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[Game overview]

Developer: parade

Publisher: MangaGamer

Genre: visual novel, psychological (horror), mature, adventure

Language: Japanese, English

[Story]

Best friends Daichi and Seiji set out on an almost too-good-to-be-true summer vacation, but it quickly turns into a nightmare…

Instead of the island paradise they were expecting, they find themselves trapped in a strange room and forced to participate in an incomprehensible "experiment". They'll have to play along to have any hope of escaping with their lives, but that means hurting each other and possibly destroying their friendship—and their minds—in the process.

While Daichi is quick to declare that he'd be just fine less one arm, and Seiji argues for the options that won't leave lasting physical scars, do they really understand the consequences? Can they survive the "experiment" and is survival alone enough?

[Review]

First of all, I just want to remind everyone that there are gonna be some major spoilers ahead, so keep that in mind before reading further.

(And, if you intend to play the game, make sure to read the warnings carefully. I believe Room No.9 is not just a casual game that anyone can enjoy.)

-Plot: The storyline of Room No.9 keeps things pretty straightforward and doesn't drag on for too long. But here's the thing: I don't see that as a downside. See, it's all about diving deep into the realm of "emotions" and "perception". What matters here is the internal changes within Daichi and Seiji and how they confront them, rather than searching for that shady organization. I think this plot and setting are very fitting because they intensify the sense of "helplessness" that seeps into every nook and cranny of the experience.

Now, having said that, if you're the type who's all about hunting down answers, itching to expose the wicked’s "crimes," or even desires a complex and mysterious plot, Room No.9 might not quite hit the mark for you.

-Writing style: I must say, I thoroughly enjoy the writing style of Room No.9, or in other words, I love Daichi's train of thought. The writer's comedic talent cleverly weaves in small details that make us laugh during the early days of the experiment (no matter how terrifying or bitter the situation was). As the story unfolds and Daichi's mental and physical states deteriorate, those moments of resigned laughter also gradually fade away. Another thing I like about Room No.9's writing style is how they maintain a sense of "helplessness" and "guilt" throughout the game, almost constantly. This could be influenced by my aroace identity, but despite the explicit and detailed nsfw scenes, they don't evoke any excitement or arousal. Only pain and helplessness remain, and I actually appreciate that. Lastly (but not yet finished because I still have other points to discuss below), I also like how the writer portrays the psychological changes in both of them: with some changes being readily apparent while others are more subtle and harder to discern.

And you, the player, have you noticed any changes in your own perception during the gameplay?

-Character development: Very endearing. The way the writer brings their long-standing friendship to life truly shines throughout the entire reading experience. I love Daichi and Seiji, their bond, their emotions, and the unspoken protection they offer one another. However, tragically, the very "protection" they hold dear, does it truly lead to the desired outcome when, ultimately, they both end up hurting each other (as well as themselves)?

The use of first-person narrative in Room No.9- from Daichi's point of view (except for a brief section from Seiji's perspective)- also provides a good experience because it means that all your thoughts and perceptions of Seiji are filtered through Daichi's lens. This narrative approach means that our understanding of Seiji is solely influenced by Daichi's perspective. As a result, Seiji may be really different from what you and Daichi think. This emphasizes that relying only on Daichi's account limits our complete understanding of Room No.9.

(This is also one of the aspects I like about the first-person narrative: You easily get carried away by the thoughts of a particular character, and momentarily overlook the limitations of a singular perspective. You may agree or disagree with that character, but ultimately, it instills in you a habit (or even a drive) to actively pursue alternate viewpoints from various angles, aiming for a more comprehensive understanding that extends beyond reliance on the storyteller alone, and that, my friend, is definitely a good thing.)

-GUI: Absolutely fantastic, excellent. The GUI of Room No.9 is somewhat similar to the GUI of euphoria (another game from the same parent company, CLOCKUP), but it surpasses it in terms of meticulousness and detail. Some notable examples are the ability to name or comment on save files and save favorite voice lines to listen to later (some rare features in other visual novels). The image settings are also well-implemented: you can toggle on/off disturbing or gory CGs, or- consider this as a warning in advance- scat.

I recommend taking a moment to go through the settings before starting the game for a better overall experience.

-BGM: Honestly, I still have quite mixed feelings about the BGMs of Room No.9. Fairly speaking, they are all very interesting and align with my taste if I were to listen to them as independent music tracks. However, I sense that not every track truly fits the atmosphere of the game, and at times, I feel they can be easily misunderstood. The reason I say they are not suitable (especially in nsfw scenes) is that they don't emphasize the boxiness and heaviness of the script. You can easily notice unexpected bright accents or the aggressiveness in the bass parts (which give a sense of being taken over by instincts - something I believe doesn't harmonize well with the context, but well...) This can make certain scenes resemble more of fap material. I'm not sure how you would perceive it, but for me, it's quite regrettable.

However, if we separate them from the script, the OSTs of Room No.9 are actually quite chill, aren’t they?

-Art: Beautiful. I don't have much to say about the artwork of Room No.9, except that the golden light shining on Seiji's bright-colored hair is some kind of black magic (?) that keeps me captivated (sorry for being overly obsessed). Absolutely gorgeous. From now on, that color palette will be mine (?).

-Do I want to replay Room No.9: I don't think so. No. There are certain stories that, once experienced, immediately beckon you to reread them (hopefully I'll have the opportunity to write about them in the future). However, there are others that don't elicit that same urge. Please note that this answer does not reflect my liking or disliking of the game. I just feel like Room No.9 is a unique and one-of-a-kind journey that doesn't/shouldn't need a second reading. The emotions of Daichi and Seiji, I have already felt them.

-Am I willing to recommend Room No.9 to you: No, but I certainly won't dissuade you if you're considering giving it a try. As mentioned, Room No.9 is quite heavy, so not everyone can appreciate it. And if what you're looking for are happy endings with romantic feelings and such, I regret to inform you that the game doesn't offer them. However, if you're seeking a delve into the torment and anguish that swirl within the characters' minds, rather than the typical expectations of an nsfw game, then, well, Room No.9 isn't a bad choice at all.

[Thoughts]

You might be thinking, "What? It's not over yet?" But honestly, this is just the beginning of my lengthy rant.

Consider the next part as an analysis of the entire plot. If you want to avoid spoilers and keep your own experience uninfluenced by my subjective perspective, I totally get it. Take a moment to decide if you want to keep reading.

(Edit: I've decided to trim it down and focus only on writing about the endings to make this less overwhelming. Honestly, I also wanted to write more about the development in between, but who would want to read a 10k-word essay about a porn game?)

(Mostly, it's just me sharing my thoughts, analysis, and personal speculation, so I can't guarantee if it truly aligns with the game's original intentions or if I'm simply overthinking things. But this is how I've interpreted Room No.9, and I want to share that with you.)

In the dev note of the game, they mentioned: "I had the chance to create three routes: one where Daichi is broken, one where Seiji is completely destroyed, and one where they can overcome it together."

However, I don't think it has to be set in stone like that because Room No.9 effectively conveys two key messages: when you cause harm to others, you end up hurting yourself as well, and the actions you believe can "protect" the other person actually corner them.

Because of this, it no longer matters who is the one being destroyed, and even in the route where both can overcome the experiment together, their souls have already received countless scars.

One important thing that I think you should also pay attention to is the triggering conditions for each ending, as it deepens their overall completion. Like other visual novels, you have to choose the right combination of options to reach specific endings, and what do those options mean? What message do they convey?

I've pondered that myself, and I've come to realize that it adds a great deal of depth to the game's endings. But it's pretty obvious, as Room No.9 puts emphasis on the "process" rather than the "result," doesn't it?

Aside from the common route (Route 0), the endings in Room No.9 are divided into three routes: Route 1 consists of Ending A, Route 2 consists of Endings B/C, and Route 3 consists of Endings D/E/F.

I cleared the game in the order of D -> C -> B -> F -> E -> A. I believe it's not a bad choice if you're looking for a reference.

-Ending D (Separation End): Both Daichi and Seiji managed to survive their 10-day captivity in room no.9, but afterward, they no longer had any contact with each other- they simply vanished from each other's lives.

To reach that ending, Daichi needed to choose to hold onto "logic" and "rationality" as much as possible. He believed it was the best thing for both himself and Seiji. Although Ending D was part of Route 3- where both could open up to each other more- I actually thought the keyword for Ending D was "denial." It was intriguing how choices based on "logic" and "rationality" led to an ending associated with "denial," right?

You might assume that Daichi and Seiji had completely different personalities, and on the surface, that was true. However, internally, they weren't all that different. The time they spent together, from elementary school to their university years, was evidence of this. I could sense the harmony in their thoughts and the changes they went through each day, which were more pronounced in Route 3.

Yet, in Ending D, Daichi actively denied that. He tried to deny his own self, and subconsciously, he ended up denying Seiji as well.

The increasingly severe tasks of each day changed Daichi's perception and reactions. He despised these changes, fearing they would ruin his friendship with Seiji. In an attempt to deny them, he unintentionally built an invisible wall that separated them in the end.

Just think, could Seiji truly open up to Daichi in that situation when "denial" had become deeply ingrained in Daichi's psyche? The one who had changed was not only Daichi, but Daichi had denied that all the same.

However, in Ending D, both of them bore all the wounds and torment within themselves, thinking it would be better for the other person. Even after completing the experiment and returning to everyday life, they still could not break down that wall. They continued to carry deep scars in their souls, with no means to express them to each other. And yet, Daichi still stubbornly believed it was the best way, causing the distance between them to grow wider and more bitter with each passing day.

Well, there you have it, Separation End.

-Ending C/B (Stay Behind End/Murder End):  These are the two endings of Route 2, where the triggers are mostly the same, except for the final choice of "I took Seiji's hands" and "I just lay there." Since Route 2 is quite straightforward, there isn't much more for me to write. However, here are a few lines:

In Route 2, Daichi became more honest with himself and did his best to treat Seiji with utmost care.

This time, he wanted to be a support for Seiji and took responsibility for Seiji's changes.

Isn't that a good thing?

Are you sure?

Well, in my opinion, Route 2, with the Murder End and Stay Behind End, brings about the most painful and powerless feelings in the entire game. The emotions and thoughts that changed every day made Daichi feel like the sole person responsible for everything. He believed he should pay the price for a mistake that wasn't even his own.

In Stay Behind End, Daichi (the player) made the choice to "take Seiji's hand" as a complete acceptance of all of Seiji's changes. He took it upon himself as his responsibility and vowed not to leave Seiji no matter what happened.

"That's why I decided to stay by his side. I will stay with him until the end of this, no matter how many months or years pass, or how far Seiji may stray." (Not the exact wording, I'm recalling it from memory.)

Daichi had set aside his own will for Seiji.

And then, Daichi spent all the following time spoiling Seiji, trying to "make up" for him.

They no longer cared about the experiment. They disregarded everything, from logic and habits to all the points they had accumulated from the tasks of previous days.

All they did was melt away in each other.

Although it's not explicitly mentioned or hinted at in the script, I've always had this thought that in Stay Behind End, both Daichi and Seiji would meet their demise.

Despite being very depressing, it is not an unfounded conclusion. Daichi and Seiji completely stopped completing tasks to earn points and returned to their everyday lives. Consequently, their accumulated points could only decrease over time (they still needed to exchange points for food). And since the assigned tasks would only get more challenging, there might have come a point where both of them awakened and wanted to return to the outside world, but it would have been extremely difficult for them to make it out alive.

Not to mention, did they even want to leave that room? Did they have enough mental capacity to contemplate whether they should leave or not?

If Daichi and Seiji ended up depleting all their points and starving together in that room, it wouldn't come as a surprise to me.

(This could very well be why the people in room no. 2 were trapped there for so long. It does make sense, doesn't it?)

In Murder End, Daichi (the player) chose to "just lay there." At that moment, he firmly believed that Seiji was no longer Seiji, and no matter how hard he tried, his words could not reach Seiji's mind. Seiji had lost his way, and Daichi was the one who had made everything turn out this way.

In both endings of Route 2, Seiji attempted to kill Daichi (the reasons were clearly written in the game, so I think there's no need to mention them again), but those attempts never succeeded. Unlike in Stay Behind End, where Daichi resolved to do everything for Seiji, in Murder End, Daichi believed that he needed to be stronger to accomplish what Seiji couldn't do.

From the note of Seiji's VA: "Well, anything is better than Suicid- wait, it’s Murder Ending, isn't it?"

I think, whether he said it unintentionally or not, aren't both of them the same? (This sentence can be interpreted in various ways, but this time, I'll leave it up to you to experience and interpret them on your own. Oh well, I should keep some excitement for you if you plan to play the game, right?)

I truly don't have much to say about Route 2 in general and Murder End in particular. It's not because I dislike them or don't feel anything from them, but I genuinely believe the writer has already captured everything that needs to be conveyed (or at least, that's how I personally perceive it). It may sound irresponsible, but I've decided not to write more as it would feel like simply retelling what unfolds in the game.

If you're curious, why not try reading Route 2 and see for yourself the destruction of both Seiji and Daichi? In my opinion, Route 2 is the most effectively conveyed one.

-Ending F/E (Friends End/Disappearance End): Similar to endings B/C, endings E/F share the same trigger conditions, with the only difference being the final choice between "Go home" and "Go to the police", both of which are part of Route 3.

Although they are both in Route 3- unlike in ending- in endings E and F, Daichi had opened up more and didn't let Seiji face those changes alone. He had placed more trust and reliance on Seiji. Daichi hadn't pushed Seiji into a corner, and because of that, Seiji hadn't been broken and lost all faith in himself. Daichi had shared feelings of guilt and helplessness with Seiji, and together, they had safely overcome the experiment and returned to their everyday lives.

So, what distinguishes Friends End from Disappearance End?

If you choose to "go home" (the reason will be explained by Daichi in the following dialogue), you will reach Friends End, which I consider the brightest ending in the entire game.

I'm truly satisfied with ending F- Friends End- because, how should I put it, even before playing Room No.9, I had hoped for an ending where they could still remain friends. Despite having carried scars that could never truly fade, they continued to face them together. I had hoped that after overcoming that challenge, their friendship would have grown even stronger, although it might have taken some time for both of them to gather enough courage to do so.

Both Daichi and Seiji had changed in a worrisome way, but they still wanted to overcome it together.

"Just that alone is enough to remind me that Seiji is still here.

That also means you're relying on me too.

I'm here, Seiji. Just like you."

The core of their pure feelings remained unchanged, and that is the most important thing.

They are still friends. They still want to continue being each other's friends.

If we ignore the fact that today is only September 1st, this is what makes me feel the warmest in the entire month.

Not everything has to turn into a romantic relationship (friendly reminder that Room No.9 doesn't have the romance tag). Romantic love is not the solution to everything, and there definitely won't be a story where "love cures." Honestly, if Room No.9 took that direction, I might not be able to read it with the same emotions I have now.

Thank you to parade for letting them be friends. I truly appreciate that.

If you choose to "go to the police," you will reach ending E - Disappearance End - but not necessarily so. After choosing "go to the police" for the first time, Seiji stopped Daichi and said that he definitely wouldn't go with him. At that moment, the choice between "go to the police" and "go home" appeared again. If you had still opted for "go to the police" at that point, you would have ultimately reached Disappearance End.

Seiji had completely disappeared from Daichi's life.

This ending is quite short and sudden (plus, it and ending D- Separation End- are the only two endings in Room No.9 without CG). So, at that moment, I couldn't fully grasp its meaning. However, upon deeper reflection, I began to understand a bit more about this ending and why Seiji chose not to involve the police and just simply left.

Seiji had realized early on that they wouldn't be able to expose that organization. Moreover, he would have had to confront and accept everything that transpired in that room: the harm he had caused Daichi and the harm Daichi had caused him. Both of them would have had to face that harsh truth in the cruelest way, and from that point forward, they would never have been able to see each other in the same light as before.

Daichi's choice had marked the end of their relationship.

When Seiji had realized he couldn't stop Daichi, it had also been the moment he had decided to disappear from Daichi's life, to disappear from Daichi's life before they were further consumed by the abyss of despair and guilt.

I don't think it's too bad to unlock ending F before ending E because, after reading ending F and witnessing the silent efforts from both sides, the suddenness of ending E would hit even harder.

-Ending A (Abuse End): I confess, up until now, I've been torn between wanting to write about Abuse End and not wanting to. But in the end, the feeling of "I need to write about it" has won, so here I am.

According to the dev note, Route A is the route where Seiji is completely destroyed. However, I believe it goes beyond that. It's not just Seiji who got destroyed, but also Daichi. Both of them had lost their way to the extent that there seemed to be no path of return.

To reach Ending A, Daichi (the player) had to choose all the options that obeyed their instincts and awakened that… instincts of them.

Daichi had a painful past where abusive parents constantly abused him. It was painful to see how Daichi had come to accept the notion that "victims of abuse are likely to become abusers in the future." He had internalized that mindset from a young age, so throughout his growing years, Daichi had always tried to keep himself from falling into the same pattern as his parents.

But fate had thrown him and Seiji into this cruel abyss.

Witnessing his own changes, Daichi had bitterly "accepted" that perhaps he would forever remain the trash of society, just like his parents. No matter how hard he had tried, he couldn't escape that rotten core within himself.

It also signified the moment when neither of them could escape from room no.9.

Indeed, even if they were to successfully complete the experiment and return home, their minds and consciousness would forever remain trapped within room no.9.

The game made this quite clear: The screen displayed the message "Day 11," which was when I knew that there was no turning back for both of them.

Both Daichi and Seiji, they had both been utterly destroyed.

Truly depressing.

[Conclusion]

To be honest, I still want to continue writing about Daichi, Seiji, and their days inside room no.9. Just a little rambling about the endings like this isn’t enough-

Alright, I apologize. I know this has already become too long, but let me rant a little more.

Daichi and Seiji were truly in tune with each other. That's why as readers, as outsiders, we could see how their inner changes mirrored each other to such an extent. I believe the game's endings also serve as evidence of this.

There's one more thing, I hope you'll pay attention to the fact that the more the story progressed, the less they communicated with each other. That conveys a certain message, but I'll let you experience it for yourself.

Regardless of the route or ending, there's no scenario where both of them could overcome everything and continue on in blissful ignorance as if nothing ever happened. Room No.9 revolves around feelings of torment and guilt, so happy and satisfying endings simply don't exist.

Room No.9 is a rather heavy journey, but it's also interesting and can manage to hold your attention for a good while. The highlight of the game, for me, is the interesting writing style and the way it creates an incredible atmosphere.

To sum it up, if you're seeking something light and entertaining for a relaxing experience, Room No.9 might not be your cup of tea. However, if you (like me, a bit of a weirdo) enjoy delving into pain and enjoy pondering over the smallest details, then Room No.9 might... No, actually, I don't know what else to say about it. I don't even know if I should recommend the game to you, but hey, I'll leave that decision up to you.