it was pretty hard to think this one over, but ultimately i think 999 is a game about purpose, and finding that said purpose in everything you encounter. what may seem like a fairly straight forward story at its roots, eventually blossoms into an ineffaceable tale that recognizes the joy of the mystery rather than the broader ideological themes a mystery may present. uchikoshi is a guy who likes to explore the inherent mystery within the mystery, which i really enjoy in this scenario. with each character having their own focus and suspicions, it’s extremely easy to lose yourself in these characters and the puzzles that follow suit not just in-game, but behind every bracelet-bearing personality as well. between the carefully thought out suspenseful puzzle rooms, colorful cast of characters, oppressive atmosphere, moody melodies, and the narrator’s almost overbearingly detailed descriptions, i found myself completely hooked. 999, for the most part, is a pretty cut and dry character driven adventure game that i can’t help but love.

i also really like sudoku.