Ever17 Director’s Next Project Is Root Double: Before Crime * After Days

Takumi Nakazawa, Director of Ever17, teamed up with Japanese publisher Yeti and developer Regista to make Root Double: Before Crime * After Days. This sci-fi/suspense adventure game takes place in the near future, September 2030 AD in a gigantic research hub with 180,000 residents.

Research is the heart of the city so it’s kept under strict supervision. People living inside cannot interact with those outside without approval by the local government. In exchange for giving up privacy and communication with the outside world, the government provides pristine medical facilities and tax exemptions. Everyone must agree to these terms before moving in. Researchers in particular consider the environment is like heaven since they can focus on their specific fields.

At the edge of town, there is a large atomic furnace, a huge institute called "LABO," it stands for 6th Laboratory of Atomic and Biological Organization. Rumor has it this place is conducting important research for the government. Root Double: Before Crime * After Days begins when an accident occurs there.

The game has a number of protagonists and two routes. Watase Kasasagi is the protagonist in route A. He is sent in as part of the rescue party for the LABO accident. Due to an unrelated incident Watase does not have his memories. His story begins when he wakes up inside LABO with all of the escape routes closed off. Desperately he tries to escape. Kazami Tachibana, the heroine in this route, takes command, but this is her first rescue mission. They are joined by Jun, another green rescue team member who is good with machines, and Ena who dreams of being a teacher. She was in LABO on the day of the accident.

Route B’s lead character is a high school student. Natsuhiko is kind of a loner and his mother, a scientist, spends more time on her research than him. He’s in LABO during the day of the accident too. Yuri, Natsuhiko’s childhood friend, has been living with the family without care for quite some time. She’s rescued early on. Other characters in route B are also classmates Mashiro who cares for Natsuhiko like a girlfriend and Louise the class genius who transfers to Natsuhiko’s high school right before the events of the game.

Root Double: Before Crime * After Days is slated for release next year. Yeti have not announced a platform for the game.