999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors / Kyokugen Dasshutsu Ku Jikan Ku Nin Kyu no Tobira (DS)

[Riposte]

Developed by Chunsoft. It is an adventure game, visual novel-style, and focused on solving puzzles. Its story's premise might remind you of the Saw movies or something along those lines. I don't believe describing the story helps anyone who is interested. Let's just say the title explains it well. In addition to being puzzle heavy, the plot is focused around a number game which in itself is kind of like a puzzle.

Official Site
http://www.aksysgames.com/999/agegate


http://i52.tinypic.com/2dvto94.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/3riig.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/35i13zs.jpg


I quite liked this game. It is the type of game with multiple endings(again, a visual novel style game)... even some "BAD ENDS". Awesome BAD ENDS, lol. (Let it be said now, this game earns its M-rating.) To really fully understand the game's plot you need to play through all the endings(not as bad as it sounds). If you wanna figure out the "TRUE END" here is THE tip you need to know: Progress through this game as if you were a directing the main character to clues(e.g. experience certain conversations with certain characters) which can only be found behind certain doors. Consider what went wrong during the BAD ENDS.

The game does a great job at setting the mood. I really got into the story. Most of the puzzles weren't very challenging though. Not to say I didn't get stumped a few times. (Expect a lot of number based puzzles.)


Now if you've cleared the game, that is to say got at least the "TRUE END" you might wanna check out the dev answers to a lot of questions. It is thoroughly spoiler-heavy and will dissipate the great mood(which makes it pointless since it only talks about the story.)
http://www.aksysgames.com/999/answers

[Oravis]

Got this game last week and ended up getting what was probably the worst ending first lol I love it though and will probably end up getting all the other endings as well. Really addicting.

[Xerlic]

The game is pretty fun, if you're into the graphic novel type games. If you really want to know the story behind all of the characters, you pretty much have to play through all of the endings. I made sure I got all of the bad endings first before true end since I was pretty positive I'd stop playing once I got the true ending.

The puzzles themselves aren't that hard, and it becomes kind of a chore to repeat them. At least they give you an option to skip through the text that you've already seen.

[Minardi]

I've watched a full playthrough on it and some other parts, I'd have to say it's a fantastic game(fantastic read? hahaha). There were some parts where I literally had my fingers on my lips in a "Oh god NO" moment. Like you said Xer, it does earn it's M raiting, but you NEVER see the gore, it only describes it to you (in very good detail D.

You pretty much do need to check out and read everything though if you aren't going by a guide, otherwise you'll miss a clue that will be veeeeery important!

Gogo random!

[Zounder]

I'm glad somebody made a thread for this, it was a fantastic game. The Dev answers were great, but they were very ambiguous on the two big questions:

Spoiler: show

1. Did Akane die 9 years ago, and if so, how is she alive now? It makes sense for her to be alive, but that leads to question 2: If Akane lived, were Snake, Seven and Clover lying about her death? The answers give semi-contradictory/ambiguous remakrs regarding these questions. They give this whole blurb about Akane having died both don't give a good explanation of how she was alive in the present, THEN go on to say Seven (and Snake? I forget if they list him) were lying, indicating Akane lived, which they just said she didn't!

But I'm OK with leaving those two points up for debate. I think they give enough support in-game for both sides of those theories to be true. And all great stories leave some interpretation up to the reader. That being said, I like to think that Akane lived, and Snake/Clover/Seven were implanted false memories by Akane using the Morphogenetic field.

I had never played a visual novel type game before, and I ended up really enjoying it. I nearly bought another copy of the game to get the watch! If anybody out there enjoys the Ace Attorney Series, they'll probably have enjoy 999 as well.

[Fereydoon]

Been playing this recently, got my first bad ending and

Spoiler: show

Holyfuckshit crazy bitch with an axe scared the fuck out of me

Game is really good at setting the mood though, I'm liking it so far.

[Riposte]

I suggest everyone goes into room 3 at least once. Had a Deus Ex moment when I found out you could lol.

[MoogleAura]

Just started playing this game, it's got me hooked already!

Still on my first play through, but I wish the text speed was a little faster because when I start trying for the other endings it's going to be tedious going through some lengthy scenes over and over. Other than that, no complaints.

[Yuri-G]

so is this more "hotel dusk" puzzles, or "professor layton" puzzles?

never been a fan of environmental puzzles, but logic puzzles = <3

[Shadowscythe]

I played the whole thing through fully awhile back. Its more environmental puzzles, but has some logic as well iirc. It was my first time playing this kind of game and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it, I'd recommend it to anyone with some free time.

[Telamond]

Mog, the scenes that you've gone through on one playthrough can be fast forwarded. Id recommend getting all endings except second.

[Zounder]

Yeah, there are two endings that are really redundant. Just make sure you get through all the doors at some point during your playthroughs.

[MoogleAura]

5/6 endings now. :D Going to do my last play-through tonight for the TRUE ending. I'll probably have all the answers I need by the time I finish it but there is one thing bugging me right now...

Spoiler: show

Who's killing everyone during the SUB ending? Is that All-ice person real? Snake would still be in the coffin so it leaves only Zero or All-ice. I'm suspecting that June may be Zero after finding out the 0 Watch had a value of 6 which was her number but other than that, I guess there isn't anything else that would suggest it is her. =/)

Great game, I'm already recommending it to everyone I know. ^^

[Minardi]

Moogle~: You can read the Answers link someone posted after you finish it all, it goes through and explains a fair amount of the game/little things

Spoiler: show

Who's killing everyone during the SUB ending? --It's Ace who is killing everyone during the Sub ending. He was simply playing dead when you found their bodies.--
Is that All-ice person real? Snake would still be in the coffin so it leaves only Zero or All-ice.--Alice is sort of.. up in the air. I think it has been said that it was just a story after all, a way to sort of reference the Mandrake root--
I'm suspecting that June may be Zero after finding out the 0 Watch had a value of 6 which was her number but other than that, I guess there isn't anything else that would suggest it is her. =/ --You'll see!--)

[Xerlic]

Sorry for the necro. I wasn't sure if I should make a new thread or just bump this one. I loved this game so I figured the (few) ppl on BG who also did would like to know that Chunsoft announced they're doing a spiritual successor to 999 for the 3DS and Vita.

http://www.destructoid.com/oh-baby-9...s-209788.phtml

[Salodin]

link is dead for me =(

[Xerlic]

Link works for me. Either way, here's the trailer.

[MoogleAura]

Looks like the Nonary game & Zero are back! :D I really like the new 3D style for this game. Guess they got a bigger budget to play with now. ^^

[Gokulo]

I still need to play through for the final ending I wonder if my save is intact.

[Salodin]

And it'll be on the vita. Hah, so glad I don't have to get a 3ds for the sequel to one of the best games on the ds.

Curious to the plot though, the first one didn't leave any real questions at the end to be answered.