Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors

 DS
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 314 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 279 out of 314
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 314
  3. Negative: 17 out of 314
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  1. m_elders
    Jan 12, 2014
    2
    This game is 90% dialogue, and I wouldn't mind except that the dialogue is really terrible. The story is not terrible, thankfully. And yes, in case you're wondering, those are two separate things: the story is being told and the dialogue is what's used to tell it. If Charles Dickens tells a boring story, you're not bored reading it because Charles Dickens can write. But the people who madeThis game is 90% dialogue, and I wouldn't mind except that the dialogue is really terrible. The story is not terrible, thankfully. And yes, in case you're wondering, those are two separate things: the story is being told and the dialogue is what's used to tell it. If Charles Dickens tells a boring story, you're not bored reading it because Charles Dickens can write. But the people who made 999 most definitely are not on par with Charles Dickens: they cannot write.

    Okay, I'm done bashing the writing. Here's why I hate this game: it EXPECTS you to replay it. And that's fine if you can skip all the dialogue you've heard and the puzzles you've solved on the second play through. But instead, you can make the dialogue pass by quickly (but not instantly) and you have to redo all the puzzles. I put the game down the moment it told me to re-solve a puzzle. Who in the world would make a design decision like that??? Not Charles Dickens, that's who.    … Expand
  2. Ocean
    Jan 19, 2011
    3
    The game starts out well with interesting puzzles and a decent story but this quickly goes downhill. The puzzles are well thought out but are too few with the last being a disappointing sudoku. As well , while you're trying to solve the puzzles you are constantly being interrupted for another piece of story which can be very game breaking. The story along with the concept of beingThe game starts out well with interesting puzzles and a decent story but this quickly goes downhill. The puzzles are well thought out but are too few with the last being a disappointing sudoku. As well , while you're trying to solve the puzzles you are constantly being interrupted for another piece of story which can be very game breaking. The story along with the concept of being trapped in a Saw or Cube type of scenario is exciting at first but quickly becomes bland. This isn't helped by the fact you must repeat the game at least twice to get the true ending (which is highly unlikely if you truly want to play all the puzzles). Presenting the player with a large Titanic-sized ship setting, and then not allowing any exploration is frustrating to say the least. You are locked into a very linear storyline, only able to make a handful of actual player decisions. This all adds up to being a decent visual novel that you have to read at least twice and with little to no game play.… Expand
  3. lowkey42o
    Apr 27, 2011
    2
    I'll start this off by saying Layton and phoenix wright are a tiring formula for me. All the text does not make for a fun game. I'm a graduate student working as a phd and the fact that I found it tricky turned me off. New ways of playing are nice but really like pulling teeth for me. I don't like games with 50% gameplay 50% cut scenes. This felt like one long cut scene. Over rated atI'll start this off by saying Layton and phoenix wright are a tiring formula for me. All the text does not make for a fun game. I'm a graduate student working as a phd and the fact that I found it tricky turned me off. New ways of playing are nice but really like pulling teeth for me. I don't like games with 50% gameplay 50% cut scenes. This felt like one long cut scene. Over rated at best and not my genre. Repetitive text based scenes got flashbacks to zork.… Expand
  4. paprik
    Aug 5, 2013
    3
    The story shows potential but is constantly ruined by moronic dialogue, poor character design and unrealistic behavior. The game is rated as mature yet the dialogue and overall deduction skills of all characters are childlike at best.

    There is very little actual gameplay but somehow it still gets interrupted by random story elements at the most random times. Also the 9 hour time limit    The story shows potential but is constantly ruined by moronic dialogue, poor character design and unrealistic behavior. The game is rated as mature yet the dialogue and overall deduction skills of all characters are childlike at best.

    There is very little actual gameplay but somehow it still gets interrupted by random story elements at the most random times. Also the 9 hour time limit is there just for cooler title purposes characters love wasting time and you as a player aren't pressured in any way.

    But if you like being 500 steps ahead of the main character's tiny chicken brain and like yelling "Just shut up already" at the screen, I wholeheartedly recommend this game. And by game I mean visual novel.    … Expand
  5. Grospoliner
    Aug 23, 2012
    0
    This game is awful. Let me preface that right off the bat. This is not a game.

    What this is, is a visual novel. For those unfamiliar with the term, visual novels are quite literally, novels with visual elements, which can include pictures, videos, and the occasional interactive element. They are a mainstay of Japanese "gaming" and hold a special place in the hearts of lonely individuals    This game is awful. Let me preface that right off the bat. This is not a game.

    What this is, is a visual novel. For those unfamiliar with the term, visual novels are quite literally, novels with visual elements, which can include pictures, videos, and the occasional interactive element. They are a mainstay of Japanese "gaming" and hold a special place in the hearts of lonely individuals with poor person skills and social anxiety disorders. What visual novels aren't, are fun.

    The typical 'VN' as they are called, involves hours of text and left mouse clicks. You do not play a VN, merely slog through mind numbing monologues and so called character interaction. This proves to be a fatal flaw in gaming design, because games are supposed to be interactive and ENJOYABLE. There is nothing enjoyable about reading hours of text, staring and two dimensional cell shaded characters. The VN 'problem' stems from the Japanese culture itself. In Japanese gaming, the 'player' is relegated to the role of passive observer. You the player are never allowed to make real choices in a VN, and that same mix of culture and poor design crash head on in 999, rending it a bloody horrid, abortion of game design.

    At it's heart, 999 is supposed to be a puzzle-solving adventure game where nine individuals are thrown together by sinister circumstances and are forced to come face to face with their pasts and the deadly traps set before them by an unknown antagonist; promising to be an exciting and enthralling tale of treachery, intrigue, and murder. Unfortunately you're forced to wade through miles of feces before you can get to eat your cake, and no you don't get to shower before it either.

    Here's the problem. It's a point and click adventure game that locks you into limited, individual set piece rooms to explore. You will not get to explore anything but what have been chosen for you to enter. Nor will you get to even choose which rooms to enter. Sure, you might be presented with a choice of enter door number 1 or door number 2, but you will never be allowed to visit door number 2 should you choose door number 1. Sadly, this heavily restricts a game that could have had a great potential as you will never find multi-room puzzles, puzzles that span the length of the game, or be able to enjoy exploring the environment around you. You are locked in a linear rail ride from one predetermined set piece to another with no chance to affect any subtle changes to the plot or events that can transpire.

    The game uses the archaic programming method common in VNs where specific plot events trigger specific plot lines via the few text 'choices' you are given. This means that the only effect you will ever have on the game's progression, is picking one text option over another. Everything you do in solving the puzzles is instantly rendered meaningless, as the plot is always locked into one of 6 predetermined outcomes. For a game based on intrigue, treachery, survival, and psychological horror, this proves to be a great detriment for the game, as a single "bad choice" will result in outcomes you can see coming from a mile away, simply because you the player are not allowed the option of picking up an item. That's right. This is a terrible game, because it won't let you pick up a plot critical item. Forcing you replay the game over and over hunting down "right choices". In a genre where every good player knows to loot the very last insignificant nail off a wall, the game binds your hands and prevents you from ever being able to interact with items that simply picking them up would alter the course of the game because it does not allow you to explore, and that is why it is not a good game. Hell, it's not even a game.    … Expand
  6. Q8eZy
    Feb 16, 2013
    2
    The story is, like 99% of videogame stories, tripe. And for a game that is 95% story, that renders the game bad. Some of the puzzles are interesting, but they are so limited and so far between each other, I cannot recommend this game. I recommend reading Grospoliner's review here on Metacritic, especially the part about what kind of people really love this type of Japanese visual novel,The story is, like 99% of videogame stories, tripe. And for a game that is 95% story, that renders the game bad. Some of the puzzles are interesting, but they are so limited and so far between each other, I cannot recommend this game. I recommend reading Grospoliner's review here on Metacritic, especially the part about what kind of people really love this type of Japanese visual novel, and watching some Youtube gameplay videos before purchasing.… Expand
  7. frust97
    Oct 20, 2017
    4
    if you only want a good story, then yes this is a almost decent game but other than that is pretty boring and repetitive. The nonary game starts by presenting different characters with their own story and narrative but instead of using them to create interesting different endings depending on your relationships with them, they are just pieces of the "true ending" and non of them actuallyif you only want a good story, then yes this is a almost decent game but other than that is pretty boring and repetitive. The nonary game starts by presenting different characters with their own story and narrative but instead of using them to create interesting different endings depending on your relationships with them, they are just pieces of the "true ending" and non of them actually matter at all. You can interact with various characters so it gives you this confusing objective in the game were you can do whatever you want but you should do what the game wants you to do, not that getting the other endings is bad but there is not a actual logical way for you to know exactly what to do which ends in you doing random options until finally you did exactly what the games wants and you get the finale piece of the puzzle.

    and talking about puzzle men are they **** BORING! in most endings you would have to repeat the same puzzle, if this is the case why the heck dont they just let us skip it or let us put the final answear to get out, in one of the puzzle you need to put a secret code on a safe to get the key to get out, the code doesnt change is the same number WHY DAFUQ WONT THE GAME LET ME PUT IT ON?! NO you have to do all this **** you already do 4 times to try to get another ending and if you repeat well sucks to be you, you gotta do it again.

    And now that we are on topic why are they no safe stations? like why? this game would be 200 times less boring if i could just skip the scenes i already know YES I KNOW ABOUT **** ICE 9 OR WHATEVER PLZ JUST LET ME SEE NEW DIALOGUE THIS IS BULL****!

    oh and if you think you can just fast text, no they didnt put that option either...

    Now is not fair i only talk about the bad stuff, the story is actually pretty interesting and the "true ending" is satisfying, it gives you good enough hints so you can draw your own conclusion and find out who is causing what, the puzzle are satisfying to solve, the first time you do it, the art and the way the characters are not just one image but they actually move pixel by pixel when they talk is a great detail and gives them more life.

    I wish there was more and better music, but the soundtrack is not bad it does the job in setting the tune but nothing i would hear on my free time.

    It repeats some anime themes which is not wrong but i would preferred they explain them a bit better, because some of them just feels like out of character... like why are you even doing this you shown no sign of being capable of something like this (i am talking about one particularly ending) but most of it is on comedy so you can just lead it slide.

    Finally do i recommend this game? no... just look it up on youtube and save yourself the pain of finding the endings the puzzle are not even worth it SPECIALLY THE LAST ONE! (seriously all that story to end it with a puzzle you can find in the newspaper? just disappointing)    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best DS Game of 2010
3
#3 Most Discussed DS Game of 2010
4
#4 Most Shared DS Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. Nintendo Life
    Oct 21, 2011
    80
    999 is stunning. It sports a captivating plot driven by a fantastic cast of characters, a satisfying mix of puzzles and interesting mathematical, scientific and philosophical quandaries to ponder.
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  2. Adventure Gamers
    May 13, 2011
    60
    999 is a gutsy, mature story that blends horror, science, and character-driven drama in intriguing, thoughtful ways. It's also backed by some sparse but solid gameplay, melding traditional puzzle types with a cohesive math-based theme that nicely suits its subject matter. Unfortunately, what could have been a taut psychological thriller all too often becomes a plodding, pace-killing narrative full of bloated, poorly-integrated dialogue.
    Read full review
  3. Official Nintendo Magazine UK
    May 11, 2011
    90
    A fantastic experience from start to finish. It is a game that truly expands what narrative video games can be capable of, and does so with a engrossing story that draws players in until the very end, all six of them.
    Read full review
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