Topic: Danganronpa

@PSVR_lover ?

I'm discussing the context of the twist, so I'm not really sure what you're getting at, tbh.

It's been a long while but I'm back to playing Danganronpa V3.

Instead of starting where I left off after bowing out of playing alongside it with Sol & Kid last year (being partially into chapter 4) I've completely restarted the game instead.

Already on chapter 2 and I'm enjoying it.

... Chapter 1's trial hit me even harder then it did the first time round.

This trial is easily my favourite in the entire series (Well... so far. I know I haven't seen trial 4, 5 or 6 yet in V3)

Chapter 2. Yeah it's pretty good. Just about to start the trial. Whilst it won't top the first trial emotionally I do remember thinking it was pretty good follow up.

Oh and I blitzed through a relationship with Tenko (seeing as I know she pops her clogs in chapter 3) and... Well I'm not quite sure what the point of it or their character was if I'm honest.

I am SO glad u are enjoying it. I just loved v3, got it day one purchase. I loved all the trials, I liked the 5th the best by far.

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy Trial 4 is really creative, and Trial 5 is probably my favorite one in the entire series. With that said, none of them hit with the emotional force of a nuke like Trial 1 did. Literally stopped playing the game for a few days when that first happened.

Second and third chapters are easily the low points of the game for me, and that goes for their respective trials as well. They're still better than anything in the first game, though.

So since my last post I've done chapter 2's trial of Danganronpa v3 alongside all of Chapter 3 and 4 as well.

I like Chapter 2. Not much I can really other then whilst it obviously doesn't top chapter 1 at all I do think it's a good mystery and the killer isn't exceedingly obvious like the upcoming trials...

I never actually wrote my thoughts down on chapter 3 when I was previously playing it (beyond saying I didn't really enjoy it much) so I unfortunately can't compare... Whilst I don't agree with your thoughts on Chapter 2 @Ralizah. I wholeheartedly agree with you for Chapter 3.

I figured I'd tag @Th3solution and @Kidfried too cus of that seeing as I'm finally joining them and picking up properly from where I left off last year in our miniature game club 😄

Chapter 3 Spoilers

Figuring out who the culprit is and why they did so is probably my favourite part of these games and... that falls apart for me in this chapter all too easily.

The "intended" murder was quite creative enough at least with the seance. But it's PAINFULLY obvious Kiyo killed Tenko from the get go and I never once thought anyone else killed Angie either if I'm being completely honest. Plus once he confirms he did kill Tenko then there's no doubt he killed Angie too thanks to the dried blood and his seesaw.

I'm... a bit negative about Chapter 4 as well.

Chapter 4 Spoilers

General thoughts and predictiony potential spoilers?

At this point I'm not quite sure where I'd rank this game if I'm being totally honest. I don't like the cast quite as much as D1 or D2 and whilst I think the trial mechanics/Minigames are the best (Except for Psyche Taxi which is exceedingly boring) I do think the trials aren't quite as good as the second's for me personally either.

Does K1-B0 seriously do anything in this damn game? He's the lamest character for me by a country mile. He's just... He has the personality of wallpaper paste and in a way is less interesting then Tsumugi who's quite clearly the mastermind. No way she blends in with the background for absolutely no reason. Though Sonia from D2 didn't do much either and made it to the end...

Oh and... I think I figured out the twist? Or at least some of it 😅

I dunno... Just a random thought I had. Still got chapters 5 & 6 to go so I could end up proven wrong. But you wouldn't use that much TV lingo for no reason either...

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy Interesting thoughts and I enjoy reviving my memories of the game through your eyes. I remember quite liking the sharp turn of setting in Ch. 4. The series definitely has no shortages of creative ideas. 😄

Seems like you’re making good progress now and I look forward to hearing your impressions of the upcoming chapters and events.

I beat Dangranopa V3 @Kidfried, @Th3solution & @Ralizah.

Well actually I beat it Wednesday night last week but I've been busy getting ready to go back to work and I've been at my in laws the past 4 days as well.

Honestly despite having a good 4 days to mull it over and allow the ending to digest I'm still not sure what exactly I make of it.

I think I might have to go through chapter 6's trial again to fully take it all in as that was one hell of a ride!

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy

V3 is a bit of a marmite game, and that wild final chapter is a big part of it. Especially since it's so easy for some people to read it in a less than charitable manner that, IMO, doesn't reflect the actual intent of the developer toward his audience.

Thematically, I've grown to appreciate it a lot over time, especially in comparison to earlier games in the series. DR2 is the funnest game in the series (and has the best cast), but V3 works the best for me as an actual piece of art that's being used a medium to communicate themes to an audience.

Are you going to work through the absolutely massive suite of optional post-game content in the meantime? This game takes WAY longer to platinum than the older ones.

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy Congrats, Foxy! I agree with @Ralizah in that the game is probably not quite as fun as 1 or 2 but has the most ambitious narrative. There are several levels you can interpret from the ending and it really did blow me away.

I hear V3 took much longer to write than the first 2, they said it was difficult to come up with new ideas for the series.

All three are the best games, I’m replaying Dangaronpa 1 on my iPad and it’s still an amazing game.

I've been playing Danganronpa V3, and finished the first trial. The trials certainly have come a long way from that first trial in the original Danganronpa, in regards to depth and plot twists. The various mini-games in the trial are all pretty fun as well.

In terms of the crew, I do really like most of the characters. The only two I've disliked so far are Kokichi and Tenko.

@crimsontadpoles The trials in V3 are (mostly) awesome. If I had to make a "top five Danganronpa trials" list, it would be heavily dominated by ones from V3. The opening trial here just blows ones from previous games out of the water in terms of its twistiness and emotional impact.

For my part, I never got on with Tenko and Miu, but others made up for them.

I hate Danganronpa 3. I played it for the first time last year (or the year before?) and I'm honestly still annoyed about it. That's why I'm here. Every time someone mentions Danganronpa 3 I can sense it like a shark smelling blood from miles away and I instantaneously pop up to say well actually I didn't like that game so

That’s one thing about Dangaronpa, once you get attached to a character, they die. I also agree, V3 has the best trials out of the three games.

Sorry I took so long to get around to this guys (It's me Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy btw)

Anyway my thoughts on the finale of Danganronpa v3 along with some dissection of some of the themes/ideas that stuck out to me.

Chapter 5

So I did enjoy the case well enough as it went along. Though... I did find the whole reasoning of Kokichi writing a script for Kaito to follow during the trial rather outlandish. When did Kokichi write this exactly? Whilst Kaito was kidnappped? and he just happened to basically prepare for every possibility?

I dunno what it is about this game (Well maybe I do but more about that later) but it keeps making me question it's reasonings.

In the previous games I was quite happy to suspend my disbelief at the absurd happenings that went on (well except for the ending of 1).

Regardless of whether it's intentional or not (again more on that later) I still think it hampers the writing in the game in my humble opinion.

I honestly don't have much to say about the chapter otherwise. It was... fine but again it's not one I would personally write home about.

For chapter 6 I'm going to talk about the trial in general and my thoughts on the ending, before then moving onto some of the themes of the game that personally struck a chord with me.

I don't really talk about the themes in media often.

I honestly don't particularly like doing it as what I can take from a film could be very different to you or someone else. I know that sounds a bit silly but sometimes there might not even be one but people will try to make a meaning or see something that isn't there and that irks my brain (And yes I realise it's a possibility I'm doing it myself but hey ho).

It's gonna diverge a bit from Danganronpa too for a smidge so apologies. But it'll make sense... I promise? 😂

Chapter 6

I called it! I called it that Tsumugi would be the mastermind!

At least... I was half right.

Whilst I really do like the concept of redoing a trial and finding out it had a different outcome then what was intially thought. I did find that revealing that Kaede had been framed by Tsumugi fairly disappointing.

... I also just found the mystery (AGAIN) extremely weak, rather uninspired and ridiculously easy to figure out.

Honestly it wasn't until Tsumugi really started kicking into hyperdrive and began cosplaying as EVERYONE from previous games, and in turn getting extremely meta, was where the trial actually started to intrigue/impress me.

... Which is kinda ironic since I don't typically like meta commentary at all, especially in games where I find it rather ham fisted (Cough Undertale Cough), but I actually really dug it for this game and what it was trying to do with it.

So now... Let's talk about the themes that a struck a chord with me.

There's a bunch no doubt like the usage and power of lies (though that didn't really mean much to me honestly)... And... well some other stuff that went over my thick head no doubt

What I'd like to talk about is sequels... and uhh... Sequelisation? Sequelitis? Not too sure how to express it exactly if I'm being honest.

It wasn't actually v3 that made me really think of this at first. But a couple of films I just happened to watch a few days after beating it.

21 Jump Street or more importantly it's sequel 22 Jump Street.

... It'll make sense in the long run I promise! 😂

Hopefully you can see why my weird brain made the connection between that and Danganronpa v3 (22 jump being made 3 years before v3) and the afformentioned theme!

This is what I was alluding to with the writing earlier.

The writing fits what's supposed to be the 53rd entry of Danganronpa that for the past 43 has transcended the medium of video games and has now become a reality tv show with a rabid fanbase consisting of the entire world.

This also fits in with the much more prominent and forefront theme the game presents at the end of that final trial with you having to put the Danganronpa franchise to rest. How many tv shows, films, games have been endlessly milked over the years to crank out inferior sequels, spinoffs or reboots?

I like what v3 was trying to do and I respect the messages, themes and ideas they were shooting for... But I thought the way it was executed to me left a lot to be desired.

Sorry if that was a bit basic at times but... Ya get what you're given. I'm not writing a thesis on it. This post is almost as long as one of my reviews already lol

Overall I can't say I loved it.

I've actually looked at the case a number of times since finishing it and considered selling it.

Even if that last trial went completely off the rails and swung it back into enjoyment for me it still had a really lacklustre and frankly mostly unenjoyable middle that I personally found poorly executed/written for what could possibly be for the sake of it's theming?

If it wasn't for that last minute swerve I think I would've already done it.

I've tried the unlocked modes and they're ok. A bit too grindy for me personally and not developed enough to make the repetitive nature of them super fun. It was a novelty at best for me and the shine wore off VERY quickly.

I didn't enjoy much of the cast either as a whole with Kaede and Kokichi being the major standouts to me with Himiko, Shuichi & Maki trailing behind.

Can I see myself replaying it?

... I dunno really. I've uninstalled it and I don't think I'd appreciate it any better either playing it in a few years time.

There's not much left to say other then to tag you @Ralizah and @Th3solution to finally hear my extended thoughts on and say so long Danganronpa!

@HallowMoonshadow Interesting to see someone who really only appreciates the latter half of the games for the controversial aspects of the final case, which seem to be what makes a small minority of players hate it in the first place.

re chapter 5, the impression I had was that Kokichi probably anticipated the sorts of questions that would be asked, and prepared a 'script' that would direct Kaito to answer in ways that would make the act believable. So less 'here's a script for every possible interaction,' and more 'these are the sorts of questions you're likely to be asked, and here are the sorts of ways I would respond to said inquiries.' Couldn't say about the timeframe, but I'm sure he'd been cooking up his scheme for a while, and I'm not entirely sure he would need to tailor it to any given person, considering the circumstances of the trial.

I love chapter 5. It's possibly my favorite in the entire franchise, since the mystery is so cohesive, the conclusion is so emotionally resonant, and I really liked the idea of someone trying to outsmart the mastermind by forcing a contradiction within the logic of the game itself. It's desperate, of course, but the characters are stuck in a nightmare scenario with little hope of escape.

While I think DR2 has an overall stronger cast, I will say I think the core group of survivors in the latter half of V3 are the strongest in the series. And the way the final two cases develop are a huge part of that. Especially with the layered satire you allude to (interesting connection to 22 Jump Street, btw).

This bit is misunderstood by a lot of people, IMO, and has been a cause of needless controversy in the fandom.

The extra content was a lot of fun, but totally unnecessary. With that said, I spent SUCH a long time grinding those modes. I appreciated the comedic interactions in the talent development plan. It's like an elaborate, officially-sanctioned work of fanfiction that allows characters from across the franchise to meet up and interact in ways that would have been canonically impossible. And something nice to have after the destructive trail left by V3's [spoiler]meta-commentary on Danganronpa is general.

It's nice to see you back. Interesting new username, btw, although it'll take time to adjust to.

@HallowMoonshadow Interesting thoughts. I enjoyed reading them, although I have since forgotten some of the detailed plot points.

I can appreciate some of your criticisms, even if I enjoyed the game quite a bit more. Actually reading your mini-review has me thinking that I really need to play the game again someday. 😄

It’s too bad that parts of the game fell flat for you, but the ending really does pack a few good punches, so fortunately you were able to get some enjoyment out of it. At least you can check it off your list!

Yeah it's a bit of a shame I never finished it earlier when me, you and kid were all playing it so you'd recall the details a bit more clearly sol! But sill... I'm glad it came across well that you can recall and understand where I'm coming from on my dislike/disappointment of some aspects.

It wasn't that much shorter then most my reviews in the review thread if you can believe it! And I didn't have pretty pictures to fill it out either! 😂

... Yeah it's kinda a shame I have nothing left of the series now (aside from watching the anime adaptations (which I might get around to... eventually) and the japanese short novels I guess (but I doubt I'd ever read those))

Honestly I'm just as surprised as you.

I think it's the fact that I've seen so many pieces of media go on far longer then they should've that it was rather refreshing for Dangan to not only go "Yeah this is it". But also go "And you're pulling the bloody trigger on it" (even if I thought the sequence was a bit overlong)

That's a very valid way of looking at it and certainly makes more sense then my initial thoughts. Still the whole thing still just feels a bit eh for me personally... I don't buy it. I'm glad you enjoy it though and your thoughts on the chapter as a whole are certainly food for thought!

Well going extremely meta and involving the "audience" will probably do that... Especially if you only think about the surface level meaning of it. I can understand why it's taken the wrong way by the fandom even if it's not the intent... I do hope it came across by me saying it "tries to insinuate" that it wasn't something I wholeheartedly thought either lol 😄.

... Better then I ever could've put it. If I thought about it harder

Oh I recall you saying multiple times how long you spent on those. Like over a hundred hours right? I barely lasted 2 before having my fill I do like it for the reasons you stated though. It IS super neat in that ultimate fanfiction-y way.

Glad to be back Ral 😃

I did post in the chat thread about my return... But I'll just quote myself here for the reason why I was gone so long 😄

As for the username. Short version is I hated the old one and invoked some DnD character energy into the new one 😅

-EDIT-

Pushsquare is being really weird. It was messing up my quotes by jumbling up the names of everyone and everything for some reason despite the fact it was all perfect 😯

Does anyone else agree with me that the first game was the best one by a mile? It had the strongest story and tone of the franchise. The sequel was basically the same thing, but with a wackier setting and the third game was just weak. And the worst part about it is that it tried to be meta at the end and probably killed the formula which in my opinion was the best part of the series.

No, I enjoyed all three. Second was my favorite.