Virtue's Last Reward

ChunSoft Developing 999 Successor for PlayStation Vita and 3DS

While Chunsoft's Kamaitachi no Yoru sequel is just for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita, 3DS owners can look forward to a major adventure game from the publisher. Famitsu reveals that a followup of sorts to DS adventure title 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persona, Nine Doors is in development for both platforms.

 

The new game, titled Gyokugen Dasshutsu Adv: Zennin Shiboudes, actually isn't a sequel to 999, but it is being developed by the same staff. Kotaro Uchikoshi is handling scenario and direction, with Kinu Nishimura doing character designs. Both had similar roles on 999. The game will also be full voice, with major voice actors like Akio Otsuka, Yukari Tamura, Chiaki Omigawa, and Rie Kugimiya

Screens & Artwork:

Info:

The guy dressed like a mechanic is the game's main character, Sigma. Sigma is an ordinary college student who will frequently make sexual comments, annoying girls.

 

The girl in the center of the character art is Phi. She's cool and intelligent, but will sometimes say stupid jokes. She says she's a C cup when she's actually an A cup.

 

The story begins when Sigma is kidnapped and awakens in an elevator next to Phi. While Sigma doesn't know Phi, she seems to know him, even calling his name out. A bunny appears on the elevator monitor, causing them to flee the elevator (I'm not sure what the bunny says to make them flee, although if I saw a talking bunny on an elevator monitor I'd flee too). They find themselves in a warehouse alongside seven others. They will have to escape from this facility.

 

Chunsoft refers to Extreme Escape Adventure: Good People Die as a "game of betrayal." What that means is unclear at present, as only a few gameplay details have been announced. The game will have visual novel parts and escape parts. The escape parts involve exploring rooms and solving puzzles.

 

Development on Extreme Escape Adventure: Good People Die is currently at 50%. Famitsu lists the release time frame as TBA.

GUYS PLAY 999 IT'S AWESOME I SWEAR GUYS YOU'RE GONNA LOVE IT.

I love how every game he writes is about a group of people having to escape from somewhere. This had better be translated.

First Trailer:

Translation:

Voice: "Ladies and gentlemen, please turn your attention to the screen."

 

"Why do people...

... betray one another?

They might as well...

... all die instead"

 

Rabbit?: "Welcome to my kingdom!"

 

Sigma: "What is this place...?"

 

Phi: "I don't understand, but somehow... I know..."

 

Nonary Game

Ambidex Edition

 

"A "betrayal game", huh..."

 

Memento mori

If the nineth lion ate the Sun. [in English]

 

Remember death

If the ninth lion ate the Sun [in Japanese]

 

Manned Expedition

Pandemic

Chinese Room

Antimatter Bomb

Special Agency of the Department of Defense

Prisoner's Dilemma

Tu fui, ego eris

Accela Building [not sure, "akuserabiru" in Japanese]

AB Project

General-Purpose Autonomous Labor Electrogolem

 

"We're partners; all in the same boat, remember?"

 

Ambidex Room

Ice9

Counter-Extinction Agency

GLTM-KM506

Rhizome_9

Schrödinger's Cat

Radical 6

Three Laws of Robotics

Clay Dolls

Blood-Smeared Moon

 

Future choices alter past events

 

?: "But you promised! So why..."

 

?: "There's nobody I can trust anymore... Nobody... Nobody..."

 

Phi: "To you, Sigma, I am thankful"

 

?: "Grandpa..."

 

"What will it be, then...?

Cooperation, or betrayal...?"

 

Extreme Escape Adv

Good People Die

 

Voice: "That'll be all; I'll be waiting for you!"

I hate how no one else is excited about this.

Judging by the trailer, the game seems to be at least somewhat related to 999. You've got the door with a number, similar watches and a quick flash of the same bad guy (or someone wearing the same disguise). Some of the characters also look eerily similar to characters in 999, but that could just be because they have the same designer.

There were no talking animals in 999, though, so that's a bit strange.

I guess it could be a genetic experiment/robot/dwarf in a suit, though.

Was 999 import only?

Yes, but there are import copies available on Amazon.co.uk, so there's really no excuse not to get it. Everyone's always going on about Another Code and Hotel Dusk, but 999 has a much more interesting plot.

I'm sure this game will be yet another reason to hate on Nintendo for region-locking the 3DS.

What kind of game is this? Point & Click stuff ala Another Code or is it an RPG type deal?

EDIT:

Ah I see from Magnus' smae time post as mine that it's like a Point & Click deal.

I might consider a purchase... if it even comes out... must look into 999 I guess first though

999 is awesome. You're not going to regret it - provided you like plot-heavy games.

The game is essentially a visual novel with puzzle segments. The characters spend a lot of time talking to each other. You get to decide which doors to go through and when you enter a new room you get to look around, search for clues and solve puzzles.

The game has (I think) seven different endings, including a 'true ending' that needs to be unlocked. The only downside is that you need to replay the puzzle rooms when you replay the game, but it's worth it because the story is so good.

Just want to take the time to say that 999 is absolutely incredible. Its pretty cheap online, if you can snag a copy get it!

I'm playing through 999 now, and it's brilliant. I'm playing Goron's copy; he absolutely insisted that I play it. If you like Phoenix Wright or Hotel Dusk, get it!

This looks pretty interesting so I think I'll be keeping an eye out for the Western localisation.

I'm playing through 999 now, and it's brilliant. I'm playing Goron's copy; he absolutely insisted that I play it. If you like Phoenix Wright or Hotel Dusk, get it!

 

This looks pretty interesting so I think I'll be keeping an eye out for the Western localisation.

Less typing, more playing.

Might play through Hotel Dusk again for the lulz. Goron, you're reccommending this ish? Is it in the same kooky adventure vein as Phoenix?

999 is about nine people with wacky personality quirks who hang out on a boat and get into a bunch of silly misadventures.

It actually has a really dark story and doesn't have the humor of the Ace Attorney series, but has a similarly well-written and twisty plot. Don't tell anyone that, though.

Might play through Hotel Dusk again for the lulz. Goron, you're reccommending this ish? Is it in the same kooky adventure vein as Phoenix?

Trust me, YOU would love 999. The writing is top notch and frankly the plot blows even the best PW cases out the water. You remember how Case 5 in PW3 linked cases and characters from previous cases together? Well, 999 does that using multiple endings, all which give you enough information and intrigue to keep you gripped, until you get to the good ending when the game basically begins to scream 'Yeah, shit is going down, this ending is gonna link EVERYTHING together...and then some!'.

It's a fabulous game. Undoubtably my favourite DS game along with Last Window and Phoenix Wright 3.

New info:

Chunsoft’s critically acclaimed visual novel Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors forced people into a numerology "game" where numbered bracelets opened doors. The sequel of sorts Extreme Escape Adventure: Good People Die has a game too, but the rules are different from the one in the Nintendo DS title.

 

Here’s how the Ambidex Game works. Each player has a bangle attached to them and BP (presumably bangle points) increase and decrease. Only when your BP reaches nine you can escape, but if it reaches zero or lower you die. Just like Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors players travel in groups, pairs to be specific, and the twist is you can betray each other. Before a game begins players enter their bangle in a computer and select either "cooperate" or "betray" without their partner knowing. If both players select cooperate they each get two BP. If they both select betray nothing happens to their BP. If one person picks betray and the other decides to cooperate, the betrayed player loses two BP and the traitor gets three BP.

 

A few more details about the captured characters are out, but there are some Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors

The Characters

[spoiler=]

 

Nine characters in the game:

 

Dio is a self-righteous troublemaker. He has a rude way of talking and apparently a soft spot. Dio appears to have picked up a stray kitten on a rainy day.

 

Tenmyouji is a stubborn old man and the sole survivor of a murder. He used to work at a research facility that was building a probe to explore Mars where the incident took place. It appears there is a connection between the Ambidex Game and his past work.

 

K lost his memory and doesn’t know his real name or age. He’s always logical and has a robot-like personality.

 

Yotsuba has a wild personality and has been involved in a similar situation twice before. She became friends with Alice after meeting her in the Nevada desert around one year earlier.

 

Quark is a ten year old boy with an innocent nature who may be infected with a virus. Even though he is not related to Tenmyouji he sticks with him and call him grandpa.

 

Luna is a twenty year old woman. She has a pacifist personality and holds a physicians license.

 

Alice

Dark-skinned, exotic woman. She aims to get rid of her country's enemies, and is after the terrorist organization responsible for her father's death. Her body water is actually Ice9.

 

Zero the Third is a bunny robot that serves as the gamemaster and oversees the progression of the Ambidex Game.

An AI that gives penalties to those who go against the rules. It gets its instructions from "the true Zero", who appears to be one of the 9 players.

Might play through Hotel Dusk again for the lulz. Goron, you're reccommending this ish? Is it in the same kooky adventure vein as Phoenix?

Wow, only just saw this topic. I will say, 999 is a MUST. It's easily one of my favourite DS games. The story is superb.

Really hoping this game gets released over here... it sucks that the 3DS is region locked.

More Details:

A Famitsu interview with director Kotaro Uchikoshi reveals many interesting details about the upcoming Extreme Escape Adventure: Good People Die, slated for release on Feb 16 for the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita.

 

The game is stuffed chock full of puzzles, Uchikoshi says. Sometimes, solving these may unlock hidden aspects of a room. For example, if you solve puzzle A, and then B and C, the room’s appearance may suddenly change completely, and you might find a surprise waiting for you. However, beginners need not be daunted; if you challenge and fail a puzzle too many times, your companions will drop hints (and the clear, precise way to solve the puzzle). If you don’t want to use this option, just play the game on Hard mode. In addition, beating the game on Hard nets you a nice prize.

 

As a whole, the “game” (meaning, the game within Extreme Escape Adventure) is called the Nonary Game: Ambidex Version. This is because you approach colored doors, undergo the Ambidex (AB) game, and open the door labeled “9” to escape. The AB game — the game of cooperation and betrayal — is a game in and of itself contained within the Nonary Game: AB Version. The AB game plays in rounds until someone can open the “9” door.

 

Speaking of the Nonary Game, Extreme Escape Adventure shares the same world as 999, but but the story is self-contained. There are some references to the previous game, though, so it’s best to play 999 first. Some of these precise connections are mentioned in our previous coverage (spoilers abound).

 

 

 

How does the AB game work? It’s explained here in this article, but here it is again. Each player in the game has a bangle attached to them, with BP, which presumably stands for bangle (or bracelet) points. Like in 999, you travel in pairs, and can cooperate with or betray your partner.

 

AB rooms have a voting machine set up within them, and each pair of participants must make a choice within a time limit. Do you “cooperate” or “betray”? Each choice you choose unlocks a different scenario and, depending on different situations, you’ll see different stories unfold. The key is to get more than 9BP so you can open the door to escape. On the other hand, if your points fall below 0, you’ll get injected with poison from your bangle and die.

 

The different combinations like this: (The point changes affect both players.)

 

- If you choose to cooperate and the opponent chooses to cooperate, +2BP.

- If you choose to cooperate and the opponent chooses to betray, -2BP.

- If you choose to betray and the opponent chooses to cooperate, +3BP.

- If you choose to betray and the opponent chooses to betray, -0BP.

 

What is a possible dilemma? Uchikoshi gives the following example:

 

“What if both players have only 1 BP left? The opponent would invite you to cooperate with him and then both of you would get 2BP. Should you cooperate, trusting those words? However, if the opponent chooses to betray you, then your BP will go “1 – 2 = -1” and you’d die. Then, would the safe route be to betray? But if you do that and the opponent really was planning to cooperate, then his BP will go “1 – 2 = -1” and you’ll end up killing that person.”

 

Uchikoshi also dropped some trivia about the game’s title. Originally, there were three names that made it to the final cut: Uragiri x Girigiri [betrayal x Just Barely], Want to be Saved? Then Die, and Good People Die. In the end, the proponents of each wouldn’t give in, so ultimately, the title was chosen using rock-paper-scissors.

 

 

 

Some other names that were dropped included “Sigma Control,” “Lost Escape,” “Contagious Distrust,” “Escargo,” “Human-mode Killer,” “Nine Mice Bite the Cat,” and “Sigma and Phi and Tenmyouji and Quark and Alice and Yotsuba and Dio and Luna and K are All Trapped in Weird Place! Oh No!” There were apparently many, many more that aren’t mentioned.

 

The final chosen name in Japanese, Zennin Shibou Desu, also contains a pun. “Shibou” can mean “to hope,” which would transform the meaning behind the original title into “We hope for everyone to become a good person.”

I'm going to stop reading information about this game for fear of knowing everything about it ahead of time, but I'm still looking forward to it.

US Release: Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward

Regional Office of the International Disease Organization, Washington D.C. – IDO agents working in California report that preliminary findings indicate the exceedingly dangerous Japanese adventure game known as “Zennin Shiboudesu” has somehow crossed the Pacific. Attempts were made to contain it, but some carriers seem to have escaped the quarantine and are now at large.

 

This game is extremely virulent and can be transmitted through physical contact (via the dual “Nintendo 3DS™” and “PlayStation®Vita” retail vectors) as well as through the air (via the “PSN” vector), which has prompted the IDO to declare this a level 6 pandemic. All uninfected persons are advised to remain indoors and avoid contact with others. If you suspect you have been infected, or suspect a friend or family member of being infected, report, or have them report, to the nearest IDO quarantine facility.

 

Similarity to an earlier strain known as “Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors” has lead to a reclassification: Both strains will now be considered members of the “Zero Escape” game series. Exposure to North America also seems to have caused Zennin Shiboudesu to mutate, and after much deliberation it has been determined that it will be referred to in all future literature as “Virtue’s Last Reward” (see forthcoming department memo re: choice of strain name).

 

Virtue’s Last Reward—or, alternatively, “VLR”—has been known to exhibit the following symptoms. If you begin to display any of these, distance yourself from friends and loved ones immediately, and proceed at once to the nearest IDO center.

 

• Dual Language Support – Early cases show that VLR allows communication in both English and Japanese, with dialog playable in both languages. Whether or not this indicates damage to the languages centers of the brain is under investigation.

 

• Puzzles and Story – Preliminary investigations show that this game progresses rapidly through a repeating cycle of two distinct stages, which have been termed the “Novel” and “Escape” stages. During the Novel stage, subjects find themselves engaged by a complex and mysterious story. During the Escape stage, subjects have been observed solving numerous puzzles.

 

• Fully-Voiced Novel Sections – One of the indicators of the Novel stage is reportedly fully-voiced dialog: All characters except for the protagonist can be heard speaking during this stage.

 

• Numerous Endings – VLR has been shown to exhibit numerous paths of infection, most of which are lethal. At press time, 24 different “endings” have been observed, each unique.

 

• Immersive Three-Dimensional Environment – Many infected patients have reported a feeling of increased immersion in their surroundings, often manifested in the ability to rotate the camera around a 3D room rendered in-game and select and manipulate objects in three-dimensional space.

 

• Introduces New Characters, Brings Back Old Ones – Our files on 999 indicate that a number of the characters featured there appear again in VLR, although in what capacity is still unclear. This strain also introduces several new characters, all of whom merit additional investigation.

Both games will now be referred to as:

 

Zero Escape: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors

 

Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward

I'd be so excited about this if the stupid 3DS hadn't been stupid region-locked.

I wish I had a Vita.

So it looks like Americans and Vita owners will be playing this in October.

European 3DS owners are left cursing Nintendo's region-locking yet again.

I guess it's up to Ghostlight to save the day.

Mind you, still haven't played my copy of the first one I picked up while I was in America last year.

Knowing me, I will have bought a Vita and imported the American version of Virtue's Last Reward days before Ghostlight announces that it's localizing it.

Mind you, still haven't played my copy I picked up while I was in America last year.

Are you from the future? :p

Or are you talking about 999?

Are you from the future? :p

 

Or are you talking about 999?

Both.

Aw, man. You should play 999 right now. One of my favorite games on the DS.

I hear Zell likes it too.

Though I suppose being from the future, you're too busy gaming on your 4DS to have time for DS games.