For a game that seemed like it was heavily inspired by Danganronpa, Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue is surprisingly lackluster. The concept of the game is intriguing, but the way it was executed just doesn’t sit right with me.
I absolutely love Danganronpa – it’s easily one of my favourite franchises. So, understandably, I was very excited to delve into a game that looked like it was going to give me that same amount of thrills and suspense. Sadly I ended up largely disappointed.
Dull Beginnings
The start of Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue is painfully slow and uninteresting. I will admit, it just about had my attention during the first 40 minutes or so as you get kidnapped and meet a bunch of strangers. Sadly, most of these strangers are extremely annoying. The game doesn’t get into the more gritty stuff for a while, so you’ve really got to stick with it. At first, it just seems like all you’re going to be doing is getting involved in boring drama between the characters.
The Characters
screenshot from inescapable: no rules no rescue of the character daan talking to the main character as he scowls, the text box below reads “truth ain’t as good and easy as you think”, the background is of the island’s gym with weights and other gym equipment
There are a few characters that I could actually stand to talk to, but some of them were so over-the-top that it just seemed forced. Eva did start to grow on me, but I was constantly suspicious of how nice Maria was, and Isaac’s character design fooled me.
The whole point of a visual novel game is to have characters that you can connect with, but when 80% of the roster is unlikable, it makes the whole thing a slog. Maybe it’s just me, but when personality stereotypes are turned up to max levels – for comedic effect or otherwise – it doesn’t work. Main characters in this genre can often be dull, but Harrison really does take the biscuit (he’s as dry as one too).
The Visuals
screenshot from inescapable: no rules no rescue of 4 characters that appear as plastic standees on a wooden boat dock as small boats float in the water
Visually, Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue looks great. The character designs are effective, with multiple expressions, and well-thought-out outfits. The different environments around the island are incredibly dynamic and give you a glimpse into the daily surroundings – and what they’re all being forced to look at for 6 months straight. It’s a bit jarring to have the characters appear as plastic standees when you’re ‘exploring’ the resort, but somehow this was still oddly charming.
I do like the addition of the mobile phone. I can’t explain it, but I love having a little device that I can open in-game to read texts from characters. Maybe it’s because it gives the feeling of additional character development on a personal level. The overall UI is simple enough and doesn’t clog up the screen when you’re trying to read or navigate the menu, which I can appreciate.
So, do I recommend Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue? This is worth a shot if you like pouring hours upon hours into a visual novel – especially since there are multiple routes. However, you’ve really got to push yourself to get through the first few hours – don’t go into it expecting a predecessor to Danganronpa, because this game is nothing like that.