Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 81 | 24 |
| Creator reviews (2 tracked) | – | 83 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 82% | 75 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 83 | 12 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 82% | 76 | 15 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 42 reviews sampled · 42 total reviews in window · weighted 31.9 up / 7.1 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (79)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 70
“Even when the narrative fails to drive the plot, the game’s well-designed room-escape puzzles pick up the slack.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Zero Time Dilemma is an impressively polished, unsettling ride, but whether it's worth playing is entirely dependent on your previous experience with the series. If you've played and enjoyed the first two games in the trilogy you'll absolutely love Zero's last stand. You'll find the same twisting, twisted narrative, the same satisfyingly tricky puzzles, and plenty more of Uchikoshi's signature style, and watching the story's climax unfold after three games is a real rush. If you haven't played the first two games but you're interested in the series, this isn't the best place to start, to really enjoy it, you'll want to have both Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (on DS and iOS) and Virtue's Last Reward (on 3DS and Vita) under your belt before jumping in here.However you arrive at Zero Time Dilemma, if you're into the series' mix of horror and Hegel you're in for a treat, and you may never look at a snail the same way again.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Although several welcome elements return, some undesirable changes to the established formula and exasperating design choices make Zero Time Dilemma a lackluster send-off to a cult-favorite series.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A brilliant, dark, twisted tale reminiscent of the phenomenal Steins;Gate, and one that will get players digging into every possible branching pathway to experience every facet of the story and finally understand the truth beneath this marvellous tale.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma will not be to everyone’s tastes; that much is obvious. An eclectic mix of puzzle solving and non-linear visual novel narrative, Zero Time Dilemma’s inconsistent conundrum quality and distinctly no-frills presentation aren’t enough to seriously detract from the impressive calibre of its numerous idiosyncrasies.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“I'm glad that I got to see the series through to the end. Though it answered some of the questions I had while replaying the prior games, the execution of Zero Time Dilemma itself has some rough patches and relying on our message boards/GameFAQs/other places of ill repute is going to cause a lot of problems for those playing it day one. If you haven't played the two prequels, at least play Virtue's Last Reward first.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Obviously, I would highly suggest this game, but only if you have played the other games in the series. As a single game, and as a whole, this is a fantastic game series that I believe any fan of great puzzles and a good mystery story will enjoy. I highly suggest it and now, everyone can enjoy these games on Xbox.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“A series full of mysteries, murder, twists and intrigue comes to its conclusion in the third title from the "Zero Escape" series, Zero Time Dilemma. All the questions that have been left answered and the fates of the characters MAY come to a head in this final game of life and death, provided you can manage to muddle through the convoluted plot line(s), occasionally poor voice acting, and some of the annoying necessary steps for making it through some of the decisions in-game.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Despite a slew of problems, Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma uses complex story techniques in a suspenseful tale about human nature.”
read full review ↗ - 80
- 80
“Zero Time Dilemma is nothing short of a world class conclusion to the Zero Escape trilogy, thanks to its excellent narrative, its interesting and very developed cast of characters and a marvelous audio environment. While not all of the trilogy's loose ends are brought together and its visual environment could certainly improve, this is a game that is compulsory for all the series' followers as well as to virtually anyone else.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Fans of Zero Escape, you're in the right timeline: the one where the series gets the spectacular ending it deserves. Violent, tense, and thought-provoking, this is a game that will keep you up for days while you finish it, than days more while you process what you just saw. If you haven't picked it up yet, you owe it to yourself to do so now.”
read full review ↗
Slant Magazine
Nintendo Life
Cubed3
GameWatcher
NintendoWorldReport
ZTGD
Chalgyr's Game Room
GameSpot
Easy Allies
FNintendo
GameSkinny…and 67 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- [PATCH NOTES]8/4/2016Aug 4, 2016
- [PATCH NOTES]8/4/2016Aug 4, 2016
- [BETA PATCH NOTES] 7/12/2016Jul 13, 2016
- [BETA PATCH NOTES] 7/12/2016Jul 13, 2016
- UntitledJul 13, 2016
- BONUS DLC UPDATEJun 28, 2016
- BONUS DLC UPDATEJun 28, 2016