Zero Time Dilemma

Zero Time Dilemma

North American cover art
Developer(s) Chime
Publisher(s)

Aksys Games

Director(s) Kotaro Uchikoshi
Artist(s) Rui Tomono
Writer(s) Kotaro Uchikoshi
Composer(s) Shinji Hosoe
Series Zero Escape
Platform(s) Nintendo 3DS
PlayStation Vita
Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)

Nintendo 3DS, PS Vita

  • JP June 30, 2016

Microsoft Windows

  • JP June 30, 2016
Genre(s) Adventure

Zero Time Dilemma[lower-alpha 1] is an adventure video game in development by Chime. It is planned to be released for the handheld consoles Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita in June 2016, by Spike Chunsoft in Japan and Aksys Games in North America and Europe. Additionally, a Microsoft Windows version is planned. Zero Time Dilemma is the third and final entry in the Zero Escape series, following Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (2009) and Virtue's Last Reward (2012).

The game is directed and written by series creator Kotaro Uchikoshi, and features music by Shinji Hosoe and character designs by Rui Tomono. Uchikoshi had started planning the game's story in 2012, but its development was put on indefinite hiatus due to the commercial failure of the series in Japan. Development was later announced in 2015 to have resumed in response to high demand from the series' fan base. The story is set between the previous two games and will resolve all remaining mysteries from Virtue's Last Reward.

Gameplay

Zero Time Dilemma is an adventure game, and is divided into multiple chapters, representing 90-minute periods; each chapter consists of a narrative section, followed by an escape-the-room puzzle and a moral decision. Narrative sections are presented as three-dimensional animated cinematics, with camera movements and full voice acting in Japanese and English. The chapters, referred to as "fragments",[2] are chosen through the Floating Fragment system, in which the player gets to choose a fragment to play based on an image and a vague description of it.[3] The fragments can be played out of order; the characters lose their memory after each 90-minute period, and do not know where they are in the timeline. When the player completes a fragment, they are returned to the Floating Fragment screen, and the completed fragment is placed in a narrative flowchart, indicating where it takes place in the story.[2]

Plot

Setting and characters

In the fictional chronology of the Zero Escape series, Zero Time Dilemma is set between the events of Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors and Virtue's Last Reward.[4] The setting is inside a facility intended to test the logistics of a Mars colony, and the psychology of the people living within the enclosed colony.[5] The game follows nine characters who have been locked up in an underground nuclear bomb shelter and are forced to play a death game called the Decision Game, which is led by a masked person known as Zero. The shelter is divided into three sections, with three people placed in each section, making up three teams: C, D, and Q. To get to the central elevator hall and escape, the characters need six passwords; one password is revealed each time one of them dies.[6] The characters are all wearing watches that inject them with a drug every 90 minutes, inducing memory loss.[2]

Team C includes Carlos, a firefighter with a strong sense of justice; Akane, a member of a secret society working for a peaceful future, and who pretends to be a "neat and clean, ideal Japanese woman"; and Junpei, a childhood friend of Akane's, who has joined a detective agency to find her after she has not been heard from. Team Q includes Q, a naive amnesiac boy wearing a spherical helmet; Eric, an ice cream shop clerk; and Mira, who does not show much emotion and is in a relationship with Eric. Team D includes Diana, a pacifist nurse who dislikes fighting; Phi, an intelligent woman who participated in the colony together with Akane and Sigma to save the world; and Sigma, a 67-year-old man in the body of a 22-year-old. Additionally, there is a dog named Gab who is able to pass through vents between the sections to deliver messages between the teams.[6]

Development

Zero Time Dilemma is being developed by Chime,[7] and is directed and written by Kotaro Uchikoshi,[8] with music composed by Shinji Hosoe.[9] Uchikoshi first mentioned details of a third Zero Escape game in 2012,[10] stating that it would be the last entry in the series.[11] In June 2013, he said that he had finished planning the story, but that development had not yet begun.[12] In February 2014, it was announced that the project was put on hold indefinitely in response to the series' poor commercial reception in Japan.[13][14] Uchikoshi examined the possibility of financing the development through the use of crowdfunding on a website like Kickstarter, but felt that the idea would not be persuasive enough for it to meet the goal; he also sought out opportunities with executives and investors.[13] The series' fandom created Operation Bluebird, an online campaign to raise awareness of the series and support the game's development, in response to its hiatus.[15][16] At the 2015 Anime Expo in July, Aksys Games announced that development of the third game had been resumed,[17] citing the high demand and awareness for the game as key factors for its reevaluation.[5] By March 2016, development was 80% finished.[18]

The game's characters were designed by Rui Tomono; Uchikoshi had considered asking Kinu Nishimura, the character designer for the previous two games in the series, to return, but wanted to show that the series had changed significantly. He also felt that, as the production had moved from backgrounds and drawn characters to 3D cinematics, "more impressive design" was needed, and that Tomono's designs were likely to be accepted outside Japan while still having a "Japan-like touch".[18] Zero's character design was also changed to suit the story's focus on a virus; the character wears a plague doctor mask as opposed to a gas mask in the previous games.[19] Two puzzle creators were enlisted with designing the escape-the-room scenarios; Uchikoshi described one of them as creating "orthodox" puzzles, and the other as creating "unique and out-of-the-box" types of puzzles. He gave them a rough idea of what he wanted each puzzle to convey and how he wanted them to resolve. The puzzle designers would come up with a draft, which he would finalize together with them.[20] Uchikoshi stated that the budget partly dictated the game's setting in an enclosed space as it required few assets to develop.[21]

Story and themes

The game was originally planned to be developed simultaneously with the previous game in the Zero Escape series, Virtue's Last Reward,[22] with the two games being "paired as a set",[23] and with Virtue's Last Reward having a cliffhanger ending.[14] With Zero Time Dilemma, Uchikoshi intended to resolve all mysteries left from the previous game, as well as all introduced in the third,[23] while also attempting to make the story enjoyable for first-time players.[18] This was used as a "basic framework" to write the story within. In addition to figuring out how to explain the mysteries while avoiding contradictions with Virtue's Last Reward, they added side stories to the narrative to give it "a little extra punch". They also took the time-travel ability some characters in Virtue's Last Reward have into consideration, as it opened up for more narrative possibilities. Uchikoshi worked with two other writers; the three helped each other come up with ideas and figure out the best ways to make the story work.[21] The script took one year to write.[20] While Uchikoshi had already had an idea for the setting and events of Zero Time Dilemma when writing Virtue's Last Reward, the game structure changed when the time came to implement it. One reason was that characters "take on a life of their own and make their own decisions" when he writes from their point of view, and that characters might pull the story in a different direction than he had originally planned; most of the time, he would let the story go where the characters want to go rather than forcing it to follow his original plans, leading to changes in story and structure.[21]

The game's main theme is morality, and it is the game in the series with the largest focus on philosophy; Uchikoshi intends to have the player's "way of thinking, values, [and] virtues" shaken intensely while they play the game.[23] The "dilemma" in the game's title reflects this, as the game asks the player whether choices they make are the right thing to do.[18] Another main theme is identity, and how people try to figure out who they are. This came from Uchikoshi's personal struggles with identity issues: he said that he is "always thinking about who [he is]" and that he thinks he might have a multifaceted personality; his characters, like him, deal with this issue.[21] Among other major themes are "multiple-probability histories", with the player being able to move between different equally probable histories depending on the choices they have made;[20] and the big effects small coincidences can have, which was reflected in the use of randomizing events. The idea to include randomization came from how Uchikoshi wanted to "spoiler-proof" the game, and felt that FAQ websites that tell players how to beat the game make playthroughs uninteresting.[19] He had always been fascinated by the concept of coincidences, and how actions done in the past lead up "where we are today", so he did a lot of research and reading on the topic to prepare writing the story.[21] The theme of no absolute good or evil came from Buddhist literature Uchikoshi had read, particularly the Zen Buddhist idea of "shiki soku zeku", which he described as "matter is void and form is emptiness". Because of this idea, Uchikoshi tried to give each character "their own sense of personal justice that they believe to be true", resulting in characters with different philosophies who play off each other.[19]

While previous Zero Escape titles tell their narratives through visual novel segments, Zero Time Dilemma replaces them with cinema scenes,[3] intended to feel familiar for Western players and "emulate the feel of a big-budget American TV show". To further this effect, they included the options to turn off subtitles.[22] Due to this more cinematic approach, Uchikoshi was able to make use of his experience with writing the anime series Punch Line.[21] The inspiration for this change in format was the Telltale Games adventure game series The Walking Dead;[3] Uchikoshi said that this would make for a lower barrier of entry for people not necessarily interested in visual novels,[22] and that mass appeal is important part to Spike Chunsoft, as just a Japanese audience is not enough for the production of adventure games.[3] The non-linear and episodic nature of the game's chapters was done to appeal to more casual players and people new to the series, as they can uncover the story at their own pace without being "railroaded into doing one storyline from start to finish".[22] The use of fragments added some challenge to writing the story: Uchikoshi had to be careful when planning the progression of the story, as changes to one fragment would also affect the fragments surrounding it. When breaking the story up into fragments, he considered what would be the most entertaining for players.[21]

In response to feedback from players, Zero Time Dilemma is planned to be more suspenseful than Virtue's Last Reward:[24] Uchikoshi and the game's producer decided that, as Zero Time Dilemma is the final Zero Escape game, they should no longer hold back and instead do what they had always wanted to do. Because of the life-and-death theme, they felt that there would be less of an impact if they had held back, and that they instead should make the violence in the game "extreme" to make the player's choices hit home.[19] According to Uchikoshi, the development team wanted the player to feel worried, and that the game would be done as he wants it without any changes done for the sake of age ratings:[18] they had originally considered aiming for a CERO D age rating – 17 years or older – but decided to aim for a Z age rating instead, which is the highest age rating in Japan, as they felt they could not get the visual and emotional impact they wanted within a D rating.[19]

Promotion and release

In March 2015, Aksys Games launched the website 4infinity.co, which consisted of a countdown timer;[25] the countdown ended in July, coinciding with the game's announcement at Anime Expo.[17] The game's title and logo were revealed in October,[26] and in December, a teaser Twitter account was launched, revealing artwork of characters from the game.[27] The game was unveiled during a presentation in March 2016.[28] For the Japanese release, the English series title, Zero Escape, is used instead of the Kyokugen Dasshutsu (極限脱出, "Extreme Escape") title used for previous Japanese releases, as the developers wanted to renew the series' image and bring over the Western title to Japan.[18]

Unlike previous Zero Escape games, the game is being localized alongside the production of the Japanese version:[17] it is planned to be published by Aksys Games for the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita in North America and Europe on June 28, 2016, with a Japanese release following on June 30.[29] In Japan, a Microsoft Windows version will also be released on the same date;[30] in Europe and North America, this version will be available later in 2016.[31] The game is planned to be available both digitally and physically on the Nintendo 3DS and the PlayStation in North America, and digitally only in Europe.[26] In North America, a limited edition that includes a wristwatch is planned to be released,[32] and in Japan, pre-ordered copies will come bundled with Zero Escape: Premium Booklet, a 48-page booklet that includes production material, illustrations by Tomono, summaries of the previous two Zero Escape games, and a prequel written by Uchikoshi.[33]

Notes

  1. ↑ Known in Japan as Zero Escape: Toki no Dilemma (ZERO ESCAPE 刻のジレンマ Zero Escape: Toki no Jirenma, "Zero Escape: Time Dilemma").[1]

References

  1. ↑ "【先出し週刊ファミ通】『極限脱出』シリーズついに完結！　『ZERO ESCAPE 刻のジレンマ』ニンテンドー3DS＆PS Vitaで発売決定（2016年3月10日発売号）". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. 2016-03-08. Archived from the original on 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2016-03-08.
  2. 1 2 3 Schreier, Jason (2016-03-16). "Everything We Just Learned About Zero Escape 3: Zero Time Dilemma". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Archived from the original on 2016-03-17. Retrieved 2016-03-17.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Mackey, Bob (2016-03-17). "Zero Time Dilemma Brings Spike-Chunsoft's Sci-Fi Thriller to a New Frontier". USgamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2016-03-17. Retrieved 2016-03-07.
  4. ↑ Ishaan (2013-03-27). "Zero Escape 3 Will Take Place Between 999 And Virtue’s Last Reward". Siliconera. Archived from the original on 2015-10-01. Retrieved 2015-12-03.
  5. 1 2 "AX 2015 Uchikoshi/Zero Escape panel". Aksys Games. YouTube. 2015-07-05. Archived from the original on 2015-10-26. Retrieved 2015-08-25.
  6. 1 2 Romano, Sal (2016-03-14). "Zero Time Dilemma prologue and characters detailed; first trailer coming March 17". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 2016-03-15. Retrieved 2016-03-17.
  7. ↑ "Spec" (in Japanese). Spike Chunsoft. Archived from the original on 2016-04-20. Retrieved 2016-04-20.
  8. ↑ Frank, Allegra (2015-10-31). "Zero Escape 3 has a new, official name". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 2015-11-29. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  9. ↑ Uchikoshi, Kotaro (2015-12-23). "Kotaro Uchikoshi Eng on Twitter". Twitter. Archived from the original on 2015-12-24. Retrieved 2015-12-24.
  10. ↑ Ponce, Tony (2012-12-02). "Zero Escape writer talks early third game details". Destructoid. Modern Method. Archived from the original on 2013-05-29. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
  11. ↑ Uchikoshi, Kotaro (2013-01-25). "打越鋼太郎 on Twitter". Twitter. Archived from the original on 2015-04-17. Retrieved 2015-06-08.
  12. ↑ Hoffman, Chris (2013-06-27). "Zero Escape's creator discusses the series' past and future". GamesRadar. Future plc. Archived from the original on 2015-07-07. Retrieved 2015-11-11.
  13. 1 2 Smith, Carly (2014-02-13). "Zero Escape Conclusion Put on Hold Indefinitely". The Escapist. Defy Media. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2015-06-08.
  14. 1 2 Hansen, Steven (2014-02-13). "Zero Escape not profitable in Japan, trilogy end on hold". Destructoid. Modern Method. Archived from the original on 2014-07-07. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
  15. ↑ Schreier, Jason (2014-02-17). "Fans Fight To Bring Virtue's Last Reward Back To Life". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Archived from the original on 2015-04-14. Retrieved 2015-06-08.
  16. ↑ Chieng, Kevin (2014-02-17). "Operation Bluebird: A Fan Movement to Bring Zero Escape 3 Into Reality". GameTrailers. Defy Media. Archived from the original on 2014-03-02. Retrieved 2015-06-08.
  17. 1 2 3 Sanchez, Miranda (2015-07-03). "Zero Escape Volume 3 Revealed". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 2015-08-25. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Romano, Sal (2016-03-08). "Zero Time Dilemma participants announced [Update 2]". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 Sato (2016-03-25). "Zero Time Dilemma Director On Randomized Events, And How Graphic The Game Will Be". Siliconera. Archived from the original on 2016-03-26. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
  20. 1 2 3 Lopez, Azario (2016-03-21). "Interview With Zero Escape Series Creator Kotaro Uchikoshi". Operation Rainfall. Archived from the original on 2016-03-21. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Nutt, Christian (2016-04-25). "No escape: Zero Time Dilemma and the narrative design of Kotaro Uchikoshi". Gamasutra. UBM plc. Archived from the original on 2016-04-25. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  22. 1 2 3 4 Frank, Allegra (2016-03-21). "Zero Time Dilemma turns to Western fans — and TV — to go out with a bang". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 2016-03-21. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
  23. 1 2 3 Sanchez, Miranda (2015-07-07). "Zero Escape 3 'More Philosophical Than Past Volumes'". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 2015-08-25. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  24. ↑ Spencer (2013-05-29). "999 And Virtue’s Last Reward Creator Chats About Suspenseful Visual Novels". Siliconera. Archived from the original on 2015-04-28. Retrieved 2015-11-16.
  25. ↑ Hannley, Steve (2015-03-18). "Aksys Teasing Something; Zero Escape 3 Announcement Inbound?". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 2015-07-19. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  26. 1 2 Hannley, Steve (2015-10-30). "Zero Escape 3 Officially Titled ‘Zero Time Dilemma,’ Logo and Concept Art Released". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 2015-10-30. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
  27. ↑ Romano, Sal (2015-12-22). "Aksys Games launches Zero Time Dilemma teaser Twitter account". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
  28. ↑ Romano, Sal (2016-02-16). "Zero Time Dilemma to be fully unveiled in March". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 2016-02-17. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  29. ↑ Beck, Adam (2016-03-16). "Zero Time Dilemma Release Date Announced, Coming to PC". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 2016-03-17. Retrieved 2016-03-17.
  30. ↑ "「ZERO ESCAPE 刻のジレンマ」の発売日が2016年6月30日に決定。PC版もSteamで同日リリース". 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Aetas Inc. Archived from the original on 2016-03-17. Retrieved 2016-03-17.
  31. ↑ Frank, Allegra (2016-03-16). "Zero Time Dilemma launches this June — and is coming to Steam". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 2016-03-17. Retrieved 2016-03-17.
  32. ↑ Spencer (2015-07-08). "Zero Escape: Volume 3 Limited Edition Includes A Bonus Watch". Siliconera. Archived from the original on 2015-07-09. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  33. ↑ Romano, Sal (2016-04-05). "Zero Time Dilemma pre-orders include exclusive booklet in Japan". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2016-04-06.

External links

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