That sets the stage for a game that, on the surface, looks like your standard issue third-person action/adventure, but actually has the story and character growth of an RPG. Take, for example, your three alter egos in Black 9: There's the military bruiser, a stealthy hacker/thief, and a cybermage with nanotech "magic" abilities. But just because you choose to play as a soldier doesn't mean you have to blast and bash your way through the entire game: Develop hacking skills or buy nanotech upgrades to open other means of playing through objectives. Bethke was quick to bust out the old Dungeons & Dragons references, noting that the player can be any permutation of a multiclassed magic-user, fighter, and thief within Black 9. Otherwise, you can create your own jack of all trades.​