Room No. 9
- August 7, 2020
- parade
- 5h median play time
"Room No. 9" is a single-player erotic visual novel game with a delightful yet highly emotional story. Best friends Daichi and Seiji are trapped in a mysterious room and forced to participate in a disturbing experiment to survive, putting their friendship and minds to the test. The game offers customizable display options for a personalized experience.
PC
Reviews
- The game features stunning art and excellent voice acting, enhancing the immersive experience.
- The characters, Daichi and Seiji, are well-written and their relationship evolves throughout the game, providing depth to the narrative.
- The game successfully creates a tense atmosphere, keeping players engaged with its psychological horror elements and unexpected plot twists.
- The game is relatively short for its price, leaving some players wanting more content and depth in the story.
- Many players found the lack of meaningful choices disappointing, as the game often feels linear despite its multiple endings.
- The themes of non-consensual acts and psychological trauma may be off-putting for some players, making it unsuitable for those seeking a traditional romance.
- story64 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story is a mix of intriguing character development and dark themes, often described as more focused on the characters' relationships than a traditional narrative. While some players found the plot engaging and emotionally impactful, others felt it lacked depth and was overshadowed by its erotic elements. Overall, it offers a unique experience that blends psychological horror with character-driven storytelling, though expectations for a conventional romance should be tempered.
“The story had me hooked, and I just wanted to know what messed up thing was going to happen next.”
“The plot is great for what it is, and I was pleasantly surprised by that; you can tell the people making this really enjoyed what they were creating.”
“I don't remember the last time I've ever felt so involved with a story; I just couldn't stop reading.”
“Also don't expect much out of it in terms of story; it's very much character and scene driven.”
“The storyline had a lot of potential that was wasted.”
“The whole thing was basically a porno with no story.”
- music20 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many users praising its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere. While some noted that it may not be particularly memorable, it effectively complements the game's tone and emotional depth, with several expressing a desire for an official soundtrack release. Overall, the sound design, including voice acting and ambient tracks, is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the immersive experience.
“The music and sound design are really well done.”
“The music is great and complements the tone of the game well.”
“The soundtracks fit the context quite well; there's a menu track that always sends a chill down my spine, marvelous!”
“I'm honestly appalled there isn't an OST release with this game; it needs it.”
“The only technical issue I had was that four of the end credits wouldn't show for me; I just get the music and a black screen.”
“Hoping to purchase the OST if they ever release it.”
- emotional18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is deeply polarizing, eliciting strong reactions ranging from discomfort to profound sadness. While it explores dark themes and morally questionable content, it also features compelling character dynamics that can evoke genuine emotional responses, including tears and feelings of emptiness. Players seeking a wholesome narrative should be warned, as the game is more focused on psychological horror and complex, often disturbing relationships.
“Made me cry.”
“It's a refreshing, unique, focused and emotional psychological horror - one which I think will play on your mind after you finish it.”
“I had my laughs, my moments in pain, and even moments where I cried.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their impressive and aesthetically pleasing art style, featuring well-drawn sprites and detailed character designs. While the visuals include graphic content, players appreciate the options to customize their experience, such as blurring or hiding intense scenes. Overall, the artwork is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal, despite some discomfort with certain depictions.
“The art is really quite impressive as well, it's a very aesthetically pleasing game.”
“The sprites are very well drawn, the art style is pleasing and very clean.”
“I love the story and for the artwork and story alone I feel it's worth the asking price.”
“The story-telling, graphics everything.”
“I appreciate the amount of detail displayed in CGs, though some visuals may be unpleasant to watch.”
“There are a lot of options to set your preferences regarding sounds, visuals and playstyle.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the gameplay for its engaging narrative and strong artistic elements, but many express a desire for more freedom of choice and longer playtime, as the current experience is relatively short at around 5.5 hours. Suggestions for future DLC include adding more interactive choices to enhance the challenge and depth of the story. Overall, while the gameplay is well-received, there is a call for greater complexity and exploration.
“Ending F is the best and true ending, I think, but I still hope there will be some DLC that can give us more freedom of choice, like actually picking which choices we want and which roles need to be punished. That would be quite fun and make the story and gameplay more challenging.”
“I was hoping for a dark 'Dream Daddy' where there are constant choices being made, allowing players to experience a wider scope of the story, like peering into other rooms and getting more gameplay and psychological horror out of it.”
“The gameplay, art, and voice acting did a great job in this game.”
“I was hoping for a dark Dream Daddy where there are some constant choices being made, allowing players to experience a wider scope of the story, like peering into other rooms and getting more gameplay and psychological horror out of it.”
“Short gameplay, about 5.5 hours, even with skipping the dialogue.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Room No. 9" is characterized by a serious and dark tone, contrasting sharply with more comedic titles like "Hadaka Sh1tsuji." The game effectively blends moments of chill adventure with sudden shifts into terror and confusion, enhanced by a fittingly melancholic soundtrack. While some scenes may feel like filler, they contribute to the overall depth and immersive quality of the game's atmosphere.
“If you want to play a visual novel with a dark atmosphere and a lot of intriguing scenarios, try this game.”
“The writers have done a fantastic job with the atmospheric elements, and I love the switch from a chill, happy adventure that quickly becomes a mess of terror and confusion, where you, the player, are trying to work out what's going on as much as the characters are.”
“The OST is good too, kind of depressing; however, that suits the atmosphere.”
“There are scenes that might appear to be filler just to make the game longer that, in my opinion, add depth and atmosphere to the game.”
“I'm a big fan of Hadaka Shitsuji and its comedic wackiness and craziness, but Room No. 9 is very different in tone and atmosphere, with a more serious or even realistic tone.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is derived from the absurdity of the situations rather than traditional comedic elements, often resulting in a twisted, darkly amusing experience. However, some players found the over-the-top drama to be more tedious than entertaining, leading to mixed feelings about the overall effectiveness of the humor.
“The abnormality of the situation is funny in a twisted way.”
“The endings left me skeptical at best and frankly laughing at how over the top and overtly dramatic they were.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
While the game offers some replayability through occasional changes in text and details upon subsequent playthroughs, many users feel that the overall replay value is limited, often leading to similar experiences despite minor variations.
“Even if you end up with the same ending, the text will occasionally change to mention a detail you hadn't unlocked before, adding some replay value even if it's just a line or two.”
“The game offers multiple paths and choices, ensuring that each playthrough feels fresh and engaging.”
“With various character interactions and story branches, I find myself coming back to explore different outcomes every time.”
“Even so, the replayability isn't great.”
“Even if you end up on the same ending, the text will occasionally change to mention a detail you hadn't unlocked before to give it some replay value, even if it might just be a line or two.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is generally well-received, with users praising the realistic dialogues and character reactions, enhanced by strong voice acting. However, the enjoyment of steamy scenes is subjective, depending on individual preferences for the horror elements and fetishes presented.
“I found the dialogues and reactions of the characters to be mostly very realistic, also added onto by the great performance of the voice actors.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for misleading advertising, which has led some players to feel deceived and request refunds that were denied due to playtime. This dissatisfaction highlights concerns over transparency and the game's portrayal of sensitive content.
“I'll be honest though, I wouldn't have bought this if the advertising wasn't so misleading.”
“The advertising for this game is so off-base that I actually requested a refund, but it was denied due to my playtime (searching for a good ending + it runs in the background if you press Esc).”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the character designs are praised for their aesthetic appeal, there is no substantial commentary on the depth or progression of character development within the game.
