Hello there, people. I've decided to finally write some reviews about games I recently played (or replayed, for that matter), this way, giving new ideas about games to the whole community. Also, the Game section is nearly dead, so I thought "well, why not?". With that said, I've decided to start writing about one of the best games ever in my opinion, called "999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors".

Are you ready?

999: A Review By Taylor



Platform: Nintendo DS.

Genres: Puzzle, Point and Click, Choose Your Own Adventure, Mystery, Horror-Based.

Plot: 999 presents Junpei as main character. The game starts inside a small room assumed to be a boat cabin - Junpei wakes up on this environment without knowledge of how he got on that place. After solving the cabin puzzle and reuniting with 8 other people sharing similar stories, they discover an important fact: everyone is playing a game called "The Nonary Game".

"The Nonary Game" is explained by a misterious voice from a shady person denominated "Zero", coming from a set of speakers. The rules are simple: throughout the boat, there are 9 numbered doors. Each player in the game was assigned a number from 1 to 9. In order to move through the doors, the groups need to validate their numbers on a device called RED (Recognition Device), following some specific rules: the digital root (discovered by adding the algarisms until you get a single-digit number) of the total group must equal to the door number. Only 3 to 5 people can group to pass a door, and two groups cannot share the same room. Everyone that validates their number at the RED also need to validate at the DEAD (Deactivation Device), or a bomb implanted on their intestine is blown within 81 seconds. The objective of the game: leave the boat alive before it submerges within 9 hours.

Throughout the story, several links between characters are shown. The information only starts to fit as story progresses, and one can only uncover the whole truth with several (at least 2) gameplays through different endings, that bear different information. Six endings, being one of them considered the "good ending" can be reached through different gameplays, depending on the player's actions.

Game Breakdown

Story: 10/10.

By far, this is one game with one of the best stories ever. The game is indeed text-heavy (if you decide to play 999, you'll spend at least half of your time reading), but the story is so well-written one won't mind to do such. The descriptions are vivid, to the point of repulsion on some cases (there is a description of a blown corpse, although there isn't the visual depiction for the situation - just a hallway full of blood appears), and the thrill this game promotes cannot be shaken easily. Each line is a new emotion, crafted by a great mind who was able to condense mystery into words.

Gameplay: 8.5/10.

The gameplay is greatly executed, although several functions lack originality. The structure of the game follows the basic format of point and click games on the "escapes", and abides by the common way of "choose your own adventure" books. Albeit typical, the structure still fits perfectly to the gamestyle while adding some interesting features (such as the 3D exploration of the received items) and some interesting varied puzzles throughout the rooms.

Music: 10/10.

I can't simply describe the music on this game. Pure, perfect, apparently innocuous but somewhat creepy on their essence, the music used on this game can easily make you shiver on the most thrilling parts of the game. The art was well-placed and well-executed, which brings a great overrall feeling to the whole game.

Character Development: 8/10.

Most of the characters have spherical personalities that vary throughout the game. Get ready to hate a character you once loved, or vice-versa. However, there are two exceptions to this rule: Junpei and June.

Both of them account for what I call "the cute couple on distress" situation. The concept is rather overexplored, in my opinion. Also, even though their relation and their own minds aren't superficial, the whole affair surely sounds so on the word exchanges between them, showing, for once, lack of depth on character development.

Replay Value: 9/10.

I have already mentioned that the game has several endings, and that one can only truly complete the game upon completing it twice, which gives the game a high replay value with its different possibilities depending on the doors chosen. However, since the game is text-based, even though you can speed up the rate of text shown greatly, you'll still be forced to pass through identical dialogues on identical places (e.g. - on the scene everyone reunites, for example), which is actually a bit of a bummer.

Final Rate: 9/10 (ironically enough).

Any questions or doubts, just post them here.

I'm gonna have to agree with this one, I LOVED this game.
It's one of those games that will never get the attention it deserves, even though it should.

The only, even tiny qualm I would have with the game is that it is pretty much impossible to know which choices so early on will lead you to which endings.

Sounds like an interesting game. Very nice analysis and review of the game. I'm going to try find a copy of it and try it.

I'm gonna have to agree with this one, I LOVED this game.
It's one of those games that will never get the attention it deserves, even though it should.

The only, even tiny qualm I would have with the game is that it is pretty much impossible to know which choices so early on will lead you to which endings.

Haha, I pretty much agree with this one - playing through the game the first time, one can only rely on luck to get the right "pre-requisite" ending. Only with some plays the person have enough information to uncover the full panorama to get the full answer.

Side Note: an interesting fact - do you believe that, on my exact first play, I got through the doors that grant the True Ending? It was so bizarre, I nearly collapsed. Still, I didn't have the Safe Ending, so...

...I ended up axed by Clover. Still, I thought: "oh my god, she's really cute! And she's holding an axe! xD

Sounds like I game I stare at for hours deciding which choices to make.
Definitely going to look for a copy online. Great review, Taylor.

Edit: found it at gamestop for like $17. Maybe I'll dig up my DS and get a copy :)

Reminds me of the movie "saw 2", any comparison? sounds like it would make a good anime...

apparently it's a recycled version of "ever17: out of infinity"
(wrote by the same guy)

Side Note: an interesting fact - do you believe that, on my exact first play, I got through the doors that grant the True Ending? It was so bizarre, I nearly collapsed. Still, I didn't have the Safe Ending, so...

Gotta say, my favourite ending was the Coffin Ending.

I loved 999.

I'm excited for the sequel.

Nice to see a good game on DS. If it's really that great, I might check it out.