Introduction

There are a lot of video game developers I love, but two I’ve always had mixed feelings about are Idea Factory and Compile Heart. I enjoyed Record of Agarest War, the Neptunia series, and Fairy Fencer F, but one game that really left an impact was Death end re;Quest. That series, blending turn-based RPG, visual novel, and horror, delivered a dark narrative I genuinely appreciated. Its sequel had issues but was still enjoyable.

So when I heard that a new entry, Death end re;Quest Code Z, was on the way—advertised as a pseudo-sequel and spin-off—I was ready to dive back into the world of Ludens, bugs, and time travel. Unfortunately… I played it. I’ll spare you the suspense: Death end re;Quest Code Z is pretty horrible. Want to know why? Keep reading my review of Death end re;Quest Code Z for the PS5. Thanks to Fallen Tree Games for the review code—just kidding…I paid for this suffering.

Gameplay

Death end re;Quest Code Z throws away many elements that worked in the first two entries and replaces them with roguelike mechanics in a top-down dungeon crawler. You play as new protagonist Sayaka Hiwatari, a Luden—a sort of AI being—who can leave the digital world for ours, though with a much different vibe than the previous games.

The VN-style segments remain and are one of the few enjoyable parts. You read dialogue, interact with characters, and occasionally make choices that impact outcomes. The artwork is solid (though it heavily reuses stills), and the characters are at least interesting. But then the gameplay kicks in—and that’s where things fall apart.

Gone is the traditional free-movement turn-based system. Instead, you explore grid-based dungeons filled with traps, enemies, and bosses. While “death ends” return as key elements—unlocking story pieces and providing skill points after you die—the concept quickly grows stale. Combat is static and repetitive. Sayaka can activate a special form, Vanquish Style, to deal more damage in chibi form, but it rarely makes a significant impact. Most bosses are more efficiently defeated with item spam than actual combat.

The roguelike aspects are poorly implemented. Death means restarting the dungeon, and on harder difficulties, your level resets and you lose progress and resources. The game practically begs you to play on Expert due to how easy Normal mode is—but even that becomes a chore. I reached the point where I dreaded every run but forced myself through it for the sake of this review.

There’s also a sanity meter, which could’ve been an immersive horror mechanic. As Sayaka’s sanity drops, screen distortion and horror events intensify. But in execution, it’s annoying. If your sanity gets too low and you don’t use rare recovery items, Sayaka dies. Instead of building dread, it adds frustration. It could’ve enhanced the atmosphere—if it weren’t so punishing.

Graphics

Just like the rest of the game, the visuals are a mixed bag. The visual novel CGs and character stills look nice and are one of the game’s few highlights. Idea Factory and Compile Heart clearly still know how to design appealing anime characters.

But then the game shifts to dungeon crawling, and everything falls apart. The chibi character models are generic and low-effort. Dungeon environments feel like PS3-era leftovers. Even death scenes—often hyped as dark or disturbing—lose their impact because of the art style. For a full-priced game, the visual downgrade is inexcusable.

Sound

Surprise—another mixed bag. The voice acting (Japanese dub only) is decent, and the sound effects are functional. But the soundtrack? Completely forgettable. Compared to the haunting or dramatic scores of previous titles, Death end re;Quest Code Z comes off as underwhelming. This is not a game you’ll be humming themes from anytime soon.

Story

Sigh… where do I even begin? The story in Death end re;Quest Code Z is weak. It shares themes and world elements with the previous entries, but plays more like a side-story than a proper sequel. Sayaka awakens as a Luden, meets a returning face from the series, and faces a vague threat… and that’s about it.

Even with a few twists, the narrative is lifeless. I wanted to care, but I didn’t. The writing never grabbed me, the pacing felt uneven, and most characters lacked emotional depth. After loving the first two games, this was a major letdown.

Overall Impression

I rarely tear into JRPGs. Even the flawed ones usually earn some praise from me. But Death end re;Quest Code Z is one of the worst JRPGs I’ve played in years. It’s a failed experiment in every sense—disjointed gameplay, a lazy story, lackluster visuals, and design choices that punish rather than engage.

Unless you’re collecting it to complete the trilogy, do not spend your money on Death end re;Quest Code Z. This is not the direction the series deserved.

Conclusion

Death end re;Quest Code Z is possibly the weakest entry from Idea Factory and Compile Heart in recent memory. What could’ve been a great evolution of the series instead turned into a soulless, frustrating mess. I sincerely hope the franchise gets back on track with future titles, returning to the thoughtful balance of horror, mystery, and tactical RPG that made the first two entries special. But this? This is a hard pass.

ーAaron