The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy is the game I've put the most hours into this year at (appropriately) 100 hours. And for good reason. This isn't just a story-heavy strategy RPG – which plays not unlike XCOM – from some of the most renowned writers in the Japanese gaming industry (Too Kyo Ganmes, formed in 2017, is made up of developers who have worked across Danganronpa, Zero Escape, and more), but one that packs 100 endings across 22 routes. It takes a lot of time to see them all, and I'm only just beginning to zero in on mopping up the last few.
It'd be easy to see this description of The Hundred Line and write-off its sheer size as something of a gimmick, but it's anything but – each route is radically different to each other, all while expanding on world building and propping up the other storylines. With one lengthy main route to get through that's more story and battle centric without branching paths, the first 'ending' then gives way to a tantalizing opening up of the width of the narrative in a way that's almost impossible to refuse.
