Funny, I was literally just thinking of this game a few days ago. Told my mate that I should really look it up and see if there were any updates...on the day it updated, lol. Considering the nature of this game I have to have a good laugh at that. Looking forward to reading the conclusion.
So my theory is that it all start where the vn starts with you and kurt going into the tunnel however since there are two almost identical worlds. world a and world b and lets just say your world a. Ok so you and kurt go into the tunnel now as explained the bunker or tunnel is a gate way which means when you go in there you join the other eorld as a duplicate hence why you died yet you were alive so now there are two of you in world b one is dead and one is alive (i still cant explain kurt though if theres one or two of him idk) now we go on to met fisher who like his power over both world because you cant pretty much alter what you want by changing the dominate world and you are preventing his power in that as you had tried to kill him in revenge for your father in world b the dead you so you pretty much go on in world b for a bit despite that you belong in world a because the tunnel is locked up and your stuck there so you go on talking with the people and having pretty much no memory of anyone and i suppose to not ruin the world you put under a different name david who doesnt really exist and was just kurt making up excuses or smth (my minds a bit foggy at parts) but anyways here where things get confusing where you pretty much break things you basically step too far at somepoint and that is when you basicly kiss Ian and you get trapped in a mirror world (or the mirror world is just world a and b) where your stuck in a semi timeloop your day repeats and acts like you were never there while you remember everything but they dont which you use to figure out whats going on and answer your questions to finally meet kurt or a duplicate and you goback through the tunnel to get out of the mirror world or out of the other world breaking part of the cycle and then you kill your grand father so he stopping being an asshole and he explains he was doing what he wanted and altering the world *** sorry this is messy and confusing im kinda confused too i might go back and re read it to get abetter understanding but im sure someone may have a better theory then me all i know for sure is the tunnel has to do with everything and is the switch between the worlds ***
Damn, did I really wait one and a half years for this visual novel to be finished? Yes. I did. But the Lord is my witness, have I had to wait fifteen years for this to be completed I would be still as grateful and happy as I am this fine afternoon. There are some video games that stick to you, like some sort of seasonal flu or a cold. After you play them, or well in this case, read them, you become so focused on them that your life just seems to go by as if it were completely indifferent to you leading it. Yes they leave such an impact, and for a good reason, they have actually got things to say, ideas to convey, or maybe the play on your heartstrings like an angel playing a lute, helping you in your emotional life. Well truth be told, I seek out these games. They are few and far between like an oasis in a desert or a pearl in a clam colony. You can only really find these if you sift trough everything. Or by sheer and utter luck like I seem to do it, no clue how this stuff happens. Anyway, so I have seen some diamonds among the coal, gold among pyrite, that stuff. I long for the thrill of experiencing these and finding more on the way. So, I come across this game, 9:22, the details of how I got here are unimportant and quick forgotten, they were only a hindrance in my side in the journey of getting to know this visual novel. My first reading of it is done. I am taken back and disconnected. How come that someone dedicates his lived experiences and writing knowledge and pours it out as if it were porridge, for us all to enjoy? How come that the characters all feel like they have been chipped away and formed for ten thousand years by an all knowing and understanding hand? How come the happening all feel right, and the mystery grows on our backs like moss from a cave wall, with curiosity that we feel even after we are long done with reading through all this? How come this visual novel exists? Well, I checked, and the latest blog post said the game is still being worked on, the next update will include the whole story, all packaged in. So I checked again some weeks, maybe months later. I checked and I checked again, almost religiously, not dissimilar to how a worried mother checks on if her offspring is still sleeping. I saw the upcoming posts. About how things were going. They gave me a piece of mind and rekindled my hope all the time. And then this dreaded, but awaited day came. So I gave it another read. Yes, from the beginning, all at once, not in one sitting. The story that was in the old parts was sweet. It reminded me of better times, and the feelings I had amassed reemerged, all of them, gradually and not long after came the new parts, and they were absorbed into me. The feelings, the ideas, all of them happened to flood all of the different parts of my brain with such power that not even the great Noah of old could have saved my bad thoughts and feelings, they were the first to be wiped clean as if it was done with divine intervention. It gave me joy, reading this. The interactions between the characters gave me life. The mystery and grand story line was the salt of my existence in those moments. It was a grand experience like no other. As I reach the end of this, what do I even say, writing about this visual novel, and my metaphors and thankful remarks run dry I will make things clear. I am very grateful that you worked on this hard to make it the best you could so we all can enjoy this. It was a real pleasure to read through it, and I am satisfied. I am glad this visual novel exists.
I loveeeed this story so much, I picked it up back when we hadn't even been on the run yet and to come back later and see it all pay off was such a treat. Fantastic work!! Trying to keep things as spoiler free as possible, the ONLY thing I wish got more resolution was Kurt- I understand aspects of his deal, but with the ending especially I was left wondering a lot about what was going on with him/what became of him as well as his relationship with Spencer. Otherwise, no complaints- thank you Cockhole, so glad to see this finished!!
I will say 10 out of 10 FVN good story that keeps you confused and on your toes but comes together to explain it all at the end. The characters and the art style all work great together with the only mystery left being what happens to everyone after. (sorry for not being a long post im tired its late and i just finished the novel needed to say smth)
I wanted to write a comprehensive review for 9:22, since it has rapidly become my favourite VN since I first read it.
It's difficult to talk about 9:22's story without wading into spoiler territory, and the aforementioned story is all over the place, but in a good way! It's a perfect blend between confusion and mystery that keeps you constantly engaged throughout. During my read, I was constantly theorising and thinking about what was going on and why and what it meant and I was invested from the beginning to the very final moment.
Spencer is definitely my favourite protagonist of any VN I have read. He's relatable and realistic: tired, cynical, gay, and arguably not the greatest of people with his own share of problems. It's that realism that makes him so interesting - he's not just a blank slate made to carry the story forward nor a self insert for the reader, he stands out as his own character among the rest of the cast with his own personality. Speaking of, the main cast of the VN is similar, they are all both visually and behaviourally distinct from one another and support the very real and natural feeling of the dialogue that shows how well written this novel is and makes it an absolute delight to read.
My final point to mention and personal favourite part of the novel is it's effective use of the medium. I have read many visual novels that can be described as stories that have music, sound and character sprites simply alongside them, but 9:22 is a brilliant example of one that uses it's nature as a visual novel to boost the entire experience. Sound and animation are used perfectly, and even subtler details like body language and eye movement of characters convey emotions and other details that would have a significantly reduced impact if they were described by words instead. It is because of this that I think one of 9:22's major strengths is its harmony with it's medium that, in my opinion, would make the entire experience far more inferior if it was presented in any other medium.
Ultimately, 9:22 is a novel with a wonderfully well crafted and open ended story, supported by believable and great characters and fantastic usage of the medium that work in tandem to make an unmatched experience that I wholeheartedly recommend. 5 stars.
What a lovely mind bending story with delightful CGs and sprite work sprinkled throughout. Having jumped on board around v0.4 I can say it's been well worth the wait to see it finally finished, thanks for the wild ride!
Usually visual novels are not something I spend my afternoons on, but a little coy peer pressure can sometimes push me out of my comfort zone. There's never something that can't have a fun spin on it when you're with the lads, earlier this year was a golly good time with the likes of Angels with Scaly Wings and I Wani Hug that Gator!.
I stumbled upon 9:22 alone though, I then entertained the idea to read it alone. Like any good piece of thriller media I'd opine that it is better to enjoy it by yourself so you could take it and process it with minimal distractions.
I typically avoid furry VNs, or most VNs in general as I established. They usually put too much emphasis on the romance aspect and it is especially wanting when it comes to authors struggling on whether or not to make it a dating simulator. It is a shame considering that there can still be good stories in those, but they often seem to be undermined by a character relationship that I personally could care less about.
At least that's what I hear from another friend who is really into the bloody things. Not to shame on him though, he's a cool guy.
This one however, 9:22, is actually quite a unique tale. It wastes no time in establishing the characters, seeding the mystery, and taking a seemingly simple idea and deconstructs it into tiny little pieces, ultimately making it sensibly complicated. It lays out every piece of the puzzle throught the narrative to which the protagonist carefully puts back together, but not without its challenges. This is my favorite aspect of any good thriller story.
Chapter after chapter only left me with more questions, it is a level of intrigue so daunting that I even doubted the main character in the middle of it. Maybe he really was crazy, maybe the substances he was taking might have gotten the better of him, negatively influencing his resolve. Maybe his newfound buddy did something to him. Or maybe he just needed a good night's sleep.
If the VN had ended on 0.9 perhaps the author would have left us with one of the greatests cliffhangers of our time, or perhaps a very well elaborated open ending for fans to theorycraft for many years to come. I have never felt a sense of anticipation for a visual novel before, it is remarkable what good writing can grant, I would even consider it impactful. It is not often that I give something like this such a quality.
The final update eventually did come out and that alone is an achievement that the author should be proud of, not many others manage to tie up loose ends for projects like these. I can confidently say the ending still left me with questions, but at least it was satisfying enough to me, the protagonist managed to accomplish something completely unexpected after all, complete with foreshadowing.
Though I do have some criticisms. I do not like that some events go out of sequence just to then bounce back to continuity either immediately, or way later on. It confuses me considering the plot already demands that you keep track of each succession and occurrence as they happen, especially given how precarious the events are.
I get it that by design we the readers must be as confused as the protagonist given we are in his shoes, but I feel like there is a better way of handling it by keeping it all in order. There is still enough here to twist the mind of the reader without having to splice one timeline over the other, but in the end I suppose it might just be a my personal inconvenience.
The somewhat immature scenarios involving the college juvenile raunchy life is not my thing either. But they are coming from the perspective of a teen lifestyle from the late 2000s, in a backwater corner of America no less. So at least it is not out of place, it is rather appropriate, even.
I can still emphasize with that aspect despite having comparably faint experiences with it when I was Spencer's age, I have at least heard many stories from my friends which claim to have gone through similar phases through their own early years. I can then still affirm that it makes the story feel that much more real.
Anyway, these have been my thoughts, opinions, ramblings, whatever you name it. 9:22 is a one of a kind visual novel that perhaps everyone should take a dip into, and maybe they'll find something in it that could potentially put them to think throughout the waking hours. There is nothing quite like it, and I once again hope that the author is greatly filled with pride for the outstanding work he has done here.
Just finished reading rn 2:06 am... I have tests tomorrow but this VN is worth it ^^ really loved the story and God I wish there's more, I had some headaches at some parts trying to piece everything together hahaha and when the reveals came I was just like... "Oooooh... I did not expect that" 100/10 amazing story
Wonderful ending, with the perfect amount of confusion. Worth the god damn wait, this might just be one of if not the best vns I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Hats off to you and I am very happy that this VN wasn't abandoned after all this time.
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my first time playing since the full release, notes until now: andrew is cute :3 spencer too
my brain hurts and the damage feels irreparable...I love it
Funny, I was literally just thinking of this game a few days ago. Told my mate that I should really look it up and see if there were any updates...on the day it updated, lol. Considering the nature of this game I have to have a good laugh at that. Looking forward to reading the conclusion.
Holy shit.
I definitely only understood like half of it lol can someone explain their theory
Spoiler warning:
So my theory is that it all start where the vn starts with you and kurt going into the tunnel however since there are two almost identical worlds. world a and world b and lets just say your world a. Ok so you and kurt go into the tunnel now as explained the bunker or tunnel is a gate way which means when you go in there you join the other eorld as a duplicate hence why you died yet you were alive so now there are two of you in world b one is dead and one is alive (i still cant explain kurt though if theres one or two of him idk) now we go on to met fisher who like his power over both world because you cant pretty much alter what you want by changing the dominate world and you are preventing his power in that as you had tried to kill him in revenge for your father in world b the dead you so you pretty much go on in world b for a bit despite that you belong in world a because the tunnel is locked up and your stuck there so you go on talking with the people and having pretty much no memory of anyone and i suppose to not ruin the world you put under a different name david who doesnt really exist and was just kurt making up excuses or smth (my minds a bit foggy at parts) but anyways here where things get confusing where you pretty much break things you basically step too far at somepoint and that is when you basicly kiss Ian and you get trapped in a mirror world (or the mirror world is just world a and b) where your stuck in a semi timeloop your day repeats and acts like you were never there while you remember everything but they dont which you use to figure out whats going on and answer your questions to finally meet kurt or a duplicate and you goback through the tunnel to get out of the mirror world or out of the other world breaking part of the cycle and then you kill your grand father so he stopping being an asshole and he explains he was doing what he wanted and altering the world *** sorry this is messy and confusing im kinda confused too i might go back and re read it to get abetter understanding but im sure someone may have a better theory then me all i know for sure is the tunnel has to do with everything and is the switch between the worlds ***
Holy Fuck that Was Intense!! You are a God!! I'm Gonna Go Throw Up Now.. 5 Stars!!
Damn, did I really wait one and a half years for this visual novel to be finished? Yes. I did.
But the Lord is my witness, have I had to wait fifteen years for this to be completed I would be still as grateful and happy as I am this fine afternoon.
There are some video games that stick to you, like some sort of seasonal flu or a cold. After you play them, or well in this case, read them, you become so focused on them that your life just seems to go by as if it were completely indifferent to you leading it. Yes they leave such an impact, and for a good reason, they have actually got things to say, ideas to convey, or maybe the play on your heartstrings like an angel playing a lute, helping you in your emotional life.
Well truth be told, I seek out these games. They are few and far between like an oasis in a desert or a pearl in a clam colony. You can only really find these if you sift trough everything. Or by sheer and utter luck like I seem to do it, no clue how this stuff happens. Anyway, so I have seen some diamonds among the coal, gold among pyrite, that stuff. I long for the thrill of experiencing these and finding more on the way.
So, I come across this game, 9:22, the details of how I got here are unimportant and quick forgotten, they were only a hindrance in my side in the journey of getting to know this visual novel. My first reading of it is done. I am taken back and disconnected. How come that someone dedicates his lived experiences and writing knowledge and pours it out as if it were porridge, for us all to enjoy? How come that the characters all feel like they have been chipped away and formed for ten thousand years by an all knowing and understanding hand? How come the happening all feel right, and the mystery grows on our backs like moss from a cave wall, with curiosity that we feel even after we are long done with reading through all this? How come this visual novel exists?
Well, I checked, and the latest blog post said the game is still being worked on, the next update will include the whole story, all packaged in. So I checked again some weeks, maybe months later. I checked and I checked again, almost religiously, not dissimilar to how a worried mother checks on if her offspring is still sleeping. I saw the upcoming posts. About how things were going. They gave me a piece of mind and rekindled my hope all the time. And then this dreaded, but awaited day came.
So I gave it another read. Yes, from the beginning, all at once, not in one sitting. The story that was in the old parts was sweet. It reminded me of better times, and the feelings I had amassed reemerged, all of them, gradually and not long after came the new parts, and they were absorbed into me. The feelings, the ideas, all of them happened to flood all of the different parts of my brain with such power that not even the great Noah of old could have saved my bad thoughts and feelings, they were the first to be wiped clean as if it was done with divine intervention. It gave me joy, reading this. The interactions between the characters gave me life. The mystery and grand story line was the salt of my existence in those moments. It was a grand experience like no other.
As I reach the end of this, what do I even say, writing about this visual novel, and my metaphors and thankful remarks run dry I will make things clear. I am very grateful that you worked on this hard to make it the best you could so we all can enjoy this. It was a real pleasure to read through it, and I am satisfied.
I am glad this visual novel exists.
fucking FINALLY THIS IS GON BE SO PEAK!!!
greatest vn i've ever played
I loveeeed this story so much, I picked it up back when we hadn't even been on the run yet and to come back later and see it all pay off was such a treat. Fantastic work!! Trying to keep things as spoiler free as possible, the ONLY thing I wish got more resolution was Kurt- I understand aspects of his deal, but with the ending especially I was left wondering a lot about what was going on with him/what became of him as well as his relationship with Spencer. Otherwise, no complaints- thank you Cockhole, so glad to see this finished!!
Jesus Christ, that was an experience
10/10 Nuf said.
I will say 10 out of 10 FVN good story that keeps you confused and on your toes but comes together to explain it all at the end. The characters and the art style all work great together with the only mystery left being what happens to everyone after. (sorry for not being a long post im tired its late and i just finished the novel needed to say smth)
I wanted to write a comprehensive review for 9:22, since it has rapidly become my favourite VN since I first read it.
It's difficult to talk about 9:22's story without wading into spoiler territory, and the aforementioned story is all over the place, but in a good way! It's a perfect blend between confusion and mystery that keeps you constantly engaged throughout. During my read, I was constantly theorising and thinking about what was going on and why and what it meant and I was invested from the beginning to the very final moment.
Spencer is definitely my favourite protagonist of any VN I have read. He's relatable and realistic: tired, cynical, gay, and arguably not the greatest of people with his own share of problems. It's that realism that makes him so interesting - he's not just a blank slate made to carry the story forward nor a self insert for the reader, he stands out as his own character among the rest of the cast with his own personality. Speaking of, the main cast of the VN is similar, they are all both visually and behaviourally distinct from one another and support the very real and natural feeling of the dialogue that shows how well written this novel is and makes it an absolute delight to read.
My final point to mention and personal favourite part of the novel is it's effective use of the medium. I have read many visual novels that can be described as stories that have music, sound and character sprites simply alongside them, but 9:22 is a brilliant example of one that uses it's nature as a visual novel to boost the entire experience. Sound and animation are used perfectly, and even subtler details like body language and eye movement of characters convey emotions and other details that would have a significantly reduced impact if they were described by words instead. It is because of this that I think one of 9:22's major strengths is its harmony with it's medium that, in my opinion, would make the entire experience far more inferior if it was presented in any other medium.
Ultimately, 9:22 is a novel with a wonderfully well crafted and open ended story, supported by believable and great characters and fantastic usage of the medium that work in tandem to make an unmatched experience that I wholeheartedly recommend. 5 stars.
The best Visual Novel i ever played.
10/10
after reading this vn back in 2022, i was really looking forward to read it fully
and man am i not disappointed, the twists and turns this novel takes truly took me off guard
it has been a while that a game or book has made me feel this emotional before and i am glad it did
an amazing work that i highly recommend 9.5/10!
my brain is already a mush, so some things flew over my head.
HOLY PEAKKKKK RAAAHHHHHH
Will there be moreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?????????????
I NEED MOREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
What a lovely mind bending story with delightful CGs and sprite work sprinkled throughout. Having jumped on board around v0.4 I can say it's been well worth the wait to see it finally finished, thanks for the wild ride!
Usually visual novels are not something I spend my afternoons on, but a little coy peer pressure can sometimes push me out of my comfort zone. There's never something that can't have a fun spin on it when you're with the lads, earlier this year was a golly good time with the likes of Angels with Scaly Wings and I Wani Hug that Gator!.
I stumbled upon 9:22 alone though, I then entertained the idea to read it alone. Like any good piece of thriller media I'd opine that it is better to enjoy it by yourself so you could take it and process it with minimal distractions.
I typically avoid furry VNs, or most VNs in general as I established. They usually put too much emphasis on the romance aspect and it is especially wanting when it comes to authors struggling on whether or not to make it a dating simulator. It is a shame considering that there can still be good stories in those, but they often seem to be undermined by a character relationship that I personally could care less about.
At least that's what I hear from another friend who is really into the bloody things. Not to shame on him though, he's a cool guy.
This one however, 9:22, is actually quite a unique tale. It wastes no time in establishing the characters, seeding the mystery, and taking a seemingly simple idea and deconstructs it into tiny little pieces, ultimately making it sensibly complicated. It lays out every piece of the puzzle throught the narrative to which the protagonist carefully puts back together, but not without its challenges. This is my favorite aspect of any good thriller story.
Chapter after chapter only left me with more questions, it is a level of intrigue so daunting that I even doubted the main character in the middle of it. Maybe he really was crazy, maybe the substances he was taking might have gotten the better of him, negatively influencing his resolve. Maybe his newfound buddy did something to him. Or maybe he just needed a good night's sleep.
If the VN had ended on 0.9 perhaps the author would have left us with one of the greatests cliffhangers of our time, or perhaps a very well elaborated open ending for fans to theorycraft for many years to come. I have never felt a sense of anticipation for a visual novel before, it is remarkable what good writing can grant, I would even consider it impactful. It is not often that I give something like this such a quality.
The final update eventually did come out and that alone is an achievement that the author should be proud of, not many others manage to tie up loose ends for projects like these. I can confidently say the ending still left me with questions, but at least it was satisfying enough to me, the protagonist managed to accomplish something completely unexpected after all, complete with foreshadowing.
Though I do have some criticisms. I do not like that some events go out of sequence just to then bounce back to continuity either immediately, or way later on. It confuses me considering the plot already demands that you keep track of each succession and occurrence as they happen, especially given how precarious the events are.
I get it that by design we the readers must be as confused as the protagonist given we are in his shoes, but I feel like there is a better way of handling it by keeping it all in order. There is still enough here to twist the mind of the reader without having to splice one timeline over the other, but in the end I suppose it might just be a my personal inconvenience.
The somewhat immature scenarios involving the college juvenile raunchy life is not my thing either. But they are coming from the perspective of a teen lifestyle from the late 2000s, in a backwater corner of America no less. So at least it is not out of place, it is rather appropriate, even.
I can still emphasize with that aspect despite having comparably faint experiences with it when I was Spencer's age, I have at least heard many stories from my friends which claim to have gone through similar phases through their own early years. I can then still affirm that it makes the story feel that much more real.
Anyway, these have been my thoughts, opinions, ramblings, whatever you name it. 9:22 is a one of a kind visual novel that perhaps everyone should take a dip into, and maybe they'll find something in it that could potentially put them to think throughout the waking hours. There is nothing quite like it, and I once again hope that the author is greatly filled with pride for the outstanding work he has done here.
WOOO xmas came early baby!
Just finished reading rn 2:06 am... I have tests tomorrow but this VN is worth it ^^ really loved the story and God I wish there's more, I had some headaches at some parts trying to piece everything together hahaha and when the reveals came I was just like... "Oooooh... I did not expect that" 100/10 amazing story
Truly a great VN. Engaging from start to finish.
LETS GOOO
VN so good it made me wish cockhole was real..
fly high Angel thanks for the good food 🕊
This must be the ending of all time.
10/10 melted my brain right off without sacrificing the emotional roller-coaster.
No I still don't understand how it work despite repeated explanations.
In the words of Alex yiik "what the fuck is going on"
Thank you cockhole for the food.
As much as i love this game...
Could you add more save slots? The amount is painfully small
GG Yo'all
goodness gracious that was a lot in one session
ho boy
that was a rollercoaster
Fuck you Cockhole for making me invested. IT'S PEAKKKKK
COCK HOLE YOU HAVE BLESSED ME AS I DONT DESIVE TO EXSIST IN THE SAME REALITY A THY!
Wonderful ending, with the perfect amount of confusion. Worth the god damn wait, this might just be one of if not the best vns I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Hats off to you and I am very happy that this VN wasn't abandoned after all this time.
But my GOD I need more Spencer and Ian content I need my favourite boys to be happy
No but seriously, at least an epilogue please 😭
The end had me dying
Man.... that was crazy... and crazy good. Welp, time to write fanfics about the characters in a coffee AU in my head for hours end in my bed.
LETS FUCKING GOOO
Its fucked my head really bad! I need an epilog rn! I need to know what happens to all of them after that ending. I love this vn so much 😭.
bit confused about the ending! but i enjoyed this a lot!.. well worth the.......... 4 years of wait xD
Just finished this peak vn... I need an epilogue......... this shit is so good.....
That ending gave me soft brain bro 😭
It damaged my soul
What in the hells happened 🤯 9:22