WARNING!

this post includes mentions of suicide and other potentially upsetting themes. if you’re okay with this, read on.

introduction

a few days ago, i purchased the Class of ‘09 series on steam. i had heard good things about it, and after watching a few youtube videos, was hooked. as a completely new fan of the series, i had no idea what i was about to dig into. 3 days later, and this post is simply an outlet for what followed. let’s begin.

the first one

the first game in the Class of ‘09 series, titled as such, sets the scene - a late 2000s american suburban high school - and introduces the main character, Nicole, a self-described sociopath with a tragic backstory and distinct lack of sympathy. after moving all across the US growing up, and witnessing her father take his own life, Nicole no longer sees value in concepts such as friendship, or even people as a whole.

being a visual novel, gameplay is primarily just point-and-click, and the first game offers the most in this regard. the choice map for it is extremely complex, with 15 endings available. however, as you play more, some of these endings appear to be fallback endings for making “the wrong choice”. one such wrong choice is, as i found out on my first run, trying to be nice to everyone. doing this seems fine at first, but it becomes extremely clear that Nicole isn’t able to cope with this pathway - she appears increasingly disoriented and exhausted due to “hostage friendships”, going to dozens of concerts, hangouts, meals and the like.

continuing this cycle ultimately results in Nicole sacrificing her real relationships, especially with Jecka, Nicole’s best friend and emotional compass. one thing leads to another, and due to a rumour, every one of these “friends” she had turns against her, hunting her down and threatening physical violence. you are given a choice here - “Run home” or “Run to the Counselor”. this is futile though, both end badly, resulting in Nicole committing suicide. her ending dialogue is especially tragic, but you should read that yourself.

having this be my first real exposure to the game left me more than just shook. the simple act of doing what i thought was right leading to the death of the main character, who was just trying to do the right thing and be nice to everyone… this alone displays the genius of Class of ‘09. the game’s world is dog-eat-dog - you have to be evil and make the arguably “wrong choice” in order to survive.

some of the first game’s other endings resonated with me too, such as the graduation ending, but many are ultimately only there for comedic value - not to say they aren’t enjoyable still, but they certainly aren’t as deep.

the re-up

the second game, Class of ‘09: The Re-Up, takes everything the first game did right, and runs with it. presented as an “interquel” to the first game, it offers 7 additional endings, all of which focus on Nicole’s senior year, and are longer and largely more fleshed-out than the first game. gone are the “fallbacks” i mentioned earlier, with every choice now actually holding some kind of extended meaning. it also offers randomised and subtly different starting points for a playthrough, which helps reduce repetition even further.

the storylines in The Re-Up are all deeper than in the first game and… far more queer? it is already implied that Nicole is lesbian or at the very least bisexual, but this is especially driven home here. 3/7 endings involve a relationship with another of the other girls in the game. one of these that resonated with me heavily was the “abusive exes” ending. Nicole skips civics class using depression as an excuse and is sent to the counselor’s office. she is dismayed to see Ari (whom she told about her depression excuse earlier that day) is also there for the same reason, calling her a “conniving fucking bitch”.

after this, Ari reveals that she actually is depressed, and comes out as lesbian to Nicole - who is unsurprised, claiming she thought everyone already knew that, and reassuring Ari that nobody would attack her for being gay - they’re “in a white-ass school 10 minutes from the capital”. these counseling sessions continue, and Ari develops feelings for Nicole, confessing her love after one of them. i, of course, chose to accept this, not knowing what lay ahead. Nicole is emotionally abusive to Ari, wanting out of the relationship and ultimately causing Ari to break up with her and return to the closet. Jecka is disappointed with Nicole over this, giving us a rare moment where she actually sees true consequences for her actions. as ever, though, she shows very little remorse.

i’m not completely sure why, but after finishing this route, i sort of just… sat there. and contemplated. and then closed the game, deciding to sleep on it for the night and pick it back up later. again, as with the first game, there were other endings that particularly stood out such as the “escort” ending, or the “hostage relationship” ending.

the flip side

Class of 09: The Flip Side is the third and final game in the series. this time, instead of following Nicole, you follow Jecka, navgiating her difficult home life. upon starting the game, you’re given the option to choose between a “School Start”, which begins the game in late 2008, or a “Home Start” beginning in 2009, post-graduation. the themes in The Flip Side are largely more adult, with a primary focus being Jecka needing a job to cover the bills her father makes her pay, among other things.

the change in main character establishes an interesting dynamic where the former player character, Nicole, is now free to do as she pleases - usually the worst option. however, it also allows for crushing moments where this game links back to previous stories from the series - specifically the suicide ending from the first Class of ‘09. we are able to witness this event from Jecka’s perspective, featuring a modified version of the tragic final image. this alone reveals another crucial and saddening detail - the monologue shown in the conclusion to that ending is Nicole’s actual suicide note! The Flip Side’s extension to this story does not just end there though. the player is shown the effects of Nicole’s passing on those around her, specifically on Jecka, who has to come to terms with the fact that “life goes on”.

unfortunately, this is about everything truly positive i can say about The Flip Side. the rest of the game’s endings are… questionable to say the least. one reoccurring plot point throughout is… feet??? there are 5 total endings, and 2 of those involve foot fetish-based fantasies, with an additional one involving an “illegal porn warehouse”, among other things. these endings are unpleasant to reach and witness, especially with The Flip Side including a much larger number of illustrated scenes compared to the prior games. as a result, this specific instalment of the series has been subject to a large amount of drama recently, with many seeing it as the downfall to an amazing series. after playing it, i am inclined to agree, but that is not to say i did not enjoy the few bits of the game that were truly meaningful.

one feature of every Class of ‘09 game i have not mentioned thus far is the title screen phone. after each ending, you recieve a message giving additional context, usually based on what happened afterwards. the first two games also include a video message if you complete every single ending. The Flip Side, however, has 3 of these video messages, which you unlock as you progress. they are exceptionally cryptic, and, at least for me, encouraged me to power through the more unpleasant outcomes to see what came next. the true finale to these messages was ultimately a little underwhelming, but after watching it, you also recieve a message from the game’s creator, SBN3.

this message thanks you for playing, and explains various intricacies surrounding the series, and details SBN3’s surprise about the audience Class of ‘09 reached - not just adults who may relate to the events shown in the game, but also teenagers who were “barely alive for 2009”. he touches on the idea that Class of ‘09 was a sort of “internet crossroads”, where two wildly different and opposing demographics were come together over one specific thing - even if they didn’t know it.

conclusion

ultimately, i really enjoyed Class of ‘09. this post stemmed from the state of awe and confusion i felt after finishing the third instalment, and i just had to write about it. the controversy recently and the series’ percieved downfall are unfortunate, but more than likely intentional - whilst i’m not (and don’t care to be) fully up-to-date on the drama, i can say that SBN3 has responded with a cryptic “All according to plan” on twitter in what appears to be an attempt to “wash his hands” of Class of ‘09 as a whole, something that is apparently common for him and his projects. i don’t know. you can read here if you want that. i just want to like the series. do i recommend it? yes! do i recommend the community? fuck no.