Tribe Nine was a 7-year project by Kazutaka Kodaka after he exited Japanese game publisher, Spike Chunsoft. He co-founded Tookyo Games, with the Sports RPG being one of the games to explore beyond Danganronpa. Then, gacha developer Akatsuki Games announced on May 15th that Tribe Nine would shut its servers on November 27th at Japan Standard Time (JST). Given its short lifespan, this online game has impressed me with its death game concept. I paid tribute to the streets of Neo Tokyo to see what features are still available near the end of its cycle.

Story: Hungers Games Through the Lens of Baseball

In the year 20XX, the underground utopia Neo Tokyo faces the battle against the vicious 24 Tribe. XB (Extreme Baseball) was once Japan’s leading sports entertainment until the Numbers took over all 23 cities. Soon, the entire world is consumed by their ideology, unleashing XG (Extreme Games) athletes to train and fight to regain their tribe’s territory.

Tribe Nine did have a 2022 anime prequel that explains how far Neo Tokyo has fallen. Two years after the Minato Tribe’s battle with Supreme Lord Otoji Otori, the 24 Tribe leader Zero conquers Neo Tokyo and reawakens the XB death games. Every city is under the care of a 24 Tribe executive member known as the Numbers. All citizens must obey their rules, or they will receive a cruel execution.

As the amnesiac Yo Kuronaka, players experience the nation’s chaotic government. His condition prevents him from remembering his friends, Sui Yakumo and Tsuki Iroha. Due to Yo’s defiance against Zero, he quickly loses them to his satellite lasers. They somehow returned to life after he impressed the Numbers leader through skill and determination in the XB match. It’s up to players to search for the truth behind their revival and assist the Trash Tribe in freeing Neo Tokyo.

Since the End of Service announcement, global players could only witness Chapters 0-3. Many learned about the game late in this period, unable to progress beyond level 20 due to the level 20 cap. Those who missed out on Chapter 2 and 3’s plotline will be happy to know that YouTuber Faz Faz preserved them in two full playthroughs.

Presentation: Gorgeous 2.5D Visuals, Cool 3D Arenas

Tribe Nine switches between 2.5D and 3D throughout the entirety of the game, and that’s a good thing. The overworld lets you control a 3-person party as sprites in a 3D environment. The underground cities of Neo Tokyo look fantastic. Every sector waiting holds either a vibrant oasis or a place that is full of despair. My favorite place to visit was the Shinagawa City Aquarium. It helped me escape the green hues with its colorful atmosphere.

During cutscenes, interactions will swap between 2.5D and 3D. Inspired by Hoyoverse’s Zenless Zone Zero, Akatsuki Games created 3D scenarios utilizing PNG backdrops, anime panel cuts, and character models. They helped highlight the story’s drama, while the overworld scenes display the action. And to portray certain moments and flashbacks, Kodaka’s iconic cinematics are added.

Battlegrounds also have flair based on where you are traveling in each city. I was surprised by the effort it took to fit multiple rings in one area. From the first chapter alone, there were a total of eight arenas. The amount built my excitement for the later cities, wondering what battleground awaits me to fight the 24 Tribe’s minions.

Battle Gameplay: All About Character Mastery and Strategy

Akatsuki Games succeeded in making Tribe Nine more than just a sports RPG. The developers took Kodaka’s wild concept and turned it into skill-focused combat for 80% of the gameplay. Batters and pitchers do not follow baseball archetypes. According to game lore, the Extreme Games fuse mixed martial arts to raise the stakes. This translates well with the gacha’s combat system.

No character will play alike as each has a unique moveset and weaknesses. For example, Yo carries a bat that acts similarly to a katana. He can nimbly dodge and finish foes with a samurai final slash. By mastering his blocking and counterattacks, he can handle stronger opponents. Some batters are equipped with more unorthodox bats, which can be a liability to defense. Hyakuichitaro and Roku carry heavier bats that can deal more damage, but risk slower reactions with countering.

Characters are labeled in three categories: Support (Green), Attacker (Red), and Defender. Depending on your play style, you can create unstoppable teams to blaze through hordes of enemies. Boss battles are different as they expect players to have mastered their chosen party members to survive.

I learned this the hard way while fighting S.H.A.R.K at the Aquarium. While I was great at dodging with one character, I struggled with the other two, for I was not familiar with their combat style. When you die as the current character, the next character in line will be controlled by you. Mastering the switch between party members and understanding their mechanics is necessary to defeat bosses.

Players can improve their party’s skills through Tension Cards and Patimons. Tension Cards can be gathered using the Synchro Machine. They can be upgraded to different higher levels and make certain abilities stronger. On the other hand, mixing and matching Patimon parts will enhance stats. They can be gathered through the scavenging chest.

XB Gameplay: Danganronpa Class Trials as a Sport

Master Detective Archives and Tribe Nine are two of Kodaka’s projects that preserved Danganronpa’s core gameplay. Tribe Nine uses evidence and witness accounts in the form of Verity Orbs. They act as intimidation tactics against the Numbers. The goal is to get three innings while persuading the city’s team about the 24 Tribe’s cruelty.

Verity Orbs can be gathered around the city streets from people affected by the Numbers’ leadership or actions related to a leader’s behavior. As for party member setup, the main campaign will automatically choose which base they will defend while Yo is the lead player. By listening to the Numbers’ arguments, you can identify which Verity Orb to use.

The baseball gameplay will rely on the effect of your response. Combined with your teammates’ stats, you can increase their speed and defense during the turn. Both plate and mound positions let you select different angles and indicate the best chance of an out or safe. Choosing the most effective Verity will increase your Tension meter. If all goes well, it can help boost team morale and execute an XB special.

For a short time, Tribe Nine allowed players to host XB games to face head-to-head with custom teams. These sessions test pure strategizing and teammates’ strengths. I never got a chance to play the multiplayer, but the main campaign is enough to understand where the baseball aspect comes into play. It reminded me of Inazuma Eleven, where soccer battles are crucial to improving your teammates.

The Verity Orb adds spice to the plot’s drama and risks to XB gameplay. Even the cinematics are incredible as both teams will fight to punish each other. It was satisfying to watch a teammate knock the sense out of opponents as they tried to reach a base.

Gacha Gameplay: The Synchro Machine is Not So Great

Akatsuki Games had a promising concept for making Tribe Nine a successful gacha with a large roster. Sadly, during its launch, the game presented an unfair chance of getting a 3-star character. The Synchro Machine often gave 1-Star Tension Cards to teach players the importance of combat in the main campaign. The dev team realized their mistake and quickly adjusted the pickup rate in a Mar. 4th patch.

The gacha did find an alternative for players who did not want to spend money on the game. Synchro Medals and Enigma Entities could be earned by completing daily missions and sidequests, solving puzzle chests, finding graffiti, and completing Zero’s city tasks. An unlockable in-game shop, Card Station Ω, was also added for players to purchase 3-star characters with Enigmatic Fragments.

Optional character skins were available in both the Battle Pass and the unlockable in-game store, Patimate. The shop allows players to retrieve various character skins by exchanging Fashion Tickets. The stores can be unlocked by completing Chapter 1. However, Enigmatic Fragments and Fashion Tickers can only be gathered through the Support Contract Pass and weekly Fractal Rewards.

Would Tribe Nine Been Better as A Standalone Game?

With Tribe Nine servers closed for good, one question lingers in my mind: would the game have been better as a non-gacha game? I believe so. This Kodaka title holds many elements that could satisfy both RPG and Esports fans. The combat tests the player while the XB portion holds potential for online competitions. And the campaign has an addictive plot.

Level-5 has succeeded in making the Inazuma Eleven franchise. The protagonist gathers and trains teammates in a soccer-focused world. By battling other sports teams, the soccer team grows through experience. Their multiplayer modes take advantage of the massive roster with endless strategy combinations. Tribe Nine could have worked in the same way.

The campaign even shows limited character use in each area, with Zero separating the Trash Tribe members. Battling the 24 Tribe and equipping Patimon are the best ways to boost character stats. Tension Cards are good and can work without a gacha system by having an upgradable shop.

Tribe Nine’s maps require powerful gaming consoles and PCs to render the XB stadiums, battle arenas, and city areas. Not to mention that Respite Units are scattered around the city for fast travel. And the campaign is 24 chapters long, each taking between five and eight hours to complete.

I first played Tribe Nine on mobile, experiencing a drop in frame rate and overheating. I find myself struggling to use the input buttons, resulting in cramping hands within an hour of playtime. I had a better time playing it on an AMD laptop. I could see it having a better chance as a PS5 title for its strong processing power. A controller is the best way to play the game for better combat reactions against heavy and quick attacks.

Playing The Game’s Final Hours

Because my characters couldn’t progress beyond the Level 20 cap, I did my best to savor the game by attempting to complete tasks and exploring between Chapter 1 and the first quarter of Chapter 2. Since Tribe Nine’s launch day, I played the game through 17 characters, including guest characters. I felt invigorated to fight Level 25 enemies, as it tested my survival instincts as an XB player.

I noticed fewer players finished Chapter 2 due to either gacha balancing or the EOS announcement, which led them to lose motivation to keep playing. Eventually, I found myself exploring bonus areas to collect enough Synchro Medals and Enigma Entities to make one final pull. I managed to snag Miu Jujo and play her as Thanksgiving approached. When Nov. 27th arrived, Akatsuki Games thanked the players who supported the gacha till the very end.