Norn9: Var Commons Image
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: While on a school field trip, child prodigy Sorata Suzuhara wanders off after hearing a mysterious song and blacks out. When he comes to, he finds himself in unfamiliar place, and soon encounters a girl who informs him that hes currently in turn of the century Japan! In order to help him getWhile on a school field trip, child prodigy Sorata Suzuhara wanders off after hearing a mysterious song and blacks out. When he comes to, he finds himself in unfamiliar place, and soon encounters a girl who informs him that hes currently in turn of the century Japan! In order to help him get home, Sorata follows her to a ship that shes waiting for but when it appears it is not a wooden sailing ship, but a round aircraft that flies using technology that is beyond Soratas imagination. Even stranger, he discovers that the other 12 passengers 3 young women and 9 men are all supposedly espers with special powers, and are on some kind of journey at the behest of a multinational entity only known as The World.

    What is the purpose of their journey? What is their destination? Who is The World? Before Sorata can even begin to take stock of his situation, the ship is attacked, and the mystery surrounding the ship only deepens. Delve into the story of the ship and its occupants through the point of views of each of the three girls, and unravel the mysteries trapped within.
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. 90
    The real reason for this release is that the “sequel” fandisc, Norn9 Last Era is currently being prepped for release later this year, and Aksys realises that the best way to get people to buy that is to have played the original. It’s mildly cynical, but at the same time, for something this niche. understandable. There are certain visual novels that I think I would have rather seen on Switch first (Hakuouki springs to mind), but nonetheless, this is a really exceptional page-turner sci-fi tale that boasts some great characters. Don’t let it miss you a second time.
  2. Apr 14, 2023
    82
    If what you are looking for is a story with adventure and intrigue and not focused exclusively on romantic relationships, Norn9: Var Commons is a safe bet. This game balances a well-narrated plot with protagonists that are hard not to get attached to.
  3. Mar 30, 2023
    80
    Norn9: Var Commons’ Prologue is a bit rocky when introducing the narrative and suffers from several plot holes. However, it still manages to pull you in with its crazy plot twists and overall sci-fi presentation. This, combined with its clever tactic to tempt you into clearing every single route for each character, is possibly one of the most cleverly written stories I’ve seen thus far. I can’t wait for the Last Era fandisk to complement this extraordinary narrative.
  4. 80
    Now that it’s been cleaned up, Norn9: Var Commons is one of the stronger romance novel entries on Switch. With a neat plot, no time to get bored with a suitor because there’s still plenty to go, and just enough hints to guess where the common ending will go, it'll be worth some time heading to meet The World.
  5. Apr 5, 2023
    80
    If you already played Norn9: Var Commons on PS Vita, I don’t think this is worth grabbing at full price, especially since it costs more than the PS Vita original did back in 2015. If you skipped it, Norn9: Var Commons on Nintendo Switch is the best version not only for its features, but also its localization. This is definitely a nice way to get Switch players into Norn9 while we are waiting for Norn9: Last Era.
  6. Apr 4, 2023
    70
    Norn9: Var Commons is one of those otome games that shows Idea Factory isn’t afraid to try things, and the Switch release is the best version of it. However, while it is enjoyable, it also happens to be a game that can be a bit scattered due to how much it attempts to do. Some of the routes can be really enjoyable and the whole of the story is fun if you don’t get too bogged down in the details. However, know going in that if you want all the answers, you’ll eventually need to basically fall in love with everyone.