Hello
And welcome to your cell, your new home! Too bad you will not remember your old one or anything alse about your past.
Ok, but then... what is going on? No time to explain that, it's time to play a game. Good luck, win or... vanish!

Ok, that's more or less what happens in the beginning of Vanish, a ZeroDigitZ game: Nineteen is our protagonist, a rather generic guy that finds himself in a dungeon with two other prisoners (they all wears orange jumpsuits, but with a different number on the back), Three and Eleven. The first is an angry man and the one that spent most time here, the second is a selfish blonde person (I saw some parts referring to Eleven as a woman, but here is listed as a man anyway it does not matter). The prisoners are always three (as the cells/showers/game rooms), but since they are forced to play in deadly games they often have to be replaced...
With some fresh recruits (that probably were drugged and kidnapped) like Nineteen, of course. But who are these people? No one knows, but they call them The Flock...

The game is divided into four parts (and even if listed as *complete* it leaves a lot unexplained, including the fate of the protagonist, but I guess that a sequel is in the works): two storyline chapters and tho games, the labyrinth (that is found in chapter 2, but it is not exactly one of the "games" since there is no risk of death) and the escape room (that sadly was not included in the storyline, because I liked it! And I even solved it on my first try)


Oh no... nonononono! Thank you, ok it's not death but... sigh!

Let's start with Chapter 1: this will introduce you to the dark world of Vanish and its small claustophobic locations. Here you will be forced to partecipate in a couple of games (even if between them there is a timeskip that inform us that Ninenteen played in some other games earning the other's prisoners trust), but there is also the possibility to speak with the other two characters, explore the surrounding and investigate. This won't be pointless since it is possible to access optional areas for a lot of extra interactions and dialogues.
Now, the games: these are must games of choice (the first one has even a hint message that is not even necessary), so do not expect puzzles or anything too complex. Each game awards one point, that can be used to redeem prizes in a specific room. One of these is being released with no memories, for five points, or with the memories intact for ten points. But... is this true? Would they really release a prisoner that won?

I guess we will never know! This is because Chapter 2 is about a dream and... prison break! I won't spoil but some locations that were locked in Chapter 1 will be finally explorable, anyway I missed some extras and optional parts (like unlocking the computer finding the password... I suck at these!). The conclusion hints to a sequel and gives more questions than answers!

The story took me 1 hournd 15 minutes to complete. Remember that you can save anytime, because there is some chance of death (or vanish), even if it not terribly frequent at all! Extra minigames are just extras but fun.

Now the graphics: in this game are both used some recognizable Rtps but thee are a lot of custom parts and edits. This goves a distinct look to the game, pity for the absence of portraits. Mapping is ok, nothing special but pretty good, there is a total of about twenty maps, that is not a lot, but these are full of interactions and some interrsting parts (read the books!).
Music and sounds are all custom and original too, I liked the voiced parts in the menu and the style of it, but also the soundtrack is pretty good. And extremely appropriate, too!


Ok, mission accomplished! Let's go and read the...


Final Verdict
Vanish is nice, because it is about a topic rarely explored in rpgmaker games: the modern deadly games. From Saw to the recent Squid Game, this is an excellent way to start a story from the perspective of a contestant, making him (and the player) interact with other partecipants, solving puzzles and progress ,or well survive, I mean! This concept is intriguing and Vanish explores it... partially! It's a good, stilysh game but there is so much unexplored that it's a pity, I mean you can make a whole chapter with the escape room levels with another protagonist that earns his freedom, or not, maybe he dies, and then you move on a second protagonist for the prison break escape scene, I mean... there could be so much to see, play and show that Vanish looks like an appetizer.
But, mind that, a good one, and also a good looking one! It's a nice adventure/visual novel short game that oozes atmosphere and it's pretty enjoyable. It includes disturbing scenes and violence, but not to the extreme, so do not worry!

PS: Also ZeroDigitZ created a rather nice page for the game, really!