Zero Escape: The Nonary Games

I've only played 999 so far, but it has such an amazing story that I implore you to play it if you're even remotely interested in the concept. If possible, you really should play it on a DS, that's how I experienced 999 and it might just be the best game on that platform. Each ending dripfeeds you more and more information and it lets you piece together everything in your head so that, by the finale, you realise everything yourself before the game explains it. The puzzle gameplay is pretty fun as well but it drags on repeat playthroughs, especially on DS where you don't have the flowchart system. I think I've managed to get the first room puzzle done in just over a minute from the amount of times I had to redo it.

Just emulate (legally) 999 and don't touch the rest of the games

优缺点都很鲜明的游戏 缺点：除了广为吐槽的第二部的雷霆建模和电梯动画，我觉得更受不了的是不管是主角还是配角，总是时不时就冒出一些让人鬼火直冒的言语或行为，尤其是第二部的主角动不动就小头控制大头讲话了，拜托大哥你在玩逃命游戏诶。。。[spoiler] 也接受不了淳平第二部的剧情，第一部的茜搞得很爱他的样子，结果第二部就这么把自己的救命恩人当狗耍呢[/spoiler] 优点：密室部分管饱，第一部的密室属于傻瓜水平，第二部的密室更有意思一点，个人觉得密室部分比剧情有意思，第二部的剧情比第一部有意思，结局用一堆很绕的理论基本算是把剧情圆回来了[spoiler] 这里我觉得有个很有意思的点是，第二部中途一度在想凭什么每次别人开九号门就能顺利出逃，我开九号门就总是被抓住，但是原来我是老头子啊，那怪不得干不过别人呢哈哈哈[/spoiler]；以及分支树的方式实在是太！棒！了！避免了重复刷流程，这个价格还要什么自行车呢）

Masterpiece

El primer juego una maravilla el segundo flaquea mucho mas muchas partes que se repiten y tedioso pero el final es god

Zero Escape (999 and Virtue’s Last Reward) gets a lot out of a deceptively simple structure. What carries it is the writing: the character dynamics, the situations they’re thrown into, and the way the tone balances moments of connection (and even romance) against constant tension and dread. Each branching path adds new pieces to the larger narrative or shifts your perspective through other characters, so progression always feels purposeful. What stands out most is how the bigger picture comes together. Even with all the branching, it’s designed so you gradually piece everything together in a way that feels serendipitous rather than messy, and the overall payoff lands because of that. 999 has solid puzzle balance, challenging but mostly intuitive. VLR goes bigger in scale and complexity. The puzzles are more confusing and less intuitive by default, which can spoil that feeling of satisfaction at times. 999 is an easy recommendation on its own, and if you vibe the format, VLR builds on the formula and pushes the limits whilst also bringing solid quality-of-life improvements. Big recommend.

Santa is so cute

如果解密是你的力量，那么没了它你又是什么

My history with the Zero Escape series may be somewhat unconventional: I actually watched several video essays of all the games before getting to them myself. In other words, the whole plot—and all the twists within—were spoiled to me (of my own volition) years before I even began playing. I can't say if I regret my choice or not, but it gave me the unique opportunity to act as a sort of "shepherd" for other people. Let me explain: I played through these games with friends who went in blind. And I had an absolute blast guiding them through the story! Honestly, I think these games are best experienced with company not only because piecing the plot together with other players is fun as hell, but also because it transforms all the puzzle segments into actual virtual escape rooms! IRL escape rooms are often designed to be a team effort, relying on different people excelling at different aspects of puzzle solving—and that worked out beautifully for our gaming group! Now that you know about my history and the circumstances of my playthroughs, here are my further thoughts: 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors I'm often apprehensive of VNs since they tend to have little to no gameplay. However, I find that 999 strikes an excellent balance between gameplay (the puzzles) and pure narrative sections; I was kept engaged throughout the experience. The flowchart, introduced in the Nonary Games version, makes it easy to play through the whole story with minimal backtracking. This version also has beautiful redrawn visuals and great dual-language(!) voice acting. However, all this comes at the cost of losing a key element of the original story that requires the dual screens of the Nintendo DS to work. That is the elephant in the room here, I suppose. Yes, I think the final twist—and the subsequent final puzzle—should have been handled better, but at the same time, the quality-of-life improvements (the flowchart especially) may be just as much of a deal breaker. In the end, it's up to you which version to pursue: the OG DS one, or the Nonary Games one. However, one thing is certain: this game is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward Like its predecessor, VLR strikes the same great balance between gameplay and pure narrative—although I don't think the story sticks the landing quite as well. Moreover, I find myself disappointed with the 3D visuals, especially after the beautiful 2D art in the previous game. All in all, I think VLR is an overall step down after the glorious insane high that was 999—but that does not make it a bad game. If you liked 999, you will most likely like VLR. (And considering the Nonary Games lets you experience both games, you should certainly give VLR a try!) Fortunately, unlike with 999, it does not matter which version you play (story-wise at least: the Nintendo 3DS version has a nasty save-breaking bug). So have at it; seek a way out!