Info about Class of '09: The Re-Up:

Official game description:
  
It's not a sequel, it's not a remaster, it's **The Re-Up!** A new serving of story stems parallel to the first critically acclaimed Class of '09, the interactive sitcom you never knew you needed.  
Just like the first game: all based on real events, encounters, and personalities experienced by the lead developer.  
All of the original cast featuring **Elsie Lovelock, Kayli Mills, Kira Buckland**, and many more, return to combine for the greatest voiceover performance in gaming to date (yes I dare you to find something better, you won't). From double entendre to the darkest of humor, all 5,000+ lines of dialogue were carefully tailored to present premiere comedic performance and cultural accuracy.  
Nicole makes her triumphant return as the most socially realistic female protagonist to ever graze video games. Delve into even more of her toxic realities sewn together by the darkest of humor as you navigate through **7 different endings**, each more poignant than the last.  
All wrapped in a late 2000's aesthetic that's not just a phase, it's a movement.  
Plus bonus content upon 100% completion of the game!  
\[All characters depicted are over the age of 18\]

Release date: 1 Jun, 2023

Categories: Visual Novel, Choice-based Narrative, Multiple Endings, Single-player Story, Interactive Fiction


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Exceptional Dark Humor & Writing (weight 0.61): Players consistently praise the game's humor, describing it as dark, edgy, and hilarious. The writing and dialogue are frequently highlighted as exceptional, leading to constant laughter and making it one of the funniest games many players have experienced.
- Superior to Original Game (weight 0.53): The game is frequently lauded as a significant improvement over its predecessor, offering more depth, longer routes, and a more refined experience. Many players prefer it to the first game, noting its enhanced story, characters, and overall polish.
- Highly Entertaining & Engaging (weight 0.37): The game is widely considered highly entertaining and engaging, offering a solid and enjoyable experience. Many players found it worth the price and time invested, with some even calling it a perfect sequel and one of the best games they've played.
- Relatable Characters & Themes (weight 0.26): The game's characters and themes resonate deeply with players, often feeling uncomfortably real and relatable. Its effective social commentary and well-written characters, particularly Nicole, lead to significant emotional impact and self-reflection.
- Outstanding Visual Novel (weight 0.21): Despite its unconventional nature, the game is highly regarded as an excellent visual novel. Players appreciate its unique storytelling, strong plot, and well-written narrative, often stating it's one of the best visual novels they've encountered.
- Authentic 2000s High School Vibe (weight 0.19): The game accurately captures the atmosphere and experiences of a public high school in the 2000s, evoking strong nostalgia for players who grew up during that era. Its portrayal of teen culture and rebellious high school life is highly praised for its authenticity.
- Compelling Character Development (weight 0.16): The character of Nicole, along with her dynamic with Jecka, is a central and compelling aspect of the game. Players are fascinated by Nicole's complex, often sociopathic nature, and enjoy exploring her relationships and the consequences of her actions.
- Improved & Longer Routes (weight 0.14): The game features longer, more defined, and more intricate routes compared to its predecessor. Players appreciate the increased content, depth, and meaningful choices within these branching paths, leading to a more satisfying and less repetitive experience.
- Distinct & Deep Endings (weight 0.14): The game's endings are highly praised for their distinctiveness, depth, and often chaotic or morally questionable nature. Players appreciate the reduced number of endings, as it allows for more detailed storylines and character development within each path.
- Emily's Route is a Highlight (weight 0.08): Emily's route and character arc are particularly well-received by players. Her story, including the impactful suicide pact route and passionate monologues, is frequently cited as a highlight, adding significant depth and emotional resonance to the game.

Common complaints:
- Limited Content & High Price (weight 0.47): Players consistently feel the game offers significantly less content, fewer choices, and fewer endings compared to the original, making its $15 price tag unjustified. Many believe it should have been DLC rather than a standalone sequel.
- Overly Dark & Edgy Themes (weight 0.22): The game's dark, edgy, and often disturbing themes, including frequent suicide outcomes and unlikeable characters, are off-putting for many. Some feel the edginess is gratuitous and lacks a content warning for sensitive topics.
- Weak & Repetitive Humor (weight 0.1): The humor is frequently criticized for being unfunny, repetitive, and dated. Many jokes miss the mark or are unnecessarily offensive, leading to fewer 'laugh out loud' moments compared to expectations.
- Subpar Presentation & Writing (weight 0.1): The game's overall presentation, including mediocre art, inconsistent cutscene styles, and unfocused writing, detracts from the experience. Dialogue is often long, unengaging, and lacks depth in character relationships.
- Unlikable Protagonist (Nicole) (weight 0.07): Nicole's character is perceived as less charming and more toxic or maliciously chaotic than in the first game. Players feel a lack of agency in her actions, making her unlikeable and her cruelty less justified.
- Technical Issues & Bugs (weight 0.03): Players report frequent glitches, including input issues requiring restarts, and a cumbersome save/load system that forces a return to the title screen.
- Weak Soundtrack & Worldbuilding (weight 0.02): The game's soundtrack and world-building are considered weak, failing to enhance the overall experience.
- Creator's Alleged Misrepresentation (weight 0.02): The creator's alleged misrepresentation of the game's basis in reality has made some players uncomfortable, diminishing their enjoyment and the 'magic' of the experience.
- Emotional Impact on Players (weight 0.02): Some players expressed a sense of sadness or depression upon completing the game, lamenting that they can't experience it for the first time again, or finding it unrelatable.

Gameplay feedback:
- Dark and Controversial Narrative (weight 0.45): The game features extremely dark, controversial, and often disturbing narrative paths and character actions, particularly centered around the protagonist, Nicole. These include drug abuse, criminal activities, manipulation, and highly sensitive social themes, often with a focus on toxic relationships and explicit content. This seems to be a core, intentional aspect of the game's design.
- Short, Limited Choice Gameplay (weight 0.35): Players noted the game's short length (around 4-5 hours) and limited player choice compared to its predecessor. It functions more as an interactive story or visual novel with infrequent decisions, leading to fewer overall endings than the original game.
- Sequel/Expansion Comparison (weight 0.26): The game is a follow-up to 'Class of '09', sharing a similar tone and characters but offering a different narrative focus. It's described as more of an expansion or 'what if' scenario rather than a direct sequel, with a shift in thematic emphasis from the original.
- Visual Novel Format (weight 0.08): The game is primarily a visual novel experience, characterized by extensive voice acting and a focus on story progression over complex gameplay mechanics. It's often compared to watching an interactive movie or listening to an audiobook.
- Provokes Thought and Discomfort (weight 0.03): The game aims to provoke thought and discomfort in players, often making them question their own reactions and moral compass. It's designed to challenge player perceptions rather than provide clear answers or emotional guidance.

Performance notes:
- Excellent Steam Deck performance (weight 0.04): Players report excellent performance and compatibility on the Steam Deck, suggesting it should be officially verified. The game runs smoothly, and controls are intuitive, requiring minimal input.
- Low system requirements (weight 0.02): The game is noted for its extremely low system requirements and small file size. This makes it accessible to a wide range of hardware configurations.
- No bugs encountered (weight 0.01): Players have reported a bug-free experience, indicating a high level of polish and stability. This contributes positively to overall player satisfaction.

Recommendations:
- Highly Recommended & Great Value (weight 0.35): Many players highly recommend the game, often suggesting it's a great value, especially when on sale. They find it fun, interesting, and a worthwhile experience, with some even rating it as one of the best.
- Play Original First, Then This (weight 0.24): Players frequently recommend playing the original 'Class of '09' first for context, though this game can be enjoyed standalone. Those who liked the first game are very likely to enjoy this one, as it builds upon its predecessor.
- Aimed at Dark Humor Fans (weight 0.18): The game is strongly recommended for players who appreciate dark, edgy, and often offensive humor, especially if they enjoy adult animation or specific controversial scenarios. It's not for those easily offended or looking for a serious narrative.
- Anticipation for Next Installment (weight 0.06): Players are generally excited for future installments in the series, particularly 'The Flip Side'. There's a sense that the series has strong potential if certain aspects are refined.
- Desire to Re-experience Game (weight 0.02): Some players express an extreme desire to re-experience the game, wishing they could erase their memories to play it for the first time again, indicating a very positive and memorable experience.
- Specific Scene Highlighted (weight 0.02): A specific scene, the 'cop scene', is highlighted by some players as a standout moment, even suggesting it's the best part of the game or sufficient to watch on its own.
- Enjoyed Darker Interactions (weight 0.02): A few players humorously mention enjoying the game's more morally ambiguous actions, such as 'bullying' or 'blackmailing teachers', indicating an appreciation for the game's darker, interactive elements.

Other player notes:
- Refunded for Practical Reasons (weight 0.03): Some players refunded the game, primarily for financial reasons or to purchase it as part of a bundle, rather than due to dissatisfaction with the game itself.
- Distinctive Art Style (weight 0.03): The game features an intentionally cheap or old-school art style, which is perceived as part of its unique aesthetic.
- Conflicting Age Appropriateness (weight 0.02): There is conflicting feedback regarding the game's age appropriateness, with some suggesting it's suitable for teens or even kids, despite its dark themes.
- Critiques US Education System (weight 0.02): The game touches upon themes related to the US education system, exemplified by a character's desire for revenge due to bad grades.
- Nicole Character is Evil (weight 0.02): A recurring sentiment among players is the perception of the character Nicole as 'evil' or a 'bitch,' highlighting her negative portrayal.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.31): Players felt satisfied due to the game's high overall quality, including its narrative, character development, voice acting, and humor. Many also appreciated the game's improvements over its predecessor, its unique premise, and its ability to provide an entertaining and immersive experience with meaningful choices and diverse endings.
- Amusement (weight 0.19): Amusement stemmed from the game's dark, unhinged, and often controversial humor, as well as its absurd and unexpected narrative paths. Players enjoyed the hilarious dialogue, character interactions, and the game's willingness to explore extreme and provocative themes.
- Disappointment (weight 0.1): Disappointment was primarily caused by the game's perceived lack of content, including fewer endings, limited choices, and shorter length compared to its price or predecessor. Some players also found the humor less effective, the choices less impactful, or the overall quality a downgrade from the original game.
- Joy (weight 0.06): Joy was experienced due to the game's humor, its entertainment value, and its ability to surpass the predecessor in quality. Players found the game fun, addictive, and appreciated its comedic elements, voice acting, and story depth.
- Excitement (weight 0.06): Excitement arose from the game's high quality as a sequel, its engaging and unpredictable narrative, and its edgy humor and chaotic nature. Players were thrilled by the extreme freedom, high-quality voice acting, and the anticipation for future content or sequels.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciated the game's critical and realistic themes, its unique narrative structure, and its well-executed humor and comedic timing. The game's authentic approach, complex character portrayals, and design choices regarding endings were also highly valued.
- Frustration (weight 0.03): Frustration was caused by technical issues like glitches and UI problems, as well as the game's limited choices and passive gameplay. Some players also expressed annoyance with repetitive humor, misleading marketing, and the perceived poor value for money.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.02): Enjoyment came from the game's aesthetic, dark humor, and engaging storytelling, characters, and choices. Players found the game fun, wild, and appreciated its comedy and social commentary, leading to an overall positive experience.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Admiration was directed towards the game's artistic quality, exceptional voice acting, and well-developed characters and humor. Players praised the high quality of writing, captivating endings, and the overall depth of the story and characters.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Players were surprised by the game's unexpected story developments, its realistic character portrayal, and its ability to exceed expectations, often being better than the first game. The game's depth, accuracy, and unpredictable outcomes also contributed to this emotion.
- Shock (weight 0.01): Shock was caused by the game's dark, twisted, and often disturbing content, including character traits, dialogue, and narrative outcomes. The extreme and controversial nature of some in-game events led to this strong emotional response.
- Reflection (weight 0.01): Reflection was prompted by the game's relatable endings, its impactful themes, and its accurate social commentary. Players found themselves contemplating the narrative events and how they mirrored personal experiences or broader societal issues.
- Discomfort (weight 0.01): Discomfort arose from the game's offensive parts, its provocative nature, and its depressing examination of certain themes. Some players felt the humor crossed a line or were unsettled by the darker themes and their impact.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia was triggered by the game's ability to evoke past experiences, particularly high school memories, and its references to 2000s culture. The immersive setting and themes contributed to players reliving their school days.
- Desire (weight 0.01): Players expressed a desire for more content, including additional endings, choices, and future games in the series. This indicates a strong positive engagement and a wish for the game's universe to expand.
- Observation (weight 0.01): This emotion stemmed from players noting specific aspects of the game, such as character traits, its overall scope, its structure and length, and shifts in its tone. These are analytical observations rather than direct emotional responses.
- Affection (weight 0.01): Affection was felt towards specific characters, particularly Nicole and Emily, and a general liking for the game itself. This indicates a strong positive emotional bond with the game's elements.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness was caused by depressing themes, character interactions, and the emotional impact of the game's narrative, particularly the main character's abuse of her girlfriend and the deep meaning behind certain scenes or endings.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arose from unclear story points, ambiguous endings, or difficulty in achieving specific endings, sometimes leading to accidentally getting the same outcome multiple times.
- Relief (weight 0.01): Relief was experienced due to improvements over the previous game, such as Nicole's reduced self-harm and a decrease in offensive jokes. Players also felt relief from the resolution of frustrations from the first game or finding a better alternative to negative life paths.}