Zero Escape: The Nonary Games

The Nonary Games is a fantastic bundle with games that are both fun to play and very entertaining in the story department. Any fan of puzzles games and visual novels should pick this bundle up without a doubt. Even people looking for a great story should give this a look. It has the makings of a good “starter” visual novel. I can’t suggest it enough. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go play Zero Time Dilemma.

I like games that are able to explore serious ideas in an entertaining and subtle fashion. If you weren’t aware of the academic weight that drives the two titles in The Nonary Games, you wouldn’t be missing anything. It’s not essential to understand how game theory works, how it explains human behaviour, and why that’s all relevant to the deeper themes that 999 and Virtue’s Last Reward explore. If you want to take it, simply, as a cracking series of visual novels with sublime puzzle design, you can do that. But, if you’re like me and do take game narratives seriously, then these two are right up there with the best in the industry, and sticking them together into a single package makes them completely essential.

Those who haven't yet experienced either 999 or VLR are in for a real treat. Both games were already excellent in their previous incarnations, but The Nonary Games bundles two definitive editions together in one simple, appealing package.

Zero Escape: The Nonary Games is the best way for you to play two of the most frequently overlooked visual novels out there. The additions to Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors bring new life to a underrated gem, and Virtue’s Last Reward is still as close to perfect as it was when it was first released. If you want to experience two of the best stories from the last generation of handhelds, this is the best way to do so.

This is a fantastic presentation of two top-notch virtual novels. My only major quibble is that player is never made aware of how important it is to play the two games in the correct order. It’s not enough to see a couple of endings in 999 – if players don’t make it to the true ending before moving on to VLR, it will be casually spoiled in the most off-handed way imaginable. Beyond that, very little goes wrong here, and I’d say that this one of the best visual novel experiences I’ve had.

It's definitely a great collection, and a must have for visual novel and adventure aficionados. The lack of Zero Time Dilemma in the package, unfortunately, makes it hard for newcomers to understand the whole Uchikoshi epic, and is an unfortunate choice in an otherwise amazing return.

Zero Escape: The Nonary Games fixes some major issues with 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, but doesn’t go all the way in updating it for current consoles.

The Nonary Games contains two of the best-known escape room games (except for perhaps Crimson Room) together in a timeless package. The updates to 999 make it the most definitive version to date, although Virtue's Last Reward feels just the same as it did the first time around.