Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward

 3DS
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 292 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 251 out of 292
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 292
  3. Negative: 25 out of 292
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  1. piford
    Sep 5, 2013
    9
    This game improves on many of the things 999 did. It is fully voice acted and it allows you to easily move between points in the story. However, the story and characterization aren't as good (still great) and it feels (while your playing through) like when you solve a puzzle it isn't as urgent or important or relevant as it was in 999 (after completing the game, it makes much more sense.)
  2. birdman3
    May 6, 2016
    8
    Having played 999, I knew what I was in for when I got started. I was not disappointed in the sense that I knew it would not be an action-packed game (despite the frantic trailer that is associated with the game). The new features of the game (more endings, being able to jump between points quickly, more "memory segments" whereas 999 only had 1) are fantastic improvements, but theHaving played 999, I knew what I was in for when I got started. I was not disappointed in the sense that I knew it would not be an action-packed game (despite the frantic trailer that is associated with the game). The new features of the game (more endings, being able to jump between points quickly, more "memory segments" whereas 999 only had 1) are fantastic improvements, but the outrageous story (yes, more outrageous than 999) was well written and structured, but frankly too outrageous to be believable. Additionally, there was no sense of closure whatsoever (I'm only pretty sure I got all the endings), so I feel like that was a flaw in finalizing the game. The story has more endings this time around, but you'll find that about half of them are pretty generic, similar to how many of the endings in 999 simply involved you dying. There are a handful of meaningful and shocking moments, but not enough to give the game a 10. If 999 would have had the same features that this game did, it would have been superior to this one.… Expand
  3. pocky
    Jul 13, 2013
    9
    Fantastic game, I received this game a week before my birthday and I played through all 35 hours of every ending possible with several days left until my birthday. You will be hooked from start to finish. The only reason I deduct a point is that there is a pretty bad bug in the game that apparently was in the japanese version but they did not fix it. And no-one talks about it, it's veryFantastic game, I received this game a week before my birthday and I played through all 35 hours of every ending possible with several days left until my birthday. You will be hooked from start to finish. The only reason I deduct a point is that there is a pretty bad bug in the game that apparently was in the japanese version but they did not fix it. And no-one talks about it, it's very easy to avoid if you know about it beforehand, they could have even patched in a warning on the title screen! To avoid your save data becoming corrupt, never save while you are inside a puzzle room. They aren't that long so this really isn't much of an issue once you know about it. The only other thing is that your game will crash in the PEC room if you don't do it in the correct order, but as long as you didn't save your save data is fine, it will just put you back shortly before that when you saved in the novel part. Just look up a walkthrough for that part, it's towards the end of the game.… Expand
  4. Twilight_Drake
    Sep 10, 2013
    10
    Absolutely fantastic, and one of the best stories I've ever experienced in video games. I strongly recommend people to play this. Definitely worth it. Words cannot even describe how great and epic the story is; especially the ending. It was mind-blowing.
  5. K-Star
    Sep 26, 2013
    8
    Such an original game! I love the concept. The story is amazing but I had trouble understanding how to go back between branches of the story. Graphics are nice but a bit plain.
  6. SonicUltimate20
    Oct 7, 2013
    10
    This game was amazing, all the characters were amazing and recognisable, the story was outstanding and really brought you into the game, when I first got this, I played it non-stop, same as project X Zone, the 3d models were great, as well as the characters backstories.
    If I had to pick a flaw, I didn't like that there was no English voice acting in the European 3ds game, so if you live    This game was amazing, all the characters were amazing and recognisable, the story was outstanding and really brought you into the game, when I first got this, I played it non-stop, same as project X Zone, the 3d models were great, as well as the characters backstories.
    If I had to pick a flaw, I didn't like that there was no English voice acting in the European 3ds game, so if you live in England and buy the game of e-shop like I did, you're stuck with that, I just found it lazy,
    But beside from that one little flaw, the game was absolutely amazing    … Expand
  7. Luggs
    Oct 16, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I loved the game. The soundtrack was absolutely brilliant! As well, I (and many other fans of the game) absolutely love Luna's ending. Most players of the game must've cried while reading through the story. I also like the little gems where Sigma, the protagonist, has his moments, but also the foreshadowing moments that you don't notice until after the big twist. Chunsoft outdid themselves with the Zero Escape series.… Expand
  8. progjunkie2112
    Jan 2, 2014
    8
    I want to love this game even more, because there is a lot to love. The characters are mostly well-designed and multidimensional, the story leaves you on the edge of your seat, the puzzles are challenging, and the morality system is so well executed. But the game does have a serious flaw: the main character is incredibly idiotic and just generally unlikable.

    I found myself hating Sigma    I want to love this game even more, because there is a lot to love. The characters are mostly well-designed and multidimensional, the story leaves you on the edge of your seat, the puzzles are challenging, and the morality system is so well executed. But the game does have a serious flaw: the main character is incredibly idiotic and just generally unlikable.

    I found myself hating Sigma by the second mission. Through the events of the first mission, I wound up betrayed by another of the characters. Sucks to be me. I made a decision that backfired and was knocked further back in the game. Whatever, I can move on. Sigma, on the other hand, spends the rest of the mission sniping at the partner who betrayed him.

    Aside from that, the character is not very bright; worse yet, his lack of intelligence is inconsistent, weakening him as a character. How am I supposed to believe that a guy who:

    (A) doesn't know about Schrodinger's Cat or the prisoner's dilemma thought experiment, and
    (B) thinks being constantly hung up on past betrayals will help him advance in the future,

    is a PhD candidate who can solve puzzles that stump everyone else in the room?

    Granted, playing as an unlikable character can be effective (see: Bioshock Infinite), but the problem is that this game is much more choice-based, which makes it all the more important to feel immersed. Being constantly at odds with the character as a person, I didn't feel like I was making choices. I felt like I was babysitting a toddler.

    In my opinion, this problem could have been fixed by giving the character more dialogue boxes for interaction. You could still have some of his dialogue be automatically generated, but anything that reflects his personality could be decided by the player. After all, the game is a fascinating enough character study with the other characters in the game. You don't even need to remove his backstory or anything: just give the player more control over his actions.

    Despite that critical flaw, the rest of the game is spectacular and genuinely groundbreaking, pushing the envelope of video games to new horizons. The game builds tension masterfully and is effective at invoking emotion, especially suspicion of other participants. The puzzles are brilliantly designed and push your brain to its absolute limit, especially if you're going for full completion. The environments are well designed and contribute to the haunting and uncertain atmosphere of the entire game. While VLR is text-heavy, it makes wonderful use of that element to convey story.

    I would definitely pick this game up because of all the things it does well; just be prepared for Sigma to distract from the immersion.    … Expand
  9. TheIrepan8
    Feb 16, 2014
    10
    What will you do, ally or betray? Ally or Betray? Those words still to this day give me goosebumps. Zero Escape: Virtues Last Reward is one hell of a game (or should I say visual novel). To those of you who don't get why this game is so damn good let me give you rough idea of what the story is like. Imagine the puzzles from the Professor Layton games and mix it with something like BattleWhat will you do, ally or betray? Ally or Betray? Those words still to this day give me goosebumps. Zero Escape: Virtues Last Reward is one hell of a game (or should I say visual novel). To those of you who don't get why this game is so damn good let me give you rough idea of what the story is like. Imagine the puzzles from the Professor Layton games and mix it with something like Battle Royale, add a whole lotta nines and throw in the classic game theory of the Prisoners Dilemma and you roughly get this game. This game aint for kids. The game is a hell of a ride through the roughly 30 hour story with more twists and turns than a theme park. This game has one amazing soundtrack, insanely clever puzzles, memorable characters and more knowledge than an encyclopedia. It makes me wonder why more people wont play games like this.… Expand
  10. TheUnholyBBQ
    Jun 15, 2014
    10
    This game is my favorite game of all time.

    This game is a "visual novel", a (mostly Japanese)niche game genre which is based on background music, character sprites(usually anime style), background CGs, minimal player interaction and choices to define which ending you get. Ironically, this game has more than the usual amount of gameplay visual novels have. It's the sequel to 9 Hours 9    This game is my favorite game of all time.

    This game is a "visual novel", a (mostly Japanese)niche game genre which is based on background music, character sprites(usually anime style), background CGs, minimal player interaction and choices to define which ending you get. Ironically, this game has more than the usual amount of gameplay visual novels have.

    It's the sequel to 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors, a surprise hit for the DS. If you want to enjoy this game to the fullest extent, PLAY 999 FIRST. If you are playing on a 3DS, you have no excuse not to.

    The game starts off in an intriguing way, as you solve a not too hard puzzle after waking up in an elevator, find a stranger woman and get a death threat from an ornately dressed rabbit. And things simply pick up from there. The first choice you see is the choose one of three doors to go through and each opens a lot of new possibilities- later on, you play the AB Game- a game based on Prisoner's Dilemma and trusting your life with strangers. The twists play with your mind, there are sad, funny and exhilarating scenes, and every character develops a lot throughout the story. Puzzles do not really match up to its flawless story, but they fit the atmosphere and are quite challenging.

    I cannot recommend this game enough. If story in a video game is important to you and if you are not bound by a blood oath to never play a puzzle game, you have to play this game. Definitely worth getting a Vita or a 3DS for.    … Expand
  11. messier
    Jul 2, 2014
    10
    One week was all it took for this franchise to get me hooked. I would expect no less from IGN's Best 3DS/DS Story of 2012 and Best Story by RPGFan. It has even won the Handheld Game of the Year 2012 award by Gamespot. This game has earned my Gold Star of approval and quality and will sit among my other superstar titles like Zelda Link Between Worlds and Pokemon Y.

    Virtue's Last Reward    One week was all it took for this franchise to get me hooked. I would expect no less from IGN's Best 3DS/DS Story of 2012 and Best Story by RPGFan. It has even won the Handheld Game of the Year 2012 award by Gamespot. This game has earned my Gold Star of approval and quality and will sit among my other superstar titles like Zelda Link Between Worlds and Pokemon Y.

    Virtue's Last Reward is the sequel of 999 : Nine Hours, Nine Person, Nine Doors. The key concept is still the same. There's the novel part where you just read the story and make decisions (to ally or to betray?) and there's the escape part where you get locked in a room, collect stuffs, combine stuffs, solve puzzles, get password and get out of the room).

    What I really, really like about this horror adventure novel sci-fi mystery puzzle game is it has consistently provided a strong storyline that really blows your mind times infinite. The concept of this game is so ingenious that I have never thought a game could be played in this manner. I also have never thought that a game could be so deep yet fun at the same time. I mean, how could a game with mathematical equations, philosophy, history and science and puzzles, topics that make you sleep, be a critical success?

    Virtue's Last Reward is much more fast paced than it's prequel and that's a good thing. I find that there's a lot more text to go through (heck, you have to play it 20 over times to get all the endings) but each timeline you play always provide you with new clues and interesting facts. I like how 999 touches on topics like urban legends, Ganzfield experiment, Morphic Resonance. Virtue's Last Reward brings back that same concept that touches on, the foundation of this game, Prisoner's Dilemma, Theseus' Paradox and Schrodinger's Cat, just to name a few. Oh, and there was one concept about the Chinese Room experiment by John Searle that got me emotional and thinking a hell lot. The whole game is just like a thought experiment.
    The game brings back a few familiar faces and new casts that the game develops all their storyline and make you feel the pain when you choose to 'betray' them. There's a lot of drama in this game and some parts can be quite...emotional. They added human speech to the characters so that they actually feel like they have some sort of persona. There's a lot of text but they're not boring text; they are filled with mystery, humor, trivia and rabbit puns.

    10/10, a Masterpiece.
    Anyone with a 3DS/Vita should buy it. Correction; MUST buy it.    … Expand
  12. saxo27
    Nov 12, 2014
    9
    This is a very surprising, experimental and truely unique game.It is part video game and part graphic novel. The puzzle squences are quite challenging but add to the dark tone of the game--puzzles are not necessarily logical Professor Layton-like. However, what makes this game memorable is how it is constructed. You do not necessarily play it so as to engage in the puzzles--but to see howThis is a very surprising, experimental and truely unique game.It is part video game and part graphic novel. The puzzle squences are quite challenging but add to the dark tone of the game--puzzles are not necessarily logical Professor Layton-like. However, what makes this game memorable is how it is constructed. You do not necessarily play it so as to engage in the puzzles--but to see how the story progresses, to find out who the characters are, and what will (or has) happened to them. What adds to the enjoyable of this is that this game is not necessarily linear--this you will have to experience for yourself because I do not want to add spoilers. A note: I have not player the first game. However, not playing the first game did not take away the enjoyment, excitement, suspense and quite a few scary and emotionally sad moments of this game. A very unique game that should be played. Additionally, I would say the 3DS version is the prefered version, as opposed to the vita version, because the bottom screen of the 3DS allows for note taking during puzzles and various other imporant interface options. Again, unique game. Enjoy.… Expand
  13. Fabio199618
    Jun 11, 2022
    9
    They basically fixed everything that was not working so well with the original game.

    A great game, indeed, and possibly the best in the series.
  14. Leda21
    Jan 24, 2016
    10
    Virtues Last reward brings the puzzle genre with an outstanding background history, that makes you even more excited in finish the puzzle, to see what comes next in the history. It has a thriller history, with lots of plot twists and mysteries, that are revealed throughout the evolution of the game. The gameplay is simple, but the real challenge coming from the puzzles makes it extremelyVirtues Last reward brings the puzzle genre with an outstanding background history, that makes you even more excited in finish the puzzle, to see what comes next in the history. It has a thriller history, with lots of plot twists and mysteries, that are revealed throughout the evolution of the game. The gameplay is simple, but the real challenge coming from the puzzles makes it extremely fun.

    It is, though, a "history telling-puzzle" game. There are for each 30 minutes puzzle 1 hour cutscenes. The puzzles are really creative, as well as hard sometimes. The plot is amazing, the characters are charismatics, and the way the game "flows" is also extraordinary.

    Extraordinary history, awesome characters (that you must love...or hate) and challenging puzzles make Virtue's Last Reward a mandatory game in your library.    … Expand
  15. SrPepe
    Oct 22, 2018
    9
    Un juegazo increíble, la historia es excepcional, esta muy bien desarrollada, los puzzles divertidos otra vez, el AB game es divertido y atrapante también. Los personajes son memorables y todo lo que pasa en el juego y la conexión entre los timelines es algo que deja a uno con ganas de seguir y seguir hasta no parar. Disfrute muchísimo y me pareció ampliamente superior a la primer entrega.
  16. HashtagDeep
    Mar 7, 2020
    10
    [Expand for easier reading]

    Story: This is the best story I've ever been exposed to in any medium. I can hardly say anything without spoiling it, so if you haven't played it yet, you're already treading on thin ice. It's a science fiction that makes it very easy to suspend, borderline eliminate, your disbelief. It's a first person game wherein a quality of life feature is implemented    [Expand for easier reading]

    Story: This is the best story I've ever been exposed to in any medium. I can hardly say anything without spoiling it, so if you haven't played it yet, you're already treading on thin ice. It's a science fiction that makes it very easy to suspend, borderline eliminate, your disbelief. It's a first person game wherein a quality of life feature is implemented into the story, much like how Dark Souls incorporates re-spawning into the lore (imagine if a movie incorporated your pausing of it into its story). You'll hardly get over the revelation of one plot twist before falling deeper into another. I'll have to digress before I say too much.

    Game-play: As the setting of the game is something akin to a Saw movie (I realize all the negative implications that I have just made by drawing that parallel and they're all so wrong), you're expected to escape from rooms by solving puzzles. You'll quickly learn to pocket whatever item isn't nailed to the floor, then start making sense of what you can use to progress by holding one item at a time and interacting with your environment to progress. Sometimes items must be combined before they are usable. There are also a lot of logic questions, riddles, math problems, etc. My only gripe with the escape rooms is that the memo page doesn't include a keyboard to help you save space, nor does it allow for many pages.

    Presentation: For the kind of game this is, the character models are very pleasing to look at (best played on 3DS), unless you play the TV versions, then you're going to be disappointed after scrutinizing the models at higher resolutions. Besides the character models, everything else is just passable. Voice acting ranges from great to industry's best (you know them).

    Do yourself a favor and play this game. I promise you that when you finish the game, you'll fantasize about running it for the first time again, which you won't be able to do.    … Expand
  17. Diegochocho
    Jul 3, 2018
    10
    Se supero en todo al 999, pero les aplaudo por la gran historia narrativa, y creo que es de los pocos juegos que me dejo sin palabras al terminarlo.
  18. Pinkpansylove
    Aug 30, 2018
    10
    An unparalled and increible accomplishment in gaming. This is a story which benefits highly from the fact it is told through a video game. The soundtrack is incredible, and the puzzles are fun. I will not say much more, this is something that simply needs to be played without much knowledge.
  19. Romorais
    Sep 4, 2018
    9
    What a game!

    Great puzzles and even better story, but the truth is if you hate puzzles games but love great stories you should play it anyway, it's not that hard to find a walkthrough and even paying this way it would be totally worth it!
  20. Emrys89
    Feb 13, 2018
    9
    Ok so this is the best visual novel game. This was the first game i pkayed from the Zero escape series and it just pulled me in.
    The story is well written and awesome to play through. I love the characters and the twist endings. The fact i never liked playing over the same section over and over is solved here by letting you jump to important choice sections and letting you try a different    Ok so this is the best visual novel game. This was the first game i pkayed from the Zero escape series and it just pulled me in.
    The story is well written and awesome to play through. I love the characters and the twist endings. The fact i never liked playing over the same section over and over is solved here by letting you jump to important choice sections and letting you try a different path.
    Obviously there is a lot of reading and there is a lot of puzzle i had trouble with. It was a joy though so you need to give this game a chance.    … Expand
  21. Kaizo_Aleks
    Mar 8, 2019
    10
    This game is my favourite game of all time and you should definitely play it. I don't know what else to say without getting to spoiler territory so just play it.
  22. Bradaloop
    Jul 29, 2021
    9
    More of what made the first game great but ridiculously overcomplicated, in a good way - no other game could handle storytelling in such an absurd way and I loved every second of it. Benefits greatly from the flowchart feature that the first game so sorely needed.
  23. tukumalu
    Feb 1, 2020
    9
    The flawed graphics and rather repetitive mechanics are made up by intriguing and truly complex narrative. However, the characters themselves are not as memorable as its predecessor.
  24. Tremore
    Feb 7, 2020
    10
    The best game I have ever played.

    VLR truly is a masterpiece. It had me hooked from the demo to the after credits. The music is great, the story is amazing and the puzzles are fun and challenging. I honestly can't say anything bad about this game except its somewhat weird models but otherwise it is an expertly crafted game that I will cherish for the rest of my life. If you like science,    The best game I have ever played.

    VLR truly is a masterpiece. It had me hooked from the demo to the after credits. The music is great, the story is amazing and the puzzles are fun and challenging. I honestly can't say anything bad about this game except its somewhat weird models but otherwise it is an expertly crafted game that I will cherish for the rest of my life. If you like science, you will love this one    … Expand
  25. GregLobstery
    Jul 22, 2022
    9
    Sequel to 999 and it's everything you could want in a sequel to that game. The path you take is pretty much determined by your choice in the AB game which is pretty cool. The animation of character models is a bit stiff but nowhere near as horrid as it is in the next game. And the transitions get a bit annoying but aside from that I have nothing bad at all to say about this game.
  26. Sitheral
    Jun 23, 2020
    8
    VLR feels like a less personal story than 999 and really less impactful one, especially because characters are not drawn now and how they look/move is a bit of a mixed bag. Still, its a pretty worthy sequel with giant twists and overarching story, there is also one thing it does much better - it lets you navigate the story using flowchart, so you can jump right to the point you are interested in.
  27. MrsDraenog
    Feb 22, 2013
    10
    I don't think I could love this game more if I tried. This game is the visual novel/puzzle sequel to the DS game '999: 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors', and after loving the first game, this one completely surpassed my expectations. This one included increasing text speed and also being able to go to different points in the game, which were very frustrating in the original. This means you won'tI don't think I could love this game more if I tried. This game is the visual novel/puzzle sequel to the DS game '999: 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors', and after loving the first game, this one completely surpassed my expectations. This one included increasing text speed and also being able to go to different points in the game, which were very frustrating in the original. This means you won't have to play a room twice if you don't want. It's heavily text based, but there are lots of good puzzles and escape the room type scenarios to enjoy. As far as the storyline goes, it's confusing at times, requires some thinking, but it's completely captivating. I enjoyed all the characters, and it managed to be funny and touching. There's only one save slot, but I can understand why, so it wasn't an issue for me at all. There's also a noted bug in the 3DS version where if you save in certain rooms the game becomes corrupted, this did not happen to me, as I followed advice to not save while in an active puzzle room. I totaled about 45 hours with the game and all paths completed. This is THE 3DS game for me.… Expand
  28. heenie
    Oct 31, 2012
    10
    Great game. Very strategic. Characters and environments are fun. IGN has reviewed the 3DS version but it had not posted to metacritic!? Is metacritic's 3DS person on strike?!
  29. Alzero
    Jan 26, 2013
    10
    Where am I, who are these people, and what type of game am I in for??? These are the questions of all new gamers who come into the mysterious, deadly, and thrilling world of Zero Escape. This is no ordinary game, this is one of life and death, and it's a good one at that (watch the trailer or read the premise of Wikiedia or IGN and you'll be intrigued). This game relies heavily on itsWhere am I, who are these people, and what type of game am I in for??? These are the questions of all new gamers who come into the mysterious, deadly, and thrilling world of Zero Escape. This is no ordinary game, this is one of life and death, and it's a good one at that (watch the trailer or read the premise of Wikiedia or IGN and you'll be intrigued). This game relies heavily on its narrative with a very original and unique plot, interesting character interactions, and varying branches of choices to make (imagine Mass Effect, but much more consequential) with over 20 endings :) You'll be satisfied, enthralled, and wanting more, no worries there (you might lose some sleep too...) The other gameplay portion revolves around intuitive environmental puzzles that are fun and challenging to do (not too easy, nor too hard). The 3d visuals fit the 3ds perfectly, and the soundtrack is haunting, and the presentation convenient (there is even a log function for dialog).

    Overall, gamers looking for something truly unique, interesting, unpredictable, and incredibly compelling and off the beaten track, should give this game at least a hour or too (cause that's all it takes to suck you in lol). 10/10 If you think this score is too good, just play the game for yourselves and find out ;)    … Expand
  30. KLoWn
    May 19, 2013
    10
    A game that lives up to the standard it's predecessor 999 set. Anyone who loves a good mystery story and some puzzle solving should get this game immediately.

    Only bad thing about it is that long time VN fans will inevitably notice some similarities between this game and earlier titles like Ever17 and Remember11, but other than that it's a stellar experienc all the way through.
  31. TheKingdomKey
    Feb 11, 2014
    10
    This is by far the best game on the 3ds even succeeding Fire Emblem:Awakening and Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. It combines some of the hardest puzzles I've ever solved with a phenomenal story that has many unexpecting turns. By the way to get the true ending you have to complete each characters ending. By uncovering the characters endings plot twists will unfold and they areThis is by far the best game on the 3ds even succeeding Fire Emblem:Awakening and Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. It combines some of the hardest puzzles I've ever solved with a phenomenal story that has many unexpecting turns. By the way to get the true ending you have to complete each characters ending. By uncovering the characters endings plot twists will unfold and they are truly intense and can only be pulled together by the true ending. I did not play the first game "999", but VLR wrapped it up nicely and explained the contents of "999". It is one of my favorite games of all time and is a must play for anybody who owns a 3ds.… Expand
  32. Tatsuhiko
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    Obviously one of the best 3DS games out there. Words cannot even describe how great, but mind-boggling the story is. Finishing this game makes me want the sequel even more now.
  33. Cyberpunked
    Jul 12, 2013
    10
    Pros:
    - Excellent Story on all Counts
    - Wonderful Character Development
    - Well Thought Out Puzzles
    - Tons of Replay Value

    Cons:
    - None that I can think of
  34. felixable
    Mar 7, 2014
    8
    I found it thrilling enough for me while playing at night. Long game play and story lines. Definitely for players who love story-line based game as well as solving puzzles. Recommend to play 999 first, though it is not mandatory.
  35. Rtheom
    Jun 28, 2013
    9
    In the same vein as Layton and Wright, this "game" has a great story that held my interest throughout. It's not necessary to play 999 before playing this, but it does add a lot. I'm really looking forward to the sequel and that's my only real beef. It very much played the "come back in a few years of the sequel" card, which always leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Otherwise, it was excellent.
  36. DeusExMachina7
    Feb 20, 2013
    10
    One of the most classically engaging stories ever invented. Despite how linear the story is in its splitting up of choices, it never feels like a chore going back and forth between them, because a desire to watch everything is there. A game that demands to be played. A warning though, as the 3DS version is bugged. Saving in the PEC room will likely corrupt your save, so steer clear ofOne of the most classically engaging stories ever invented. Despite how linear the story is in its splitting up of choices, it never feels like a chore going back and forth between them, because a desire to watch everything is there. A game that demands to be played. A warning though, as the 3DS version is bugged. Saving in the PEC room will likely corrupt your save, so steer clear of saving in that room.… Expand
  37. CannonBlaster
    Mar 30, 2014
    9
    This is hands down, one of the best games of the decade. If you like a good mystery, you will like VLR, but be prepared for a confusing ending and overly complicated puzzles.
  38. AhmadAlsumain
    Mar 25, 2013
    10
    Tragedy, sadness, happiness and full of surprises this is what this game about. I love the game play, there is clever puzzles here and there, but the story is where the game shines.
  39. Bene_Gesserit
    Jul 12, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I loved this game. I had not played 999 before and I don't think it is necessary. I consider giving it a try now though.If someone had described the mechanics to me beforehand, I would have never thought I was going to like it. Lots of read couple of sentences+press 'a' button+repeat. But as the characters and the story were very interesting and compelling, it did not feel burdensome. I also liked a lot the contents of gold files. I find them very charm, . In my opinion, puzzles are too easy. I only looked the tangram up, because I suck at that and the response of the pieces in the touch screen was driving me nuts. Apart from that, I left only one puzzle unsolved. In general, I think they are too mechanical, you don't need to be imaginative or anything. I also felt a little bit disappointed about how easy getting some information was. Specifically the id and pass for the two computers you log in. I thought I was going to have to think a lot and review stories to find clues..... No, they are just given away at some point of the story. I guess the puzzles can't be hard, or the flow of the story would stall.
    Anyway, great game. Took me 60 hours to beat it (english is not my mother tonge).    … Expand
  40. TheJoseph
    Jun 16, 2016
    10
    Pros:
    - Amazing Story
    - Great Gameplay - Good Bad Graphics (this makes sense if you played it) - Complexity - Ability to blow your mind - Lovable and hatable characters - Has funny, sad, confusing, mysterious, scary, shocking moments Cons: - 3ds version has a game breaking glitch DON'T SAVE IN THE ESCAPE ROOMS - Has a few weird character animations - Annoying map you can't    Pros:
    - Amazing Story
    - Great Gameplay
    - Good Bad Graphics (this makes sense if you played it)
    - Complexity
    - Ability to blow your mind
    - Lovable and hatable characters
    - Has funny, sad, confusing, mysterious, scary, shocking moments

    Cons:
    - 3ds version has a game breaking glitch DON'T SAVE IN THE ESCAPE ROOMS
    - Has a few weird character animations
    - Annoying map you can't skip
    - Could've explained To Be Continued Better
    - Spelled "DUNNO" "DONNO" (Yeah, I ran out of things bad about this game    … Expand
  41. Darrisbob1
    Nov 4, 2012
    9
    After playing through five of the over twenty different endings, here is my review. "Virtue's Last Reward" is the second game in Zero Escape series (with the first game being "999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors"). If you haven't played that game, it is HIGHLY recommended that you go back and get the final ending to "999". Like the game before it, "VLR" uses a mixture of heavyAfter playing through five of the over twenty different endings, here is my review. "Virtue's Last Reward" is the second game in Zero Escape series (with the first game being "999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors"). If you haven't played that game, it is HIGHLY recommended that you go back and get the final ending to "999". Like the game before it, "VLR" uses a mixture of heavy character and story involvement, multiple paths that lead to various endings, and challenging and sometimes punishing puzzles. The move up to the 3DS does little to change the formula of "999" and instead looks to improve upon them. The game has tons of full-voiced dialog (in both English and Japanese) and many more endings than in the previous game. The new characters you interact with are a varied group, each with different backgrounds and secrets to be revealed. The best way to describe this type of game to a newcomer would be to call it a mixture of Visual Novel (ala School Days or Corpse Party) and Puzzle game (like the Professor Layton series). I don't want to give too much away story-wise, as it's best to go into this game not knowing too much about what is going to happen. People who have played "999" knows where it's going, but the added twists and turns along the way will keep you playing til the very end.… Expand
  42. Lanopo
    Jan 26, 2013
    9
    This game was made with a large amount of people with an adherent passion for story-telling and problem solving. This game is an equivalent to a lengthy novel and will quite possibly take up to 40-60 hours of your time, testing your morality, intelligence, and deductive reasoning the entire time. However the only one save 'feature' is a flaw and should be frowned upon, but disregarded.This game was made with a large amount of people with an adherent passion for story-telling and problem solving. This game is an equivalent to a lengthy novel and will quite possibly take up to 40-60 hours of your time, testing your morality, intelligence, and deductive reasoning the entire time. However the only one save 'feature' is a flaw and should be frowned upon, but disregarded. Play 999 first though since luckily for you the 3DS can play DS games.… Expand
  43. metroidisbest
    Nov 20, 2012
    10
    Easily one of the best games of the year. Virtue's Last Reward is one of the best stories ever told in video games. I clocked in just over 32 hr to complete everything the game has to offer. It is an incredible value.
  44. ihatecheez
    Mar 7, 2017
    4
    fun until you realize the characters are flat, boring, and predictable and also the game relies on RNG puzzles. not fun at all. the same problems from the first game are present here again
  45. Overanalytical
    Aug 6, 2014
    10
    This is quite simply one of the best games I've played ever and that is only for the story I've bought 3 copies for my friends and I don't regret a second of it if your thinking of getting this game well I can tell you you're doing yourself a big favor by getting it I promise you to the moon and back you are not making a mistake
  46. duckypwns
    Feb 2, 2013
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Good game, but again, like 999, this game still has some issues with the way the game is structured. The game assumes that you want to be a good guy, and also, despite your character's ability to access alternate timelines, you are completely powerless compared to the other characters. If tiny, weak little Clover gets 9 BP, she can run for the 9 door and nobody will stop her. But if YOU run for the 9 door after getting 9 BP, despite that your character could have foreseen it in an alternate timeline and deliberately avoided it, you will be stopped. The game also acts like you're a horrible person if you choose "betray"; they start treating you like you're a sociopath or a murderer, even if it was only the more logical decision for the group. This is usually followed up by a game over. Basically, this is my hugest problem with both 999 and VLR The moral system is one of those "save 1,000 kittens, or become a mass murderer, nothing in between" kind of deals. Other characters, like Phi and K get to be rational yet not necessarily evil, so why can't I? Story based games where all you do is scroll through text (and solve puzzles) should be the best at giving players a wide array of options, but VLR is still pretty limited as far as that goes. One thing they DID do to improve the game's structure was that they added the "flow" option, where you basically don't have to replay the whole game over and over to get alternate endings like we did in 999. In my opinion, the puzzles are also much better than in 999. I would say an average adult could probably solve every single puzzle in the game without having to look anything up, yet they still provide a solid challenge. Some rooms have taken me over 30 minutes to solve. And the story, just like in 999, is still very good as well. Once Aksys opens up the player's choices a little bit more, and stops treating logical players like they're evil, I think they will have the formula perfected.… Expand
  47. IGNsus
    Mar 25, 2014
    10
    Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward is the best visual novel/puzzle game I have ever played.

    VLR is actually the second of three planned games from Kōtarō Uchikoshi, following the critically acclaimed Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors. It's a wonderful blend of puzzle solving and visual novel that requires the player to play through different routes in order to proceed and get to the    Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward is the best visual novel/puzzle game I have ever played.

    VLR is actually the second of three planned games from Kōtarō Uchikoshi, following the critically acclaimed Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors. It's a wonderful blend of puzzle solving and visual novel that requires the player to play through different routes in order to proceed and get to the true ending.

    VLR's primary strength is in its writing. The plot unfolds gradually, with the characters' intentions unclear through the greater part of the game. The subtlety of the clues, red herrings, and revelations ensures that players will keep playing once they begin. Then there's the good music, exceptional Japanese voice acting (good English VAs), and practical interface. It's a very well-designed game with excellent production values.

    The only gripe I have with VLR is the art: Hand-drawn illustrations of 999 are replaced with bland 3D models. That said, 3D is definitely the trend, and I guess Spike Chunsoft wanted to jump on board the 3D gimmick mode on the 3DS.

    With that said, there's really no reason not to buy this game at $29.99. It's an absolute shame that the game has not been commercially successful. But then again, quality doesn't exactly sell nowadays.    … Expand
  48. TemplarGR
    Sep 9, 2016
    0
    Overrated adventure game. Maybe kids might find it interesting, but having played many classic adventure games, i find this a very bad game and a waste of time:

    1) The story is bad. Sure, you can have multiple endings, but this doesn't matter when the story is childish. Anime fans might like it more 2) Gameplay is easy, the puzzles are really easy with a few exceptions. There is    Overrated adventure game. Maybe kids might find it interesting, but having played many classic adventure games, i find this a very bad game and a waste of time:

    1) The story is bad. Sure, you can have multiple endings, but this doesn't matter when the story is childish. Anime fans might like it more

    2) Gameplay is easy, the puzzles are really easy with a few exceptions. There is nothing to really challenge you in this game

    3) The game is tedious. It takes very long to read all the text and proceed the game, and the easy puzzles just serve to pad the game time and nothing more. Add to that a story that is totally uninteresting, and you have a disaster in your hands that you have no reason to bother with.

    Totally overrated by the typical weeaboo cult who swallows anything japanese without question. Save your money and time.    … Expand
  49. themadhatter26
    Apr 12, 2013
    0
    Fun up until the point it freezes, corrupts your save data, and makes you start all the way over from the beginning. DO NOT play this game on the 3DS if you value your time and money.
  50. wesker2012
    Apr 4, 2013
    6
    Virtues last reward is an overall improvement over the original with an expanded and in more in depth universe. The puzzles are better this time around and the game also adds a much needed 'flow' mechanic which allows you to skip through previous read texts and jump from one narrative path to another allowing you to skip puzzles already completed. The plot like the first keeps youVirtues last reward is an overall improvement over the original with an expanded and in more in depth universe. The puzzles are better this time around and the game also adds a much needed 'flow' mechanic which allows you to skip through previous read texts and jump from one narrative path to another allowing you to skip puzzles already completed. The plot like the first keeps you guessing and intrigued at every turn but the story's branching narratives also become a grind even though its also one of the games greatest features. Having to explore all of the branching paths to fully understand the story becomes exhausting especially since certain events and sequences have to be watched over again and again. Also, having to watch your character move as a dot going through the map is extremely tiring having seen it for the umpteenth time. While the game lasts you about 30-40 hours of playtime, the games story doesn't seem worth the time it takes to go through it. Ultimately the story just doesn't give you that satisfaction you were waiting for when given all the answers. Sure the game logically explains everything....but it seems more like everything is conveniently explained through science fiction and fantasy elements rather than logic based in reality. This ultimately was a disappointment for me as I was waiting to be mind blown by revelations grounded in reality where it was actually possible to put the story's revelations together myself. Instead there would be no way to figure out what really happened unless the game told you. So, ultimately, the plot and narrative plays out less like a mystery grounded in reality and more like just a far fetched sci fi story.… Expand
  51. hope1
    Nov 6, 2012
    7
    I want to give this game a higher score and it is overall a good game, but I will just summarize the good and bad points about this game:
    + Better graphics
    + Better gameplay mechanics through puzzles and convenient playback (I really like the puzzles in this one) + Interesting continuation of the story - Somewhat the interface is cumbersome making the game itself buggy - The    I want to give this game a higher score and it is overall a good game, but I will just summarize the good and bad points about this game:
    + Better graphics
    + Better gameplay mechanics through puzzles and convenient playback (I really like the puzzles in this one)
    + Interesting continuation of the story

    - Somewhat the interface is cumbersome making the game itself buggy
    - The character design and concept really lame compared to the first game, not really interesting
    - The game story though interesting is less intense and toned down for maybe a younger audeince, I don't why. I used to love the first game having a lot of shocking sequences. Basically game is great with really good puzzles but the story and its intensity is toned down which ruins the gaming experience a bit.    … Expand
  52. MacRoboV
    Dec 9, 2012
    6
    Virtue's last reward is a sequel of sorts to the 2010 Nintendo DS game,
  53. GERCharon
    Feb 2, 2014
    2
    I loved this game and could not lay my 3DS aside. I just wanted to know more, solve more puzzles, and feel the thrill of this absolutely awesome story. Every NPC feels lie a real intelligent human being with his/her own emotions and opinions. I would say it is the best 3DS game I have played so far,

    IF this game had no bugs. I was playing the game for approximately 15 hours when I had    I loved this game and could not lay my 3DS aside. I just wanted to know more, solve more puzzles, and feel the thrill of this absolutely awesome story. Every NPC feels lie a real intelligent human being with his/her own emotions and opinions. I would say it is the best 3DS game I have played so far,

    IF this game had no bugs. I was playing the game for approximately 15 hours when I had the known savegame crushing bug, which I was not aware of. Since the game is quite old, I expected it to be free of bugs, especially of game-breaking ones like this one.
    I read some news considering this bug, after It occured and there are even messages telling, that this bug has been fixes in the eShop version of the game. This is NOT the case. They say that they couldn't trace the bug down, but they could at least insert some pop-up warning like "Don't save in escape mode!" or something similar. Also there was no warning in the Nintendo eShop description. I cannot tell how disappointed I am.

    Before the bug occurred I would judge a 10/10 without hesitation. Now I am just sad and lost the whole fun I had with this game. It is a shame that after market services for Nintendo products are almost nonexistend. .    … Expand
  54. gregkarate
    Jul 19, 2015
    2
    I understand the reasons people like this game. I could not disagree more.

    This game is not really a "game" per se as it is an interactive novel. A horribly slow moving, boring novel. The dialogue is unskippable so you can't get moving if you're a quick reader and just want to get on with it already. The story is not good. Sure, there's a few insane plot twists at the end that you    I understand the reasons people like this game. I could not disagree more.

    This game is not really a "game" per se as it is an interactive novel. A horribly slow moving, boring novel. The dialogue is unskippable so you can't get moving if you're a quick reader and just want to get on with it already. The story is not good. Sure, there's a few insane plot twists at the end that you won't see coming, but you'll have to wait 30 hours or so to get there. If you're into good stories, go read a manga. Here's two recommendations to get you started: Tokyo Ghoul and Attack on Titan (heard of it?). Sitting through this story is worse than getting waterboarded.

    Let's talk about the puzzles section. Good lord, this was not fun. This is the only real "game" part of this game. I even looked up the solutions so I wouldn't have to deal with it any longer as the whole process is endlessly cumbersome. Don't save your game and exit while you're in these puzzle sections or you could destroy your save file and have to start from scratch. Where's the promised patch to fix this? It's not coming. That's a load of BS right there.

    I'm glad so many people find joy in this game... I just wish there was someone to say the things I'm saying so I wouldn't have had to waste my time.

    If you're looking for a good, engaging story. This is NOT it.    … Expand
  55. Ughduty
    Aug 22, 2020
    0
    It is now the year 2020 and they still didn‘t fix the save game bug which will destroy the only save game you have!

    Besides that the game is just bad. I do not understand where all the good reviews are coming from. The story is bloated, the characters are flat and the pacing is extremely slow. The worst was that after 12 hour of playing I had reached one of the endings in the game where    It is now the year 2020 and they still didn‘t fix the save game bug which will destroy the only save game you have!

    Besides that the game is just bad. I do not understand where all the good reviews are coming from. The story is bloated, the characters are flat and the pacing is extremely slow. The worst was that after 12 hour of playing I had reached one of the endings in the game where I was presented with a notebook screen on which I should enter an ID and a password. However there was absolutely no clue to what these might be. When I exited the screen I was presented with the message „..... to be continued“ and the game was over. After that I searched the internet to find out that you have to play other possible endings in the game to find the ID and the password! This is game design at it‘s worst!    … Expand
  56. bancandrei
    May 15, 2020
    7
    Get ready for a roller coaster of a story. It may be convoluted, but in this case it is not a criticism, it is exactly what it was going for and it succeeded marvelously. It is always welcome to see games with ambition, and few have ambition like this one. I would have enjoyed a faster pace though
  57. GVB
    Dec 13, 2022
    7
    Not so good as 999. Although the puzzles are way better (and harder!!), the story tries too much to copy the twists and turns of 999, but at the end everything feels a bit messy.
  58. restrictedArea
    Apr 3, 2021
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Biggest time wasting bs I have encountered in a while. Nobody gives me the time back I wasted with horrendous characters, a super boring plotline and stressful, unfunny riddles. As for the money I wasted as well: throw it on the street and shoot on it and you might enjoy it more than this game the world doesn't need.… Expand
  59. Ferbez
    Aug 9, 2023
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Terrible "sequel" for an amazing game. 999 feels like a genuine good story from Kotaro Uchikoshi, while Virtue's Last Reward feels like a forced sequel - and since 999 had closed ending this game tries to do the same thing with different characters.

    However, there's a biggest issue - while 999's story focused on characters (and because of that felt extremely personal) this game focuses on world-saving, which IMO is an extremely bad decision. Using characters from 999 feels more like a fanservice stuff rather than this events really being connected to the 999's story. Open ending also doesn't work the best - this game barely got it's own sequel due to poor sales.

    Long story short - this game is nothing more than a lazy sequel to one of the best stories of all time. If you look at this game as a separate story - it's kinda fine. However, as a sequel - it's just more of the same, which barely works for story-based games.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best 3DS Game of 2012
6
#6 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2012
1
#1 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. Eurogamer Italy
    Apr 12, 2013
    90
    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?
    Read full review
  2. 4P.de
    Mar 14, 2013
    88
    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.
    Read full review
  3. DarkStation
    Mar 6, 2013
    90
    It’s a near flawless narrative experience wrapped in a bog-standard but necessary adventure game.
    Read full review
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