Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward (Hands-On) (Nintendo 3DS) Preview

The main purpose of the demo that has just been placed onto the European Nintendo 3DS eShop is to get players accustomed to the puzzle mechanics of Virtue's Last Reward. Whilst those that either live in the US or managed to grab hold of an import copy can attest to how intriguing the puzzle element can be, being smoothly integrated into what is basically a mere visual novel, the majority spying Chunsoft's text adventure will most likely have no idea what to expect.

The scenario that takes place involves only a few of the cast, with Sigma as the lead person the player is controlling, and two others that are helping to thoroughly analyse the surrounding rooms in order to find some way of escaping to the next area, sharing their thoughts only briefly here.

That is the basic premise of Virtue's Last Reward; it all revolves around nine participants in what is called the Ambidex Game, where they are all forced to wear bracelets and split into teams by a weird rabbit figure that speaks in riddles. Their 'Bracelet Points (BP)' are tracked during face-offs with opposing teams and whether they choose to help or betray others will change the BP level dependent on the rules doled out by the furry critter that appears to be pulling the strings. Should the rate drop to zero, a special concoction of drugs is released, being jabbed into the wrist of the person in question. There certainly is a lot on the line! However, although the in-game players are supposedly up against the clock, thankfully those in the real world are allowed to meticulously work through at what pace is desired. This allows for the almost morbid atmosphere to soak in completely, and the depth of the story to be fully appreciated.

There are only four rooms to search through, all found to the left and right of a narrow corridor, with just three of the dorm-like abodes accessible to start with, and movement done via Myst-like jumps, tapping on an area of interest with the stylus to make the scene change immediately to either a zoomed in version of whatever is in the player's eye line or to another section of the room for further investigation. The aim is to pick up clues dotted around, most of which seem amazingly obscure at times, but with use of the in-game memo, notes can be written down and referred to when trekking to the other nearby locations. Pick up items, decipher codes, use the environment in whatever way possible, and slowly the jigsaw starts to come together. First of all Sigma must find out how to open the fourth locked room, before eventually cracking the conundrum to break free from the confines of the actual corridor itself and progress through to another area of the strange building everyone is trapped in, thus ending the demo.