Ever 17: The Out of Infinity is another visual novel from KID that’s been given the remake treatment. Originally a 2002 release, this new version adds a lot of new art and an official English translation. Under the hood, it’s essentially the same game but the story and setting seems a more radical departure than the typical genre haunts.
The story pivots more towards sci-fi than the more down to earth aspects of its predecessor. LeMU is a underwater park that appears days from collapse. Leaks are commonplace, water pressure is haywire and there’s a week’s worth of time before complete disaster. Escape routes are also limited with swimming to the surface also out of the question.
Ever 17: The Out of Infinity offers two protagonists to play as. Takeshi is a student who has become separated from his group of friends. In his haste to find them, he bumps into The Kid, our second playable character who unfortunately has amnesia. The narrative mainly focuses around surviving the disaster and trying to find any means to leave the stricken resort.
The other characters you meet are a mix of park staff and fellow tourists. Tsugumi is the most suspicious as she seems to have a habit of disappearing and appears to have an intricate knowledge of the facility. She has other secrets that become very crucial to the plot. During Takeshi’s route, Tsugumi is the one you’ll spend the most time chasing and learning more about.
With The Kid, he’s mostly focused on Coco, a young girl who is always accompanied by her dog Pipi. Understandably, there’s no opportunities for romance but, even in Takeshi’s route, that’s thin on the ground. With more a focus on the disaster at hand, the sci-fi plot is expanded greatly. There are deadly viruses, human experimentation and simulations which let the narrative spiral in some odd directions. It’s certainly cemented in the future with LeMU feeling technically advanced and an ever present AI assistant as part of the cast. This does allow for the story to get away from something more grounded.
I think this focus on a few main characters does prevent you from really finding out about the whole cast. At a certain point, everything becomes about escape and you are mostly travelling with the same companion. There are revelations along the way but each day takes a lot of time to work through. It’s deliberately paced and, whilst most of that time is under duress, I never felt excited to finally get these guys to the surface.
Part of that it due to how fleeting it is to get everyone in the same room. With the technobabble on display, there’s a lot of time spent explaining how LeMU works. From basic things like currency or the basic layout, to more complex topics like the research being undertaken there. It can really take time away from getting to know the rest of the crew.
It’s a wordy script and, as a result, decisions are spread out in a way that can make them feel few and far between. I also didn’t feel these moments branched the experience much. On the one hand, I like that they can add flavour to a scene but it also leaves any major plot developments set in stone.
Ever 17: The Out of Infinity lacks a little narrative diversity. It doesn’t take too long for the crisis to become apparent and that remains the pressing concern until credits roll. There’s very little downtime or breaks from the action. It could’ve made things interesting but I don’t really think it flows well. There’s a lot of lot mystery and sci-fi wizardry but I don’t find it especially interesting.
This modern edition follows a similar treatment to Never 7: The End of Infinity. There’s new, sharper backgrounds and character portraits that do give a cleaner look. The corridors of LeMU can look a little sterile and the underwater setting tends to lean towards a bluer palette. When things go south, the environments grow darker. I appreciate they’re willing to show the decay of the facility and each day begins with an ominous countdown. The music tries to match the tone well and, whilst there is voice acting, it’s limited in its execution.
Ever 17: The Out of Infinity doesn’t quite come together. The constant pressure of disaster doesn’t give the character moments much time to breath. The script is long but there’s a need to explain a lot about LeMU’s construction and research to give the player context. On top of this, the long days feel at odds with the urgency of escape. Pacing can feel sluggish and I just don’t feel for this group of people. The new art and the English translation is welcome, as is a more sci-fi narrative. It just hasn’t clicked for me.
Summary
It’s great to see Ever 17: The Out of Infinity released officially in English but, as a novel, it doesn’t really hit its stride. There is a constant danger throughout the story but each day feels laboured. You spend most of the game away from the rest of the cast and that can make it hard to forge connections or a camaraderie. The new visuals are crisp and clear but the darker setting leads to a less colourful adventure. The story is still worth reading but it’s not sticking with me after the credits roll.
