8Bit/Digi

Steam Next Feast June 2023 is an opportunity for gamers to try out a variety of titles that are coming soon. Among the games that will be available to demo is Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue. Following in the footsteps of the Danganronpa series, this is a visual novel that forces players to survive a twisted game. 

This is a game that I’ve been excited about since I first demoed the alpha version at Anime Expo 2022. Since then, Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue has been better polished while getting ready for its launch this year. This should not be treated as a review as it’s a look at how it plays in its current state and how much it has improved since the last demo I played. 

An Introduction to Inescapable 

Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue is a thriller that follows in the footsteps of Danganronpa. 11 people from around the world have been kidnapped and forced to participate in a competition. There are no rules, anything goes and the last person standing will receive the cash prize. Players will take on the role of Harrison, one of the contestants who has been kidnapped. They must navigate the social structure of the group and work to survive. It will not be easy as anything goes and some players will do whatever it takes to win.

Playthrough of Inescapable 

The demo begins at the start of the game with Harrison on a bus when suddenly he is knocked out. He awakens in a shipping container that can be unlocked from the inside. After escaping, he meets up with the other people who have been brought to the island. Everyone introduces themselves, and what they do while wondering how they got onto the island.

Momentarily they all get a call from Naomi, who has organized everything. She has brought everyone to the island to participate in a competition that will be live-streamed. The rules are simple, anything goes on the island for 6 months and those who remain alive will receive €500K. There is also a catch, Naomi could also do anything that will boost viewership. 

After that, players will experience the first few days on the island. This will allow them to bond with other characters and better explore the island. However, not everyone can be trusted and many of them just want to survive. 

Final Thoughts on Inescapable 

Compared to the demo I played at Anime Expo 2022, a lot has changed. In regards to performance, it still plays without any issues. The new demo does highlight a lot of the puzzles players will encounter and goes more in-depth regarding the dialogue choices. Voice acting has also been included, allowing the game to really come to life. 

Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue is being developed by Dreamloop Games and published by Aksys Games. The demo will be available on June 7th while the game is now available to wishlist on Steam. While no release date has been set, fans could expect a late 2023 launch window. 

Disclaimer: Dreamloop Games provided us with early access to the demo.

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides an insight into the gamer community of the San Francisco Bay Area.