Aksys Calls 999 for Western Translation

These are good times to be a DS-owning fan of rich adventures, with RPGs falling into your lap every five minutes. What about a less battle-oriented title, though? Aksys may have just the thing, as it's announced it will be translating Chunsoft's adventure title 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors.

A combination of text adventure, puzzle and room escape, 999 follows nine characters whose lives all depend on each other. It seems hard to explain, but Aksys man Ben Bateman does a bang-up job:

999 is a game that simulates life, or at least it would if your life was about being trapped on a sinking ship and forced to complete a series of incomprehensible puzzles before your practically inevitable death. It is about relationships, and how they will ultimately kill you. There is also some blood, and an ax, so if you've always wanted some blood and an ax in your life, there you go. But what really brings 999 to life are the people who inhabit it. You will learn to care for them; to feel as though you are there and they are your friends, and then they will die because you made the wrong choices. Just like in real life.

You can't help but fear for Mr Bateman's friends, but the premise sounds intriguing and there's no such thing as too many DS adventure games. There's currently no information on when 999 will find its way to retail, but for now have a look at these screenshots and try to answer Junpei's question, "what's up with my face?"

Time is ticking, the water is rising, the doors won't budge...

Torrance, CA (July 1, 2010) - Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products, announces the horror visual novel, Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, for the Nintendo DS®.

Junpei, a fairly normal college student finds himself involved in a deadly conspiracy that he couldn't have possibly imagined. He awakes aboard an old passenger ferry, dazed and confused he stumbles around the room trying to reclaim his memories. First thing he noticed was a number roughly drawn on the cabin's door... A bright red number 5.

Junpei's memory then returned and he remembered what happened right before becoming unconscious! A mysterious person with a gas mask crossed his mind. He remembered the haunting words he spoke, "I'm gonna make you play the game... the 'Nonary Game' ... the game of life or death".

"We've decided to call 999 an 'Adventure' game," say Ben Bateman, Localization Editor, Aksys Games, "but I don't really feel that's entirely accurate. 999 is a game that simulates life, or at least it would if your life was about being trapped on a sinking ship and forced to complete a series of incomprehensible puzzles before your practically inevitable death. It is about relationships, and how they will ultimately kill you. There is also some blood, and an ax, so if you've always wanted some blood and an ax in your life, there you go. But what really brings 999 to life are the people who inhabit it. You will learn to care for them; to feel as though you are there and they are your friends, and then they will die because you made the wrong choices. Just like in real life."

Key Features
· Nine Hours
You only have 9 hours before Junpei and the other 8 kidnapped drown. Numerology,
music composition and logic puzzles are just a few of the 32 + obstacles that stand in the way of their freedom. You must use everything in your environment and personal experience to get out!

· Nine Persons
Uncover the mystery surrounding the lives of the 9 captive characters and how their blurry pasts reveal a disturbing future. Help all the characters escape but beware! A wrong decision or careless mistake might put their lives in jeopardy. Experience all 6 + endings that are determined by the way you play!

· Nine Doors
Each hostage is cursed with a digital watch that displays their special number. These numbers are the keys to unlocking the 9 doors. Explore your surrounding for clues to unlock the next door by picking up and examining objects in the different environments. Create new tools by combining like objects to get out of dangerous situations
and deadly door puzzles!