9-nine-:Episode 4

9-nine has become one of my favorite VN series, and Episode 4 really sealed the deal. To me, it felt like the perfect conclusion to a long buildup. It was incredibly satisfying after how widely I spaced out my reading... Episode 4 really takes 9-nine to the next level, in form and layout. Noa felt like the perfect heroine to end on as well. While I prefer Haruka, the Noa gap moe is just too strong! I was pleasantly suprised to see a fresh, new remix on how 9-nine games typically work. This episode has the best fights, the most hype moments, and arguably the best romance as well. It really was the ideal final part to a game...

I never have too much to write for 9-nine games, since they are rather short, but I will say that the insert and the few new tracks are amazing. As for OP and ED, Dear My Waker and Be Braver! Are the best in the series for sure. (Save for maybe the Sora ED) Just incredibly hype tracks and an ending that makes you feel like laying in a field of sunflowers. I must say that I was incredibly impressed and feel complete. 9-nine is AWESOME and I can't wait to read Criminal Border from the same author.

BE WARNED: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS BLOOD/GORE
THE PEAK OF ACTION VISUAL NOVELS
This episode is very interactive: you have to take control in a lot of situations. Which also means it'll be easier to "feel" emotions and they are INTENSE. Bbe prepared to be traumatized in both good and bad way.

What was added (significant):
-Noa's extra cute portraits
-More BGM
-OVERLOAD

There's a part of a story that I feel like it's executed too slow, but other than that it is AMAZING.
Also, as you progressed, you will be really attached to Noa no matter what.

9-nine at it's peak, truly a banger of an episode.
9/10

Disappointing that all the translation and procedural issues have been retained.
Surprisingly, the story is much better than in the previous episode.
However, so much information pops up during the climax that it becomes dizzying.

Review is being written after reading Episodes 1-4, so no New Episode yet. This will also be extremely short so I don't go into spoiler territory too badly.

This is the best 9-nine- episode so far and - for the most part - answers the questions and wraps things up in an acceptable manner. However, due to the nature of the story itself regarding alternate worlds / time travel / time loops as well as power levels becoming unreasonable, depending on your ability to suspend your disbelief and / or your personal feelings regarding those types of stories this could end up being a bit disappointing. Personally I am mostly fine with the former, but the latter tends to leave me with a bad taste in my mouth. It tends to lead to a villain that no matter how it ends it is going to be a bit disappointing.

Positively, the characters are lovable and entertaining each in their own ways. This time (as opposed to Episode 3) it didn't feel as disjointed between the moe parts and the plot parts. Production values were pretty high, good OST / OP / ED songs, standard systems, 3 animated H-scenes in this title.

With all that said, I'd recommend this series to any VN reader who enjoys a decent plotge / moege mashup.

Here we are, the grand finale of the series. Episode 4 combines all the plot points from the 3 previous episodes into an emotionally gripping and heartfelt conclusion, kind of like the Infinity war and endgame of the series. The episodic format of the VN is what makes the build-up possible (more on that later).
Our first main character is Noa, the chunni, Lelouch wannabe of series. I have never enjoyed Noa's character until ep4, right when she drops her persona and reveals her more adorable, soft and affectionate side to Kakeru. She appears to be strong, righteous and independent throughout the series, yet we learn more about why her chunni persona was constructed based on her troubling past. The Order is stated time and time again to being the key in ending Iris, yet someone this powerful also possesses the most trauma and insecurities. Just as they did for Haruka in ep3, Noa undergoes meaningful character development that is also highly plot relevant.
Our second main character is our MC, Kakeru (ironic right?). He's been showcased as a loner with a heart of gold. Who treats his closest people with love and kindness. You can argue that ep1 2 and 3 have the same Kakeru, his circumstances change, but his character remains the same. Yet here, his resolve gets tested to it's absolute limits, teetering on the edge of insanity. I can't go in depth with Kakeru without talking about the the story and key gameplay elements, so SPOILERS AHEAD.
9-nine embraces save-scumming as one of it's key elements. Essentially, whenever a bad end appears, Kakeru rewinds time back to his last choice in order to create a new branch with a good end. Kakeru's relic, Overlord is essentially save-scumming as a superpower, allowing him to access and jump between different save files to kill Iris once and for all.
Normally, the purpose of save-scumming is to get yourself into the good end, it is presented as a superpower that is the magic solution to every obstacle. Yet here, the game does a 180 and flips this notion around, what if Iris were to also obtain her own Overlord? Well the result is one of the most depressing and onerous sequences that I've ever experienced, all previous bad ends pale in comparison to what Iris has achieved by possessing her own Overlord. Not only was Noa killed, but every other girl that we've known and grown attached to, was killed in every single branch, over and over again. It's like screwing up a game so bad that not even save-scumming will fix it and you'd be better of just giving up your current save.
Yet just when Kakeru is about to give up on his life and succumb to insanity, he was able to lock in and spend his time cooking up a plan to put an end to Iris. With his opponent being also able to rewind time, the stakes and scope of the battle is higher than ever, the final battle was the most engaged I've been in the entire series. Every ability, every bit of knowledge, every inch of the battleground was studied in order to bring Iris to exactly where he wanted her to be.
Still, how do you beat someone with Overlord, whom also possesses thousands of years of experience? Well the story presents the equalizer that overcome this seemingly impossible gap, the power of friendship. More specifically, the literal bonds that Kakeru has made throughout all the different branches with all the girls. In the final scene where all the girls across the different good ends move across time and space to help our Kakeru. No more learning about how our relics work and figuring out previously unresolved plot lines, there is only killing Iris and having the girls lending their powers to and cheering you on from the side. The game also has the awareness to occasionally poke fun of itself which I found amusing. Thematically, it makes sense for the series finale to be written this way. Do I think the final part of the climax was rushed? Yes, absolutely. Do I think they should have written an episode 5? I'm still split on that, perhaps combining the final battle with a longer epilogue for all the girls would have made for a great episode 5 and send off, but I'm still glad to have finished this series in here.
So what are my thoughts on the episodic format of the series? Were the devs just plain greedy? Or should they have released the a single game containing all of episodes? I would argue that, without it, my experience with the game would have been alot more jarring. Each episode plays its role in methodically establishing the series as a whole, making the series greater than the sum of it's parts. All in all, episode 4 is the ribbon that ties up every episode, while improving on every aspect of previous episodes. A must play for anyone looking for an emotionally gripping story and decently lovable characters.

Episode 4 was fantastic, it gave the series a great ending.