The first game in the Zero Escape series, 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, was released, establishing the narrative foundation for Virtue's Last Reward.
A sequel to 999, titled Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward, was announced, generating anticipation among fans of the series.
Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward was released in Japan, expanding the story introduced in 999 and reaching a dedicated audience.
The game was released in Western territories, allowing a broader audience to experience the game’s story and gameplay.
A group of nine individuals, including Sigma, Phi, and others, are kidnapped and forced to participate in the Nonary Game Ambidex. They are trapped in a facility with the threat of death if they do not comply.
Players begin collaborating and mistrusting each other while attempting to escape. They navigate through various rooms and puzzles, learning about each other's backgrounds.
The participants successfully complete several escape challenges leading to the discovery of the facility's secrets and the identities of the other players.
It is revealed that the facility can manipulate time, allowing for branching timelines depending on player decisions.
Sigma and Phi start to understand how the decisions they make create different timelines and how they may influence each other between timelines.
Key information about the game's purpose, Zero's true identity, and the prisoner’s connections to the larger plot begin to surface.
Due to the instability in the branching timelines, an earthquake causes part of the facility to collapse, adding urgency to the escape.
The protagonists discover alternate endings to their predicament and must choose to sacrifice or save lives, culminating in either escape or further entrapment.
