C’s Ware really pulled out the stops on this game, hot on the heels of their success from Desire. Like Desire, EVE is a remake of an older version, and the translation is ported over from the remake. Unlike Desire, however, the remake was also edited for sexual content, meaning that all the sex scenes were either omitted or rewritten (hence the VERY low score for ecchi level). Sexual innuendo does abound throughout the game, however, as Kojiroh seems to chase everything with a skirt.
The graphics are gorgeous in full-color, with the usual attention to detail, and the player has the option of playing the game full-screen or in a window. The much-hyped Lucid Motion engine also delivers, and the animation sequences don’t seem to be as stilted as they are on Desire.
Sound effects and music are piped in via MIDI format, which may earn the contempt of some gamers. However, the composer does know his stuff, and none of the musical pieces sound out of place. Thankfully, there’s a wide selection of themes, so the music doesn’t really get all that repetitive. But what does salvage the sounds score is the voice acting. EVE boasts an all-star cast, such as fan favorite Takehito Koyasu (Gundam Wing’s Zechs Merquise; Hotohori in Fushigi Yuugi) as private investigator Kojiroh Amagi and Junko Iwao (Card Captor Sakura’s Tomoyo Daidouji) as government agent Marina Houjou. Even the VAs of the supporting cast have name recognition, and each matches his or her own character perfectly. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better crew for this game.
Gameplay is…well, your standard point and click. You’re presented with a variety of choices, and you get to choose one of them. This time around, C’s Ware tweaked the Multi-Sight System so that unlike Desire, where you could play straight through one character’s scenario from beginning to end, in EVE you’re forced at times to switch to the other character’s perspective to unlock a flag point for your original character. Although this is a welcome innovation, oftentimes you can find yourself confused as to what you’re supposed to do next when all your character seems to do is to go around in circles.
Gamers may also be put off by the linear storyline, but I myself found it quite fascinating. Hidden agendas and dark secrets abound throughout the game and aren’t revealed until the very end. And though EVE tells a self-contained story, it also leaves the door open for future sequels (which it has, by the way). The characters are very memorable and have their own unique personalities. Though Kojiroh has a laid-back, who-cares style to his methods and is a definite womanizer, he also has razor-sharp instincts and can go from flirtatious to serious in a snap. The other characters have their own quirks and faults.
C’s Ware packed EVE with their usual extras. Nothing really special in there, but nothing I found really lacking (other than an inability to replay the animation segments).
All in all, EVE Burst Error is quite a game. It might not rate all that high on the replay factor because of its linearity, and gamers looking for a sex-filled romp will be disappointed, but if you like murder mysteries and political intrigue, not to mention plot twists worthy of Metal Gear Solid, you might want to consider picking up this title.
Individual Rating: Art/Animation: 9 Story/Plot: 9 Characters: 10 Sounds: 9 Gameplay: 9 Ecchi Level: 1
