Originally posted on Meteor Media.
Almost a year before Spike Chunsoft’s hit Danganronpa was released, 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors released trialling visual novels as horror-action games.
999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors is the first game in the Zero Escape series. In this series, a group of 9 people are captured and forced to play a dangerous game in order to escape. 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors originally did poorly in Japan, but the unexpected success in the US led to the game becoming a series.
Trapped in life or death situations
The story follows Junpei as he realises that he is trapped on a sinking ship and must escape. He soon finds eight other people who have been abducted and that a mysterious figure named Zero has kidnapped them all.
To escape, players must play the “Nonary Game” which puts them in life or death situations. Each of the 9 victims are forced to engage in the game, each having unique skills and contrasting personalities that are compelled to work together.
How do you escape?
999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors has two different types of sections: Escape and Novel. The Novel section is as expected, where the player reads through the story and makes decisions that influence which of the six endings you’ll receive.
The Escape sections add some exciting moments where players can move around certain areas and complete puzzles to escape. Thankfully, all the Escape sections are self-contained and you won’t need to worry if you missed an item.
Minor faults on the journey
It’s an addictive game to play but some of the Novel sections in the game feel drawn out. With most of the characters being typical anime archetypes, it can quickly get a little repetitive. There are many different routes to take in the game, but a few just feel like an exposition dump.
The Escape sections are a mixed bag as some merely feel like fetch quests while others will actually feel challenging. On the third or second playthrough, they feel a bit monotonous and dull but that’s to be expected after doing the same puzzle several times.
Is it worth a try?
999 is a fun visual novel that compels you to want to find out the story behind it all. Each playthrough will be different, as each decision made in the game affects how the story progresses. My first playthrough led to the Axe ending and left me completely bewildered as to what just happened. If you receive that playthrough, make sure to carry on as the other endings are fascinating and collect together to fill in the mystery of the game.
Don’t expect Danganronpa levels of excitement and intrigue, but 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors manages to set up a fascinating world full of mystery and suspense. If you love horror-action hybrids with a twist, then this game is for you.
Score: 8/10