9 R.I.P. Review (Nintendo Switch OLED)

9 R.I.P. Review, Over Our Dead Bodies – School Ghost Stories, Urban Legends, the Other Realm, and the Spirit World. Get spirited away to an alternate reality or uncover tragic and thrilling truths in the real world, offering a unique mix of horror and romance with 8 romance options to explore. Nightmare on Otome Street – For those wanting something a little spookier in their Otome, the School Ghost Stories route sees you trapped in a school where you hear whispers of gruesome murders that have occurred. The presence of ghosts won’t make this any easier. Can you survive, and maybe even find romance in the face of horror?

9 R.I.P. Review Pros:

  • Decent anime-like graphics.
  • 5.2GB download size.
  • 99 save slots.
  • Controller settings – you can remap the controls.
  • Game settings – skip mode, skip all, skip read, autos roll speed sliders. Text window, text speed, insanity catch, stop voice, love catch, change read text color, touch guide, flick guide opacity, and filter opacity.
  • Visual novel gameplay.
  • Game manual section.
  • The memory menu lets you view – photos, music, videos, voice, and glossary.
  • Japanese voice and English subtitles.
  • Touchscreen controls support.
  • Excellent voice work and soundtrack.
  • Interactions can be fast-forwarded, skipped, and set to auto-scroll.
  • Does this cool point of view change things so that key parts of a story will show your perspective and then swap it with the other people in the scenario perspective?
  • A very strong story that gets into it.
  • Multiple choice encounters and interactions.
  • Best played in handheld with headphones.
  • Fast loading times.
  • Highlighted words come up often and pressing a button will take you to the glossary to learn what they mean.
  • Has a Sixth Sense (movie) moment in the game.
  • At any time you can bring up a running commentary of what has been said and by who.
  • Quick save and quick load buttons.
  • You can take away all dialogue and icons on the screen.
  • Great looking locations.
  • The game is split into chapters.
  • You have a map that fills in with locations and at set times you can choose where to travel.
  • The text is very descriptive and this is mostly because there are no real animation or video-like sequences. Q
  • Story wise you are looking for answers and how you think and act in deductions and questioning will shape your journey.
  • Choices can sometimes show what part of your mind they affect.
  • Memorable characters.

9 R.I.P. Review Cons:

  • The Story is excellent but you do have a good opening chunk of dead story that isn’t really relevant and is kind of mundane.
  • Using the controller buttons is not as good as the touchscreen.
  • I found outside of key scenarios that the music was not great.
  • Your character is not voiced.
  • It is a slow-paced experience.
  • If you don’t pay attention you can lose the thread and getting it back is a lot of menu surfing and reading.
  • At times you get this super high-pitched noise.
  • If you leave the game to auto-scroll, the screen still darkens like it’s going to enter sleep mode.
  • Interactions in the game outside of scrolling are very minimal.

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9 R.I.P.:

Official website.

Developer: Idea Factory International, Inc. (ifi. games)

Publisher: Reef Entertainment

Store Links –

Nintendo

  • 8/10
    Graphics - 8/10
  • 7/10
    Sound - 7/10
  • 8/10
    Accessibility - 8/10
  • 7/10
    Length - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Fun Factor - 7/10
7.4/10

Summary

9 R.I.P. offers a visually appealing experience with its decent anime-like graphics and excellent voice work, complemented by a strong soundtrack. The game is a 5.2GB download and provides ample save slots, with 99 available. The controller settings are highly customizable, allowing players to remap controls to their preference. The game settings are extensive, including options for skip modes, text speed adjustments, and various visual and audio tweaks, enhancing the overall user experience. The visual novel gameplay is enriched by a detailed game manual and a memory menu that lets players view photos, music, videos, voice clips, and a glossary. The game supports Japanese voice with English subtitles and offers touchscreen controls, making it versatile in terms of playstyle.

The narrative of 9 R.I.P. is compelling, featuring a strong story that engages players deeply. The game includes multiple-choice encounters and interactions, which are best experienced in handheld mode with headphones due to the immersive audio and fast loading times. A unique feature is the point of view changes, allowing players to see key parts of the story from different perspectives. The game also includes a glossary for highlighted words, a running commentary feature, and quick save/load buttons, which add to the convenience and depth of the gameplay. The locations are visually impressive, and the game is divided into chapters, with a map that fills in as you explore and make travel choices at set times. The descriptive text compensates for the lack of animation or video sequences, making the story-driven experience rich and engaging.

However, 9 R.I.P. is not without its flaws. The story, while excellent, has a significant portion at the beginning that feels mundane and irrelevant. The touchscreen controls are superior to using the controller buttons, which can be less intuitive. Outside of key scenarios, the music can be underwhelming, and the main character is not voiced, which might detract from the immersion for some players. The game is slow-paced, and losing track of the story can lead to extensive menu surfing and reading to catch up. Additionally, there are moments of high-pitched noise that can be jarring, and if left to auto-scroll, the screen darkens as if entering sleep mode. Interactions outside of scrolling are minimal, which might not appeal to players looking for more dynamic gameplay.

In summary, 9 R.I.P is a visually and narratively rich visual novel with strong voice work and a compelling story. Its extensive settings and customizable controls enhance the player experience, though it suffers from some pacing issues and less engaging music outside key scenarios. The game is best enjoyed in handheld mode with headphones, offering a deeply immersive experience despite its slower pace and minimal interactions.

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!