Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma - PlayStation 4

This is the third and final entry in the Zero Escape series, and in my opinion, equally fantastic to Virtue's Last Reward. Be absolutely certain you play that and the first one (999) before jumping into this. They step up the graphics this time around and the story is as strong as ever. It's one of those games that you will want to play again and again to catch every subtle detail that you missed in the previous run.

Great

Played all the previous titles and loved them, but all I can say about this version of zero escape is this:-Too short(in my opinion)-Too easy(they took out difficulty options)-Beautiful story actually-Set's up story for the nonary games.-good price-different look on timelines-u get to play 3 different main characters

Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma is the final game in the Zero Escape trilogy. The first two games, 999: Nine Persons, Nine Hours, Nine Doors and Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward are available on PS4 in The Nonary Games, and Zero Time Dilemma completes the story. While it is not quite up to the same level of quality as its predecessors, Zero Time Dilemma is an excellent game that will take you on an incredible journey.BACKGROUNDThe Zero Escape series are games that involve two components working in tandem. The games are all visual novels, so they feature a heavy focus on story. Zero Time Dilemma changed the "novel" component to voiced cutscenes. During the visual novel segments, the player makes choices which impact upon the story. The catch is that the games permit the player to revisit choices at key moments and make the alternative selection(s), which results in branching timelines. The branching timelines play into the story, though delving into how and why is deep into spoiler territory.The other component of the Zero Escape games is a series of escape rooms. Characters are placed in locked rooms and tasked with finding clues that will eventually lead to the key. My initial playthrough of the three games in the series was on the DS/3DS. While the graphics and sounds and general presentation are better on the PS4 versions, I still tend to prefer the stylus-based touchscreen mechanics for puzzle solving in the escape rooms. The PS4 controller works without issue, of course, but the Zero Escape games always felt right at home on the DS family of systems because of the touch screen implementation.Zero Time Dilemma was released in June of 2016 on Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita. The PS4 port cleans up some of the textures (which, on Vita, already looked pretty good anyway). From what I have experienced, there are not any significant changes to the game from the handheld version besides a mild visual upgrade.STORY (Spoiler-Free)In Zero Time Dilemma, much like 999 and Virtue's Last Reward, a group of individuals find themselves locked up in an unfamiliar location by an individual going by the name Zero. People have compared this series to the Saw franchise, and the comparison is pretty apt. In the games, Zero often speaks to the characters, presenting them with choices and explaining the consequences of those choices every step of the way. The story is dark and gripping. It can also get a little convoluted--the sort of thing that, upon completion, seems to prompt many players to go online to find further reading or discussion.Because this is the finale of a trilogy of visual novels, it should go without saying that if you find any of this interesting, play The Nonary Games first. The first game, 999, is not entirely essential to understanding Zero Time Dilemma (though I don't recommend skipping it, as it's very good). However, Virtue's Last Reward is very much essential. If you haven't played Virtue's Last Reward, Zero Time Dilemma is not the place to start. Characters from 999 and Virtue's Last Reward return in this game alongside new characters, and while the story is complicated no matter what, it can be unwieldy without the foundation from the games in The Nonary Games.The one thing that I felt was a missed opportunity with this game involves the ending. The way this game ends has been the subject of debate online since players first finished it and began discussing it. There are epilogues, but they only do a little to bolster the ending. The way the game ends should not dissuade players from checking out this series. However, if you finish the game and feel unsatisfied, you are not alone.GRAPHICSI really do not care for the graphical presentation of this game compared to its predecessors. 999 and Virtue's Last Reward had a distinctly anime style to them. The bright colors looked great, and helped to emphasize the dark and gritty events transpiring throughout the story. By contrast, Zero Time Dilemma, much like its box art, is a game of browns and grays. While the returning characters' designs still look okay, the anime approach of the prior two games really looked much better. As a result, the trilogy lacks a cohesive style.The PS4 version is a step up from the 3DS and Vita versions of Zero Time Dilemma, but make no mistake, this is a port of a handheld game. The story is the main focus, alongside the escape rooms, so the visuals do not really detract much from those core elements. However, by comparison, this game just does not look as good unfortunately.SOUNDThe audio here is phenomenal. Everything is voiced, and the voice acting is generally excellent. Both the English and Japanese voices are present, so you can pick your preferred way to experience the game. The script is well-written, and it is easy to become engrossed in the game. The soundtrack is the real standout. Shinji Hosoe's score is incredible, and if you've played The Nonary Games, you'll quickly recognize some of the remixed themes from prior games here. It's an excellent soundtrack that always supports the overall mood of the games.SUMMARYThe Zero Escape games are truly wonderful experiences. Zero Time Dilemma is the weakest of the bunch in my opinion, but it's still a strong entry in the series. I would urge anyone who is interested in visual novels to give this series a try. As I mentioned earlier, Zero Time Dilemma should not be your first game in the series, so you really have to start with The Nonary Games. If you played those and were waiting for the conclusion, do not hesitate to pick it up. Minor complaints aside, this is a very worthwhile trilogy of games and I highly recommend Zero Time Dilemma.

The disc was ok, but the cover art and box where in very bad state, all broken the box was just surviving.

This game does a good job of rounding out the story and pulls the other two games together perfectly. True to the game play of the other Zero Escape titles--this was a great game! If you like story driven, escape room point and click style games you will enjoy this game.

This game is awful. I liked the first two games ok, but the writing has gotten so convoluted that the story has devolved into complete nonsense.

I loved the first game when it came out years ago. I also enjoyed the second game. This game has a very different take on it. There is no set path. There are 3 teams of three in different areas, completely separate from each other. You don’t get to play the game in order. Instead? The game forces you to choose random fragments that are not in any kind of logical order. You turn unlock new random fragments. They don’t make any sense until later. You then have to mentally piece them together. At least two of the characters are insane or evil. Everything involves people or minds in different bodies from the future or time jumping. It’s a very different game, and I didn’t enjoy it at all. I wouldn’t recommend it for fans of the series or as a conclusion. I honestly wish I hadn’t played it.