Sometimes, the scariest thing in the world is figuring out your place in life. Throw in ghosts and the supernatural, and things can spiral into the downright terrifying. In the otome visual novel 9 R.I.P., protagonist Misa Isshiki combats the paranormal and her personal uncertainty. The game is a fantastic adventure for those who enjoy scares alongside romance, with a localization just in time for the spookiest month!
I’ll preface this review by saying that, given its mature and more horror-tinged tone, 9 R.I.P. isn’t for everyone. You should heed the game’s content warnings before playing, especially if accounts of bullying, harassment, gruesome acts of violence, and suicide are difficult. For my part, I’ll be honest and say horror isn’t exactly my favorite genre. I avoid it outright if given the chance. However, 9 R.I.P. has a good balance between romance and self-discovery, so much so that I wanted to play the game more often than not, especially once I got on track for better character endings. Despite my initial misgivings, that’s a testament to how compelling this game is. While specific route outcomes won’t appeal to everyone given events in them and personal preference, I don’t feel they’re in bad taste or that the VN is trying to be disrespectful to its audience, either.
9 R.I.P. shines in terms of its storytelling and characters. Misa is a likable protagonist dealing with a relatable dilemma as she struggles to figure out her goals after high school and how to broach the tentative subject to her loving-but-not-always-understanding family. The supporting cast of characters is quite fleshed out, including several female characters, which is odd in otome titles. The love interests all have interesting backstories and poignant moments during their given routes, and I enjoy seeing how their potential romances with Misa develop over their time spent together. I also like how the narrative perspective often switches from Misa’s to other characters, offering further insight into their thoughts and feelings during specific plot points. One of my favorite routes ended up being Hibiki’s, which I initiated in my playthrough knowing the game would need to be careful with how they approached it, given the subject material. His route surprised me by going in a different, believable, and more supportive direction than I initially expected. The fact that it boasts a wonderfully localized script with no discernible errors also helps the storytelling stand out.
9 R.I.P. plays much the same as any other traditional otome VN. The dialogue and text flow until you reach a decision or response point. However, there are two different types of decision points in this title. One impacts the affection levels of the love interests, while the other is an insanity gauge. Understandably, this gauge exists given many of the supernatural elements at play. If Misa’s insanity gauge gets high enough based on your responses, it significantly impacts how the story plays out. There’s also a third dialogue option available when you’re given free rein on a map to visit particular characters, allowing you to choose a topic of conversation to discuss with them. If you pick a topic that sparks their interest, it also impacts affection levels. I liked the high number of decisions available throughout each route, as it helps 9 R.I.P. feel like an interactive story.
The production value for 9 R.I.P. is relatively high, especially in its visual presentation. The character designer is Yuuya, the artist responsible for the very visually appealing look of Cupid Parasite. The game’s artwork is incredibly expressive and gorgeous to behold, as are the CG illustrations peppered throughout. Even minor characters, represented by purple silhouettes, have more life and expression than I’m used to with that silhouette artistic shortcut. The UI is lovely and very detailed, with clear indicators for what type of decisions you’re making. The backgrounds are vibrant and fittingly unsettling when necessary for the narrative setting.
The overall quality of 9 R.I.P.’s soundscape contributes to the game’s high production values. The voice acting for the characters is phenomenal, featuring a multitude of varying emotions depending on a given scene. Sound effects, like the tip of a sword dragging on the floor or footsteps in an otherwise empty hallway, are abundant and beautifully help set the stage. The music is quite fitting for any given scene, providing a degree of intensity during the game’s more disturbing scenes. The opening and ending vocal themes are also nicely done, adding to the VN’s impressive soundscape.
The game’s replayability is relatively high because 9 R.I.P. splits into four branch routes featuring a smaller pool of love interest storylines per branch. While you can play through already seen/unlocked routes using a handy story map, you need to be otherwise prepared to rely on the skip-read lines feature to access each of the four branch routes and when trying to find new character stories and scenes. Extras include a bevy of nice unlockables like movies and a CG gallery. The game allows you to manually save at any time, which is helpful when trying to pursue specific routes and endings.
I’m pleasantly surprised by 9 R.I.P., especially considering I was initially somewhat wary of it due to my horror aversion. Yet I found it to be, at its core, an excellent tale of self-discovery and romance with a supernatural element that helps make it a perfect Halloween treat. Given some of its subject material, it might not be for everyone, but those to whom it does appeal should find a compelling game to play with the lights either on or off!