Attempting that pipe takes you to the hardest 2D platformer you'll ever play (I'd be surprised if it's actually possible to get to its end), and the end result is the characters fail and then we cut back to the "story," with them looking miserable about it. Early on, for example, the characters discover a pipe that they think might be an escape. There's also some odd minigames, which, again, don't do anything to enhance the core plot. There's a casino, for example, where you can gamble away to earn prizes, which is a distraction that pulls players out of the narrative for far too long. If I'm splitting hairs I'd say the location of this prison itself - an old, abandoned school and its surrounding gardens - isn't as exotic or interesting as Danganronpa 2's tropical island, and there are some superficial elements that don't do much to enhance the game. It's a lengthy grind of a game - feeling even longer and more in-depth than its predecessors, but like a really good book, that time just flies as you play. The game's ability to keep you on your toes makes Danganronpa V3 the digital equivalent of a page turner. Christie's technique is only used in one particular section of the game, but it was certainly unexpected, and after having played through the first two Danganronpa games - and getting fairly good at guessing the logic behind the murders by the end of the second - it came as a welcome surprise that I was left guessing as to who did what and how with this one. Anyone who has read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd will know what I'm talking about, without giving away anything. What Danganronpa V3 does incredibly well is play within the detective genre, and indeed contains one of my favourite twists that was pioneered by Agatha Christie back when, and manages to get me every time. There's still a deep exploration of the human condition in there, but there's a greater sense of desperation among the characters as they participate in the "game" this time around, which replaces the tone of reluctant tragedy of the predecessors. It's a subtle shift, but it pushes Danganronpa V3 a little away from the game theory social commentary of the first two games, and into a Battle Royale-style social commentary instead. In Danganronpa V3, Monokuma makes it explicitly clear that the kids will need to start killing one another, threatening to kill them all if a deadline for the first murder isn't met. In previous Danganronpa games there was the promise that the 16 prisoners of his deadly "game" could survive indefinitely in harmony with one another as long as they didn't kill one another (they'd be prisoners, but their every need was provided to them, and they'd be completely safe in the prison, making for an odd utopia). The difference is that Monokuma - the villain that imprisons the characters - is more aggressive this time around. Related reading: More reviews! Matt's coverage of the remaster of Danganronpa 1 & 2 for PS4. The basic set-up for the game is the same: sixteen young people have been captured and imprisoned in an area in which none of them can leave unless one of them kills another and isn't caught by his or her "classmates." What I can say is that this new game is a slightly less nuanced experience from the perspective of Monokuma himself.
In previous reviews I've addressed various key themes that the games explore, which I won't run over again (please read my reviews of Danganronpa and Danganronpa 2 for that).īut I can talk about the first chapter, which I will, because, while there are some spoilers in that, it's only a tiny part of the overall game, and is emblematic of what to expect from the whole game.
That makes sense, of course, given that the games are all about the twists and big reveals, and I wouldn't want to spoil them for players anyway. It's difficult to talk about these games in the context of a review, as the publisher swears us to secrecy regarding plot spoilers.
DANGANRONPA V3: KILLING HARMONY SERIES
Wrap that up in some light fan service and hugely charismatic characters (not least of which the "antagonist," Monokuma), and you've got a recipe for a series that I'll always have time for.Īnd Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony takes things to another level entirely. They're also intelligent and insightful games that look at a host of interesting philosophies and themes, from game theory to moral relativism. These visual novels are not just entertaining, darkly humourous whodunnint murder mysteries.