Info about Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma:

Official game description:
The experiment wasn’t supposed to be like this.  
Nine participants awaken in an underground facility, imprisoned with a strange black bracelet on their wrists. To escape, they must play a game with deadly consequences. The rules are simple--after six people are killed, the escape hatch will open. Who will live, and who will die? The choice is yours. Let the Decision Game begin…  
**Game Features**  
*   **Think Your Way Out**  
    Explore 3-D environments for clues to solve mind-bending puzzles and escape your prison.  
*   **Decision Game**  
    Question your morality in a series of life-or-death decisions where even the best option carries horrifying implications.  
*   **Cinematic Gameplay**  
    Fully voiced and animated story sections push the boundaries of interactive fiction.  
*   **Non-linear Narrative**  
    Jump freely between events and characters to piece together the fractured narrative and unlock multiple endings.  
*   **Old Faces, New Mysteries**  
    Characters from the award-winning _Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors_ and _Virtue’s Last Reward_ are joined by a new cast of participants to bring first-time players up to speed and conclude the series for longtime fans.

Release date: Jun 29, 2016

Categories: Puzzle Solving, Narrative Adventure, Choice-based Narrative, Multiple Endings, Psychological Horror, Visual Novel, Interactive Fiction, Escape Room Puzzle

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Needs Improvement; summary: The user feedback indicates significant issues with game progression being blocked despite meeting wiki conditions, a heavy reliance on external guides for progression and understanding, and mixed feelings about the game's complexity and difficulty. These points suggest that the game may have underlying mechanical or design issues that hinder user experience.
- Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback for the Steam Deck experience reveals significant issues with controls and stability. Users frequently report the need for tinkering to get controls to work properly and to avoid crashes. Specific puzzles and general control mappings are problematic, often requiring additional input methods like a mouse. These issues collectively point to a less-than-optimal user experience that necessitates additional effort to achieve basic functionality.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Engaging and complex story (weight 0.97): The game features a rich, emotional, and complex storyline that keeps players engaged. It includes plot twists, deep themes, and a satisfying conclusion to the series.
- Enjoyable puzzle-solving (weight 0.26): The puzzles in the game are well-designed, fun, and offer a good challenge. They are intuitive and less stressful compared to previous games, making them enjoyable for both beginners and experienced players.
- Unique narrative structure (weight 0.19): The game introduces a fragmented narrative structure that enhances the storytelling experience. This non-linear approach adds depth and intrigue to the plot.
- High-quality localization and voice acting (weight 0.17): The game offers detailed localization and impressive voice acting, which enhances the overall experience. The translation and voice work are well-received by players.
- Emotional and psychological depth (weight 0.08): The game provides emotional weight and psychological depth through its character development and story arcs. Players find the emotional moments and character dynamics memorable.

Common complaints:
- Not beginner-friendly (weight 0.58): The game is criticized for not being accessible to new players, requiring prior knowledge of the series to fully understand and enjoy. This can make it difficult for newcomers to get into the game.
- Poor graphics and animations (weight 0.57): The game's 3D graphics and animations are widely criticized for being low quality, stiff, and unappealing. Many players found the character models grotesque and the animations choppy, which detracted from the overall experience.
- Excessive gore and violence (weight 0.5): The game is criticized for its excessive use of gore and violent scenes, which some players found unnecessary and off-putting. This can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- Poor controls and operability (weight 0.5): The game's controls and operability are often described as clunky, unintuitive, and poorly designed. This can lead to frustration and a less enjoyable gaming experience.
- Confusing and fragmented narrative (weight 0.46): The game's story is criticized for being confusing, fragmented, and poorly executed. The non-linear storytelling and disjointed narrative structure make it difficult for players to follow and emotionally invest in the plot.
- Weak character development (weight 0.42): Characters in the game are often criticized for being poorly developed, inconsistent, and unlikable. Many players found the new characters uninteresting and the returning characters poorly treated, leading to a lack of emotional engagement.
- Lack of innovation (weight 0.23): The game is often criticized for not bringing enough new elements to the series, recycling old story beats, and not living up to the standards set by previous games. This can make the game feel stale and uninspired.
- Disappointing ending (weight 0.19): The game's ending is widely criticized for being unsatisfying, anticlimactic, and poorly executed. Many players felt that the ending did not provide a satisfying conclusion to the story and left too many questions unanswered.

Gameplay feedback:
- Puzzle-solving mechanics (weight 0.53): The game incorporates various puzzle mechanics, including escape room scenarios and decision-based gameplay. These puzzles are integral to the story progression and often require players to use items and solve mysteries to advance.
- Non-linear and fragmented storytelling (weight 0.4): The game features a complex, non-linear narrative structure that requires players to piece together fragments of the story. This includes multiple endings, branching paths, and a timeline that jumps around, creating a convoluted but engaging plot.
- Decision-making and moral dilemmas (weight 0.39): The game features intense decision-making moments that influence the story and character relationships. These choices often involve moral dilemmas and can lead to different endings based on the players' decisions.
- 3D presentation and cutscenes (weight 0.39): The game uses 3D animated cutscenes to tell its story, which can sometimes feel like watching a movie. This presentation style is a departure from traditional visual novel formats and adds a cinematic quality to the narrative.
- Character-driven narrative (weight 0.38): The story focuses heavily on character interactions and relationships, with fully animated cutscenes and dialogue-driven narratives. Players' choices influence the story and character dynamics significantly.
- Visual novel and cinematic style (weight 0.38): The game blends visual novel mechanics with a cinematic presentation, featuring animated scenes and fully voiced story segments. This style enhances the storytelling but can sometimes feel like watching a movie rather than playing a game.
- Escape room mechanics (weight 0.26): Escape room segments are a key part of the gameplay, offering well-designed puzzles that players must solve to progress. These sections are often easier compared to previous games in the series but remain challenging and engaging.
- Science fiction and superpower elements (weight 0.05): The narrative includes science fiction elements and superpower battles, adding a unique twist to the story. Players control characters with extraordinary abilities, leading to intense and dramatic story moments.
- Cooperative and betrayal mechanics (weight 0.02): The game incorporates cooperative gameplay mechanics along with elements of betrayal, adding a layer of complexity to the decision-making process. This includes scenarios inspired by the Prisoner's Dilemma.
- Confusing routes and guide dependency (weight 0.01): Some routes in the game can be confusing and may require players to use a guide to navigate effectively. This can be a drawback for players who prefer a more straightforward gaming experience.

Performance notes:
- Poor graphics and animations (weight 0.33): The game suffers from low-quality graphics, stiff 3D models, and poor animations. Many players have noted issues with lip-syncing, awkward character movements, and generally low-budget visuals.
- Performance and control issues (weight 0.3): Players have reported choppy actions, performance issues, and poor operability with mouse and keyboard. There are also mentions of control issues and bugs affecting the gameplay experience.
- Voice acting and audio problems (weight 0.28): The voice acting is criticized for being poorly recorded and lacking emotion. Additionally, there are issues with audio balance, such as music being louder than voice acting.
- Ultrawide screen compatibility (weight 0.23): The game can be played in an ultrawide format but is extremely zoomed in, which affects the overall visual experience.
- Specific bugs and glitches (weight 0.02): There are specific bugs mentioned, such as scenes not opening and controller glyph prompts not working despite the controller being functional.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for series fans (weight 0.43): The game is highly recommended for fans of the Zero Escape series, visual novels, and those who have played the previous games (999 and Virtue's Last Reward). It is suggested to play the earlier titles to fully appreciate the story and gameplay.
- Play previous games first (weight 0.41): New players should start with the first two games in the series, 999 and Virtue's Last Reward, to understand the story and characters better. Playing the previous installments is considered essential for a better experience.
- Buy on sale (weight 0.38): The game is recommended to be purchased during a sale due to its lower price, making it more accessible for fans and new players alike. It is suggested to wait for a discount to get the best value.
- Worth playing for story (weight 0.36): Despite its flaws, the game is worth playing for its unique story continuation, complex narratives, and character arcs. Fans of mystery, puzzle, and dark time travel stories will appreciate the experience.
- Temper expectations (weight 0.34): Players are advised to have realistic expectations and not expect a perfect game. The game has its flaws and might not meet everyone's expectations, but it is still worth experiencing for fans of the series.
- Use guides for enhancement (weight 0.3): Using spoiler-free guides can enhance the enjoyment and understanding of the game. Guides can help navigate the complex story and puzzles, making the experience more enjoyable.
- Not for standalone play (weight 0.3): The game is not recommended as a standalone experience. It is best enjoyed as part of the series, and new players should start with the previous games for a better understanding and appreciation.
- Watch instead of playing (weight 0.28): Some reviewers suggest watching someone play the game on platforms like YouTube instead of playing it yourself. This might be due to the game's flaws or the preference for experiencing the story without playing.
- PC version recommended (weight 0.01): The PC version of the game is suggested as the obvious choice for playing. It might offer a better experience or be more accessible for players.
- Save frequently (weight 0.01): It is recommended to save the game frequently, after each fragment, to avoid losing progress. This can help manage the game's difficulties and ensure a smoother experience.

Other player notes:
- Language support available (weight 0.02): The game supports Japanese language, and there are instructions available for using Chinese language patches.
- Character facial similarities (weight 0.01): Some players have noticed that certain characters in the game have similar facial features.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.33): Players expressed disappointment due to the game's deviation from previous storylines, weaker plot and character development, and poor graphics compared to earlier installments. The narrative structure, character models, and overall quality did not meet expectations set by previous games in the series.
- Frustration (weight 0.2): Players felt frustrated with the game's tedious gameplay, confusing narrative structure, and inability to skip dialogues or cutscenes. The puzzles were often criticized for being illogical or repetitive, and the game's controls and UI issues added to the frustration.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Players found satisfaction in the game's improved puzzles, engaging storyline, and overall enjoyment despite some drawbacks. The narrative resolution, soundtrack, and unique gameplay elements contributed to a satisfying experience.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Players enjoyed the game's interesting story, challenging puzzles, and engaging escape gameplay. The narrative twists, cinematic parts, and overall gameplay experience were highlighted as enjoyable aspects.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciated the game's creative puzzles, storyline, and the efforts of the translation team. The game's existence and conclusion of plot points from previous games were also noted as commendable.
- Excitement (weight 0.03): Players were excited about the game's narrative structure, story twists, and engaging storyline. The interactive gameplay and plot revelations added to the excitement.
- Confusion (weight 0.03): Players were confused by the game's non-linear narrative structure, which made it difficult to understand the timeline and story coherence. The disjointed story and characters initially added to the confusion.
- Gratitude (weight 0.02): Players felt grateful for the localization efforts and the existence of the Zero Escape series. The game's development and the ability to experience it despite its flaws were appreciated.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Players felt anger due to changes made to cater to the Western market, poor writing, and character assassination in the latter part of the game. The storyline, puzzles, and UI issues were also sources of frustration.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Players admired the game's complex plot, philosophical themes, and well-executed escape room segments. The innovative story and mind-blowing moments were highlighted as admirable aspects.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Players experienced joy from the game's engaging mystery, good ending, and enjoyable puzzles. The story, characters, and overall gameplay experience contributed to the joy.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Players felt nostalgia while remembering the enjoyment of playing previous parts of the series. The characters and story evoked positive sentiments and a sense of nostalgia.
- Curiosity (weight 0.01): Players were curious about the unresolved story and wanted to explore further scientific explanations. The hints at continuation and incomplete story added to the curiosity.
- Interest (weight 0.01): Players found the story very interesting, with time jumps and shifts adding to the intrigue. The narrative structure and plot twists maintained player interest.
- Disgust (weight 0.01): Players felt disgust due to excessive and disturbing murder scenes, poor animations, and grotesque character relationships. The repetitive and poorly executed elements added to the feeling of disgust.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Players felt sadness due to depressing and sad endings, as well as the game not receiving the recognition it deserved. The disposable nature of characters also contributed to the sadness.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players were surprised by the direct and cruel depictions in the story, as well as the game being more fun than expected. The intentional inconsistencies and out-of-character moments added to the surprise.
- Regret (weight 0.01): Players felt regret due to purchasing and playing the game, leading to a feeling of wasted money. The overall experience did not meet their expectations.
- Disappointed (weight 0.01): Players were disappointed with the poor textures, static animations, and changes in character behavior. The increased grotesque scenes also contributed to the disappointment.
- Frustrated (weight 0.01): Players felt frustrated with the unintuitive fragment system and confusing fragment scene system. The plot holes and unclear narrative structure added to the frustration.}