Never 7: The End of Infinity

Never 7, in spite of its many differences from his later titles, is still distinctly a Kotaro Uchikoshi title. Rest assured, there is a scene where someone rambles about Schrodinger’s Cat. The game’s heavier focus on romance is not an indication that it isn’t worth your time, whether you’re a fan of his or not. While I may have preferred more variety in route structure and a cleaner script, Never 7 is still a worthwhile, albeit slow, read.

Never 7: The End of Infinity isn't a bad visual novel by any means, but it also isn't anything too special. With most of the game being taken up by generic slice-of-life moments, it isn't until the Cure routes come into play that the true plot reveals itself. While there are some interesting questions brought up along the way, the game is ultimately a product of its time that was surpassed by both the writer's and director's future works.

Never 7: The End of Infinity is a game that probably deserved a lot more care. That poorly executed retro design bothers me, though I have to say the animation is incredibly well done. Yes, the audio is wonderful, and yes, the time loop is interesting. But I have to say that it gets repetitive quickly, and while some storylines are incredibly entertaining, others make me suffer terribly. So how to sum it up? As an above-average game suffering from schizophrenia. It entertains, bores, captivates, and puts you off. But you know what? Considering this is a remaster of a twenty-year-old game, I’m enjoying it, but it’s definitely not for everyone.

It's great to see Never 7: The End of Infinity get a worldwide release, but playing it is a different story. It's saved with good characters and a fantastic soundtrack, but the writing tries its best to drag them down.

While this version isn't perfect — it carries over the original's limited interactivity and introduces some new localization issues — it remains required playing for visual novel aficionados, due to its mysterious storyline, heady science-fiction ideas, lovable characters, huge replay value, extraordinary voiceover work, and evocative music. Even those lukewarm on the genre should give it a try.

The first in a long series of games, Never 7 - The End of Infinity didn't age so well like others from the same era and delivers an outdated experience.

Never 7 – The End of Infinity had some conceptual issues that spilled into its construction. That doesn't make it a bad visual novel, even with limits on its visuals; in fact, enthusiasts might think it's great. But to get all its 18 endings without a "Choose your own Adventure" style approach or NG+ feels like it would take…well, an infinity. So can I score this higher than a "Good" 7? Never!

Once we overcame its grating romantic clichés, we found Never 7 - The End of Infinity to have an intriguing plot filled with stimulating themes that linger in our minds long after the credits roll. Combining thought-provoking concepts with a calmer and more detached setting than its successors, Never 7 retains a unique charm that keeps it captivating even 20 years later, despite being noticeably inferior in scope and memorability. However, this remaster would have benefited from a more refined English localization, deeper graphical enhancements, and the inclusion of the exclusive TIPS entries from the PSP version.

A relic of visual novel history, Never 7 offers a glimpse into Uchikoshi’s early work with its time-loop mechanic and sci-fi undertones. However, dated visuals, uneven writing, and a lackluster cast make it feel more like a curiosity than a must-play.

It was never a masterpiece to begin with, not now, not 25 years ago, but Never7 deserved more love. It's the game that started the Infinity series and gave an identity to Uchikoshi's career, and despite its core flaws it's still a shame to see it being revived with little to no effort: what we get is a mixture of low-quality assets, localization issues and technical shortcomings.