Death end re;Quest

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 420 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Death end re;Quest Game Cover
Compile Heart has produced something that’s more than a boob-based JRPG, with a very compelling story and a lot of interesting ideas.
Starting at $4.99Buy now
Get on Steam

In "Death end re;Quest," players navigate a world of shifting realities as they explore a corrupt virtual reality MMORPG. The game's protagonist, a game developer, must uncover the truth behind the game's errors and glitches, while battling malicious entities with turn-based combat. The game features visual novel-style storytelling with elements of psychological horror, challenging puzzles, and a unique blend of fantasy and science fiction.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 420 reviews
story166 positive mentions
optimization13 negative mentions
  • Engaging and dark storyline that keeps players invested.
  • Unique combat system that incorporates knockback mechanics and genre-switching.
  • Well-designed characters with distinct personalities and good voice acting.
  • Poor optimization leading to significant performance issues on various hardware.
  • Repetitive gameplay and tedious combat mechanics as the game progresses.
  • Frequent instant game overs due to poor choice design in visual novel segments.
  • story447 mentions

    The story of "Death end re;quest" is a complex blend of psychological horror and RPG elements, featuring a dark and engaging narrative that explores themes of isolation and the blurred lines between reality and virtual worlds. While many players found the initial setup intriguing, opinions diverged on the latter half, with some feeling it became convoluted and inconsistent, particularly in its ending. Overall, the game is praised for its character development and immersive storytelling, though it may require patience due to lengthy visual novel segments and a heavy focus on narrative over gameplay.

    • “The story is a compelling horror game that can appeal to fans of RPGs and horror tropes.”
    • “The storyline is absolutely captivating, immediately drawing you into this game world and the plights of Shina, Arata, and other characters.”
    • “The story packs real emotional impact at times, and sometimes great humor as well.”
    • “The story is also inconsistent in general; the tone is a rollercoaster in instilling fear into the player because things can go wrong at any moment. The beginning was boring, the middle and late games were interesting, but by the end, it just completely falls apart with meta references and several other things that I will not spoil for those who wish to play the game. It comes out of left field, and I can't say I found myself impressed since it wasn't really foreshadowed until one simple scene.”
    • “The story that started so well ends up going right off the rails into fanfic-style territory towards the end, and the storytelling itself cannot keep up, leaving the player presented with blank screens and weird sound effects to try to convey what's going on.”
    • “The gameplay is godawful, but the story is surprisingly well written, so I was actually planning to leave a positive review... until I finished the game.”
  • gameplay175 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while it features some interesting mechanics, such as a unique knockback system, it often feels repetitive and lacks depth. Players have reported issues with crashes and lag, which detracts from the overall experience, and many feel that the game leans heavily towards visual novel elements rather than engaging gameplay. Overall, while some appreciate the combat mechanics and story integration, others find the gameplay to be underwhelming and frustrating, particularly in the later stages.

    • “The gameplay loop was enjoyable with the pinball experience and the fact that your level can reach obscenely high (but not necessarily useful past level 100) was a nice bonus.”
    • “The combat mechanics are fun where I've found myself planning out a fight to use the game's knock-back feature to make enemies bounce off each other.”
    • “Overall a fun game, a nice balance of visual novel and RPG gameplay, switching between the two modes to advance in the story makes for a very interesting approach.”
    • “Ending is awful, gameplay could have been good but wasn't tweaked at all so it ends up being such a pain in the ass. Side quests are absolutely useless and boring, but you still need to do them for the true ending.”
    • “The gameplay is repetitive and with some bosses you can say it's even unfair. Some games are difficult due to complex mechanics, but this was at some point just frustrating due to obscure counter mechanics.”
    • “Gameplay is shit; the story may be original enough to keep you going.”
  • graphics95 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many users noting that while the art style and character designs are appealing, the overall visual quality feels outdated and lacks creativity, often reminiscent of games from 2013. Additionally, significant optimization issues lead to poor frame rates, even on capable hardware, which detracts from the experience. Despite these shortcomings, some players appreciate the unique art direction and the game's aesthetic appeal, particularly in visual novel sequences.

    • “The graphics are pretty good, especially the CG for the visual novel sequences and the character models. In my opinion, the CG for the visual novel parts shows the world in a more beautiful way than the 3D world, which was kind of sad for me.”
    • “The art in the game is pretty nice; the 3D models as well as the 2D graphics are very well made.”
    • “Good voice acting (the original one of course), pretty poor translation quality (industry standard), graphics seem improved over older IF titles, and has been updated with a native 4K option.”
    • “The graphics are equivalent to a 2013 game and solid enough to do an excellent job for this budget game.”
    • “The only issue is the game is poorly optimized despite meeting minimum system requirements; there is no 720p or lower internal resolutions, so you might suffer low FPS in dungeons if you have a low/mid-end graphics card (especially integrated graphics).”
    • “The game itself has a lot of problems - graphics and quality of life, + stuttering on GTX 1060 6GB and AMD FX 8370 8-core; believe me, I know my computer is capable of running a visual novel and a Neptunia game.”
  • music56 mentions

    The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and evoke emotions, particularly in tense or eerie moments. While some tracks are highlighted as exceptional and memorable, others are noted for being less impactful or repetitive. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing significantly to the immersive experience.

    • “The music was pretty good, had some solid tracks that could set the tone well. I really liked the premise of the game and I can't say many other games have made me feel as much fear and anxiety going into every scene.”
    • “The atmosphere is unsettling at times, and the soundtrack can be eerie.”
    • “Every jam is a bop from the dungeons to the visual novel portion to the sudden classical music one wouldn't expect in this game.”
    • “The music wasn't something remarkable; none of the tracks were really memorable.”
    • “The OST is nothing really interesting; quite frequently the same soundtracks will be reused, even boss OST reuses the map OST. While serviceable, it's nothing to write home about.”
    • “The music can sometimes evoke a feeling that you are playing a Nier game, as the lyrics and songs are often hard to understand and feature that apocalypse style.”
  • optimization39 mentions

    The game's optimization has received widespread criticism, with many players experiencing significant stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, even on systems that meet or exceed the minimum requirements. While some users have found ways to improve performance through manual adjustments in their graphics settings, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized and may not run smoothly on lower-end hardware. Despite its potential, many reviewers recommend waiting for performance patches before fully committing to the game.

    • “The game runs smoothly on most modern computers, so unless your PC is a prehistoric dinosaur, you should be good to run this game flawlessly.”
    • “Those two steps were all it took for me to get great, fluid performance with this game.”
    • “Death end re;quest's port may not be perfect but it's still a great game and one of ifi's best optimized ports.”
    • “The horrible optimization; for reference, my computer can run DMC 5 at solid graphical settings with no frame drops, input lag, or any problems whatsoever, so my computer is a pretty powerful one.”
    • “The only issue is the game is poorly optimized despite meeting minimum system requirements. There is no 720p or lower internal resolutions, so you might suffer low FPS in dungeons if you have a low/mid-end graphics card (especially integrated graphics).”
    • “The game is very poorly optimized and very GPU intensive, despite the unimpressive graphics.”
  • grinding28 mentions

    Overall, players find that grinding in this game is generally unnecessary, as the difficulty can be managed through strategic gameplay rather than excessive level farming. While some players experienced a spike in difficulty that made certain encounters feel tedious, many noted that the engaging story and mechanics kept them invested despite the repetitive nature of combat in the later chapters. The game is seen as more accessible for those who dislike grind-heavy RPGs, as it allows for a more streamlined experience if players focus on smart tactics rather than grinding for levels.

    • “Halfway through chapter 10, I brought the difficulty down to easy so I could blaze through the last bit of the game and level up faster. This made the game much more fun because battles weren't tedious anymore, and I leveled up super quickly, giving me more skill points to consider using some of my strong skills.”
    • “Grinding in this game feels rewarding; every battle brings me closer to unlocking new abilities and enhancing my character. It's satisfying to see my progress and know that my efforts are paying off.”
    • “I love how grinding in this game allows me to experiment with different builds. The more I grind, the more options I have, making each playthrough feel unique and exciting.”
    • “Some bosses can have an abrupt difficulty spike that can be tedious.”
    • “The further you get into the game, the more tedious and repetitive the combat system gets.”
    • “This game would be a masterpiece if the combat wasn't so tedious halfway through.”
  • character development24 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising the compelling story and character designs, particularly the male protagonist's growth, while noting that some female characters feel underdeveloped. The artistic elements, including character aesthetics and voice acting, are generally well-received, but the execution of character arcs often leaves players wanting more depth and variety. Overall, while the character designs are appealing, the narrative and development can feel repetitive and lacking in substance.

    • “The story itself is good, the mystery and the character development, while the bad choices are sudden and sometimes made you lose progress, you can still save more often than not before making the choice.”
    • “This game's detailed storyline along with character design make it a unique story to be explored.”
    • “Fun to go through but you won't find any side paths with the exception of one dungeon that has a couple of side paths and a small puzzle, so really the game does focus on the character development and the story.”
    • “Characters - I really enjoy the male main character and how he acts, being the one to go through the most character development. Unfortunately, some of the female characters felt underdeveloped, and I didn't really care about the female main character by the end of the story.”
    • “It's sad because I love the character designs and animations, the voice actors always kill it; but the game just feels dragged out or has too many skits/cutscenes per gameplay.”
    • “Fun to go through, but you won't find any side paths with the exception of one dungeon that has a couple of side paths and a small puzzle, so really the game does focus on the character development and the story.”
  • humor15 mentions

    The humor in the game is a standout feature, with characters like Shina and Arata providing a fun dynamic, while various real-world characters add to the comedic atmosphere. Players appreciate the clever integration of humor into the battle system, including unexpected moments that elicit genuine laughter, though some jokes fall flat. Overall, the game balances emotional storytelling with light-hearted humor, making for an engaging experience.

    • “Hacking can also be very funny, from turning the game into a button-mashing fighting game or playing billiards with the enemy; they can not only be genuinely helpful in turning the tide of a battle and incentivizing bug removal but also just be funny references as well.”
    • “I can't remember a battle system in another game that has ever made me laugh out loud in surprised delight.”
    • “It was especially hilarious when it happened during an 'extremely serious' boss fight.”
  • emotional11 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while some players found it to be an emotional roller coaster that evoked fear, anxiety, and attachment to characters, others criticized the story for being boring and the characters for lacking depth. The music effectively set the tone, enhancing the emotional experience, but certain pivotal scenes fell flat due to a lack of impactful delivery. Overall, the game succeeded in creating moments of genuine emotional impact, though it struggled with consistency in character development and storytelling.

    • “The story packs real emotional impact at times, and sometimes great humor as well.”
    • “With that said, her story became very heartwarming and satisfying with the knowledge you gain from getting to the ending part of the game.”
    • “This game was an emotional roller coaster for me, it constantly made me wonder what was going to happen next and after nearly 50 hours, I completed the game for the first time and felt like I could finally breathe!”
    • “While it could be interesting, the characters are of your generic anime variety with surface-level personalities and growth, leading to a very boring story where little care is given.”
  • stability10 mentions

    The game's stability is notably poor, with frequent glitches, crashes, and frame drops reported across various platforms, including the Steam Deck. Players have experienced significant issues such as stuttering, audio glitches, and unresponsive menus, making the game feel unplayable even on high-spec systems. Overall, the game appears to be a problematic port, suffering from numerous bugs that detract from the overall experience.

    • “It's really buggy on the Steam Deck.”
    • “Heartis Palace is a buggy map which caused the game to crash many times when the menu was opened and closed.”
    • “Despite having a computer that is far beyond the recommended specs, it stutters, freezes, takes forever to load, and is basically unplayable.”
  • atmosphere8 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is a captivating blend of unsettling elements and beautiful designs, enhanced by an eerie soundtrack that draws players in. Many reviewers noted its ability to evoke the unique ambiance found in quality anime, despite some cheesy moments. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's appeal.

    • “The atmosphere of the game captivated me pretty quickly.”
    • “This game really manages to capture the 'anime atmosphere', if you let it.”
    • “The atmosphere is unsettling at times, and the soundtrack can be eerie.”
    • “I need to stress that I couldn't care less about 2K or 4K graphics, 59 instead of 60 fps, possible reuse of sceneries, etc. All I care about is the game atmosphere and the gameplay itself.”
    • “Yes, some scenes will be cheesy, some things will be a bit over the top, but the atmosphere is there.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game features multiple endings and encourages players to experiment with various bug combinations in combat, providing a solid level of replayability.

    • “Thanks to its multiple endings, the game offers a decent amount of replayability and encourages experimentation with bug combinations in combat.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

75% average critic score

Buy Death end re;Quest

Play time

60hMedian play time
60hAverage play time
60-60hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News