The 'rejection sim' that turns high school trauma into interactive satire
In short: Most games reward progress with power. Class of '09 rewards it with social destruction. This 'anti-visual novel' series follows two girls navigating a world of predatory teachers, drug abuse, and radicalization, forcing players to make choices that often result in the systematic humiliation of everyone involved.
Developed by Max "SBN3" Field, the series is defined by its 'rejection sim' framework. Players navigate the lives of Nicole, a self-described sociopath, and her friend Jecka in a fictionalized Springfield, Virginia. Unlike traditional visual novels, every line of dialogue is voice-acted, and the narrative is driven by text messages on in-game mobile phones like the T-Mobile Sidekick or Motorola Razr. The series is noted for its commitment to depicting a world where every character is fundamentally dysfunctional. The narrative depth stems from Field’s use of real-world accounts, including social media posts about overdoses and personal observations of inappropriate teacher-student dynamics. The games tackle heavy themes: white-nationalist extremism, sex work, gun violence, and pedophilia. In the first game, Nicole interacts with three boys who pursue her romantically; the player's choices often involve turning their own words against them to provoke destructive behavior.
The second game expands this to a larger cast, exploring illegal money-making schemes like manufacturing crack cocaine and exposing the secret lives of corrupt school officials. The series has faced significant critical and commercial friction. While the first two entries were praised for their voice acting and comedic writing, the third installment, The Flip Side, received mixed reviews for its reduced player agency and its shift toward longer, more explicit depictions of Jecka's exploitation. The content is so transgressive that Apple's App Store has declined to host the series, a move Field criticized by pointing out the platform's willingness to host graphic violence in other titles while censoring his exploration of teenage issues.
The series is characterized by a shrinking scope of interactivity as it progresses: the first game features 15 endings, the second has seven, and the third offers only five, with longer non-interactive sequences between decisions.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Class of '09 (franchise)
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