(Image courtesy of SteamDB. “‘TRIBE NINE’ had a short, but prolific run.”)

Maxi France
Connector Editor

Gacha games — a genre that involves collecting randomized rewards, in-game currencies and dynamic live-service models — offer a nice escape from college life. Fans of the Danganronpa series and Japanese culture will be excited to play “Tribe Nine,” a three-dimensional action and combat game that is available to download on mobile and PC. It combines voice acting, interactive storytelling and intense combat scenarios to provide players with an immersive gaming experience.

One of the hottest new mobile releases of 2025 on the App Store, it will unfortunately face shut down Nov. 27, 2025 — not even a full year after its Feb. 20 launch. Unusually, developers Akatsuki Games did not specify a clear reason for the decision, with indications that the game may not have aligned well with typical gacha expectations or achieved expected revenue from character packs and upgrades.

The story centers on Yo Kuronaka, an amnesiac in an imaginative state. As he awakens, he reunites with his childhood friends and discovers that Neo Tokyo is under the tyrannical control of a masked figure known as Zero. He comes to find that the city is divided into various “tribes” that compete in Extreme Baseball (XB) for power and influence. The main cast, the Trash Tribe, fights to reclaim freedom and restore Neo Tokyo to its former glory. The challenges they face are reflected in the gameplay as the main characters advance to new checkpoints as dictated by the storyline.

The unpredictable and dynamic storyline involving an ensemble cast is a major attraction, sparking widespread fan reaction to the game’s closure. However, “Tribe Nine” may not have appealed to all teenage and adult gacha players, given the cutscene content. Some sensitive scenes feature gore and murder, complicating the storyline and potentially deterring light-hearted players looking for gambling-like entertainment and a traditional gacha experience. Additionally, the game focuses on gradually leveling up by progressing through obstacles rather than completing typical gacha missions or daily tasks, which may have limited its appeal.

Gameplay involves controlling Yo and his team as they move across locations to reach story objectives. Players collect rewards from objects and can complete special tasks like collecting objects to gain experience points by interacting with non-player characters in public locations. Occasionally, players encounter bosses from other tribes while navigating the town environment, triggering combat scenes. Defeating the enemies by finishing them off grants XP, while losing means all characters die and players can “wake up in the clinic” at the cost of losing all collectibles gained since the last checkpoint. After reaching a location, a cutscene plays featuring character sprites and text boxes, introducing a visual novel and narrative aspect to the game.

Beginner players and casual audiences may appreciate that losing a battle does not affect the overall game flow. However, play can become more difficult when complex puzzles are introduced, sometimes requiring guides and planning to progress. “Tribe Nine” cements itself as a unique blend of strategy and action but risks losing broader audiences in the process.

One of the game’s most redeeming qualities is its combat system. The mechanics of it are so that players can target specific enemies or shield themselves at the risk of losing attacking opportunities. Yo’s team auto-attacks unless the enemy kills him, at which point the player control switches to another member of his team. Special power-ups held by each team member can activate to deal more damage, but enemy “tension mode” strengthens opposing attacks.

The game’s music adds adrenaline and enthusiasm to the playing experience. The loading music is upbeat, and it includes the effect of feeling like waiting for a party to start, gameplay music is relaxing, and predictable and battle music energizes players to fight with its fast, eclectic beats and wild rhythms. Its graphics are charming, combining pixel art with detailed cutscene designs, if not taking some inspiration from popular anime designs.

Overall, “Tribe Nine” should not have been marketed as a gacha game. It borrows elements of visual novels and RPGs, aiming to captivate players through these methods. There is little incentive to spend money given the easy flow of play and story progression. However, since the developers invested significant time, money and energy into creating the game and promoting its status, others curious about the entertainment it could provide should still play it until it leaves the entertainment industry forever and remember it fondly in the years to come.

Grade: B-