12Riven is the first and only game in the Integral series, based off of the popular Infinity series. Due to the Integral series being canceled, the work is mostly considered to be a part of Infinity these days. Like most of the games in the Infinity series, the game has two protagonists.
On May 20th, 2012, Renmaru Miyabidou (an Ordinary High-School Student) receives a text from an unknown sender telling him that his childhood friend Myuu Takae will be murdered on the roof of a hotel. At the same time, Narumi Mishima, a cop, receives a similar text from her friend and co-worker Makoto, which also tells her to find Renmaru, as he is an ally. Renmaru arrives at the scene first, where he finds Myuu and a boy named Mei Kiridera, the leader of an organization called Psi-Climinal (an organization made up with those with the power of Psi), who intends to kill Myuu, as she is an interference to their plan, "The Second Eclipse Plan". Narumi soon arrives, and as things go downhill real fast, both protagonists split up in opposite directions, both which will lead them to opposing Psi-Climinal.
This Visual Novel is noted for having a troubled production history. While it was being written, KID went bankrupt, and so production was halted until Cyberfront picked it up. It was originally supposed to be the first game in a trilogy, but poor reviews and sales killed chances of that.
This game provides examples of:
- Assimilation Plot: The goal of The Second Eclipse Plan is to use radio waves all around the world to give everyone Eclipse Syndrome.
- Big Bad Liminality. The closest thing they have to a physical Big Bad is Omega.
- Bittersweet Ending: Narumi's Route. The Second Eclipse Plan has been stopped, but Makoto and "Chisato" are dead, and Narumi is left with many questions she knows she'll never get answers to.
- Bowdlerization:
- In the PS2/PSP versions, there was a scene cut where it showed Myuu as a kid getting bullied by other kids (and Renmaru also getting bullied). The scene was cut to get a B (12+) rating, but the scene was put back in the PC version.
- In the trial version of the game, when Kiridera kicked Chisato in the stomach, she coughed up blood. This was removed in the final version and never restored to any later versions.
- Brought Down to Normal: Psi users in World A, who not only can't use their powers, but can only remain there for 12 minutes, with the exception of Myuu and Kiridera, thanks to the CODECS.
- Clone Angst: While Chisato isn't exactly a clone, she was the closest of the 24 Psi Clones to resemble Myuu, leading to her being experimented on. As a result, she resented Myuu (combined with Don't You Dare Pity Me!) until Myuu and Mei saved her from being vivisected.
- Creepy Monotone: Those with Eclipse Syndrome tend to talk like this. In another example, when Tango's true identity as Omega is revealed, his voice shifts from innocent sounding to a cold, emotionless monotone.
- Downer Ending: Renmaru's Route. No matter what, either Myuu gets shot and killed by Makoto, or she gets kidnapped by Kiridera. Either way, it's a lose-lose situation for Renmaru, who remains trapped in World A. Worst of all, The Second Eclipse Project is a success, and it's heavily implied that the rest of the world kills each other off due to the lack of natural resources in World A.
- Dressing as the Enemy: Renmaru does this in order to gain access to the school where Myuu and Maina are being held captive, where he receives help from Chisato, who hacks the school's database so that the data makes it seem like he's Omega, Chisato's "brother".
- Gondor Calls for Aid: In the final battle in World A with Psych-Liminal, the Mirage Kingdom and the Shimura Club appear to fight off the Mooks while Renmaru heads for the top floor of Integral Tower.
- Half-Identical Twins: Averted. Myuu and Mei barely look alike at all.
- Happily Adopted: Narumi, who gets along well with her adopted father (Boss), despite all their teasing.
- Healing Factor: Some people with Psi have this, though it's not perfect.
- Heel–Face Turn: Makoto in the Integral Route, though it doesn't last for long, as she's quickly killed afterwards.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: Omega. It's implied in the Integral Route that he was faking it all along as a means to throw people off.
- Long-Lost Relative: Narumi is actually Myuu and Mei's older sister (though only Mei knew this).
- Long Song, Short Scene: "Eclipse", a nice, five minute song that only plays twice in the game (one of those times being optional), where you'll only hear about 30-60 seconds of it (unless you wait it out).
- Meaningful Name: Several:
- Myuu (海) and Mei's (鳴) names are spelled with the same kanji as their older sister, Narumi's (鳴海), because if she didn't type the NRM 66 retrovirus code, they would never have been born.
- Chisato was named by Myuu, after the flowers she would constantly look at in the garden in the research facility where the two were kept.
- Narumi's name comes from an anagram of "liminal" (Nallmii). When pronounced in Japanese, it comes out as "Narumi".
- Mob War: Though neither of them are exactly crime syndicates, the conflict between the Mirage Kingdom and the Shimura Club in World A is essentially this.
- The Mole: In her audio message to Narumi, Makoto tells her that there's a mole in Public Security 12. However, what she never says is that she herself was the mole.
- The Mole: Kiridera, though played with in that he's not working with any one team, but for his own intentions.
- Mythology Gag: Yuyu apparently goes to Kyumeikan University as well, as she's wearing the same uniform that Sara does.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: Maina knows almost everything about what's really going on, but keeps it to herself.
- Ordinary High-School Student: Renmaru.
- Photographic Memory: Exists as an actual condition: CycloPedia Syndrome (CPS). Narumi has this, as does Maina.
- The Power of Love: Renmaru's love for Myuu is what keeps him going, no matter how bad the situation.
- Psychic Powers: Psi. However, this is mostly an optical illusion, as Psi allows its users to jump to World A, where they can perform normal actions that will look like "psychic powers" in the real world.
- Red Herring: The game sets up many hints that Ohtemachi is the new leader of the Shimura Club, only for it to be revealed at the end that the actual leader is Maina (who is dating Ohtemachi).
- Shout-Out: A character named "Boss" voiced by Akio Ōtsuka ...sound familiar?
- Each route takes place over the course of 24 hours (
Word of God admits this aspect was inspired by 24).
- Each route takes place over the course of 24 hours (
- Stable Time Loop: Kiridera and Renmaru set one up in the Epilogue, ensuring that the events of the game and everything leading up to it occur.
- Theme Naming: The 24 Psi Clones were all named after a different letter in the Greek alphabet.
- Tyke-Bomb: All the members of Psi-Climinal count, as they're all under the age of 18. This is best personified in the true Omega, who, once his cover is blown, is revealed to be a cold-blooded killer with no remorse.
- White Hair, Black Heart: Kiridera. However, this is subverted in the True Ending.
- You Have Failed Me: Makoto was assaulted, then later murdered, by Omega, as punishment for failing to carry out her job to eliminate Myuu in World A.
