TRIBE NINE

This game won't be around tomorrow, but I still feel it deserved some words. Following a 2021 anime, Tribe Nine was a HD-2D Extreme Baseball Action RPG set in a dystopian future Tokyo where various gangs battle each other through games of extreme baseball. The English translation started out a little rough in the first chapter, but improved a lot with the later chapters. The characters all have their own distinct personality and despite the large cast, everything was relatively easy to follow (considering the crazy premise). I enjoyed the conversations characters had with each other through an in-game mobile phone messaging app. The art direction and character design are amazing, the game combines pixel art, high res 2D art and 3D animation to tell its story - and despite this eclectic mix it all comes together. The combat plays out in real-time and feels quick and snappy, some bosses can provide a real challenge but once you figure out their attack patterns you should be able to overcome the challenge. Whenever you overpower an enemy the game will instantly skip it for you, saving you time. Each chapter includes a baseball match that feels like a baseball-themed take on Monkey Island’s Insult Sword Fighting, set on city-sized fields where home runs can level buildings. Visually this was easily the highlight of the game. After only three chapters the game was announced to be discontinued, and since it is an always-online gacha game the game will become unplayable once servers shut down on November 27, 2025. Fortunately, Kazutaka Kodaka has announced that the remaining story for Tribe Nine will be told through a free doujin web novel with the blessing of Akatsuki Games. So at least we will know what was planned for the future.