Death End Request
A programmer trapped in an unfinished MMORPG seeks escape.
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Death End Request is a role-playing video game developed by Compile Heart and published by Idea Factory. It was released for the PlayStation 4 in Japan in April 2018 and worldwide in February 2019, with later ports to Windows and Nintendo Switch. The game is notable for its dual-perspective narrative that alternates between a traditional JRPG and a visual novel.
Gameplay and premise
The story follows two former co-programmers, Arata Mizunashi and Shina Ninomiya, who worked on a virtual reality MMORPG called World's Odyssey until development halted after Shina's unexplained disappearance. A year later, Arata discovers the game's servers are still active and finds Shina trapped inside with partial amnesia. She cannot leave until she completes the game, which remains unfinished and has been altered by an unknown third party.
Gameplay is split between Shina's turn-based JRPG segments and Arata's visual novel portions. The player must switch between them, as progress in one mode unlocks clues or removes barriers in the other. Choices in both modes can lead to instant game overs or alternate endings.
Reception
The PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch versions received mixed or average reviews on Metacritic, while OpenCritic reported that 50% of critics recommended the game. RPGSite praised it as a solid new IP but noted tonal shifts between anime tropes and a serious story, suggesting it might have worked better as a pure visual novel.
Hardcore Gamer found the JRPG and visual novel segments individually good but poorly integrated, feeling like two separate games. Digitally Downloaded, however, strongly praised the structure for keeping players engaged in the story. Famitsu gave the game a rating of 8/8/8/7 (31/40).
Frequently Asked Questions
What platforms is Death End Request available on?
Death End Request was released for PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows and Nintendo Switch.
Who directed Death End Request?
Death End Request was directed by Yohei Sato.
Who composed the music for Death End Request?
The music for Death End Request was composed by Gesshoku Kaigi and Yuki Sugiura.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Death End Request (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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