The ChunSoft Thread: Zero Escape Series & Banshee's Last Cry

[Raziek]

This is the thread to discuss 999 for the DS AND NOW, Virtue's Last Reward. (3DS/Vita) Both are produced by Aksys, and are fantastic visual novels in the horror genre!

Re: 999

Fantastic game. I just finished the true ending, which is what has compelled me to create this topic.

Discussion in this topic will almost CERTAINLY contain spoilers.

With that in mind, USE SPOILER TAGS.

One of the best DS games I own.

Now also discussing: Banshee's Last Cry!

Aksys/ChunSoft recently released Banshee's Last Cry on iOS (android release coming soon), which is a localization of what is apparently a REALLY old game, originally on the SNES.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banshee's_Last_Cry

I've been playing it over the past few days and got a few of the endings. Game is super creepy, and does a lot of the stuff that 999/VLR do in terms of atmospheric music & descriptive gore.

 

[finalark]

I've been wanting to play this one for a while but I don't have the money for it.

 

[Dekar173]

Question- what is this game?

Any and all relevant links (ones that you find helpful yourself as someone who's played it) would be great.



I buy good DS games, I flash card bad ones. Direct me.

 

[Lythium]

Ah, I'm so glad you made a topic for this!

/subscribed

Dekar, it's basically a visual novel, with puzzles. Every puzzle you solve lets you progress in the story. If you don't mind a lot of reading in your games, I say go for it.

 

[Poltergust]

Dekar, don't pirate this game. It's worth every penny. It's easily one of the best DS games of 2010, if not the best.

 

[Dekar173]

Then I'll definitely have to check it out

 

[Raziek]

In a nutshell, 999's basic premise is like Saw.

The 9 people are stuck on a ship, which is sinking. They have 9 hours to escape, by traveling through 9 numbered doors, hence the title. The main conflict in the game is they've got to avoid dying. Either at each other's hands, Zero's hands, or by the timer. It's a seriously intense psychological thriller.

The main warning I have for anyone who intends to buy this game:

There is a LOT of reading. But it's totally worth it.

I can proudly say I completed every puzzle with no help, except the very first one, because I missed one of the clues. T-T

Someone else finish this so we can talk juicy, juicy spoilers.

 

[A Pimp Named Slickback]

I don't have a DS so I will be pirating this game.

 

[M.K]

Bought the last copy in my region, but I'm finishing up some other games before I start. I've definitely heard NOTHING but good things about this game and am verrrry excited to start playing it.

 

[Lythium]

Working through my third playthrough now.

Must... get... all... endings!

 

[Scamp]

I finished this game and I've got some things to say about it. Will have massive spoiler tags, but I'll wait until at least one more person has finished it before I go nuts.

I will say that I didn't find any of the puzzles particularly challenging, though there were a few where I had to explore around quite a bit.

 

[Poltergust]

Well, the main emphasis of the game was the story. The puzzles were relatively easy because overly long puzzle sections would detract from the main story.

Spoiler

Oh, and these puzzles had to be easy enough for children to solve.

I really liked all the interactions between the characters during the puzzle segments. They were hilarious.

Spoiler

Please tell me you guys know about Science Boy. It's probably the funniest extra conversation I've ever seen in a game.

 

[Raziek]

I've finished all of them, so discuss away, Scamp.

Spoiler

What's Science Boy, Polt?

 

[Minato]

Just bought the game new at Gamestop (shrink wrapped and everything). I love visual novels and I can't wait to play it.
I'll be avoiding this thread until I beat in case someone doesn't put spoiler tags.

If you liked this game, be sure to check out Ever17. It's a VN on the PC by the same writer, I believe.

 

[Lythium]

I've heard of Ever17, but I haven't played it.

Maybe I'll check it out once I get all the endings in 999.

 

[Poltergust]

I've finished all of them, so discuss away, Scamp.

Spoiler

What's Science Boy, Polt?

Spoiler

It's a hilarious side-conversation in room #8. First, examine the mannequin enough times for Junpei to call it "Science Boy," then examine it after the fire breaks out multiple times, then examine the door that Clover goes through several times. It's totally hilarious. XD

In fact, I'll go and give you a full transcription of it in a bit. You absolutely need to read this.

EDIT:

Spoiler

OK, here are all the conversations pertaining to Science Boy.

-Before the fire-

Clover: Is this, like, an examination table...? There's a creepy mannequin in here, guys...

Clover: There's something sticking out of the mannequin's head, like... wires or something.
Junpei: What the hell were they doing in there...
Junpei: (Huh? Why's she all quiet now?)
Clover: They were doing experiments on humans... Probably...
Junpei: (Oh man, now she looks so sad...)
Junpei: ?

Junpei: (There's a mannequin lying on the exam table.)
Junpei: (I can't really see it well from here, but it looks like there are a bunch of electrodes sticking out of its head.)

Junpei: (There's a mannequin lying on the exam table. It's got a bunch of electrodes sticking out of its head.)

Junpei: (That mannequin looks so... sad... I gotta admit, I'm starting to feel kind of sorry for it.)

Junpei: (Am I getting attached to this thing?)
Junpei: (...Maybe I should give it a name.)
Junpei: (How about the Science Boy...?)

Junpei: (Science Boy is lying on the table. His poor head is full of electrodes.)

-After the fire-

Junpei: (Science Boy's head is on fire.)
Junpei: Science Boy! Nooooooooooo! Oh, the humanity!
Lotus: What the hell is "Science Boy"?! Are you... are you talking about the mannequin?!
Junpei: ...Yes...
Lotus: Forget about the mannequin! You need to help Clover, now!

Junpei: (Science Boy's head is on fire.)
Junpei: (I feel bad for him, but he's already don't for. I need to save Clover!)

-Examining the door Clover comes out of-

Clover: What are you doing, Junpei? Not that way!

Clover: Are you an idiot?! That's the laboratory! Y'know, the room full of FIRE?!
Clover: You wanna burn to death?!

Clover: Heeeeeeeey! Knock that off!
Junpei: Yeah, yeah, I know...
Junpei: I just feel kinda bad for leaving Science Boy in there to die...
Clover: Whaaaaaaa?! The MANNEQUIN?!

Junpei: (Clover's eyes are kinda freaking me out right now. Maybe I should just give up on the mannequin...)

Junpei: (So long, mannequin...)
Junpei: (You may have not been a real man, but I always thought of you as kin...)

And that's it. Junpei is so crazy. XD

 

[Raziek]

Bahaha, that was pretty good. Almost as good as the sex elevator scene with June.

 

[Lythium]

Bahaha, that was pretty good. Almost as good as the sex elevator scene with June.

I just discovered that on my last playthrough, and it was hilariously awkward.

 

[Scamp]

So I can kick this off a bit.

I really enjoyed how the true ending is actually worth getting in this game and adds a ton to the story and the overall game experience. Usually a true ending is something like: "Oh, she didn't die after all. Good job!" Not here. Took me like 3 hours to beat it and that's even with skipping everything leading up to the true ending.

I admit I had to cheat in order to find the right path, and soon after I did that I figured out how you're "supposed" to figure it out. I did figure out the coffin ending all by myself

Spoiler

just by thinking about the order of the rooms

but whatevs.

Spoiler conversation time!

Spoiler

Who was that mostly naked woman at the end of the game? I thought it was Lotus, my friend thought it was ALL-ICE. Yes I know Lotus is in the van but I have a theory for that.

Spoiler

I like how playing through the game multiple times is just like the story of the rats and how they get better at leaving that little maze over time. With multiple playthroughs I'm just buzzing past all the stuff I already know. I really hate that first room now, though. Have the codes memorized for each suitcase. Bleh.

Spoiler

I got the submarine ending for my first and second playthrough. The second time I forced my way into door 3 and you know how that goes. Don't you? Anyway, that ending really freaked me out and made me treat the game like a horror game even though it kind of isn't. My theory was that someone came aboard the ship on the submarine and was just butchering everyone. Didn't help that the next ending I got was the knife ending.

That's enough for now. Discuss!

 

[Raziek]

So I can kick this off a bit.

I really enjoyed how the true ending is actually worth getting in this game and adds a ton to the story and the overall game experience. Usually a true ending is something like: "Oh, she didn't die after all. Good job!" Not here. Took me like 3 hours to beat it and that's even with skipping everything leading up to the true ending.

I admit I had to cheat in order to find the right path, and soon after I did that I figured out how you're "supposed" to figure it out. I did figure out the coffin ending all by myself

Spoiler

just by thinking about the order of the rooms

but whatevs.

Spoiler conversation time!

Spoiler

Who was that mostly naked woman at the end of the game? I thought it was Lotus, my friend thought it was ALL-ICE. Yes I know Lotus is in the van but I have a theory for that.

Spoiler

I like how playing through the game multiple times is just like the story of the rats and how they get better at leaving that little maze over time. With multiple playthroughs I'm just buzzing past all the stuff I already know. I really hate that first room now, though. Have the codes memorized for each suitcase. Bleh.

Spoiler

I got the submarine ending for my first and second playthrough. The second time I forced my way into door 3 and you know how that goes. Don't you? Anyway, that ending really freaked me out and made me treat the game like a horror game even though it kind of isn't. My theory was that someone came aboard the ship on the submarine and was just butchering everyone. Didn't help that the next ending I got was the knife ending.

That's enough for now. Discuss!

Yar! Massive spoilers off the port bow!

Spoiler

Mostly naked lady was definitely All-ice. That was pretty obvious, IMO. I totally expected the "lol we're not actually on the sip" thing as soon as I heard about there being two test groups.

Agreed on the multiple playthroughs and hating the prologue.

Agreed on having to look up the right path, and just like you, I figured it out right after. xD

I got the Sub on my first and fourth endings.

First time I was like, "Doing what makes no sense TOTALLY has to be the right path!" Then I was like, "WHY IS EVERYONE DEAD?!"

Second time I just went through door 8, I think, and ended up taking door 6 and getting knifed. (That time would have gotten me the safe ending if I hadn't gone 486 instead of 586 T-T)

Third time I obviously tried door 1. (Went 571 instead of 471 T-T) That ending was scary as all hell. I got nightmares from that one, literally could not get to sleep. I was playing at 4 am, in the dark. BAD IDEA.

Fourth time I tried Door 2 without forcing it early. Still got sub'd. Then I got frustrated, looked it up, and raged at how close I was to both of the two best endings.

5th time I went Coffin.

6th was Safe.

7th was true. I can proudly say I didn't use guides on any of those puzzles. xD The sudoku pissed me off though. So anti-climactic as the final puzzle.

In regards to the sub ending, this game is DEFINITELY a horror gamer, IMO. I never considered it anything otherwise. All the delightfully gruesome and gory description? Too good!

Now for my confusions:

Are we looking at Wtftimerift **** here, or did Seven just lie?

I got really confused when Akane disappeared from the incinerator, because I thought there was time rift business going on. At the same time, there HAS to be, in order for her to have survived. She's Zero, which means she survived the originally survived the FIRST Nonary game, which means she had Junpei's help, which means MIND****! She couldn't have lived to host the second without having Junpei's help.

Also, Creepy-face Ace was 9000 scaries. Safe ending, I actually liked better than True. Rage-Snake was so good.

 

[Poltergust]

Spoiler

I think that All-ice at the end is supposed to be a joke. In the end, she didn't really prove to be relevant to the story, but I think the developers just put her there in the end just to mess with gamers. =P

Anyways, I somehow managed to get Coffin on my first playthrough without any outside help. I also guessed that the abstract painting was a dog. I was really lucky my first playthrough. XD

Although, I hated seeing that "To be continued..." thing.

I also figured that the preview you unlock after getting the Coffin ending guides me down the path I was supposed to take for the ending that unlocks the True ending. And, of course, I was right and got the Safe ending as my 2nd one.

After that, I decided to look up the flowchart for the other endings. I knew how to get the True ending now, of course, but I didn't know how to get the 3 bad ones. Unfortunately, I did this after I got the Sub ending, and during that playthrough I didn't go through door #3, so I had to get the Sub ending twice.

Finally, on my 7th playthrough I got the True ending. Truly epic.

By the way, I think that the Sudoku puzzle was really appropriate for a final puzzle. Thing about it: 9 numbers across, 9 numbers down, 9 numbers in a 3x3 square, and 9 3x3 squares. Also, the fact that you had to turn your DS upside-down was absolute genius.

To answer your conclusions, Raziek:

-I think that Seven wasn't lying. I mean, at certain points when he gets his memory back, he sounds really genuine about it. Also, that migraine he suffered during the True ending was probably the tension his head was feeling when he was remembering if Akane died or not. It was because at that moment Akane's fate would be decided, so if Junpei succeeded then Seven would remember Akane being alive, and if Junpei failed then he would remember Akane being dead.

-It was actually confirmed in an interview that Akane simply walked out of the incinerator room when no one was looking.

EDIT: Oh, and I believe that Ace was behind the Knife and Sub killings. He probably went ahead and killed Lotus during the Axe ending, too. I know we saw Ace's body during the Sub ending, but Junpei only checked Clover's pulse, so he could have faked being dead.

 

[Lythium]

Ugh, I need to finish this game properly, so I can a) read the spoiler tags and b) actually discuss the game.

Just got the sub ending. Whoosh.

 

[Raziek]

Sub ending actually makes almost no sense in the context of the rest of the endings. Probably the most confusing. @_@

 

[Lythium]

Finished all of the endings finally!

Spoiler

I was really pleased by how well the true ending wrapped everything up, except for maybe the Alice bit. When you think about it, it was a pretty extraordinary way to wrap everything up.

I really enjoyed this game, and I'm glad that Raz nagged me to finish it.

Spoiler

After getting Axe and Safe, I was like, meh. But I'm glad that I buckled down and finished it. The true ending was totally worth it.

 

[Scamp]

Yeah, so...

Spoiler

All-Ice at the end doesn't make any sense, other than just being thrown in there for a WTF moment and not having any intention of having it make sense. According to Ace that coffin was empty the first time and that was nine years ago. So she'd have to have thawed out over nine years ago and then somehow gotten to that spot in the desert when they're driving by.

Spoiler

The sudoku at the end was lame for me too, but I didn't realize how it fit so well with all the 9s. Anyway, I didn't have to turn the DS upside-down because you don't really need numbers to do a sudoku, just different symbols. It is easier to count to nine to see what you're missing but I didn't need to do that.

Spoiler

I heard that it might have been Ace killing people in the sub ending (let's face it, for the knife ending it could be anyone other than Lotus) since his body was never checked but I don't like that explanation. I mean why not Snake? He's still alive. Perhaps he Kill Billed his way out of that coffin.

Anyway, my explanation that I like is that it was Zero who killed everyone for punishment for getting things wrong. Everything has to be just right in order to save herself in the past. If it's not just right, eff it, butcher them and start over.

I have to go through the game again for something I'm thinking of. I'll just wait for my roommate to finish it and look over her shoulder.

 

[Poltergust]

Spoiler

It's impossible for either Snake or Zero (a.k.a. Akane) to be the killer because Snake would never kill Clover (who was confirmed to be dead) and Zero had no opportunity to kill Seven or Lotus because they were still with Junpei when they found her body. It can't be Santa because he wouldn't stab his sister (also, Zero wouldn't hurt Santa, either), and it couldn't be Junpei, Seven, or Lotus for obvious reasons. The only one of the group that had the opportunity and motive to kill is Ace. It was mentioned that Lotus' bracelet was missing, and he'd benefit the most from obtaining that if he had the 9 bracelet at the time, because it would allow him to go through door 9. Quite a bit of evidence points to him, but it is still possible that an outside force did everyone in (possibly Cap?).

Also... you didn't flip the DS around during the Sudoku puzzle? That's weird.... Did you understand why you had to do that, though?

 

[Omni]

Playing the game right now. How many endings are there to this?

 

[F8AL]

Playing the game right now. How many endings are there to this?

There are 6 endings in total, and the player's decisions will widely affect which ending is received. Only one ending is the true ending.

 

[Braxton2011]

Spoiler

I got knifed after everyone else died. Am I cool yet guys?

 

[Omni]

I'm scared to talk about this here 'cuz I don't want anyone to accidentally spoil anything.

Anyway, I got my first ending.

The following is a description of my ending:

Spoiler

Holy ****. So... I totally got a bad ending. Snake disappeared. Ace turned out to be the killer. Clover dies. June kept getting a fever. Snake burns with Ace in the incenerator. June disappears (WTF) at the end of the thing. I don't even know if I got out! WTF

This game is crazy. I gotta play again now.

What I really want to know are what aspects change the plot? Just decisions?

What about getting puzzles wrong?
Time limit?

 

[Raziek]

The aspects that change the plot are dialogue choices (a few specific ones), and door choices.

Getting puzzles wrong changes nothing.
There is no time limit.

You got lucky, Omni. You got the ending that enables the true ending on your first go.

 

[Scamp]

Wait a minute. So...

Spoiler

If you get the safe ending first, does that mean you can never get the coffin ending?

 

[Raziek]

Spoiler

The game automatically awards you the coffin ending if you get safe ending, then true. There is no difference between coffin's incomplete version, and the true ending's events leading UP TO that point.

 

[Poltergust]

Spoiler

Yeah, it's a good thing that you didn't get the Coffin ending. I was absolutely furious when I saw that "To be continued..." message on my first playthrough.

 

[Lythium]

Spoiler

I never get the troll coffin ending. I would have felt so cheated.

 

[Raziek]

Spoiler

I got the coffin ending intentionally just to see it.

 

[Lythium]

If I wanted to see it, I would look it up on Youtube or something.

 

[wacky1215]

What the stuff? Why is most of the posts blacked out on my phone? Specifically where you talk about the endings. I've been through 4 and although this game is awesome, I'm. Starting to get frustrated. HELP!

 

[Lythium]

We're using spoiler tags, so we don't spoil the endings for those who haven't finished the game yet.

 

[Heartz♥]

The True Ending clears everything up and reveals some seriously unexpected stuff. My mind was blown. Trust me, the ending will be nothing like you are expecting.