Ever 17: The Out of Infinity is the second entry in the Infinity series, following the somewhat underwhelming Never 7. Compared to the aching slow burn of its predecessor, Ever 17 has a much more compelling hook. Taking place in an underwater theme park, an accident traps the cast and threatens to bury them in a watery grave.
Does Ever 17 improve on Never 7 in every way? For the most part, the answer is yes. Of course, there are still issues to elaborate on, but I also found plenty more to like here. Here’s why Ever 17 may still be worth your time after all these years.
An Undersea Adventure
First of all, the setting of Ever 17 really helps in making the story stand out from the beginning. The underwater hallways of LeMU add both a sense of wonder and dread. The visual novel goes out of its way to illustrate how much of an engineering achievement this theme park is, even if it can get a little too caught up in expositional dialogue.
However, LeMU is as dangerous as it is a neat piece of sci-fi magic. While Ever 17 is not a horror visual novel, there’s something undeniably terrifying about being isolated under the sea with no immediate method of receiving help. There’s an inherent sadness with the cast facing the irony of the fact that a place of joy has now become a symbol of despair.
While I enjoyed the island of Never 7, LeMU is easily my favorite of the two locations. It is bold in both concept and design. Even though it’s simply where the story’s events take place, it’s practically its own character.
A Near Zero Chance of Escape
Ever 17 is far more ambitious than its predecessor with its narrative and themes. This also extends to the cast, with characters that are a bit more complex and fleshed out. Take Tsugumi for example. The story isn’t afraid to make her borderline dislikable with how genuinely cold and distant she can be.
Compared to the rest of the cast, she doesn’t seem to be all that emotionally invested in the dire situation she’s facing. In fact, she seems to outright dislike you at points. However, she eventually becomes a character that can be sympathized with for reasons I won’t spoil.
While Tsugumi was probably my favorite, the other characters are endearing enough. Much of the story is told from Takeshi’s perspective. He can be a bit dense sometimes, but he seemed like a more distinctive character than Never 7‘s protagonist. He doesn’t appear to be as much of a self-insert for the reader and has a stronger personality.
Ever 17 Is More Engaging but Still Presents Issues
Ever 17 features a more linear narrative structure than Never 7, which is largely to its benefit. This allows the story to maintain a greater focus and better flow. In addition, choices that have been previously made turn gray, making for a welcome quality-of-life improvement. Unfortunately, many of the pacing issues from Never 7 are still present in Ever 17.
While there was a great opportunity to tell a leaner story, there are numerous scenes that are rather pointless. I don’t understand the insistence on including sequences of characters participating in mundane activities here with barely any notable developments. It needlessly bloats an otherwise exciting story.
Despite the pacing issues, there is some great payoff if you’re willing to stick with it. Ever 17‘s story goes in some downright bizarre directions, but it’s all the more enjoyable for it. I greatly appreciate the sincere attempt to tell a more epic tale, even if it doesn’t always hit the mark.
The Beauty of the Sea
Overall, I prefer Ever 17‘s art direction over Never 7. While it still feels like a visual novel from the early 2000s, it’s a lot better to look at on a modern display. The artwork is more consistent and cohesive, which really helps in crafting a world that seems more tangible.
Of course, it’s better to pick up a more recent visual novel such as the Tsukihime remake if you’re looking for more flashy presentation. Despite that, Ever 17 smartly chooses to use 2D character art instead of the 3D models featured in the Xbox 360 version. It’s not going to look absolutely stunning, but at least the old art style remains intact.
Additionally, the soundtrack makes for fantastic listening. I can’t think of a single piece of music that ever felt out of place or that didn’t add to the tone of the story. I’d go as far to say that it was one of my favorite aspects of Ever 17. The soundtrack covers a great range of emotions and it would be a noticeably worse visual novel without it.
Ever 17 Is Still Worth Your Time
Almost every visual novel fan should give Ever 17 a chance if they have yet to. Significant pacing issues aside, there’s a memorable sci-fi tale here. When it picks up momentum, it can be a thrilling roller coaster ride.
With a wonderful atmosphere and an interesting cast of characters, Ever 17 still holds up with this new remaster. For those interested, the previous entry in the Infinity series, Never 7: The End of Infinity, will be released alongside this remaster. Ever 17: The Out of Infinity will be available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam on March 6.
Disclaimer: Spike Chunsoft provided Final Weapon with a copy of Ever 17: The Out of Infinity for review purposes.
