Topic: Danganronpa

@KratosMD I did like the escape sequence, which was a really elaborate reference to the Zero Escape games. There are also 999 and VLR references in some of the trophy names. And VLR has a character who is clearly meant to bring Monokuma to mind. I really like how the DR and ZE creators seem to admire each-other's work so much.

@Kidfried Overall I think D2 was a better game, but for some reason I may have enjoyed D1 a little bit more. I know that doesn’t make sense, but the second game feels more fleshed out, the setting is more open and the plot even more intricate than the first. It feels less ‘budget constrained’ (although realistically, you’re not getting cutting edge graphics or mechanics in these games) and the student relationships are better, I think. But ... the first game just had a little more ... something ... I don’t know how to describe. Maybe more charm than the second? It may just be that it’s all so new and unique in the first game and so the second game follows familiar patterns so it’s not as much of a surprise when you see the blood start to spill. But don’t worry, they still do an excellent job of making the second game fresh in a lot of ways. Without spoiling anything, there are still trials and puzzles and mini games and relationship building activities during free time, etc, but it will feel different, for sure. If you enjoyed the first, without question you will enjoy the second.

@KratosMD I actually like Despair-form Mikan more than her usual fanservice-bait self. Her breakdown at the end of the trial was simultaneously hilarious and creepy, and excellent foreshadowing for one of the BIG twists later on

I couldn't put the previous three games down, but this one is... harder to get into, for some reason. I'm hoping it picks up.

@KratosMD I'm curious to see how and if this connects to the rest of Danganronpa mythology. Given this game's penchant for subverting expectations, I wouldn't be surprised if it actually nullifies previous lore. If Danganronpa 2 and UDG were about expanding on the foundation left by the first game, then this one is probably about burning it all down. That's my prediction, anyway.

@Kidfried I definitely want to see what your think as it gets further into the story.
One of the best things with the franchise is it’s crazy characters (along with the crazy plot and fun gameplay). I think I liked the characters from the first game a little bit better as a whole, but it’s close. I’m a big fan of Hina, she was one of my favorites. It seems like they made Akane a meld of Hina and Sakura for D2 and she just wasn’t as fun as the original. But D2 has plenty of great unique ones too. I really love Chiaki. And Nagito, Mikan, and Gundam. So many over the top personalities.

@KratosMD I need to finish watching that. I started it and then got distracted. A very common theme in my life. 😂 I haven’t played Danganronpa V3 yet - as far as characters how does it rank compared to the first 2 games?

@KratosMD I'm having the opposite feeling so far. I absolutely loved the cast of DR2, but there are multiple people in V3 that I can't stand so far (I actually have to stop myself from instinctively clicking past Tenko and Miu's dialogue). I'm... mixed on the first game. There are multiple characters I like, but I didn't really feel a connection to any of them.

I actually really liked the cast in UDG, too. I thought Komaru and Toko had wonderful chemistry, and the villains were all memorable characters.

https://nintendosoup.com/rumor-danganronpa-v3-killing-harmony...

It'll be interesting if we get Danganronpa games on the Switch going forward. If this is true, it seems like NIS is making a huge push on the system.

@KratosMD Okay so I tested things out and learned that You can switch the order in which the two-murder case victims are killed, but that's it. There's no branching paths, just a little easter egg depending on your affection towards the victims.

@Kidfried

Ah man your gonna love em!! I hope you have as great of an experience as I did playing these classics. It is so frustrating to me why this series is as overlooked as it is! But enjoy!!!

@KratosMD

I think with the recent arrival to PS4 systems here in the West as well as other areas outside of Japan, that the series has established itself as a mainstay series. It may not yet be as highly regarded as Persona, but I believe that the cult followers that Danganronpa has amassed along with the future releases in the series will bring more and more attention and love from fans all over. This is a fairly new series, and I expect that the future entries will have a much wider sales base than the previous games did simply due to it being much more accessible and available to people all over the world!! I love this series just as much as anyone else and cant wait to see what NIS America and Spike Chunsoft have in store for the future regarding this series!!

@jim_bob_89 Seriously they are making more?
They literally can only make one more to finish the story of Junko and nothing more everything else would be stupid just like with persona hell even persona 5 was stupid now that I look at it,It brought nothing new to the table same formula from 20 years ago only thing is the story.

@KratosMD And they created Ultra despair girls and they created 2 Anime Series Future and Despair Arc(Without Trigger Happy Havoc Anime)
It's becoming repetitive.
Like I said one more story before it becomes stupid tie up the Junko,Naegi,Kirigiri Story and be done with the franchise.

@Hapuc
@KratosMD

Well, I hate that you feel that way Hapuc, I have to agree with KratosMD on all regards, this series your claiming has been beat to death is still very much a new theme to most people. You must remember that just this past year was the 1st time many gamers got access to this game when it was released on PS4. Not many people own a PSVita and those that do still rarely ever heard of this wonderful series. And I get that there may be alot of anime films or series set in the Danganronpa world, but the gaming world even with D1.2 Reload, Ultra Despair Girls & V3 is still virtually limitless in terms of scope and the possibilities in the story arc/characters fates. While you may be right that resurrecting Junko will be an old trick that is becoming too much of a repeating occurrence, I disagree wholeheartedly about the series needing to end and that there is no intrigue left. every time i play any Danganronpa game, the wonderful A+ characters bursting with true to life human traits, habits & personalities are among the most detailed and "individual" as any game before. I am enthralled by the kill or be killed world these Ultimates are thrown into and love each and every juicy bit I can get from the most well written & sadly overlooked RPG/visual novel games on Sony's consoles. Just wait, the world will come to know Danganronpa in its entirety.

@jim_bob_89 Well you just proved yourself wrong With having and creating all those limitless story arcs and character fates is what makes it repetitive now they should finish the story arc that started all of this with Junko Kirigiri and Naegi not introduce a new cast of characters that totally diverges from the Original story.
A1 characters? Gotta ask you and have you ever met someone who's whole personality revolves around despair and when you look at it a whole roster of characters that almost every character embodies a shonen trope on them self...You call that a True to life character traits...Seriously?
And If V3 couldn't get into mainstream because it's the best game out of Danganronpa games hardly that the franchise will get more exposure Because don't forget this games are made with Japan and Weeaboos in mind not a Mainstream audience.
And it's not overlooked game V3 sold 300K copies in it's first month I think most Devs would kill for those numbers.

And, just as I did before, you are stating your opinions on this and not a single fact. Just cuz you find it repetitive doesnt mean everyone does. Ok, I get it, you dont like the Danganronpa series. Well, believe it or not, there are tons of people who do!! Since you clearly were aiming to prove everything I said wrong from before, why dont you find a forum for a game you "do" like and make "POSITIVE" comments instead of negative?

So, I've gone back to Danganronpa V3. Played for several hours, from early second case to right before the class trial.

The victim this time was surprising. I was sure it was going to end up being Kaito. I guess that would have been too telegraphed, though.

Nothing much seemed to happen in this chapter. You talk to a few people, find a casino, Gonta forces you to interact with insects, and then the magic show happens. DR2's second chapter introduced a ton of intriguing mysteries to the equation, but it feels like nothing is being set-up here (other than the obligatory stage dressing for the chapter ending trial, of course).

With one exception: I'm getting increasingly creeped out by Angie and her ability to influence others with her weird beliefs. I definitely could see her being a murderer in a future chapter.

Also, I've noticed there's almost none of the constant babbling about hope and despair in this one. That felt like one of Danganronpa's trademarks, and I'm sad to see it gone.

Predictions for the trial:

1) The motive is probably going to involve something in one of the motive videos. Unless those are a red herring, which is always possible.

2) Considering the rope in the gym, the tennis net cable in Ryoma's lab, the scuffing on the windows, and the missing handcuffs, my first inclination is to think that Ryoma was killed in his room and then somehow transported over the pool to the gym. My guess is that they slid Ryoma over those ropes using the handcuffs.

3) This doesn't explain how the body ended up in the tank where the magic trick took place, though. There was water leaking out of the staircase next to it, so maybe the stairs are hollow and the body was stored there.

4) This implicates mage girl, though, and I don't think she's the culprit. Another guess is that the body was somehow stored in the piranha tank and hidden using a panel of some sort. The item description for it says that only the front is visible, which is suspicious.

5) The problem with all of this, though, is that, if it was committed at nighttime, I don't see how they could have put the body in either of those places. Maybe they cut a whole in their clothes and slid down the rope themselves?

6) Regarding culprits... my first instinct is to suspect Kaito, considering how the game is trying to make me trust him. This would seem a bit too derivative of the first trial for my tastes, though. Other possibilities are Maki (where was she even?) and Kirumi (although, considering she seems willing to take any possible request, perhaps someone killed Ryoma and then instructed Kirumi to take the fall? Perhaps like the second trial of DR2, but played straight this time). I don't think it will be Kokichi, solely because of how much of a source of conflict he's turning out to be.

7) That's what I'm going with: Maki or Kaito contracted with Kirumi to take the fall for their actions. Maybe blackmailing her? Or maybe she's just that committed to her duties.

Watch me be completely off-base with all of this.

I'll play the trial soon. Hoping to finish this up in the next few weeks.

@KratosMD A lot of the moments where they would have started going on about hope and despair, they talk about truth and lies instead. Like in the text right before the trial (right before you're prompted to save). Also, given the apparent ability to lie in this game, it seemed to me like the thematic focus had shifted.

Good to know I'm wrong about that, though!

Holy crud! That trial, the execution, and the conclusion of the chapter were a whole lot to process. This is the sort of drama, twistiness, and mystery I've been wanting from this game! So much to talk about.

While I don't like this trial quite as much as the second trial in DR2, it still blows away anything in DR1. Very fun, dramatic, brutal, and occasionally surprising.

Onto chapter 3!

Oh wow, Ch. 3 is going by very quickly.

I think that's enough for today. Tomorrow I'll move on to the investigation phase again.