What is Ever 17?
Ever 17 - the out of infinity (Developed by KID, published by Hirameki International in North America) is a Japanese interactive visual novel, a genre that is very popular in Japan. As an English-speaking player, one most likely either know very little about this genre, or know enough about it to tell most visual novels are, sadly, filled with adult and erotic content. Rest assured, Ever 17 is not a hentai/ero game, (otherwise it most likely would not make it outside of Japan and enter North America and priced $50 USD). Also, Ever 17 - The out of Infinity is the second installation of the Infinity series. The series includes Never 7 - the End of Infinity, Ever 17 - the Out of Infinity, Remember 11 - the Age of Infinity, and 12Riven the Ψcliminal of integral. ( Out of the four, the first three are released in Japan, Never 7 and Ever 17 have PC version (R11 only has PS2 version), 12Riven is under development as the ∞ series evolves into ∫ series after three years of advancement (need info for this after KID's bankruptcy). Only Ever 17 is translated (officially) into English.
Ever 17, like other visual novels, is not a game technically as a normal video game would have much "playability" than just "watch what happens next", such as a learning curve to get use to the game's mechanism, competition among either AI or human opponents, and awards those who have mastered the game. Yet since you most likely to find Ever 17 in a game store than a book store, and its way of unfolding the plot is in one dimension higher than a plain book, I'll use the term "game", and "player" instead of "novel" and "readers".
May 1st, 2017. An unknown factor caused LeMU, the underwater marine theme park to flood. Six people are trapped inside, without a way out. The communication is cut, the group faces dire future of implosion as LeMU's structural frame deteriorates. The player takes the role of either Kuranari Takeshi or a mysterious teenager who has amnesia, and will interact with the heroines and finally learn the true nature of the incident. You have six days to go through, the survival of yourself (and the one you love) is at your hand as you make every critical decision that is presented to you. Are you ready?
Ever 17 PC Premium Edition Cover Art
Why is it a masterpiece
What is the theme of Ever 17? Romance, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy and philosophy... all are interweaving into this timeless epic. Love is forged under the pressure of communal survival: love between a couple, love of friends, love of mother and child, love of siblings... each and every one of them is inseperatable from the story as a hole. Yet the goal of the player is also unveil the truth--what caused the incident, what is the connection of Cure, Tief Blau, and Leiblich, what is the Third Eye... who is Blick Winkel. Parallel universes, predestination paradox, 4th dimension, Pygmalion Effect... are they the constant force and mastermind of Ever 17's world? Finally, what you believe becomes reality, everyone is observing, everyone is being observed; therefore we exist, therefore our existence is proven.
Wonder not, Ever 17 keeps player guessing, give some incomplete information, and the entire picture is like a being put together piece by piece. First time the an ending is achieved, the players would find that not all questions are answered. Not until you are able to jump out of the box of common plot, the story is incomplete. During the process, as you are motivated by "get a better ending" or "get to the bottom of things", you become a character of the game. It is wholesomely different, from any traditional RPG/AVG where you "role-playing" a character. Everything you do, save game, load game, start a new game, achieve an ending... can be rationalized as a part of the game universe. Not until the very last, you don't realize that you are being deceived by a paradox which the ultimate creator is you, Blick Winkel...
At least, it will make you think. Is it a sin for human beings to be cloned? Is it a tragedy that a person cannot die? Is there a 4th dimension? Is there a way to change history? Are there are infinite number of universes? ... Can Blick Winkel truly exist?
Poster.