Easily the most fun I've had playing a game in years.

Class of '09 looks like a lot of the general visual novel and/or anime slag that has become rampant on digital marketplaces, but it has a fun (entertaining?) premise that delivers on a fascinating snapshot of existing in the mid-late '00's that feels like a fever dream.

The game is carried by it's writing and the VO performances. Sharp, witty comebacks and connections to make for very real insults, events that were far more common than realized, and a very matter of fact instead of idealized approach to the power that people feel (or realize) they have over a situation. That paired with the fantastic voice work elevates the engagement and drags the player along for the wild ride of mid '00's high school.

This game is not for everyone (some real and heavy themes are present), but it is hilarious, bleak, hopeful, and inspiring in a concise package.

You will finish it in an afternoon, but this is a great testament to how games can present engaging and unique experiences to their audience, even when the players agency is just deciding how they want to pursue their own interests.