Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward

Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward is nothing short of a masterpiece. Riveting from beginning to end, it sets a new standard for interactive storytelling, and demands an emotional investment from the player that ultimately pays off with one of the most satisfying endings in recent video gaming memory. Unless you have yet to experience its prequel 999, there is simply no excuse for you not to play this game.

Virtue's Last Reward is a worthy follow-up in the Zero Escape series. You need to play it. Just, you know, play 999 first.

If written words don't scare you, Virtue's Last Reward is one of the best interactive books to date. Chunsoft's game mixes a great narrative with the hardest moral choices you can find in a game. Will you be a traitor or a betrayed?

It’s a near flawless narrative experience wrapped in a bog-standard but necessary adventure game.

Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward may lack the initial punch delivered by its predecessor, but still brings an engrossing tale to the table, with a story that players will have to explore completely before finally putting the game back on the shelf. With a smattering of smart puzzles tying everything together, it will take something truly special to trump this superb visual novel experience.

Virtue's Last Reward is a quality game that will surprise you. It will make you want to speak about it to people months after you have finished it. They aren't many game stories that make you do that, but the ones that do are normally exceptionally well-written with stimulating plots and shocking twists.

The excellent story hooked me in from the opening minutes and I didn't want to let go. With branching paths, multiple endings, and truly mysterious characters to interact with, Virtue's Last Reward will keep you thrilled for hours on end.

If you want a suspenseful crime story with sci-fi flair, dramatic conflicts and puzzles that are as varied as they are challenging, look no further. This is a grand adventure.

This is smart, powerful storytelling and one of 2012's shiniest hidden gems. [Christmas 2012, p.91]

In an industry embarrassed by brains, this is a shining beacon of measured character work, deep-rooted ideas and whip-smart dialogue.

Anyone expecting a definitive conclusion will likely be unsatisfied. Fortunately, the bulk of Virtue's Last Reward is so darn good that ultimately it may not matter. [Nov 2012, p.82]

Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward is a memorable and enthralling sci-fi/horror adventure that will have you glued to the small screen.

Under the guise of a video game, Virtue's Last Reward unfolds an intricate story in which your participation is consistently worthwhile. In spite of the interruptions caused by its less engaging puzzle segments, this game stands out as an exceptional narrative experience unlike anything else on 3DS.