I/O Revision II Review [no spoilers]

[Nyanko]

I really liked this VN and thought I'd post my review of it here for if anyone is interested 

It is my first review so.. feedback is welcome!

 

http://vnteaparty.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/io/

[hussien-11]

Thank you very much for the review. I'm very interested in the game, was it entertaining to you as much as the Infinity series ? and honestly, do you think that Takumi Nakazawa can match the brilliance of Kotaro Uchikoshi ? I have high hopes for this game.

[Nyanko]

Thank you very much for the review. I'm very interested in the game, was it entertaining to you as much as the Infinity series ?

Hm.. I don't know if it is actually a good idea to compare this to the infinity series, but I guess it is only natural with Nakazawa as its writer. I thought I/O was entertaining to read, I had really high hopes when I started this game, and it didn't let me down. It has a nice pacing and a fitting ending. But like I managed in the review, it has a lot of hard scifi and it is something that might turn some people away.. I do hope you will like it too though.

 

and honestly, do you think that Takumi Nakazawa can match the brilliance of Kotaro Uchikoshi ? I have high hopes for this game.

I think you are referring to Uchikoshi's zero escape series here (999,VLR). I have not read any of those yet so I can't compare them. I did read the infinity series (code_18 excluded). Nakazawa was the main writer for Remember11 in the infinity series and helped with overall stories of Ever17 and Never7. Unfortunately R11 was not completed as it should have, but maybe it helps you to get an idea of the difference between the writers.

 

I think the zero escape series has more in common with the infinity series than works Nakazawa wrote after leaving KID (including I/O). Unfortunately there is not much to compare it with because I/O is the first game of Nakazawa that got translated into English. Fortunately Lemnisca Translations is also working on other titles now. I do think Remember11 has things in common with I/O (who is self? where is the soul?) so that might help. 

[fun2novel]

The problem with Uchikoshi is that he repeats the same plot devices over and over. Nakazawa always tries to make things fresh.

Nakazawa's stories are a lot more condensed and full of complexities and detail. I think they are both good writers. Don't expect amazing twists and turns from I/O, it's just a really detailed and complex story and it really amazing how it takes it all and actually makes sense of it all.

 

So I/O is not full of twists but it's very complex and will make your brain melt. An extremely long epic cyberpunk story.

[Nyanko]

Don't expect amazing twists and turns from I/O, it's just a really detailed and complex story and it really amazing how it takes it all and actually makes sense of it all.

I agree. This is the part that can make or break complex stories.., and it certainly made I/O.

[hussien-11]

 

Hm.. I don't know if it is actually a good idea to compare this to the infinity series, but I guess it is only natural with Nakazawa as its writer. I thought I/O was entertaining to read, I had really high hopes when I started this game, and it didn't let me down. It has a nice pacing and a fitting ending. But like I managed in the review, it has a lot of hard scifi and it is something that might turn some people away.. I do hope you will like it too though.

 

no problem, I like sci-fi very much : )

 

 

I think you are referring to Uchikoshi's zero escape series here (999,VLR). I have not read any of those yet so I can't compare them. I did read the infinity series (code_18 excluded). Nakazawa was the main writer for Remember11 in the infinity series and helped with overall stories of Ever17 and Never7. Unfortunately R11 was not completed as it should have, but maybe it helps you to get an idea of the difference between the writers.

 

I think the zero escape series has more in common with the infinity series than works Nakazawa wrote after leaving KID (including I/O). Unfortunately there is not much to compare it with because I/O is the first game of Nakazawa that got translated into English. Fortunately Lemnisca Translations is also working on other titles now. I do think Remember11 has things in common with I/O (who is self? where is the soul?) so that might help. 

 

you should really play them! Virtue's Last Reward is my favorite storyline in any video game, It's really that good. I'm playing Remember 11 now and I feel that it's much more common with Uchikoshi's later games like 999, so I want to find out about Nakazawa's style of writing and ideas too ^^ I hope to play the game soon

[fun2novel]

Actually Remember11 IS Nakazawa's story. He is the main man behind this game. Uchikoshi also worked on it but Nakzawa was the man who planned it all. For some reason Uchikoshi, although never denied that he worked on this game also didn't want his name in the credits so he is credited under a different name.

 

Remember11 is a very good example of the kind of a storyteller is Nakazawa, everything here is has a lot of detail, the plot is really tightly planned, there are many themes and interesting ideas. I think that after Remember11 Nakzawa had so much rage in him that I/O became his way of breaking this rage. That's why I/O is so complex and overwhelming on the brain and Root Double is less so.

 

I guess Root Double is like a new Ever17 while I/O was the new Remember11, but remember, just because I said that don't compare between these games and expect the same things, lol.

[hussien-11]

Actually Remember11 IS Nakazawa's story. He is the main man behind this game. Uchikoshi also worked on it but Nakzawa was the man who planned it all. For some reason Uchikoshi, although never denied that he worked on this game also didn't want his name in the credits so he is credited under a different name.

 

Remember11 is a very good example of the kind of a storyteller is Nakazawa, everything here is has a lot of detail, the plot is really tightly planned, there are many themes and interesting ideas. I think that after Remember11 Nakzawa had so much rage in him that I/O became his way of breaking this rage. That's why I/O is so complex and overwhelming on the brain and Root Double is less so.

 

I guess Root Double is like a new Ever17 while I/O was the new Remember11, but remember, just because I said that don't compare between these games and expect the same things, lol.

 

Interesting, though I feel that Remember 11 and 999 have many similarities *_*

 

I've never heard of Root Double before o_O

[fun2novel]

That was exactly my point, Uchikoshi reuses the same plot devices over and over and that's kind of why you will see similarities between the Infinity and the Zero Escape series.

 

Root Double is the latest game from Nakazawa (excluding the secre game series but he was more like a producer on those). Although he didn't write it himself he did plan the whole story. The full name is Root Double ~Before Crime * After Days~ and it is pretty good, I don't want to say anything more about it until I finish it myself.

[hussien-11]

That was exactly my point, Uchikoshi reuses the same plot devices over and over and that's kind of why you will see similarities between the Infinity and the Zero Escape series.

 

Root Double is the latest game from Nakazawa (excluding the secre game series but he was more like a producer on those). Although he didn't write it himself he did plan the whole story. The full name is Root Double ~Before Crime * After Days~ and it is pretty good, I don't want to say anything more about it until I finish it myself.

 

He said before that he like to write a story about people trapped in a place, but I'm sure that he also influenced the Infinity series cause it also use this settings, looking at Nakazawa's other works like I/O and Root Double they seem really different. but he also did a wonderful job at both Zero Escape games right ? : ) especially VLR, he really put a lot of work into it, and he used different themes and ideas into each of his games

 

and now I also want to play Root Double T__T

[fun2novel]

No doubt Uchikoshi did a lot of work with the Infinity series, he was after all one of the main scenario writers. But his work on 12Riven is more interesting than the Zero Escape series. I still like the ZE series but I don't feel about it like most people out there. And although I/O is a bit different than 'people trapped and have to find a way out' Root Double IS like that.

 

I just hope Nakazawa's next game will be released on pc too

[Nyanko]

I guess Root Double is like a new Ever17 while I/O was the new Remember11, but remember, just because I said that don't compare between these games and expect the same things, lol.

[fun2novel]

And 12Riven was pretty good too

[castor212]

The amount cyber jargons in this game is burning my Neanderthal brains off.

[grim_tales1]

I have yet to play I/O but Root Double sounds really interesting. Has that been translated?
Remember 11 was great, too bad it was never properly finished

 

Edit: OK just read about Root Double here:

 

http://vndb.org/v5000

 

Reminds me a bit of 999 in some ways, SOLD! Hopefully a PC version will made with a translation some day.

[Nyanko]

I have yet to play I/O but Root Double sounds really interesting. Has that been translated?

[grim_tales1]

Thanks! Would be cool if it got an (official?) PC localisation.

[fun2novel]

Nah, no way it will ever get an official English localization, but it's nice to dream I guess, lol.

[grim_tales1]

I dunno.. if it was on PC it could be a cult hit like E17/999 maybe (when I say cult I mean in terms of mainstream buyers not just VN fans).

Any translation sounds like its some way off obv

[fun2novel]

Yeah, the translation won't be coming anytime soon. They should have just started translating and if the Xtend version comes out just adapt the translation to that version. The only route with any major changes is the last route so there is no reason to wait for Xtend port to be announced for the pc.

[grim_tales1]

Killer Queen sounds like it could be right up my street too (is it me or does it sound similar in some ways to 999/VLR?) Think about it...

 

Players locked inside somewhere

Mistrust/paranoia

Exploding collars/bracelets

 

13 players are locked inside an abandoned building, each with a PDA representing a playing card from A to K and a collar device set around their necks. Each of the 13 PDAs correspond to a different set of objectives, and if a player doesn’t fulfill their PDA’s objectives in 72 hours, their collar will explode.

No one knows who has which PDA, and players are at a disadvantage if they proceed alone. But in this deadly game filled with mistrust and paranoia, who can you trust … ?

 

Apparently there's a PC remake too.

[fun2novel]

Actually there are 4 versions at least.

Killer Queen - the original, made by a doujin group before they formed a company

Secret Game: Killer Queen - a remake of Killer Queen, made by Regista (the same company who did I/O and Root Double.) I don't know how much Nakazawa was actually involved in it.

Secret Game: 2nd Stange - the next game in the series, was too rushed and thus pretty much unfinished.

Rebellions: Secret Game - a remake of Secret Game: 2nd Stage, expands on the story by basically adding and rewriting about 80% of the original (they added a few more routes too). Was written by the Root Double team.

 

Yeah it has a similar premise as the Zero Escape series. Are these games any good? Maybe, who knows, lol.

[grim_tales1]

Well we'll find out soon enough I guess AFAIK the 1st two on that list are having translations done.

Thanks for the info!

[Nyanko]

Actually there are 4 versions at least.

Killer Queen - the original, made by a doujin group before they formed a company

Secret Game: Killer Queen - a remake of Killer Queen, made by Regista (the same company who did I/O and Root Double.) I don't know how much Nakazawa was actually involved in it.

Secret Game: 2nd Stange - the next game in the series, was too rushed and thus pretty much unfinished.

Rebellions: Secret Game - a remake of Secret Game: 2nd Stage, expands on the story by basically adding and rewriting about 80% of the original (they added a few more routes too). Was written by the Root Double team.

Secret Game: Killer Queen, I believe the original ps2 release of this remake was directed by Nakazawa. The pc version is by Kyouichi Teratsuki (director of the original Killer Queen).

 

All these games (Infinity series, Zero Escape series, 12Riven, I/O, Secret Game series) are kind of similar to eachother, some in totally different ways, but they are believed to have something in common. That is probably why a lot of people that enjoy 1 of the series will probably also enjoy the others.

[fun2novel]

It's really hard to say if Secret Game has the same style as these other games. One thing I do know, Nakazawa got the idea for a suspense story while working on Secret Game. Actually while reading Killer Queen (as a reference for the remake) and this is how the idea for Root A in Root Double came to be.