[Danganronpa] Zero Escape + Dating Sim + Phoenix Wright + Rhythm Game = MURDER AND DESPAIR

The Anonymous

So Danganronpa just came out in the US, comes out next week in Europe/Australia/New Zealand, and is completely awesome.

What's it about?
Murder and despair.

What's it about?
Okay, okay, the longer version: a group of high school students find themselves locked inside Hope's Peak Academy, an invitation-only private high school so prestigious that simply graduating from it means you're set for life. Unfortunately, the current headmaster happens to be a twisted anthropomorphic bear calling himself "Monokuma", and he isn't about to let his students walk out through the front door: in order to "graduate", a student must kill one of their peers without the others finding out who really did it. But Monokuma will only let that student go free, while the rest are executed for failing to find the true culprit...

What's the gameplay like?
It's all in the title: Danganronpa is equal parts first-person adventure, dating sim, Phoenix Wright and rhythm game. You move around, explore, examine things and interact with people in first-person (the adventure part). In each chapter, you also have opportunities to build up your relationships with other students, sort of like Social Links in Persona 3 and 4 (the dating sim part). As for the last two?

Those are the meat of the game.

In each chapter, a murder trial is held, and you have to work with other survivors to gather evidence and clues (Phoenix Wright). The trial itself is where the "rhythm game" aspect comes into play: to move things forward, you not only have to make correct statements and such, but also succeed in a variety of mini-games throughout the trial, ranging from playing Hangman With Mind Guns to almost-literally shooting arguments down with evidence "bullets". And there's an actual rhythm game too, where you have to tap buttons to match the beat.

I heard there's a sequel...
There is, and NISA just confirmed they're bringing it over before the end of the year. Previously they said it depended on DR1 doing well; since the announcement came just a couple of days after DR1's release, on top of the collector's edition selling out ridiculously fast, I'd say it probably did okay! Aside from that, there's a prequel novel, Danganronpa Zero, as well as other spin-offs and a possible third game in the works; discussion of these is welcome.

And lastly, regarding spoilers (seriously, read this!)
Mark and tag all spoilers, and don't pull any "wink wink nudge nudge" stuff. This is not difficult to do! I won't be lenient if you ruin things for other people. If you don't want to be spoiled, do not Google, GIS, YouTube, etc. Danganronpa, and don't watch the opening movie or any trailers. The LP threads over on SA have countless stories of people looking for something harmless, only to have massive spoilers plastered all over their screen. None of them were very happy about it.

Darth_Mogs

Tried to get this again after it wasn't at Gamestop on Wednesday. Dude that was there told me it would probably be over-nighted, so just give them a call Thursday or so and see if it came it. So I called. Again and again. They never picked up. If there's any problem I have with my Gamestop, it's that they don't answer the damn phone. (Usually because they're legit busy)

So I called today. Over and over again. Had to go out before noon, so I headed over there because -surely- a game that was supposed to be out Tuesday would've arrived before Friday, right?

Heh, no. I get there and there's one dude stuck there by himself with a line of like four people already and when I got up to him, I told him what was going on. He looked around, checked on the computer and figured out what was going on. Apparently it was in the shipment they were going to get today.....-after- noon. When I couldn't go back because I had shit to do. Ugh.

I just wanted to get my visual novel on, why is that so hard

The Anonymous

You'll just have to hope there are copies left next time you drop by

and embrace the despair when they're sold out and won't have any more copies for a month.

Houk the Namebringer

If it helps to keep this thread active, I'm the script editor on this particular title, so feel free to hurl any questions, comments, or angry insults my way.

Also the game is super awesome and you should buy two copies! And apparently the sequel is even better!

Aegeri

Houk wrote: »

If it helps to keep this thread active, I'm the script editor on this particular title, so feel free to hurl any questions, comments, or angry insults my way.

Also the game is super awesome and you should buy two copies! And apparently the sequel is even better!

I will take you up on buying the sequel when it comes out instead of buying two copies.

I get mine in five days.

FIVE DAYS.

A terrible number.

carmofin

You know, at this point it feels like the biggest aspect about this game is how to best avoid spoilers, it's never been that bad for any other game I remember, they are literally everywhere...

cj iwakura

Also of note: Masafumi Takada(killer7, The Silver Case) did the OST. Mine should come Wednesday, plenty of time to finish Celceta.

And yeah, @carmofin, this is a game you go on media blackout for. Especially youtube. I've been pretty lucky.

vagrant_winds

carmofin wrote: »

You know, at this point it feels like the biggest aspect about this game is how to best avoid spoilers, it's never been that bad for any other game I remember, they are literally everywhere...

The same goes for just about any Visual Novel game.

People are jerks.

bss

cj iwakura wrote: »

Also of note: Masafumi Takada(killer7, The Silver Case) did the OST. Mine should come Wednesday, plenty of time to finish Celceta.

Oh geez, the full OST is multiple CDs? I haven't even gotten to the one packed into the LE, but I may have to get the full thing too, because this soundtrack has been really great so far.

Kristmas Kthulhu

I started reading the SA Let's Play because I figured I wouldn't ever have a chance to play this, but now I hear it's been localized and I'm rather tempted to get it. I just got to the part where the first investigation is about to begin, seems like the perfect place to decide if I want to buy it or not.

cj iwakura

It's always better to experience it than read about it. I will want to read that one day, though.

joshofalltrades

I just finished this last night, and I thought the whole thing was really well done, although there are lots of unanswered questions. Apparently those get answered somewhat in the sequel though, so we'll see.

I seriously want to know how so many people lost a very specific period of memory. Because the answer basically has to be MAGIC!!!

joshofalltrades

Also (don't read if you haven't finished)

Apparently if you're curious, Monokuma had punishments planned for every character and if you search for them you can find what would have happened if, say, Toko had killed someone and been found out.

Skull2185

I just started investigating my first murder.

Sayaka very clearly wrote "Leon" on the wall with her blood. I wish I could convey that to Makoto

Skull2185

Just finished chapter 1 and the 1st murder.

I thought it was pretty cut and dry. Surprised me when I realized Sayaka was trying to kill Leon and frame Makoto. Stupid jerk!

Loving the game. Delightfully bizarre!

joshofalltrades

Just FYI it does get more difficult from here. Not to the point of frustration though. Maybe it was just my extended time with Ace Attorney but I only ever didn't know who the real killer was twice.

PMAvers

Finished! On a mobile so can't go into full thoughts, but oh my god the post-game game. that opening ceremony...

Mr_Grinch

If I didn't like P4G, and my least favourite parts of it were the dating and social aspect, is there a good chance I'll like this? I've never really tried a visual novel.

bss

End of chapter 2 and beyond:

Genocide Jill is fucking amazing.

bss

Mr_Grinch wrote: »

If I didn't like P4G, and my least favourite parts of it were the dating and social aspect, is there a good chance I'll like this? I've never really tried a visual novel.

The dating/social stuff isn't really at the same level as P4G. For the most part (so far anyway), you have a couple times where you are allowed to pick anyone to hang out with and you can give them a present. If it's a present they like, you get a little conversation (usually interesting to their character but also a bit silly) and you get a skill point upgrade or new skill. And you could probably skip that entirely if you wanted.

The rest is a lot of walking around the school, talking to people to get clues for the murder mysteries, and then the trial section which is a lot of deduction and the various trial activity minigames.

Either way you have to be up for a lot of talking.

Zython

*Reads OP*

I should really get a Vita one of these days.

PMAvers

Oh, hey, awesome. The post-game game is crashing when I try to go back and Continue every time. Wonder if it was because I havn't actually done anything in it yet, just saved at my first opportunity because my lunch break was ending.

Skull2185

Zython wrote: »

*Reads OP*

I should really get a Vita one of these days.

You really should! Even with the stupid SD card prices, I promise you wont be disappointed with the Vita and all the quality games it has

AspectVoid

Skull2185 wrote: »

Just finished chapter 1 and the 1st murder.

I thought it was pretty cut and dry. Surprised me when I realized Sayaka was trying to kill Leon and frame Makoto. Stupid jerk!

Loving the game. Delightfully bizarre!

Ha! Funny enough for the chapter one murder...

During the tutorial section on free time, after my first conversation with Sayaka I said "Welp, she's the first murderer. I'm gonna avoid her!" Imagine my surprise when she actually turned up dead. It was actually a relief when I found out she tried to kill Leon and frame me first.

Also, I finished the game about a half hour ago. Great game! A couple of the murders did have genuine surprises that I was not expecting. As for the very end of the game...

I'm kind of disappointed with the ending, in that I couldn't tell if the door was opening to a whole new world with sunlight spilling on them, or if everyone was just engulfed in flames and roasted alive. The first one gives it a happy ending. The second one is, actually, kind of funny to me, in a dark humor sort of way.

Also, the Vita is my favorite "Quirky Japanese Games" system since the original Playstation. Now, to start School Mode.

bss

Vita as "Quirky Japanese Games" console is life.

Aegeri

I might be able to get this game today! So long as the EB I go to gets their delivery...

PMAvers

Ending thoughts:

Okay, hands-up, who thought that when the guns started moving, they were just going to open fire on everyone?

cj iwakura

I'm a bit disappointed to see the game has 'incidental' voice, had kind of expected full VO. I dig the dub, though, especially Mondo.

Aegeri

Oh man.

This game.

So good. So happy I bought this.

joshofalltrades

cj iwakura wrote: »

I'm a bit disappointed to see the game has 'incidental' voice, had kind of expected full VO. I dig the dub, though, especially Mondo.

Son of a bitch

You're fuckin' dead

I feel as if

What the hell?!

Son of a bitch

bss

joshofalltrades wrote: »

cj iwakura wrote: »

I'm a bit disappointed to see the game has 'incidental' voice, had kind of expected full VO. I dig the dub, though, especially Mondo.

Son of a bitch

You're fuckin' dead

I feel as if

What the hell?!

Son of a bitch

Yeah, it gets kind of distracting when the incidental voice doesn't match the tone of the dialogue quite right, but the trials being fully voiced makes up for it in my mind. I still maintain that it's a great cast all in all. As always, I love any role Erin Fitzgerald does.

In any event, I'm in the middle of chapter 4, taking my normal pace through this, and am absolutely loving it. I really need to get this soundtrack. Waiting to listen to the LE's OST until I beat the game (because music spoilers, you see), but I'll have both soon enough, I'm sure. Actually, this entire game has just had this amazing level of polish. The aesthetic, the music and visuals, how the gameplay builds upon itself as you progress, the clever pivot from plot to a kind of metaplot, it's great. If Danganronpa 2 is supposed to be better than this, man, I cannot wait.

Aegeri

This is one of those exceptionally rare times where a games concept has me fall instantly in love with it (Crazy highschool courtrooms and murder) and it turns out to be completely great as well!

joshofalltrades

I kind of wish the incidental voice was just plain text and it went to full voice during trials. It's honestly a very minor complaint though.

School Mode is kind of fun even though I've failed like 6 times.

cj iwakura

Damn. First two victims:

I kind of saw Sayaka coming with all the 'I'm your assistant! ' stuff, but the second... damn. That's some Battle Royale ish.

joshofalltrades

Are you talking about the first execution, or the second murder?

cj iwakura

Just the first murder.

joshofalltrades

Yeah, that part you described behind spoilers is pretty brutal.

I'm sort of conflicted on the pink blood thing. I read that it was done as a sort of censorship compromise? I guess it's okay if it was either that or never showing blood at all, especially how stylistic it feels. I just sort of wish they'd been able to make red blood though.

bss

joshofalltrades wrote: »

I'm sort of conflicted on the pink blood thing. I read that it was done as a sort of censorship compromise? I guess it's okay if it was either that or never showing blood at all, especially how stylistic it feels. I just sort of wish they'd been able to make red blood though.

Yeah, it's very likely a rating compromise, but indeed, I agree. It looks striking in a visually-striking game (rather than looking totally weird and out of place) so I'm good with it.

Aegeri

From peoples initial descriptions I thought the VN/School stuff wouldn't have so much "Game" to it as it actually does. You can generally wander around as you like and make decisions about what people to talk to, which is obviously important because people get bumped off regularly (extremely so in fact). The first victim in Chapter 1 was telegraphed to hell though, but I am really enjoying the investigation stuff even if it is a little basic at times. So far this is an extremely enjoyable game.

Darth_Mogs

Hell yeah. I finally got to get this game today thanks to the guys at GameStop making sure they held back my copy for me after I tried and failed to get it there two times. Since it hadn't been delivered yet. Had my name on it and everything!

Think I'm going to do the smart thing and dig in a little when I settle in for bed. Because it's not like I need every bit of sleep I can get for tomorrow.

I do. Gonna do it anyway.

cj iwakura

Finished Chapter 1.

Yeah, I saw the number thing a mile away. Thanks, Phoenix Wright. I'm glad I was still surprised, though. Felt like the Sayaka double cross was the real plot twist.

One question...

Wasn't the killer breaking the 'leaving the dorm at night' rule? Or are killers exempt?