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[The Awesomest]

You've got a playthrough and a half to go! You can do it!

 

[walking fiend]

So I heard that this was a good mystery/puzzle style game which I love, so I picked it up along with Resident Evil Revelations to go with my new Fire Emblem 3DS. I've been swapping between the games since I got it, and I just finished 999 right now.

It's really slow paced, and not in a good way. You can't speed up the text that makes up 90% of the game, so I'm forced to reread every line 3-4 times while the next one loads. What makes it worse is that everything you do in the game gets explained multiple times, and if you leave a puzzle and come back the tutorial repeats every time.

Honestly, I don't know if it's a good game. I was really frustrated with the characters, who as the game went a long didn't make a lot of choices that seemed obvious to me. At the beginning of the game, I chose to go into the door with the first guy that died because Junpei said he wanted to examine the body. I go in, and I never get the option to examine the body. I could have gone with the other characters, but I changed my mind just for that reason, which turned out to be nothing. The body of the guy had a knife that I wanted. Speaking of which, Junpei keeps all the door keys on his person, but I couldn't take the screwdriver with me from the first mission, so I had to build another one later on. I also wanted to leave people behind when Snake went missing that would add up to a digital root of 3 if he showed up again but that wasn't an option.

On top of that all the characters are pretty tired tropes that don't really get a lot of development, and the narration is pretty monotonous for a game that's supposed to be a visual novel.

I wound up getting a really shitty ending that didn't resolve anything, despite having solved all the puzzles and not feeling like I made any poor decisions. The game wants me to replay it, but I don't really feel like playing any more of what I feel is a random outcome based on the paths I chose. I've been hearing a lot of good things about Virtue's Last Reward so I got this game first since it's story-based, but I don't have any interest in a sequel any more. I'd rather go play "escape from a room" flash games so I don't have to deal with the same story frustrations. To be honest, I don't even think "click on things until something happens" is good gameplay design. It's not even a real puzzle, and a few of them I just solved algorithmically before even getting the clues(like all 3 puzzles in the torture room).

It's definitely the worst out of the 3 games that I got.

It was one of the best games I had played in the last several years, but at least I can share the sentiment that trying to get all the endings can be frustrating and 'random' as you put it; well, not that random, but still frustrating.

Some people just can't keep up with the slow paced advancement of the text and narration in general.

The least I can recommend you, is getting a guide and finishing all the endings, that's one of the more interesting parts of the game story.

---
NOTICE: afair, you can skip the texts in your subsequent playthroughs, so it shouldn't be a problem.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Wait, what the fuck? Why does Snake have both his hands in fighting position in the ending? He shouldn't be able to move the fingers on his left hand.

Snake! SNAKE! snaaaaaaaaaaa


LOLOLOL

 

["God's Beard!"]

Aaand I'm back to the beginning again. At least I got an ending this time, even if it was the sort of throwaway storytelling I was expecting on my first playthrough. A lot of boring revelations. I've been assuming that Santa is Zero now for a while for different reasons, but it doesn't really matter who Zero is to me. All the little unresolved issues are just story threads that don't really matter either. I'm waiting for the meat with the real themes of the game.

It's kinda weird that I didn't get a new picture for this ending even though there was way more ending to it.

So far:

submarine - not an ending, annoying
coffin - not an ending, frustrating
safe - "story" ending, boring

So far the coffin path was the most interesting but most painful. I would have given this game a 6/10 and abandoned it for sure if I got the safe ending first. Also I hate Sudoku. Submarine ending is nonsense. If everything I'm expecting works out or my mind gets blown I'll go ahead and bump up that score a bit.

 

[The Awesomest]

Aaand I'm back to the beginning again. At least I got an ending this time, even if it was the sort of throwaway storytelling I was expecting on my first playthrough. A lot of boring revelations. I've been assuming that Santa is Zero now for a while for different reasons, but it doesn't really matter who Zero is to me. All the little unresolved issues are just story threads that don't really matter either. I'm waiting for the meat with the real themes of the game.

It's kinda weird that I didn't get a new picture for this ending even though there was way more ending to it.

So far:

submarine - not an ending, annoying
coffin - not an ending, frustrating
safe - "story" ending, boring

So far the coffin path was the most interesting but most painful. I would have given this game a 6/10 and abandoned it for sure if I got the safe ending first. Also I hate Sudoku. Submarine ending is nonsense. If everything I'm expecting works out or my mind gets blown I'll go ahead and bump up that score a bit.

Steel yourself, because the True ending continues from the end of the coffin ending.

Also why do you mention Sudoku?

 

["God's Beard!"]

Steel yourself, because the True ending continues from the end of the coffin ending.

Also why do you mention Sudoku?

It was a puzzle in the engine room.

 

[WrenchNinja]

It was a puzzle in the engine room.

So...would you say you've been keeping track of all the puzzles you've been doing in the back of your mind?

 

["God's Beard!"]

So...would you say you've been keeping track of all the puzzles you've been doing in the back of your mind?

More or less.

 

[Mauricio_Magus]

Aaand I'm back to the beginning again. At least I got an ending this time, even if it was the sort of throwaway storytelling I was expecting on my first playthrough. A lot of boring revelations. I've been assuming that Santa is Zero now for a while for different reasons, but it doesn't really matter who Zero is to me. All the little unresolved issues are just story threads that don't really matter either. I'm waiting for the meat with the real themes of the game.

It's kinda weird that I didn't get a new picture for this ending even though there was way more ending to it.

So far:

submarine - not an ending, annoying
coffin - not an ending, frustrating
safe - "story" ending, boring

So far the coffin path was the most interesting but most painful. I would have given this game a 6/10 and abandoned it for sure if I got the safe ending first. Also I hate Sudoku. Submarine ending is nonsense. If everything I'm expecting works out or my mind gets blown I'll go ahead and bump up that score a bit.

If you don't enjoy the True End, you have no salvation. Try to have some fun, you're finally in the last one.... I'd recommend watching the Axe/Knife ending in youtube before you do the True End(please watch the Axe end, it's short but delicious)

 

[Lumination]

Glad you decided to keep trucking on.

 

[The Awesomest]

It was a puzzle in the engine room.

Oh, I don't remember that one. Huh. Anyway, only one ending left! Hopefully this game can redeem itself in your eyes!

 

["God's Beard!"]

Oh, I don't remember that one. Huh. Anyway, only one ending left! Hopefully this game can redeem itself in your eyes!

The one where you have to put the pins into the holes unlocks a second part that's a sudoku puzzle. You have to convert F from hex and use the digital root as the sum of all the pins in every direction.

 

[The Awesomest]

The one where you have to put the pins into the holes unlocks a second part that's a sudoku puzzle. You have to convert F from hex and use the digital root as the sum of all the pins in every direction.

Ahhhhhh yes I remember it now. I hated that one.

 

[PK Gaming]

More or less.

impressive

Godspeed OP, i'm glad you stuck with the game

 

["God's Beard!"]

impressive

Keeping track of these things is the difference between knowing whether the game is inconsistent or I'm just an asshole. You have to pay attention if you're going to be negative or people will ignore you.

 

[AniHawk]

well, good luck with the true ending. maybe protect your room with plastic before it blows your mind.

 

[Jamix012]

My post probably got brushed over but I don't think, based on what you're saying, you'll get a lot out of this game from the true ending. If the safe ending didn't do it for you I fear the true ending will just frustrate you. I want to encourage you to try VLR because I feel it fixed a lot of the problems 999 had but I know that's somewhat unlikely if you didn't enjoy 999.

 

["God's Beard!"]

I'm not expecting the true ending to have much of anything to do with the presented story. I still think the characters and developments are pretty much garbage but I have high hopes for the overarching themes of the game and 4th wall parallels. It would add a lot of intention and thought to the game that I would appreciate. It would even be able to function as a sort of critique of the genre, with mixed success.

 

[hao chi]

Wait, what the fuck? Why does Snake have both his hands in fighting position in the ending? He shouldn't be able to move the fingers on his left hand.

Snake! SNAKE! snaaaaaaaaaaa


LOLOLOL

I'm pretty sure Snake's prosthetic arm is actually attached to his nerves and everything, so he can actually move it.

 

[GSR]

I'm not expecting the true ending to have much of anything to do with the presented story. I still think the characters and developments are pretty much garbage but I have high hopes for the overarching themes of the game and 4th wall parallels. It would add a lot of intention and thought to the game that I would appreciate. It would even be able to function as a sort of critique of the genre, with mixed success.

Without going into any sort of details I think you'll enjoy the true ending then. It does some very interesting things.

 

["God's Beard!"]

I'm pretty sure Snake's prosthetic arm is actually attached to his nerves and everything, so he can actually move it.

Really? I don't remember getting any particular information about it. Maybe if I had gone to the shower room.

 

[Hours Left]

Really? I don't remember getting any particular information about it. Maybe if I had gone to the shower room.

You didn't do room 3? You missed one of the most intense parts of the game.

 

["God's Beard!"]

You didn't do room 3? You missed one of the most intense parts of the game.

I was gonna go next, but it seemed like there was no way to go without repeating an ending.

 

[The Awesomest]

WELL don't fret over it, you can always get it if you feel like it after the True ending.

 

[toastyToast]

The Safe ending was way too fucking long and melodramatic

 

[Hours Left]

I was gonna go next, but it seemed like there was no way to go without repeating an ending.

The whole sequence leading up to, and during the room is just nuts. One of the most memorable parts of the game for sure, and that's saying something.

 

[hao chi]

Really? I don't remember getting any particular information about it. Maybe if I had gone to the shower room.

Well, it's just something I'm assuming based on the Safe ending and (can't really hint what this spoiler is about without spoiling it, but I hardly think it's a spoiler)

Spoiler

what they mention his job is in VLR.

 

["God's Beard!"]

I'm in the True Ending right now.

 

[The Awesomest]

I'm in the True Ending right now.

True True ending or Coffin section before True ending?

 

[Spierek]

Use the flowchart.

I recommend following these instructions and the ending guide for a much better experience.

I'm surprised to see that there's a lot of hate for the Coffin ending. This is the first end I've got during my playthrough and it mildly blew my mind - cool story elements are introduced but not properly explained, and exactly because the plot cuts off at a crucial moment, you know that there's much more to it than meets the eye.

Spoiler

You might counter-argument that logic with "b-but it's the cut-down version of the True End!", to which I would reply "yes, because that's the idea."

That's why if I had to suggest a first ending for someone who hasn't played the game yet, it would be Coffin end.

Use a FAQ, don't use a FAQ, you guys don't even know what's fun or not. Fuck it, I'm just gonna make random decisions based on things I didn't do before and reading the new story because so far this game hasn't rewarded thinking.

Come back and read this spoiler after you've finished the entire game, or at least have seen the true ending.

Spoiler

They're not exactly random, since being paired with certain people allows the story to unfold in various ways. If you're not watching someone, he might be doing other things behind the curtain. Also, when you finish a route, you get a short movie. There are two variants of those, and each one displays a set of doors that you have to go through to reach either Safe or True/Coffin end.

True True ending or Coffin section before True ending?

He's already seen the Coffin ending, so my guess is that it's the True True.

 

[ilikeme]

It never gets better, and the true ending is still the same style of writing. My opinion didn't change at all after seeing the end.

but I appreciate coherent storytelling and not infodump epilogues..

...yeah. I don't really think you'll fall deeply in love after the ending.

but I have high hopes for the overarching themes of the game and 4th wall parallels. It would add a lot of intention and thought to the game that I would appreciate.

Yeah, hope for some of this.

 

[Tenrius]

Well, it's just something I'm assuming based on the Safe ending and (can't really hint what this spoiler is about without spoiling it, but I hardly think it's a spoiler)

Spoiler

what they mention his job is in VLR.

You could have at least mentioned that this is from VLR.

 

[Tricky I Shadow]

Aww heeeeeeeeeelllllll no. FUCK.

I got another bad ending. It's even worse than the first one, because it didn't let me finish playing.

I found the box in the chapel and it just says "To Be Continued". Ain't that a bitch. Wouldn't even let me try to solve the puzzle(I would have at least tried converting NINE to hex). I didn't get to see what clover's note was, I didn't get to go back to the Captain's Room and grab the axe to rip down the other 9 door, and I didn't get to tell Santa to shoot June. I didn't even get to use my library card.

Even if I wind up being right, this game is still a ton of nonsense.

So the ending pictures I have now are the submarine and the coffin, and they both sucked. In the memories thing, I still have 5 unsolved rooms I guess.

Aaand I'm back to the beginning again. At least I got an ending this time, even if it was the sort of throwaway storytelling I was expecting on my first playthrough. A lot of boring revelations. I've been assuming that Santa is Zero now for a while for different reasons, but it doesn't really matter who Zero is to me. All the little unresolved issues are just story threads that don't really matter either. I'm waiting for the meat with the real themes of the game.

It's kinda weird that I didn't get a new picture for this ending even though there was way more ending to it.

So far:

submarine - not an ending, annoying
coffin - not an ending, frustrating
safe - "story" ending, boring

So far the coffin path was the most interesting but most painful. I would have given this game a 6/10 and abandoned it for sure if I got the safe ending first. Also I hate Sudoku. Submarine ending is nonsense. If everything I'm expecting works out or my mind gets blown I'll go ahead and bump up that score a bit.

I'm not expecting the true ending to have much of anything to do with the presented story. I still think the characters and developments are pretty much garbage but I have high hopes for the overarching themes of the game and 4th wall parallels. It would add a lot of intention and thought to the game that I would appreciate. It would even be able to function as a sort of critique of the genre, with mixed success.

The Safe ending was way too fucking long and melodramatic

I'm in the True Ending right now.

It's been 6 hours since he posted this.

Safe to assume he had a heart attack.

 

[BassForever]

I'm in the True Ending right now.

It's happening!

 

[Jintor]

I'm preparing myself for rage, personally. If he didn't enjoy the first bits, I don't think the ending saves it.

 

[Tricky I Shadow]

I'm preparing myself for rage, personally. If he didn't enjoy the first bits, I don't think the ending saves it.

Yep.

 

[MNC]

Oh jesus. I *JUST* finished 999 true ending and I was BLOWN away. Cannot wait to see what God's Beard is gonna post.

 

[aravuus]

Oh jesus. I *JUST* finished 999 true ending and I was BLOWN away. Cannot wait to see what God's Beard is gonna post.

Oh you asshole, stole my post! It was really, really fucking good, just.. Goddamn. I can certainly understand if someone dislikes the game, and the true ending, but my mind was blown. Really made you grin like an idiot when you start understanding what's going on.

Somewhat ot, what's the cheapest place to get VLR in europe? It's goddamn 60 euros in Finland which is way too much for a visual novel imo, even if it's mindblowing awesome fuck yes stuff.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Well the ending was pretty cute. It was certainly within the realm of my expectations for the story, and it's definitely more complete than the safe ending. The last few extra rooms were pretty cool except the fucking Sudoku coming back with a vengeance. The flip gimmick was nice, though.

All in all, this is where I thought they were going with the story side and it certainly wasn't mindblowing, but they didn't go at all into the meta stuff I was hoping for and using the game design as a major plot tool. Pretty much just Junpei pulling the coffin code out of the air, which was really disappointing. I was also annoyed that the last door was a q and not a 9, because it was arbitrary and actually didn't tie anything together. Worse is that it relies on Zero's speech over the intercom being text and it breaks the previously established themes of the double 9 doors being used to potentially save everyone and create regret.

What did tie things together at the end was the little voodoo doll nod. I really liked that, such a sweet moment to end the story on.

Overall, the true ending was pretty complete even if it didn't go as far as I was hoping. It works on a more basic level of storytelling so I can't hate it too much, but it also doesn't make up for the greater faults I have with the game.

7/10

It's been 6 hours since he posted this.

Safe to assume he had a heart attack.

Actually I was really tired and fell asleep during Santa's Workshop LOL

 

[Vibed]

impressions

So did you pick up on the reveal

Spoiler

that the whole game was through Akane's perspective on the bottom screen? During the Sudoku puzzle, the swapping of screens meant it was the first time you actually play as Junpei.

There were other small things that would have been cool to pick up on, like

Spoiler

how Akane's fevers were her getting burned up in the incinerator in a paradox bad ending

.

 

["God's Beard!"]

So did you pick up on the reveal

Spoiler

that the whole game was through Akane's perspective on the bottom screen? During the Sudoku puzzle, the swapping of screens meant it was the first time you actually play as Junpei.

There were other small things that would have been cool to pick up on, like

Spoiler

how Akane's fevers were her getting burned up in the incinerator in a paradox bad ending

.

Yeah I picked up on that. I had pretty much assumed that June was from somewhere outside the story during my second playthrough. About the same time I thought Ace was the killer and Santa was Zero.

 

["God's Beard!"]

There are characters in VLR named Luna and Quark? OMG

 

[Linkstrikesback]

I was also annoyed that the last door was a q and not a 9, because it was arbitrary and actually didn't tie anything together. Worse is that it relies on Zero's speech over the intercom being text and it breaks the previously established themes of the double 9 doors being used to potentially save everyone and create regret.

The 9/q thing only really makes sense in Japanese unfortunately, because q and "kyu" (nine in japanese) sound the same. I'm not sure how they could have explained it in English really.

 

[Requeim]

7/10

 

[The Awesomest]

Wait are you looking into VLR now?!

 

[Vibed]

9/q thing was changed to snake reading it on a tablet in the English version, but I think during a flashback they forgot to change it, so it shows Zero saying it over the intercom.

 

[SloaneRisette]

Wait are you looking into VLR now?!

It begins...

 

[Burnburn]

Yeah I picked up on that. I had pretty much assumed that June was from somewhere outside the story during my second playthrough. About the same time I thought Ace was the killer and Santa was Zero.

Santa ain't Zero my friend.

 

["God's Beard!"]

The 9/q thing only really makes sense in Japanese unfortunately, because q and "kyu" (nine in japanese) sound the same. I'm not sure how they could have explained it in English really.

Nice pun, still arbitrary.

Wait are you looking into VLR now?!

I'm just poking around to see what it's all about. I'm not hyped up or anything but I'm definitely interested to see how they've improved the game. Because 999 needed a ton of improvements.

Sorry, visual novels ain't gonna get 10/10 from me until it's some Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World-level shit.

Santa ain't Zero my friend.

I said that's what I was thinking at the time. And effectively there's really not a difference.

 

[Burnburn]

I said that's what I was thinking at the time. And effectively there's really not a difference.

Oh shit, I fail at reading.

I already thought it was weird you didn't pick up on that since Santa flat out tells you, lol.