Chime

A Japanese video game developer active since the 1990s, known for developing Terra Phantastica and Zero Time Dilemma.

Adventure



Website

Founded

1990

HQ

Tokyo, Japan

Known for

Adventure / Puzzle / Strategy

7

Games

1996–2016

Years

6

Platforms

$18.72

Ø CIB

-25.1%

24M change

About

Chime is a Japanese development studio established in the 1990s, responsible for tactical and adventure titles. Their early work includes the Sega Saturn strategy game Terra Phantastica and PlayStation titles like Yakata: Nightmare Project and Himiko-Den Renge. In 2016, they developed the critically acclaimed adventure game Zero Time Dilemma, also known in Japan as Zero Escape: Toki no Dilemma.

Following its debut with Terra Phantastica (1996), a tactical role-playing game published by Sega, the developer transitioned into narrative-focused projects. Yakata: Nightmare Project (1998) offered a horror-themed adventure experience, while Himiko-Den Renge (1999) served as a tactical RPG tie-in to the broader Legend of Himiko multimedia franchise.

The studio's most high-profile project arrived with Zero Time Dilemma (2016), the concluding chapter of the Zero Escape franchise. Tasked by publisher Spike Chunsoft to bring the series' complex narrative to life, the developer shifted the franchise's visual style from traditional 2D character sprites to fully 3D animated models and cinematic cutscenes. This entry featured intricate escape-room puzzles and a non-linear flowchart structure. The game was released simultaneously worldwide for the PlayStation Vita and Nintendo 3DS, followed by a Microsoft Windows release and a subsequent PlayStation 4 port, showcasing the studio's ability to manage multi-platform, narrative-heavy global releases.