Zero Escape: The Nonary Games

It's a "meh" game. None of the puzzles were particularly challenging. And OMG! So.. much... talking about nothing!! Of the 12 hours I've spent playing this game, I would say that 10 hours have been just reading pointless and infantile dialog about nonsense (and more than a few pointless sexual innuendos), trying to create a suspenseful environment, I guess. I found 2 of the 5 endings and have zero desire of finding the other ones. Who cares.

I have no words on how to describe this game but this game is fantastic enough with a deep lore (you will see it when you play the game). You get to play the first game (999: 9 hours, 9 persons and 9 doors) and second game (Virtue's Last Reward). Definitely worth the purchase so this game gets a solid 10/10 for me.

Tu fui, ego eris

Some friendos I know were super passionate about this series and Danganronpa...so I tried it and I must say, 999 was peak, though Virtue's Last Reward was a very close second. I enjoyed the two games very much, and I loved seeing how the two games connected. One thing I hated was that the protagonists of both games were pervs with unnecessary and uncomfortable dialogues that I felt contributed nothing to the game whatsoever; take those elements out and the game would not suffer a bit.

999 - The art style for the characters was just gorgeous as 2-D sprites...The flow chart mechanic for jumping through different events in time to get different endings was very useful, and it also had a very strong narrative basis. The characters all felt engaging to me in their own ways with exception to character number 9, and the game made me was always on my toes with suspicion at all the other characters. I don't understand all the science, but I thoroughly enjoyed the game.

VLR - They switched to using 3-D sprites which I disliked at first, but it grew on me over time as the story played on. There is a flow chart mechanic like 999, and each route gave clues on how to finish the game. While I dislike having to play through all the different endings of a game to get all its different secrets, it was not a burden at all whatsoever for VLR. I found myself taking notes on my notepad app to keep track of all the juicy tidbits and story hints to get the true ending, so I can say I was truly engaged with this mystery. The only glaring issues are quality-of-life issues, namely that transitioning to different areas had a long animation of going through different doors and rooms to get where I needed to go; the animation was actually a detriment rather than a boon, and I wish it was never there. Nonetheless, I would recommend these two games (in order with 999 first and then VLR).

As a vn, I think Zero Escape VLR and 999 took great advantage of the medium to create a compelling mystery and intriguing characters that engaged me very well. I wouldn't mind playing a similar game with protagonists that weren't coded as stereotypical hormonal teenage boys with no control over themselves or the words that come out of their mouths.

at the risk of sounding vague... make sure u click for that hint when it's block time cause the port is bullshit

Great story! This game craftily ties the theme into its storytelling and mechanics.

Absolute gem of a puzzle/visual novel hybrid with a pretty complex narrative that is still easy and fun to follow. Just incredible stuff.

1)way too expensive 2)downloaded hoping it would be something like Danganronpa or YTTD but its not the characters are not that deep so u cant really feel connected to them yk yk way too many puzzles and misses the whole victim/murderer, trial vibes stuff. but if ur into puzzles go for it

it's been 7 days, i'm still rolling dice in the Q room. Send help.

Really good visual novel. the story and mystery are ggreat. and i loved the puzzles!

This review is specifically about 999. I have played VLR on PS Vita back in the day, but not on this version yet. Will update the review when I have.

An absolutely fantastic game, though it’s slightly held back by being ported to PC. The DS version is definitely the better experience, thanks to how it utilizes the dual screens, so if you have the option, I’d highly recommend playing it there. That said, the PC port works just fine. I played it entirely on the Steam Deck, using the touchscreen for most of the puzzles, and it worked flawlessly. However, setting it up the first time is a bit of a hassle since it requires an older version of Proton and a specific video codec to work properly on Deck.

The PC version does add voice acting, which is a nice touch. If you’re into escape rooms, Squid Game, or just love puzzles in general, you should absolutely give this a shot. You won’t regret it. I played this years ago on the DS and loved it, but over the years I forgot most of the details of the True ending, so getting to experience most of that all over again was a lot of fun. 999 has such a cool story. Nolan could never.

This game pisses me off so much, but I love it at the same time. The puzzles, while not necessarily difficult (and make me feel smart sometimes), can sometimes have answers that don't entirely match up to the clues you're given, and the game has a lovely habit of crashing at unexpected times (which I guess I'm kind of used to). Despite that, the story for both games is very engaging, and although I'm not a huge fan of VLR's ending, I did really enjoy the flow chart progression in both games and how it contributes to the story.

Beautiful and rich story, confusing, worth the time spent on it + Love Clover

takes some time to get into but its peak VN storytelling

Only on 999 with one ending in the tank but great game so far. The writing is fun while not being too annoying and the game is short but sweet, not overstaying its welcome which I really like. Also Yashiro is a bonus.

Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors is one of the best games ever made. Complete 10/10, actually a game i would describe as flawless. Of course it's a visual novel, so it won't be for everyone, but i think it does what it set out to do perfectly. Great story, great visuals, great music, great everything.

Virtues Last Reward is also very good, but not nearly to the level of 999. The characters aren't as likable (other than Phi) and the escape rooms are a bit too cryptic or confusing at times, but the major issue this game has is just how much repeated dialogue there is, in order to get the full story to these games you need to do each route, which in 999 was nearly perfect, there were some parts that repeated dialogue but it never took too long or overstayed it's welcome because there are less routes in 999 than VLR. In VLR though, there are MANY more routes, which on one hand is a plus because it definitely adds more to the story and gives more gameplay variety since you get more escape rooms, but on the other hand you have to see the same lines of dialogue over and over and over and over and over. I spent about 30 hours on VLR 100%ing it and i'd say somewhere between 4-6 hours of that was rereading (or skipping) over text i had already seen. The game is certainly very good, but is not comparable to 999 in quality. I give this one a solid 7.5/10, worth playing for sure, especially because this game is a direct sequel to 999 so you get a couple answers to some questions you may have after playing that game.

---{ Graphics }---
☐ You forget what reality is
☐ Beautiful
☐ Good
☐ Decent
☐ Bad
☐ Don‘t look too long at it
☑ MS-DOS

---{ Gameplay }---
☐ Very good
☐ Good
☐ It's just gameplay
☐ Mehh
☑ Watch paint dry instead
☐ Just don't

---{ Audio }---
☐ Eargasm
☐ Very good
☑ Good
☐ Not too bad
☐ Bad
☐ I'm now deaf

---{ Audience }---
☐ Kids
☑ Teens
☑ Adults
☐ Grandma

---{ PC Requirements }---
☑ Check if you can run paint
☐ Potato
☐ Decent
☐ Fast
☐ Rich boi
☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer

---{ Difficulty }---
☐ Just press 'W'
☐ Easy
☐ Easy to learn / Hard to master
☑ Significant brain usage
☐ Difficult
☐ Dark Souls

---{ Story }---
☐ No Story
☐ Some lore
☑ Average
☐ Good
☐ Lovely
☐ It'll replace your life

---{ Game Time }---
☑ Didn't give it enough time to find out
☐ Long enough for a cup of coffee
☐ Short
☐ Average
☐ Long
☐ To infinity and beyond

---{ Price }---
☐ It's free!
☐ Worth the price - I got it on sale but it's worth the full price too imo
☐ If it's on sale
☐ If u have some spare money left
☐ Not recommended
☑ You could also just burn your money

---{ Bugs }---
☑ Never heard of
☐ Minor bugs
☐ Can get annoying
☐ ARK: Survival Evolved
☐ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs

i have yet to finish virtues last reward, but i have played 999 multiple times and quite frankly it's the kind of game that you just can't play enough, just as all uchikoshi games tend to be (another great example is the ai: the somnium files games). 999 has quickly become my favorite game of all time, and will forever hold a dear space in my heart.

Two excellent puzzle visual novels. I prefer 999 over VLR, and for the price of $6.00 on sale it's worth it for the first game alone. 999 has an excellent atmosphere, great characters and a story that's both insane and reasonably digestible.

VLR is the previous game multiplied times 3. The puzzles are 3x harder, the game is 3x longer and the story is 3x more insane. Watching that dot on the map travel from room to room will drive you insane. Doing the puzzle in the crew quarters, watching all the doors open and close every time you move between rooms will drive you insane. I played for what felt like 15 hours getting bad endings and locked routes before i stumbled onto the route i was intended to go on and that was pretty frustrating. That being said, I still enjoyed VLR.

Highly recommend playing with an audience- the story is very well-crafted but sometimes you need to be able to share a Look with each other

Uchikoshi never fails to blow my mind that dude is like Mozart but if he were japanese and made games instead of music and that's just not really something you can get elsewhere these days

Nah but fr these are some of my favourite games. Super thrilling with plot twists that will blow your mind! Big recommend!

I originally played these games 7 years ago and apparently had forgotten almost all of the story for Virtues last reward other than one scene and remembering "It was really good". Replaying it the last week I concur with my past self. these are incredible games and more people should play them

999:

VLR:

i'd overall absolutely recommend this set. 999 blew me away, legitimately one of the most impactful games I've ever played, just really fantastic and fun. I was significantly less into virtue's last reward, but people online seem to love it so that's just subjective. I couldn't finish it but still consider the set worth it just for 999.

Very good, incredible plot twists. A few too long, drawn out explanations and conversations but extremely exciting all the way through

The story in both games are very good.
I prefer the story in VLR, but the gameplay in VLR is more troublesome than 999.
Highly recommended mystery game.
Uchikoshi did a very good job in these games.

999全通 留个评论 整体可以给到7 or 8/10 的总分 还是挺上头的
santa和紫永远处在一道门的设计确实很好的掩盖了真相 可以说是这部最有意思的地方
虽然核心诡计确实不如ever17 并且对于先玩完ever17的我 真结局也有一种既视感
最终理论的解释 也确实有点强差人意... 属于是也算说得通的级别

Graphics are cool, and the first game makes everything feel quiet and nostolgic.

When I first started Virtue's Last Reward I thought, "wow, this game is ugly." But I discovered that true beauty is on the inside.

I originally played 999 on the DS and it stuck with me for a long time. After years, I finally bought this in order to experience it again, and it did not disappoint.
The story is simply phenomenal in my opinion, and it's a shame this game is not more well known, as it absolutely would deserve to be. And that's without mentioning the puzzles! They are fun and intuitive, but not to the point of being easy, especially in the later rooms!
The graphics improvement and the voice acting allowed me to feel more immersed in the story than I did the first time, even though I already knew the main plotpoints. While I do believe having a dual screen made the gameplay experience smoother, I think this remake does a wonderful job at optimising the experience even without it.
I cannot understate how much I recommend anyone who is a fan of visual novels or escape rooms to play this! Just do it!

*No spoilers*

One of the 2 best death/survival game type of game.

I tried it after finishing every Danganronpa's games and I'm really glad I did.
Both games are really differents but they are masterpiece in their own way!

The puzzle parts of the games are fine but there way too much dialogue repetition and it reached a point that I could no longer stand VLR. I played the games on and off and let them run to take a break from it but it just wasn't something that I will ever complete.

The Nonary games is a great and easy way to enjoy some pseudo obscure visual novels, that's in my opinion, some of the best the genre has to offer.

These two games are amazing the first time you play them, and will have you think about them constanstly down the line. When ever this game is on a great sale, I always purchase a couple of digital copies for my friends, so they can enjoy the story also. I really want people I care about to try this experience.

If you want to dib your toes into the visual novel genre, this is a great way to do it. But beware: The bar will be sky-high for the new visual novel game

Zero Escape: 999 - 8/10
- As the first game in the trilogy, 999 has easily secured its title as one of the best games I've ever played.
- Loved that the premise of the game revolved around real-life theories; one of the best things about this game.
- I applaud this game for its clever use of incorporating maths into the story in every aspect. Requires a lot of attention to detail and I've never seen this done before the way 999 does.
- My fav thing to do in story-driven games is trying to make all of the puzzle pieces fit to tell a full, complete, logical story, so I really enjoyed seeing which of my theories stuck as the story progressed with all the twists and turns thrown at you.
- Hands down, 999 has the best puzzles out of the trilogy.
- 999 hooks you from start to finish and regardless of some plots holes... the game's story is incredible and is definitely the best in the trilogy.

Zero Escape: VLR - 7/10
- Loved that this expanded on the overall story of the trilogy but there are some major faults.
- Suffers from being way too long and repetitive.
- Majority of the puzzles felt impossible and I did not like the aspect of the game making the player work to gather vital information about its own plot (attaining separate passwords for gold files, otherwise if you failed to get a gold file, you would get a silver one, containing less information about the overall plot). I found myself looking up majority of the puzzles just so I would have all of the gold files to try make the most sense of the stories plot.
- I was also not the biggest fan of the multiple timelines that this game introduces as things become very complex VERY fast and it is hard to keep track of what is what.
- Regardless of some plot holes, I really enjoyed this games addition of radical-6 and Free the Soul cult, as well as its returning characters from 999 and its introduction of some new characters. This game also does a good job of explaining the backstories of its new characters, overall enhancing the plot.
- VLR definitely makes you question who to trust and who to betray... but it does make things interesting that way, allowing you to come up with many theories, and keeps the player guessing until the very end.

The puzzles get better and better. It's a somewhat underappreciated game but if you found this and if you like room escape, buy this game. The UI does feel outdated, but I stopped caring.

Very great game! It allowed me to bounce back and forth between specific points in the levels.

i played both games, and if it's on bargin don't think and just buy it, plotwist are kinda complicated, but game is worth every second, mysterious vibes, a lot of secrets, if you like danganropa, ace attroney or persona i recommend it really, it's not a ig price for a game where you spend over 70 hours

One of the best visual Novels/ puzzle games I´ve ever played. The story and the twist are phenomenal in both games.

Some of the best narrative-driven games ever made. I have so much to say about Zero Escape, that I don't know where to begin... So, I'll keep it short and sweet:

Give it a chance to surprise you.

[hr][/hr]
Notes from a long-time fan:

• This collection contains 2/3 games from a trilogy (999 + VLR). The 3rd game (ZTD) is sold separately.
  
• The first game's story (999) is best on DS. But perhaps the new QoL features (e.g. voice acting) make this version right for you. If so, use Novel Mode only.
  
• If you are unsatisfied by your first 999 ending, just keep playing. Take my word for it.
  
• If the rules seem confusing, give it time. You will learn as you play.
  
[*]Don't disregard ZTD. A game's weaknesses do not invalidate its strengths.

these games are must plays for any visual novel enjoyers (maybe even if you're not!) but PLEASE if it is at all possible for you play 999's DS version instead for that game specifically. me and my best friend spent SO much time skipping through dialogue and replaying escape room sequences and it was STILL worth it. just use a spoiler free guide for all the endings like we did so you don't waste too much time lol because that skip function is slowwwww

we haven't finished vlr yet but it's been good. so much is happening. can these guys stop waiting for the last second to vote though it's so stressful. can't believe his name is sigma....

What an amazing experience. If you love mysteries, and escape rooms, these two games are the way to go. Go into it completely blind, and don't look up any spoilers at all. These games surprised me at every turn, and I'm very excited to start the final game.

Its a wonderful one screen adaptation of the DS classics, that still retain their twists and crazy reveals. You won't be disappointed.

best game for story only, amazing to see what paths people take the 1st time as info is segmented, very unique and great innovation

just finished 999 and while I LOVED it so so much, I genuinely cannot express how disappointing this remake is in regards to the ending (and other details). PLAY THIS GAME but please DO NOT PLAY THIS REMAKE. get it on DS or emulate w/e. just do not play this version!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a collection of the first and second games in a three game series. The originals were on the Nintendo DS and now they've been ported to PC with a few extra features.

I'll get my critiques out of the way. What the game is missing are better sprites and better controls. It's the kind of thing you'd think they'd include with a remaster, but oh well. It does little to hurt my enjoyment.

Now the games themselves: 999 is a more visual novel than game. There are a grand total of 9 escape rooms you can puzzles through and some choose your own adventure stuff, but for the most part it's reading a story. And I'm here to tell you that the writing is great. I would read this if it came out as a novel instead of a game. It can be esoteric at times with the Vonnegut references and what not, but that adds to the charm. Genuinely one of my favorite games.

The sequel Virtue's Last Reward is far more gamey than it's predecessor. There are tons more puzzle rooms, choices, and puzzles by the way of how to progress. The story is bonkers. In some ways that's good, although for a mystery, I kind of threw my hands up and gave up trying to play along due to the sheer lunacy of trying to piece it all together. Despite that, it comes together in a satisfying way and there are some daring story choices that-- obtuse as they are-- are pretty darn exciting.

The only real demerit I'll warn you about is that the third and final game (didn't sell enough) is not a very good game and I wouldn't even recommend playing it. So be prepared to have some plot points left open. Luckily these games tell fully fleshed out stories in their own right so the franchise as a whole flopping doesn't fell that bad.

Oh well.

If you're up for playing something for a lot of reading, this is a must play. 8/10. I love these so much.

Highly recommend if you like philosophy, science fiction suspenseful character dramas. Though none of them really have a satisfying ending to my memory. A lot of unanswered questions.

This pair of games was extremely fun and interesting with a well designed and engaging story. Set up novel mode as default in 999 and ignore the fact that a third game exists.

Danganronpa but every character loves to read obscure Wikipedia pages in their free time

This is a great couple of games, for people who enjoy the escape room/thriller genre. However, it is visual novel style with lots of puzzles so a lot of time is spent thinking and staring at the same screen. Personally, LOVE THAT but I know it's not everyone's cup of tea. There is a third game you will need to play after if you enjoy them, Zero Time Dilemma so keep that in mind bc it raises the price (if you like the first two you CANNOT leave out the third)

999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors is peak, and Virtue's Last Reward is even better.
If you like visual novels, escape rooms, puzzle games, etc., with a ton of personality and challenge, this is the collection for you.

Amazing story mystery novels. I would recommend for those who want a mystery game where your choices majorly change the outcome of the games.