Zero Time Dilemma

Zero Time Dilemma

North American cover.
Developer(s) Spike Chunsoft
Publisher(s) Aksys Games
Director(s) Kotaro Uchikoshi
Writer(s) Kotaro Uchikoshi
Composer(s) Shinji Hosoe
Series Zero Escape
Platform(s) Nintendo 3DS
PlayStation Vita
Release date(s)
Genre(s) Visual novel, adventure

Zero Time Dilemma is a visual novel adventure video game in development by Spike Chunsoft for Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita. It is planned to be released by Aksys Games in North America and Europe in 2016. The game is the third entry in the Zero Escape series, following Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors and Virtue's Last Reward, and is being directed and written by series creator Kotaro Uchikoshi.

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 game is intended to be the final entry in the series; its story is set between the previous two games and will resolve all remaining mysteries from Virtue's Last Reward.

Plot

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.[1] 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.[2]

Development

Zero Time Dilemma is being developed by Spike Chunsoft,[3] and is directed and written by Kotaro Uchikoshi.[4] He is assisted by two sub-writers who help him with brainstorming ideas, finding what does not work so well, and how to improve the scenarios.[2] Like with previous Zero Escape games, the music is composed by Shinji Hosoe.[5] Unlike previous games in the series, Zero Time Dilemma is being localized alongside the production of the Japanese version.[6]

History

Uchikoshi first mentioned details of a third Zero Escape game in 2012,[7] stating that it would be the last entry in the series and would be set chronologically between the previous two games.[8] He later clarified in June 2013 that while he finished planning the game's story, development had not yet officially started.[9] In February 2014 it was announced that the project was put on hold indefinitely in response to the series' poor commercial reception in Japan.[10][11] 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.[10]

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.[12][13] In March 2015, Aksys Games launched the website 4infinity.co, which consisted of a countdown timer.[14] The countdown ended in July, coinciding with the 2015 Anime Expo, where Aksys Games announced that development of the third game had been resumed.[6] Aksys Games cited the high demand and awareness for the game as key factors for its reevaluation.[2] The game's official title and logo were revealed in October,[15] and in December, a teaser Twitter account was launched, revealing artwork of characters from the game.[16]

Plot and themes

The game's main theme is morality, and 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. During the development of Virtue's Last Reward, it was specifically intended to be "paired as a set" with a third game,[17] and was given a cliffhanger ending;[11] with Zero Time Dilemma, Uchikoshi intends to resolve all mysteries left from the previous game, as well as all introduced in the third.[17] Uchikoshi stated that Zero Time Dilemma will be more suspenseful than Virtue's Last Reward in response to feedback received on Twitter.[18]

Release

The game is planned to be published by Aksys Games for the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita in North America and Europe in the second or third quarter of 2016; it is planned to be available both digitally and physically in North America, and only digitally in Europe.[15] In North America, a limited edition that includes a wristwatch is planned to be released.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. 1 2 3 "AX 2015 Uchikoshi/Zero Escape panel". Aksys Games. YouTube. 2015-07-05. Archived from the original on 2015-10-26. Retrieved 2015-08-25.
  3. 1 2 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.
  4. ↑ Frank, Allegra (2015-10-31). "Zero Escape 3 has a new, official name". Polygon. Archived from the original on 2015-11-29. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  5. ↑ Uchikoshi, Kotaro (2015-12-23). "Kotaro Uchikoshi Eng on Twitter". Twitter. Archived from the original on 2015-12-24. Retrieved 2015-12-24.
  6. 1 2 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.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ Hoffman, Chris (2013-06-27). "Zero Escape's creator discusses the series' past and future". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on 2015-07-07. Retrieved 2015-11-11.
  10. 1 2 Smith, Carly (2014-02-13). "Zero Escape Conclusion Put on Hold Indefinitely". The Escapist. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2015-06-08.
  11. 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.
  12. ↑ 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.
  13. ↑ 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.
  14. ↑ 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.
  15. 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.
  16. ↑ 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.
  17. 1 2 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.
  18. ↑ 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.

External links

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