, although his memories he has from #89 still stump me a bit. Maybe from some accident involving the prototype psync machine which lead to him getting amnesia?[/spoiler
Why? I only noticed I was in the left branch after I got locked out of the route, lol.
Hit another lock in the left route. Exploring a different branch now.
Somniums still suck. They're solidly in Danganronpa mini game territory for me now, in that they feel like meaningless and arbitrary tasks that you slog through in order to advance the story. It would have been cool if there were actual puzzles, but they're so random for the sake of being random that you might as well be flipping a row of switches on and off until something works.
Iris' somnium in the left route is pretty damn disturbing. One branch paints her as involved with a serial killer somehow, and the other links her with killing animals.
Either that, or the somnium is somehow related to Date's mind, and it could be HIS own mind making those things.
With all the reveals so far, now I don't trust ANYONE anymore lol.
Except maybe Aiba. Aiba seems cool. She's probably the most likeable robot guide-companion-thing I've seen in a game in a while.
Either that, or the somnium is somehow related to Date's mind, and it could be HIS own mind making those things.
With all the reveals so far, now I don't trust ANYONE anymore lol.
Except maybe Aiba. Aiba seems cool. She's probably the most likeable robot guide-companion-thing I've seen in a game in a while.
Somniums still suck. They're solidly in Danganronpa mini game territory for me now, in that they feel like meaningless and arbitrary tasks that you slog through in order to advance the story. It would have been cool if there were actual puzzles, but they're so random for the sake of being random that you might as well be flipping a row of switches on and off until something works.
I finally finished the game.
999
Story: 8,5/10
Characters: 7,5/10
Plot Twists: 10/10 (9/10 for the Nonary Games version)
Gameplay: 7/10 (8,5/10 for the Nonary Games version)
Overall: 8/10 (8,5 for the Nonary Games version)
VLR
Story: 9/10
Characters: 9,5/10 (I love them all. Yeah even Clover)
Plot Twists: 10/10
Gameplay: 9/10 (Fuck the unskippable hallways)
Overall: 9,5/10
ZTD
Story: 7/10
Characters: 7/10 (9/10 Team D - 5/10 Team Q - 7/10 Team C)
Plot Twists: 5/10
Gameplay: 6/10
Overall: 6/10
AI
Story: 10/10
Characters: 9,5/10
Plot Twists: 8/10
Gameplay: 9/10 (I loved the Somniums)
Overall: 9/10
VLR > AI >>> 999 >>>>>>>>>>>>> ZTD
The ending dance was A M A Z I N G. Sadly Pewter was for some reason the only character (except Renju and Shoko of course) missing. I'm starting to think his entire character was just a late develpoment addition. Every plot point and scene where he is important was definitely rushed.
The body swapping completely caught me off guard... I knew something was up with Date and Falco but I didn't expect this at all.
I'm happy I sort of guessed in a previous post that the new cyclops killer were multiple people who killed the previous one.
The body swapping completely caught me off guard... I knew something was up with Date and Falco but I didn't expect this at all.
I'm happy I sort of guessed in a previous post that the new cyclops killer were multiple people who killed the previous one.
999
Story: 8,5/10
Characters: 7,5/10
Plot Twists: 10/10 (9/10 for the Nonary Games version)
Gameplay: 7/10 (8,5/10 for the Nonary Games version)
Overall: 8/10 (8,5 for the Nonary Games version)
VLR
Story: 9/10
Characters: 9,5/10 (I love them all. Yeah even Clover)
Plot Twists: 10/10
Gameplay: 9/10 (Fuck the unskippable hallways)
Overall: 9,5/10
ZTD
Story: 7/10
Characters: 7/10 (9/10 Team D - 5/10 Team Q - 7/10 Team C)
Plot Twists: 5/10
Gameplay: 6/10
Overall: 6/10
AI
Story: 10/10
Characters: 9,5/10
Plot Twists: 8/10
Gameplay: 9/10 (I loved the Somniums)
Overall: 9/10
VLR > AI >>> 999 >>>>>>>>>>>>> ZTD
Really enjoying this game. It reminds me of the Sierra/LucasArts adventure games where you could look at everything and get some kind of response. Even the most meaningless background items might give you a riddle from AI, or you might find Pewter's BL stash.
Yeah damn the dub cast and direction is great so far. Liking each of the voices right off the bat.
Yeah, that definitely reminds me of those, investigating every little thing in the backgrounds.
I love some of the snarky responses when you do look at some of those things too, LOL.
And some of the banter and comments, like with Aiba, are making me randomly think back to Snatcher in my head, loved that game too.
Did the same last night when I finally got to start it lol.
You'll like Phoenix Wright games, then. They're full of that stuff.
To a lesser extent, the Zero Escape games do that too.
This game is reminding me of Kojima's adventure game Snatcher a bit so far.
The banter between a cyberpunk detective (who's a bit of a pervert) and his AI (in both games are female and full of random jokes and anecdotes) is rather similar to me.
The banter between a cyberpunk detective (who's a bit of a pervert) and his AI (in both games are female and full of random jokes and anecdotes) is rather similar to me.
My physical copy arrived today. The artbook has a nice foreword written by Uchikoshi.
As much as we want to celebrate figures like Uchikoshi or Kojima as those genius auteurs who dream up complex stories and worlds all on their own, games are always made by a number of people who often don't get any credit for it by us fans. I thought this humble foreword was worth sharing, especially in light of the small controversy this week that was caused by that mistranslated Kojima tweet.
As much as we want to celebrate figures like Uchikoshi or Kojima as those genius auteurs who dream up complex stories and worlds all on their own, games are always made by a number of people who often don't get any credit for it by us fans. I thought this humble foreword was worth sharing, especially in light of the small controversy this week that was caused by that mistranslated Kojima tweet.
Knew I recognized his voice heh. It fits so well too.
Oh yeah, one of the first unexpected voices in the cast for me was suddenly hearing Ota's mom who sounded exactly like the woman who played old Toph in Korra. :)
Yeah, it's great. :)
Just finished the game. It's certainly very different from 999/VLR/ZTD. I can't rank it or compare it with those, as they're too different in my opinion. Still, I had a lot of fun and couldn't stop playing the game until it was over. I can't wait for Uchikoshi's next game.
Really disappointed with this. Keeping track of where each story is at while jumping around the flowchart is no fun. The first two 999 games worked so well because they were set in confined spaces, and the branching was based on really simple decisions (literally pick a door, group up with these people). It was easy to know where you were on the flowchart because of the room you were in and the people you were with.
The decision making mechanism in this game makes no sense and the reused locations and ideas across scenes make it hard to work out where in time I am and what all the characters should know. Maybe it all heading somewhere, but with the Iris and Misaki endings down, I'm not optimistic.
The decision making mechanism in this game makes no sense and the reused locations and ideas across scenes make it hard to work out where in time I am and what all the characters should know. Maybe it all heading somewhere, but with the Iris and Misaki endings down, I'm not optimistic.
