Post cited from the now-retired "Bullet.N" forum webpage, around 1999:
"If you can believe it, Broadside had ordered for the construction of 9 hotels to be placed outside of Studiogrounds. Within the time it was open, 8 of them manifested, but one of them never opened. Asides from a visit from some shitty ghost-hunting show, and the occasional explorer breaking into the property, nobody really knows what went on in that hotel. It was labelled as Hotel 09 (due to the large decal on the front.) As far as the public is concerned, anything could be in there."
What is this?
Hotel Investigation 09 (Or, HI-09) was a mysterious web game that had surfaced many, many years ago. Despite these years, however, only recently has it come into the public eye again. The game uses "Cogware Games" imagery all over the place, which does not add up, because the studio had closed years prior to the game's creation.
In the game, you play as a wolf named Howlz, a clumsy investigator, and a protagonist of a once-cancelled title from the Cogware Backlog. Armed with an old camera, you set out to rescue a hostage who is seemingly trapped under the hotel itself.
Due to the game's nature as a website-based project, we have created this executable version to archive the game. This is a straight emulation, the creation of which was assisted heavily by forum members we had spoken to in an effort to understand what this whole thing even was.
Disclaimer:
HI-09, much like it's predecessor, Shipwrecked 64, is a work of fiction. There will be moments of body horror, gore, and while it will use tricks and animation to make it look convincing, it is entirely fictitious. This game, much like Shipwrecked 64, is also an ARG, and will force you out of the game occasionally to interact with outer sources.
Features:
A large, open map, which will leave a majority of the location open to you to explore. There are no points of no return until the very end, and exploration is rewarded.
Several endings.
A camera, with many uses in-game. Reveal secrets, translate scrambled languages, stun enemies, and communicate with the captive, all using one single press-and-hold.
A layered narrative, with an expansive web of secrets to find.
In-Depth ARG Elements, and related puzzles.
A cast of familiar friends(?), and some new ones.
The phone is ringing, and it's for you.