As the creative minds behind acclaimed titles like Danganronpa and Zero Escape gear up for the launch of The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, co-director Kotaro Uchikoshi shares insights about the game’s astounding feature of 100 distinct endings.
Fans of interactive storytelling found in games like Danganronpa and The Nonary Games are already familiar with the significance of choice-based conclusions. However, The Hundred Line elevates this experience with an impressive total of 100 endings. As detailed by Automaton, Uchikoshi discussed the intricacies of the game’s branching narratives in a recent post, where he elaborated on the rigorous standards he applied while crafting the endings.
Each of the 100 endings must convey “meaning,” meaning they are crafted to be “dense.” Uchikoshi aimed to steer clear of simple or unsatisfactory endings often found in many visual novels and decision-driven plots (the notorious Knife ending from 999 comes to mind). According to him, every ending is designed to feel authentic rather than simply serving as an extra scenario or spin-off. He also emphasizes that the criteria for the “true” ending is left intentionally up to the player’s interpretation.
The game features a primary route, yet it isn’t strictly regarded as the “true” path. Uchikoshi intended for every conclusion to be well-developed enough to qualify as a “true” ending in its own right based on the player’s perspective. The narrative threads within The Hundred Line can diverge dramatically influenced by player decisions, navigating various genres like drama, sci-fi, mystery, and romance. It’s an expansive undertaking, which is precisely what the developers envisioned.
In fact, fellow co-director Kazutaka Kodaka has expressed concerns that the extensive gameplay might “put off” some players. Uchikoshi further supports this notion by describing his approach of choosing to “ride the wave of madness” while developing the game’s paths and endings, ensuring every one is rich in content. He concludes with an encouragement for fans to “explore every corner” of The Hundred Line—sound advice that I, as an achievement hunter, might take to heart far too seriously.
While anticipating the release of The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, consider diving into some of the top JRPGs available now.