Unlocking the Past: Kotaro Uchikoshi Reveals Secrets Behind the Infinity Series Re-Release!

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As a dedicated gamer, I’ve always admired Kotaro Uchikoshi‘s groundbreaking work, particularly his games like Zero Escape and AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES that seamlessly blend intricate mysteries with visual novel narratives and escape room-like challenges. However, his early creations, such as the Infinity visual novel series, were a mystery to Western gamers for years due to the absence of an official English translation. But now, thanks to MAGES and publisher Spike Chunsoft, Inc., we can finally get our hands on the remastered editions of Never 7: The End of Infinity and Ever 17: The Out of Infinity, giving us a chance to explore his earliest masterpieces at last.

As a gaming enthusiast, I recently had an enlightening conversation with Uchikoshi about the genesis of his captivating games, Never 7 and Ever 17. It’s incredible to see these masterpieces resurface after such a long time! Reflecting on those early creations, he shared how they laid the foundation for his subsequent works, like AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES.

In our chat, we delved into Uchikoshi’s multifaceted inspirations that fueled his passion for crafting mystery and sci-fi games. His muses range from captivating novels to thought-provoking films and television series. He even teased some tantalizing ideas about future projects he hopes to bring to life one day.

In essence, our dialogue offered a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a creative genius who continues to push the boundaries of storytelling in the gaming world.

The Development Of The Infinity Series

Question: One of your earliest games was never number 7. Could you share some insights into the initial process of composing and developing it?

Originally known as “Infinity,” the game titled “Never 7” initially debuted on PlayStation 1 in Japan back in March 2000. Despite a development period of roughly six months, I found myself under immense pressure to finish all scenarios within an incredibly tight three-month window. Consequently, it proved challenging to give the final scenario, Izumi’s route, the attention and care it deserved.

Given our limited options, we were forced to put out the route in an incomplete state. To make matters worse, there wasn’t enough time left for troubleshooting, which unfortunately unleashed a significant bug that prevented us from even accessing the incomplete Izumi route. Consequently, Infinity faced intense backlash. However, by then, plans for a Dreamcast port were already set. This sparked an idea: “If we’re going to remake it, why not seize this chance to include the ‘real’ Izumi Route as originally intended and polish the game further?” — and that’s how Never 7, in its current iteration, came into being.

If the bug hadn’t appeared, it’s likely that they would have directly transferred the PlayStation version to Dreamcast as a cost-cutting measure instead of creating Never 7. Essentially, Never 7 came into being due to that bug. For me, Never 7 is similar to my origin story. If that bug hadn’t occurred, we wouldn’t have Ever 17 in the Zero Escape series, or even the AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES series. Life certainly has a sense of irony about it.

Question 1: When you initially began working on Never 7, was it your intent for it to turn into a series? How did the progression of the Infinity games evolve during the development process?

The fate of a game being turned into a series was ultimately in the hands of our generous and compassionate superiors. During that period, our company followed a straightforward approach: ‘If it’s successful, we’ll develop it as a series. If not, we’ll discontinue it without hesitation.’ As junior staff members, we never had the audacity to envision transforming an initial game into a series from its very first installment.

A: Which characters from the games Never 7 and Ever 17 are you curious about, hoping that fans might form a strong bond with them, similar to their affection for Kaname Date in AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES?

A key feature of my games lies in every character carrying great importance and a rich backstory. It’s much like a house of cards—remove even one card, and the whole structure falls apart. Consequently, I don’t have a particular character that I’d want players to forge a strong bond with. Rather, I hope each player takes their time to delve deeply into every character, appreciating the intricate details that make them unique.

Question: What impact did your creations ‘Never 7’ and ‘Ever 17’ have on the games you developed later, given that these were among your initial projects?

Prior to working on “Never 7” (previously known as “Never 7: Infinity”), my focus was on a bishoujo romance game titled “Memories Off”. At the time, I felt that only this genre could be successfully adapted into a visual novel. As I previously mentioned, the production timeline for “Never 7” (or “Infinity”) was incredibly tight. Consequently, I had to write the script as swiftly as possible. Given my deadline and doubts about its marketability, I decided to simply pen what I truly wished to express, thinking it would be the quickest route to completion, though I wasn’t optimistic about its sales. With a somewhat reckless mindset, I embarked on writing.

However, what transpired next took me by surprise. The full release of Never 7, to my astonishment, was warmly accepted, and sales proved impressive! This revelation struck me: ‘Hold on… I can express my ideas freely, and they will still resonate with others?’ From that moment forward, I persisted in the infinity series using this methodology, which eventually led to the creation of both the Zero Escape and AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES series, conceived with the same mindset.

A: One of the distinctive features of our games is the creative use of unusual settings, like the ocean liner in 999 and the enigmatic facility in Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward. I’d be happy to discuss the development of LeMU, the underwater theme park found in Ever 17. Was there any real-world influence behind the creation of LeMU? Let me explain…

Previously, I noted that while I pen down whatever I wish, it’s not exactly 100% of my vision. The part of the narrative that truly embodies my personal aspirations might be approximately 30%. The rest, roughly 70%, is influenced by diverse limitations. For instance, the most common restrictions are budget and timeframe. Often, even before I commence writing the story, factors such as ‘How many locations can we utilize?’ and ‘Which characters can we incorporate?’ have already been determined.

Given these limitations, it became clear from the outset that the world of Ever 17 should be contained – a practical choice to minimize expenses. Naturally, the question then arose: In what location will the characters find themselves confined?

That moment triggered a memory of a tale my friend shared: ‘Ever experienced Disneyland on a rain-soaked night, as the park closes down and everyone has left? Only me and my companion were there, walking hand in hand. The rhythmic pattering of raindrops and her gentle breaths filled the air. The atmosphere was peaceful, magical, and surreal. This memory inspired me to base the game within an amusement park setting. However, a conventional land-based park wouldn’t suffice—since someone could simply jump over a fence and escape. To design a completely enclosed space where no one can flee, I opted for encircling it with seawater instead.’

Kotaro Uchikoshi’s Mystery And Science Fiction Inspiration

A: What sparked your fascination with developing mystery games, being recognized as an expert in that field?

It turns out that my mystery-themed games have been successful, yet I hold a strong curiosity towards various other genres. Ideas for future creations range from a heartwarming series akin to “K-On!”, a chilling horror tale similar to Stephen King’s work, a character-driven drama like “The Breakfast Club”, a romantic comedy such as “Bridget Jones’s Diary”, an adrenaline-pumping action-thriller reminiscent of “Die Hard”, an epic adventure like “Laputa: Castle in the Sky”, or a humorous sitcom similar to “Friends”. I can only dream that one day, a generous benefactor will emerge, granting me the chance to realize these concepts.

As a gaming enthusiast and a lover of all things mysterious, I’ve got quite a few intriguing tales tucked under my virtual belt. Among them, there are some that have left an indelible mark on my game-making journey. For instance, “The Secret of Monkey Island” has always been a source of inspiration with its clever puzzles and humorous storyline. Another one is “Myst”, the immersive adventure game that transported me into a realm where I had to solve complex puzzles to unravel the mystery. These games have, in their unique ways, ignited my passion for crafting engaging, mysterious experiences in my own games.

Among the numerous Japanese mystery novels I can think of, some notable ones are “The Tokyo Zodiac Murders,” “The Summer of the Ubume,” “The Decagon House Murders,” “A Disease that Leads to Killing,” “The Perfect Insider,” “The Devotion of Suspect X,” “The Lautrec Villa Murders,” “The Man Who Died Seven Times,” “Wings in the Dark,” “Murder at Shijin-sō,” and “Oreta Ryūkotsu,” along with several others. I recall reading all of Jirō Akagawa’s novels when I was in middle school.

Here are some films that instantly pop into my mind: Saw, Se7en, Fight Club, Oldboy, Matchstick Men, Who Am I: No System Is Safe, Primal Fear, Confidence Man JP, The Game, Now You See Me, The Sting, Wild Things, Basic, The Prestige, Arlington Road, and Kisaragi. However, it’s not just mysteries that inspire me; every book I’ve read and movie I’ve watched has left an indelible mark on me. In truth, finding a work that hasn’t in some way influenced me is quite challenging.

A: Apart from incorporating elements of mystery, both Never 7 and Ever 17 can also be classified as science fiction tales. Could you share some of your preferred science fiction stories, and do any of them serve as inspirations for your game creations?

A: I can’t possibly name them all, but when it comes to novels, several stand out, such as “The Door into Summer,” “Cat’s Cradle,” “Inherit the Stars,” “Flowers for Algernon,” “The Three-Body Problem,” “Story of Your Life,” “Ginga Yūbin wa Ai o Hakobu,” “From the New World,” “All You Need Is Kill,” “Brain Valley,” and “Spiral.” Additionally, anything written by Yasutaka Tsutsui or Shinichi Hoshi.

My inspirations for movies and TV shows are diverse, with classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Planet of the Apes, Gattaca, They Live, Kin-dza-dza!, Brazil, 12 Monkeys, Solaris, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Ghost in the Shell, AKIRA, Cowboy Bebop, Blade Runner, and Star Trek, to name a few.

Q: Are there any other of your earlier works you’d like to see remade and brought to the West?

* I’d be thrilled if these stories could be turned into movies or visual works! If any fans who are involved in filmmaking reach out, that would be great! Just wanted to clarify, though, I don’t actually own the rights to any of them.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to tell Game Rant’s readers about Never 7 and Ever 17?

scarcely does a title receive a revamped edition a full 25 years following its initial launch, an occurrence made possible by the devoted fanbase that has kept it alive. I’m deeply appreciative for their unwavering support!

This adaptation might have been tweaked a bit from its initial form, but I reckon the fundamental aspects remain unchanged. For those gamers who haven’t dived into these titles before, I highly recommend giving them a shot! Despite some rough spots given its age of nearly 25 years, I think you’ll catch a glimpse of the origins that eventually gave birth to both the Zero Escape and AI series.

For those who have previously played “Never 7” or “Ever 17”, this updated version reportedly has many of its elements polished. I hope you can appreciate these enhancements while reminiscing about your initial experiences with the games, immersing yourself in nostalgia. And for those unacquainted with Uchikoshi’s works, I believe it’s an excellent chance to explore his creations in order of their release. If you’re intrigued, I’d be thrilled if you decided to read through them!

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2025-03-11 18:30