‘Zero Time Dilemma’ Review: Perfect Narratives, Intuitive, Puzzle-Based Game Play, The Best in ‘The Zero Escape Series?’

"Zero Time Dilemma" is a part of the "The Zero Escape" series. The other games in the series include 999: Nine Persons, Nine Hours, Nine Doors and Virtue's Last Reward. It was first launched in 2009. Though the narrative style of the series was not accepted at first, the games in the series later became well-known as the best narrative-games that were ever created.

"Zero Time Dilemma" is reported as the last game that will be released in the "Zero Escape" trilogy. It will complete any loop holes left in the first two games while it will have a very compelling story on its own.

The result: "Zero Time Dilemma" is widely acclaimed. The game is said to have exceptional visual novel/puzzle game hybrid.

An In-sight into 'Zero Time Dilemma'

In the "Zero Escape" series, players have to navigate through a saw style environment. This is filled with deathly traps and puzzles. These are designed to murder the characters, nine in total, who appear in the series.

"Zero Time Dilemma" gives benefit to the players who are already familiar with the format of the series. There is not much change in the game than what was already there in the rest of the series. Solve the puzzles and save the characters. However, the puzzles are a little more difficult in this game. The puzzles in the game help the characters escape prison, which is a modified bomb shelter.

"Zero Time Dilemma" lets the players navigate three different plotlines based on the choices that they make while playing. Often, the choices will include letting some characters die! There are instances where the player might get emotional too!

"Zero Time Dilemma" can boast of enormous puzzle rooms with the best puzzles ever. The first-person examination of each room allows a lot more player freedom than previous games.

Even if the game is similar to the games that already featured in the series, it seems surprisingly fresh and new. The story telling and characterization are once again perfect as expected.

The Pitfalls of 'Zero Time Dilemma'

"What? Can a psychic character transport their consciousness backward in time while retaining their memories of the future using metaphysical pseudoscience? What does that even mean?" This is the state of the non-science crowd out there. There is heavy usage of science-fiction lingo which sometimes goes above the head.

In the puzzle rooms, there are few occasions in which the player desperately tries to find clues which are actually hidden by the game's camera systems. They find it later just upon luck. The implementation in these rooms should be made better.

"Zero Time Dilemma" need a little better narrative (we are not complaining though.) in some areas. Slight glitches in the voice acting, poor 3D movements which look robotic and slightly unpolished aesthetic presentation are areas which can be worked up on.

Though the game may seem complicated, it is a treat for game players. "Zero Time Dilemma" offers many good things that the few minor things that went wrong can totally be ignored.

"Zero Time Dilemma" is available for PC, PS Vita and Nintendo 3DS.