Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue

44%
Game Brain Score Based on 49 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue Game Cover
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"Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue" is a social thriller video game where you and 10 other strangers are kidnapped and forced to participate in a reality TV show on a tropical island with no rules or rescue. The game features a provocative character-driven story, multiple narrative paths, and hours of voice-acted dialogue. With a full-length original soundtrack by Shinji Hosoe and Matias Lehtoranta, the game explores how far people will go for wealth and social clout when there are no rules.

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Reviews

44%
Audience ScoreBased on 49 reviews
story6 positive mentions
gameplay4 negative mentions
  • The game features a diverse cast of characters with unique backgrounds, making interactions interesting.
  • The art and visuals are praised for their quality, providing an aesthetically pleasing experience.
  • Some players found the initial gameplay engaging, particularly the first routes, which offered enjoyable character development.
  • The game is misleadingly marketed as a death game, but much of the content is mundane and lacks tension, leading to a boring experience.
  • Many players found the protagonist unlikable and the character choices to be poorly implemented, resulting in a lack of meaningful player agency.
  • The pacing is criticized for being slow, with excessive filler dialogue that detracts from the overall narrative and engagement.
  • story39 mentions

    The story has received largely negative feedback, with many players finding it slow-paced, unengaging, and filled with unlikable characters. Critics note that the narrative often feels like a tedious grind, lacking meaningful plot progression and impactful events, which detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the potential for character development and the "true" ending, the overwhelming sentiment is that the story fails to captivate or immerse players, making it a chore to navigate through.

    • “The 'true' ending that can be unlocked did give some justification to the decisions that were made in the other routes and is worth reading if you become even somewhat interested in the characters, story, or world that is presented here.”
    • “Takes a good amount of its time to slowly build and develop the characters, but once it starts getting into the meat of the story, it's so worth it.”
    • “The story itself starts out interestingly enough.”
    • “The problem with this game isn't just that it's not a true death game like it may have been marketed-- it's that the plot is painfully slow to develop.”
    • “Wish I didn't spend all that time giving it a chance... the story is filled with a lot of idle talking and conversations that really don't hold much meaning at all.”
    • “There's really no impactful events, as there's no real stakes or 'why should I care' plot points in the game thus far.”
  • gameplay17 mentions

    The gameplay is primarily a visual novel experience with minimal interactivity, leading to a lack of engaging mechanics and meaningful choices. While the writing and character interactions are praised, the overall gameplay is considered tedious and unfulfilling, especially when compared to similar titles like Danganronpa or Zero Escape. Many reviewers suggest that the game would benefit from a more linear approach and deeper gameplay elements to enhance the experience.

    • “I do love the idea of the 2.5D gameplay/map and even the phone texting interactions with other characters, which is such a nice thing to read.”
    • “Regardless, first things first, what is the gameplay like.”
    • “Gameplay: it's a visual novel, so not much, but it's even less so compared to Danganronpa or Zero Escape.”
    • “I do feel that it has been misled by the way it has been marketed as an alternative to Zero Escape and the like, but this has been a huge letdown in terms of gameplay.”
    • “The absence of feedback on your choices and the absence of meaningful gameplay mechanics are also notable drawbacks.”
  • music10 mentions

    The music in the game is generally described as decent, serving more as background noise rather than standout tracks, similar to the style found in the Zero Escape series. While some players appreciate specific references, like the Portuguese song "garagem da vizinha," others express frustration with the repetitive nature of the overworld music after a certain point in the game. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as fitting but not particularly memorable or engaging.

    • “The art is quite wonderful and the soundtrack is decent.”
    • “The music is also super good.”
    • “Don't expect any funky fresh beats but something more akin to how Zero Escape does its music by making it less 'put this on my bangers playlist' and more of a good background noise type soundtrack.”
    • “The thing that bothers me most is that the overworld music selected is 'locked' to your route, so after day ~40, you'll almost always hear the same 1-2 tracks play over and over for the 140 or so days left.”
    • “Don't expect any funky fresh beats, but something more akin to how Zero Escape does its music by making it less 'put this on my bangers playlist' and more of a good background noise type soundtrack.”
    • “The price may have more justification if it's due to the art, programming, music, and such, but I don't feel like the price reflected the quality we received.”
  • graphics7 mentions

    The game's graphics are generally praised for their gorgeous visuals and solid art style, contributing to a good production quality. However, some players note an indie-game vibe that highlights a gap in comparison to higher-budget Japanese visual novels, particularly in voice acting consistency. Overall, while the visuals are appealing, there are minor issues that detract from the experience.

    • “The visuals of this game are gorgeous.”
    • “I'm only in the middle of one of the paths right now, but this game has a very interesting concept, and I love the characters and the art style.”
    • “The visual novel does come with some pretty decent visuals and voice acting, which gives you a sense of good production quality.”
    • “The art, visuals, and voice acting are solid, but there's this unmistakable indie-game vibe that you can't ignore.”
    • “If you compare it to Japanese visual novels in the same price range, you'll notice a significant gap in production quality in terms of visuals and voice acting.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    The game elicits a strong emotional response from players, with some characters being polarizing yet ultimately endearing, leading to a rollercoaster of feelings throughout the experience. While certain characters may initially seem one-dimensional, deeper engagement reveals unexpected emotional depth, particularly with characters like Gio. Overall, players describe the game as an emotional journey that encourages exploration of its various narrative routes.

    • “Even the characters who I thought I would hate, like Sasha and Gio, both turned out to be very enjoyable, and Gio especially made me feel far too many emotions.”
    • “I mean, after spending so much time with the characters, it was an emotional rollercoaster.”
    • “This game is an absolute emotional journey, and I can't wait to delve into it more!”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mix of clever character interactions and moments that contribute to character development, with some standout comedic elements. However, the portrayal of certain characters, particularly Sasha, leans towards a more exaggerated and sometimes off-putting style of humor that may not resonate with all players. Overall, while there are genuinely funny moments, some characters may come off as overly quirky or forced.

    • “There are some hilarious moments written in the middle, and they do a great job of making the characters grow.”
    • “There are several funny moments during the encounters, showcasing how the characters react to each other's comments.”
    • “Sasha is the epitome of the Gen Z version of obnoxious 'boomer humor.'”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with some players feeling misled by its advertising that emphasizes similarities to popular titles like Danganronpa. However, others appreciate the game's unique elements and view the purchase as supporting a passion project.

    • “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
    • “I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls, which detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “The constant push for in-game purchases really ruins the immersion and enjoyment of the game.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game exhibits stability issues, including glitches that can hinder loading after important saves and instances of repetitive dialogue in inappropriate contexts.

    • “There are some glitches in the game that prevented me from loading after a crucial save.”
    • “Some of the dialog repeats word-for-word in places it doesn't belong.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game disappointing, as it primarily consists of tedious character interactions rather than engaging puzzles or varied gameplay, leading to a monotonous experience.

    • “The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “I was really disappointed by the repetitive nature of the grinding; it detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “The game is bogged down by excessive grinding, which makes progress feel more like a chore than an adventure.”
  • character development1 mentions

    The fast-paced structure of the game significantly limits character development, making it difficult for players to fully engage with and understand the characters.

    • “The game's fast-paced structure hinders character development.”
    • “Character arcs feel rushed and lack depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “There is little to no meaningful growth for the characters throughout the story.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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