So, a couple of years ago, in a post about survival games I mentioned Raw Danger (Zettai Zetsumei Toshi 2, henceforth ZZT2)
It is one of my favourite survival games, ever!
Perhaps not the most realistic one (has it’s moments), but it has something your average modern survival game doesn’t have: familiarity (and in great degree possibility; the scenario in the game is not overly far-fetched).
540 words
A couple of days ago I decided to play it again (this time emulating on the PC, because…all I have in the way of a TV is a tiny old CRT).
And as always I go around the interwebs looking for walkthroughs and stuff.
Of course I come across the trailer for ZZT4.
Wait, what?
I could have sworn there were only 2 ZZTs and a third one that was cancelled in 2011 after…shake shake, lots of water…you know.
Turns out I was wrong, there’s a third ZZT, a PSP exclusive released only in Japan. The one that was cancelled was ZZT4 and not ZZT3 as I thought. (not that the real ZZT3 had much more luck as the game stopped being sold after 2011)
So I start reading about ZZT3 for PSP (and looking around to…you know…yar matey; sorry, it’s the only sane way to get it) and I come across a interesting tidbit. Something about ZZT3 and the date the game world is set on.
What?
Not only is this part of what is easily one of my favourite game series, it also has eerie parallels with reality?
I must yar matey!!! the shit out of it and play a bit at the very least. Despite not reading moon runes.
So…
OMGROTFLMAOOMGOMG!!
It’s true!
(yes, I’m late to the party as all hell.)
Spoiler alert motherf*ckers!
Damn…what’s the likelihood of that happening?
I can kinda understand why the guys at Irem memory holed the poor game. (and the series at large)
Eerie shit is eerie.
At the same time, the eerie shit is also a justification for a game like ZZT.
It’s mostly realistic (I’m addressing the ZZT series at large): puts you in an environment where not everything is solved by shooting; the ground shaking can make you fall; a water wave makes you fall if it’s strong, and you get wet and cold.
What I mean is, as farfetched as it might sound to some, a game like this can convey knowledge.
In this case knowledge that can one day help someone in a natural disaster. (e.g.: ZZT3 actually has lots of useful information for a disaster; you know, the typical civil defence kinda info, why phones don’t work, what to do in case of whatever, that stuff)
And the game is entertaining at the same time.
Entertains you and provides you with information that may save your life or someone else’s.
Heck, sounds like a good argument for the continuation of the ZZT series.
And from what I’ve read the series creator Kazuma Kujo seems to agree with my arguments. (or do I agree with his arguments since I’m really late to the party?)
Well, this rant is way past what I planned for it, so, let’s wait for ZZT4+ and see how awesome it is (or isn’t).
See ya.