Part 1: Coincide

Part 1: Coincide

Music: Title Screen



Welcome to Zero Time Dilemma. Let's see what this game is all about.



Music: Dcom (The Beginning)



We kick things off out in the desert. If you have any familiarity at all with VLR, you'll probably be expecting this game to take place during a certain often-referenced event in between the first two games. And you'd be right. Kind of.



No, I'm not going to show an image for every line of dialogue. We'd be here for years. But I'll show more in the first couple updates, at least.



This guy's the one who was speaking. We don't really know who he is yet, but we do get some confirmation on the current date. Assuming the game isn't lying to us. Not shown: Mystery man blinking while the camera slowly rotates. You're really not missing much with these animations.



Behind mystery man #1 is a returning character, though you may not recognize her new model. Also pictured: a mystery device on mystery man's wrist.



Cut to another returning character here. I'll attach names to everyone's faces soon, I promise. But the opening scene is really meant to convey confusion, to prepare the player for the rest of the game.



I agree, mystery voice #2.



The previous line was from the dude pictured here. The lady in the background with the questionable outfit spoke the current line.

A mistake?

Maybe Diana's...?

Oh hey, we got a name. Diana doesn't sound familiar though.



Presumably, Diana. Another new character.



Serious man shakes his head seriously, but says nothing. Another returning character.



The last returning character, and probably the most recognizable one.

If you're paying attention, that makes nine characters. Nine is a magical number for this series.



I don't want it near me! Where the hell did this thing come from...

I can tell I'm going to like this guy already.



Another slow camera movement, showing our characters divided up into three cells. The jankiness is me trying to get the size down, not the game.



I may pick on the animations but I do love the expressions and poses they put the characters in for each scene.

Impossible.



Serious guy is still serious.

The bars only open from the other side...



Worth a shot?



That kid locked us up!



Cut to shot of said kid. I mean, that helmet is pretty suspicious.



Mystery Man #1 demonstrates struggling to take off the bracelet. The game quickly flashes through showing the same bracelet on the other characters. I'll spare you the additional images.

I...



Helmet-head produces a convincing denial.



Is that surprising?

Cue a fade to black, and a new spooky track:

Music: Anxiousness 2nd Mix



Enter the villain!



Silent reaction shots from everyone.



The villain's voice is deep and disguised.



There are moments when a single snail can make a world go extinct.

That's a somewhat dark spin on the butterfly effect, but okay.



Yup, that's what he said.



I took the frame with the guy's mouth open so you would know who was speaking.

Who are you...

The lady in the background said that line in the same shot.





I require all of you to take part in a game.



Yup, that's what he said.



Well, not much then.

The villain appears to be wearing and old-style plague mask. That's not an accident.



Okay, this guy I like. Forget that other guy.

Let's get started, shall we.



A coin has two sides.



Flip!



Blue?



Or red?



Or blue?



One side of it is red, while the other side is blue.

Music: Trepidation 2nd Mix



No really, the first part of the game is guessing a coin flip.

However. You only get one chance.



Ah, good question.

Your freedom.







Also a good question.

You all lose.



Oh.

Everyone has a lot of opinions now:







Right! Red! It's gotta be red!



The odds for each are the same...



Wait!



Akane's right!

Oh hey, there's a name to go with the maybe-familiar face, now. More on that later.





I think listening to the villain is probably a bad idea.

You are the leader of this group.



Pictured: Carlos. Mystery man #1 revealed!



We get another round of chiming in from the crowd:













Carlos is understandably a bit flustered here. Let's get more people yelling at him.







You are that solitary snail. The fate of the world rests on your decision.

In the end, though, it's really up to us.



You can hear a heart thumping, signaling a decision is needed here.



The screen turns to a photo-negative, and the "Time To Decide" graphic appears! You'll see this one a lot.

Music: Tough Decision (Make Your Choice)



Anyway, it really is that simple. Red or blue?