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Ever17 was one of the first 10 visual novels I ever read over 15 years ago when I was brand new to the medium—I’m talking 2009-2010. That makes me about as veteran a visual novel reader as it gets.
To this day, it’s still one of my all-time favorites. Many have surpassed it—hell, Ever17 probably isn’t even my favorite mystery visual novel anymore—but it’s still easily one of the best. Just having a touched-up translation with HD resolution, modern-ish menu features, built-in controller support, and availability on every modern platform makes me truly happy. This amazing story is finally getting proper official support instead of being locked behind an incredibly expensive eBay physical copy.
It’s tough to describe the game without spoilers, but if you know the name Kotarou Uchikoshi—the main writer behind Zero Escape and AI: The Somnium Files—this is the title that started it all for him. The one that truly got him into the crazy, mind-blowing sci-fi mystery plot tropes, with, more importantly, extremely emotional plot twists.
Ever17 isn’t just about the characters figuring out how to escape an underwater theme park—they’re also uncovering the deeper secrets behind Lemu itself. There’s far more to this mystery than just an inconvenient accident trapping six or seven people together.
That said, a lot of the visual novel is surprisingly slice-of-life heavy. The characters aren’t just trying to survive physically; they also have to stave off boredom while waiting for rescue or figuring out a way to escape. I’ve seen complaints about this aspect, but I never had an issue with it since the cast is entertaining enough, and there’s solid character development, drama, and conflict. The characters don’t always gel well together, which makes for some interesting dynamics.
Make no mistake, though—the slice-of-life elements aren’t just filler. All the routes eventually lead into something, and some, especially in the true route (Coco’s, which can only be accessed after completing the first four), get into full nakige territory. There are some really emotional reveals and character moments that make Ever17 stand out, in addition to its sci-fi mystery that keeps you constantly guessing.
As for this particular Steam release, some people take issue with certain script changes compared to the original PC version. For reference, there was an Xbox 360 remake of Ever17 released only in Japan, and this Steam version is based on that—not the original PC version.
Some story, setting, and character backstory details were altered, and while some fans dislike the changes, I looked over them and, honestly, they don’t seem that bad. They don’t affect the core mystery or emotional beats, which is what ultimately matters to me. That said, I still plan on rereading this visual novel from front to back, and I might update my thoughts later on how the 360 script changes impact my feelings about the original version I read over 15 years ago.
But even if those changes aren’t 100% to my liking, it doesn’t change the fact that Ever17 is still one of my all-time favorite visual novels. If you’re looking for an emotional mystery story that’ll really blow your mind, this is the one to go to. Just be prepared for a lot of info dumps about the setting, plenty of sci-fi mumbo jumbo to get you immersed in the mystery, and maybe have some tissues ready for those emotional reveals. This is the true OG, arguably the definitive Kotarou Uchikoshi mystery experience.