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Parascientific Escape: Cruise in the Distant Seas |OT| Ur $5 ticket with Zero Escape
- Thread starter Shizuka
- Start date
axisofweevils
Holy crap! Today's real megaton is that more than two people can have the same first name.
This game looks interesting. Hope it comes to Europe, eventually.
It's already released in Europe too.
OniBarubary
Banned
How'd they get the mascot from Amagi Brilliant Park?
axisofweevils
Holy crap! Today's real megaton is that more than two people can have the same first name.
Azure Phoenix
Member
Finished it a little while ago (including the 2 bonus puzzles), honestly I thought it wasn't particularly good for a multitude of reasons.
For starters, yeah it's a rather shameless 999 clone and it's only about 3-4 hours long, puzzles are ridiculously easy in general but there are a couple where they give you literally no indication of how to solve them (protip: keep a pen and paper to hand). The plot is paper thin to the point where I guessed the culprit within about 30 mins, it's mostly just pointless chatter in rather stiff, almost machine translated English. The few touch puzzles in the game all revolve around the psychic powers, you basically touch spots on the screen to reveal the hidden mechanisms in a typical sliding puzzle and then manipulate them to release some object. As for the ending, they don't wrap up a single plot point - almost as if it's meant to be an episodic release.
For starters, yeah it's a rather shameless 999 clone and it's only about 3-4 hours long, puzzles are ridiculously easy in general but there are a couple where they give you literally no indication of how to solve them (protip: keep a pen and paper to hand). The plot is paper thin to the point where I guessed the culprit within about 30 mins, it's mostly just pointless chatter in rather stiff, almost machine translated English. The few touch puzzles in the game all revolve around the psychic powers, you basically touch spots on the screen to reveal the hidden mechanisms in a typical sliding puzzle and then manipulate them to release some object. As for the ending, they don't wrap up a single plot point - almost as if it's meant to be an episodic release.
damn
I like this genre and honestly have a pretty "large" entry barrier but this isn't too encouraging.
Ugh, thanks for the impressions. I had hopes for this one. :-/
Regarding your last comment, doesn't this game have a sequel? Or am I confused?
Cleared 2 escape rooms so far. The translation is a bit strange, I've noticed typos and some very stiff/too literal translations. The music often doesn't fit the tone of what's going on (early story spoiler:
) The puzzles aren't very challenging, there's not a lot of animation for the characters, ...
Having said all that, I still think the game is very charming and definitely intend on finishing it soon. It's one of those 'wait for a sale if you like the genre' kind of games, but the game already is $5 which is more than fair if you're looking for something that scratches that ZE itch.
you keep searching a room for clues while an upbeat music plays in the background. Suddenly, you stumble upon a young girl and find out someone has put a bomb-collar around her neck and it will detonate in a few hours if you don’t play ball. The same upbeat music kept playing throughout the whole scene.
Having said all that, I still think the game is very charming and definitely intend on finishing it soon. It's one of those 'wait for a sale if you like the genre' kind of games, but the game already is $5 which is more than fair if you're looking for something that scratches that ZE itch.
Just finished it and... While it's not a great game, I say it's more than plenty for the price they're asking. You can't compare a small download-only title directly to its inspiration (although it can get a little shameless and become more than just an inspired title).
Yes, the game is short, but it keeps you entertained all the way until the end. I'd rather have a short game that keeps you going than a long one that's all filler. I finished the game in 5 hours and 2 minutes. I finished the game in one sitting also, since I knew it wouldn't be particularly long.
There aren't enough plot twists in the game. The few that are there aren't major and can be seen miles away, but that's because I don't see it as a Zero Escape knockoff, meaning it doesn't need those plot twists to be worthwhile IMO.
The puzzles didn't make me write down stuff or go Einstein on a piece of paper like 999 did, but it was still enough to get me thinking to myself how I could solve that puzzle. The only part that I didn't like was
the ring lifeboat thing that MAGICALLY appears in the pool area near the end. I know that there is someone that can teleport and plant things, but I was always checking the pool for the lifeboat, not the area with the kiosk.
And about the end, there is a sequel. There isn't a major cliffhanger where things aren't answered and you become insane waiting for the sequel, but I think they leave the core of the whole operation to be answered in the sequel.
All in all, this is a really great recommendation for just $5. Any and all visual novel or Zero Escape fans can just put down five bucks and get to play this game, be it for the story or the puzzles. It's entertaining enough to make up for the money and then some.
Here is the link for official japanese website for the sequel.
Azure Phoenix
Member
I don't like to adjust my view on games based on price - particularly VNs, since many sub-£10 ones pack amazing stories (Fault, Analogue etc.) - but I would agree that it's not exactly a waste of money, it's just simply lacking in every area compared to the ZE series.
Without spoiling the "plot", there is literally no feeling of urgency (despite the game forcing a time limit), no twists and turns, practically no backstory, rubbish motives and one dimensional characters that mostly just spout generic friendship phrases. And then at the end, no closure on anything, although it can't even be called a cliffhanger since they don't set anything up to keep you hanging on.
The puzzles felt very simplistic as well, it's mostly just a case of finding the one thing you can use PSI on in the room to get an item, use that item to get another item and follow the chain until you get a door key. I went on autopilot for most of the game/
Zero. I only noticed a couple of mistakes in the dialogue, otherwise the spelling and grammar is fine. It's a prime example of when a translation can be too literal, it comes across as flat and robotic.
Yes, it's Zero Escape-lite. Easier puzzles, less plot twists, shallow motivation from the characters. I wouldn't recommend it as much as I do if it was more expensive.
I think a lot was lost in the localization, since the characters have no personality flair. Only so much can be translated by direct replies. It's like every character being portrayed by the same person.
I think a lot was lost in the localization, since the characters have no personality flair. Only so much can be translated by direct replies. It's like every character being portrayed by the same person.
FunkyDealer
Banned
Thanks for the heads up. That's a real shame. I hadn't heard of the game until today though, so although I got a bit excited at the prospect of a good 999 clone, it good it got shot down quick.
Finished the game and thought it was pretty enjoyable. The story wasn't particularly deep and it was full of genre tropes, but that's what I expected going in. I thought the escape rooms were fun (especially the last two rooms had some clever ideas, I just wish the game had given you more options because there never was a moment where you had to think very hard about the solutions except for that
puzzle). "Zero Escape-lite" is a good description and it helps if you like sliding puzzles. The game took me around 5 hours to finish.
Question for others that have finished the game:
calendar
Question for others that have finished the game:
what was the deal with the golden smartphone, I thought it would lead to the identity of the second Ghost of W. Did I miss something? Is there a second ending?
Great question, no idea. Maybe it was meant to do something during development, but it got scrapped and they forgot to remove it.
^
You're probably right. I just watched the trailer for the second game and thought it might open with someone answering that phone. But nope, the 2nd game has an entirely different cast. It's a story about catching a serial killer; that game has an adventure part and an investigation part, so it might be another kind of VN. The only connections to the first game were
. The trailer also says that dialogue decisions change the outcome of story and that the story is about changing the past.
So it looks like the 2nd game wont be another take on ZE, but still [SPOILER for VLR]
Hope they localize this one as well.
You're probably right. I just watched the trailer for the second game and thought it might open with someone answering that phone. But nope, the 2nd game has an entirely different cast. It's a story about catching a serial killer; that game has an adventure part and an investigation part, so it might be another kind of VN. The only connections to the first game were
the logo on a keycard and people using those powers again
So it looks like the 2nd game wont be another take on ZE, but still [SPOILER for VLR]
the protagonist has a cybernetic arm
Azure Phoenix
Member
So basically
that phone just leads to two bonus fanservice pictures of the girls in swimsuits, supposedly they were taken by some guy that was hanging around the pool the day before the incident. You would assume it's a plot point that would be brought up in a sequel, but the way the girls didn't seem to find anything even remotely suspicious about that guy or why his phone was hidden like that, it wouldn't surprise me if they don't.
If you want to see them for yourself, here is what you need to do:
Data 1 -
It's an anagram, go to the starting room and up the stairs, then click on the painting above Merja's suitcase.
Get a pen and paper, think about an LED clock face and what is missing.
5421
Data 2 -
Anagram again, go to the counter with the PC in the pool area, click on the yellow folder on the bottom shelf.
What would it look like if you layered the top and bottom parts together?
3847
Thanks, that's a bit underwhelming but I'm glad I didn't miss anything important like another ending.
D
Diggeh
Unconfirmed Member
Just finished playing through this. Really fun little Zero Escape lite, especially for only $5! It's so good to see the 3DS getting more VNs. It did need a little more proofreading, but it didn't detract from the experience.
Apparently there's a sequel in Japan, so here's hoping it does well enough for us to get that too.
Apparently there's a sequel in Japan, so here's hoping it does well enough for us to get that too.
few more reviews from small sites I've never heard of, but metacritic isn't exactly helpful for this game:
6/10 squallsnake
8/10 seafoamgaming
9/10 darkainarts
I see she's taught you well about the importance of reading Also feels like we’re one post away from this turning into a review thread or “yo mama” jokes
6/10 squallsnake
8/10 seafoamgaming
9/10 darkainarts
I see she's taught you well about the importance of reading
Also feels like we’re one post away from this turning into a review thread or “yo mama” jokes
D
Diggeh
Unconfirmed Member
I really hope we get the sequel game here. I really did enjoy this, especially for so cheap. Reviewers are being way too harsh.
Probably just copied it, kind of like Amagi Brilliant Park did from Full Metal Panic.
"Parascientific Escape - Gear Detective" is now available on the US eShop for $5.00
Might be worth a new thread/OT if you want to make one Shizuka. Otherwise, we can just do this via PM
I'll probably continue here, if you and other people don't mind. Not a lot of people have played the first one, let alone the sequel.
Sure, that works as well. I was just joking about doing it via PM because it really felt like you, me and maybe 3 other people on GAF played the first one. Still surprised that it did well enough to let them localize the sequel.
calc84maniac
Member
Decided to finally buy the first one. Might play it on my plane trip tomorrow.
I haven't even started playing the second one yet, but a few days ago the third game in the Parascientific Escape series was released on the Japanese eshop (超科学ダッシュつ最果てのクロスアイズ. It's ¥500 again and a demo is available as well.
Parascientific 3 is a cross-over featuring the protagonists from the 1st and 2nd game.
Famitsu has images, character art and the official trailer.
. It's ¥500 again and a demo is available as well.Parascientific 3 is a cross-over featuring the protagonists from the 1st and 2nd game.
Famitsu has images, character art and the official trailer.
I havent even started playing the second one yet, but a few days ago the third game in the Parascientific Escape series was released on the Japanese eshop (超科学ダッシュつ最果てのクロスアイズ
Parascientific 3 is a cross-over featuring the protagonists from the 1st and 2nd game.
Famitsu has images, character art and the official trailer.
Excited! I guess I should get the second one already.
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