Aksys Shows New Features for Zero Escape: The Nonary Games, Including Updated Graphics and Voice Acting

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Zero Escape isn't quite as well known as its Spike Chunsoft sibling Danganronpa, but maybe it should be. Both series have brought visual novels to a wider audience in the west, focus on characters who partake in terrifying death games, and generally speaking, offer up engrossing, bloody fun for the whole family (if your family is into that). The similarities don't stop there either, as both series feature anthropomorphic critters as game-hosts and patronizing antagonists. Talk about synchronicity.

In a video uploaded to YouTube by Aksys Games today, localization editor Karen McOscar runs through a number of the new features being introduced in the upcoming Zero Escape: The Nonary Games compilation release. The first game in the compilation, 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors (often referred to as 999) will be getting the biggest overhaul, receiving the following modern amenities its Nintendo DS original lacked.

Updated graphics to HD
Full voice cast/voice acting
Adventure Mode and Novel Mode (in lieu of second screen)
Flowchart for easy tracking of story routes

While the second included game Virtue's Last Reward already possessed many of the aforementioned features originally, The Nonary Games brings 999 up to speed while tweaking both games to have a unified look and feel, at least from a UI and general experience perspective. Of course, 999 remains in 2D while VLR sticks with its polygonal 3D style, but I doubt anyone would want those changes made anyway.

Zero Escape: The Nonary Games releases on PS4, PS Vita, and Steam on March 24th, making it an excellent opportunity to experience the series' first two titles in their most updated and definitive forms. The third game of the trilogy, Zero Time Dilemma, was released on PS Vita, 3DS, and Steam in June of 2016, and received top marks from our reviewer.