Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward, released in Japan as Kyokugen Dasshutsu Adventure: Zennin Shibou Desu and in Europe as Virtue's Last Reward, is a visual novel developed by Chunsoft. It is the sequel to the Nintendo DS title 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors and is created by the same staff, including writer-director Kotaro Uchikoshi and character designer Kinu Nishimura. The game contains full voice acting, and is rendered in 3D models, rather than 2D sprites like its predecessor. Though the story is self-contained, it contains several references to 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors.
The title was officially confirmed for a late 2012 release by Aksys Games in North America via Nintendo Power magazine's March 2012 issue. It was published in the PAL region in the original Japanese language, with English subtitles, in November 2012 by Rising Star Games.
The title was officially confirmed for a late 2012 release by Aksys Games in North America via Nintendo Power magazine's March 2012 issue. It was published in the PAL region in the original Japanese language, with English subtitles, in November 2012 by Rising Star Games.
There are two main types of gameplay in Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward. As a visual novel, the game primarily involves interacting with non-player characters and making choices that alter the outcome of the story. The player is given the additional responsibility of choosing whether to betray a character, or to cooperate with them. If both characters choose to cooperate, they both gain BP. However, if one character betrays another, the character being betrayed loses points while the traitor gains a greater amount of points. If both characters choose to betray, no points are gained or lost. The plot and ending of the game will vary depending on whether the player chooses to betray or cooperate with other characters. The game offers a timeline function that allows the player to travel to select points in which he or she can make different choices and replay puzzle sequences, the timeline function is also integral to the story overall.
The game also contains various puzzles, in which the player interacts with the environment in order to escape from a room. Solving puzzles can drastically alter the environment of a room. If the player fails a puzzle too many times, the characters in the room with them will offer hints on how to complete it, eventually revealing the solution to the puzzle. However, the game also introduces a slightly harder difficulty to the game in which during puzzles, the non-player characters will not give hints.
The game also contains various puzzles, in which the player interacts with the environment in order to escape from a room. Solving puzzles can drastically alter the environment of a room. If the player fails a puzzle too many times, the characters in the room with them will offer hints on how to complete it, eventually revealing the solution to the puzzle. However, the game also introduces a slightly harder difficulty to the game in which during puzzles, the non-player characters will not give hints.
