Japanese game director Kotaro Uchikoshi is perhaps best known for the Zero Escape series and AI: The Somnium Files, but prior to that he worked on the Infinity series, as a writer and designer.
These games, spanning Never 7: The End of Infinity and Ever 17: The Out of Infinity, launched in the early 2000s and have retained cult-like status. They’ve been ported to various platforms, including the PSP, but outside of a PC version of Ever 17, have never really released outside of North America.
That will change next year, as Spike Chunsoft is bringing remasters of both titles overseas. Available from 6th March, you’ll be able to purchase each title individually, or as part of a double-pack on the PS Store.
The press release teases: “The series is characterized by a world where time loops exist. Each instalment features an independent story, allowing players to enjoy elements of science fiction, suspense, and mystery in each one.”
Here’s the plot overview for Never 7:
The protagonist, Makoto Ishihara, had the worst possible awakening. He had a dream in which a girl died a tragic death right in front of his eyes. The seminar training camp was supposed to go off without a hitch…or so Makoto believed. April 6th. The day everything changed. The uneasiness turned in to despair, and the premonition turned into calamity… Will Makoto be able to stop the tragedy and see the light of the morning on Day 7?
And here’s the plot overview for Ever 17:
Takeshi Kuranari, an ordinary college student, visits the underwater theme park LeMU. An accident occurs, trapping Takeshi and 6 other individuals inside LeMU, 51 meters below the surface. With no hope of rescue, Takeshi explores LeMU along with the mysterious girl Tsugumi and part-time employee You, searching for a way to escape to the surface. A theme park of dreams and hopes sunk in the depths of the mysterious blue ocean. Can dreams and hopes still be found there? Or is there some other mystery lurking? Overcoming one crisis after another, they search for a way to escape!
Are you a fan of visual novels, and will you be checking these two titles out? Are you happy to see these games finally fully localised into English? Let us know in the comments section below.
Comments 11
YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! So excited for this; own the Japanese versions of all five Infinity games* (there is technically a 6th game, but it's only a weird remake of Ever17 exclusive to the Xbox 360) on PSP, but since those are in Japanese, I haven't had the chance to play them yet. Will pick them up ASAP when they release!!!
I'll admit I've never heard of these, but ever since playing Analogue a hate story I've been a fan of visual novels. Will definitely check these out
I’ve always wanted to play Ever 17, I love Uchikoshi even if he does retread a lot of ideas and themes.
Always down for visual novels
Seems interesting, I’m down for this.
Ever17 was pretty incredible for the time, even if a LOT of its tricks will seem familiar to fans of Uchikoshi's later work.
Do you think Sony's version of Spike Chunsoft bothers with something like this?
@BlaizeV I know what you're getting at, but they didn't make or even publish these to begin with. Ever17 came out about 2002 and had nothing to do with them. Never7 is a bit older. These are just two old VNs being brought to modern consoles by them.
@BlaizeV I think if a potential takeover happens, From goes to SIE, Spike Chunsoft goes to Aniplex which does "Bothers with something like this" very often
Screenshots kinda make it look more like fanservicey schlock but I will always trust in Uchikoshi. Can anyone that's played it confirm or challenge my suspicions?
Visual novels are my jam, will keep an eye out on these when they come out.
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