Official Score
Overall - 80%
80%
During my playthrough, I didn't run into any bugs or crashes. While I enjoyed the game, as a newcomer I did feel overwhelmed by a lot of the stuff coming at me early on in the game. I also felt like it took far too long to get to the first trial and to get into the meat of the game. These are minor gripes, and anyone who has played the series before will most likely be okay with them.
Earlier this year, we got Danganronpa 1-2 Reload to prepare us for Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony. Has enough time passed from the second entry to make Danganronpa feel fresh again, or has the killing game overstayed its welcome? Check out our review and find out.
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Review
The game starts off with you coming out of a locker, not quite recalling how you got there. After being introduced to Kaede Akamatsu, you learn that she has been kidnapped and brought there, along with Shuichi Saihara. Though you are both confused, you both know that you need to get out of this classroom you are stuck in. The windows are covered with barbed wire, so the door leading to the hallway is the only option. When you step out, you are greeted with a giant robot and are forced to flee the hallway. While running, you eventually make your way to the gym, and you run into a group of people who seem just as confused by the situation as you are.
At this point, you are introduced to the Monokubs, who look like teddy bears. The Monokubs change your outfit, restore your memory, and briefly mention the killing game before tossing you back to the start of the game. After busting out of the locker again, the Monokubs appear again and tell you about the school and how you are an “Ultimate.” Ultimates are essentially students who excel at a particular talent, with 16 of them at this particular. Your first objective is to find all of the students and figure out what type of talent they have.
Exploring in Danganronpa comes in two forms. You can explore the halls and outside the school in first person, all while moving freely like a first-person game. When you enter most buildings or any of the rooms, you will enter a point and click state. Here you can search the rooms for various things or clues, and interact with any students around the area. There are a few mini-games that have you moving around in 2D as well, but it isn’t a heavy focus. It works for what it is; it’s not revolutionary, but it’s not an eye strain either.
The killing game plays a major focus of the game. The students are tasked with killing another student so they can leave. It takes a long while for the students to get in on this (we’re talking hours), but when they do the game really starts to heat up. After finding a body, you will have to investigate the crime scene and collect clues, all while trying to figure out who is the murderer. Outside of finding clues, you will also have to speak with the students and find out what their alibis are. While doing this, they will, of course, attempt to throw each other under the bus every once and while, so you have to keep your wits about you. When all the clues have been collected, and everyone’s accounts have been told, it is time for the class trial.
The class trial is where you put all the information you have gathered to use to find out who the killer is. The students will start speaking about the murder, and it is your job to shoot a truth bullet at the sections that are true or false. The truth bullets are the evidence you have collected, and you use it to prove or refute someone’s point. You aim the reticle at a sentence and shoot the bullet, causing the debate to stop momentarily if you are correct. Sometimes there will be mass debates that involve multiple people speaking at the same time, and you have to pick which one to focus on and which clue to use a truth bullet on. These can get a bit hectic at times, but it does add to the tenseness of the situation. You also have to use lie bullets from time to time to help you get to the truth. These act as the opposite of evidence you have collected when you use them. These, mixed with other mini-games during the trial, will help you find out who the real killer is.
After the trial is finished and the culprit is chosen, they are executed in a downright brutal fashion. Not only that, but there are now fewer students to play the game. You also earn Monocoins depending on how well you did during the trial. These can be used to gamble at the casino or used to get gifts for other students. There is a relationship mechanic in the game as well, which is interesting. During certain sections of the game, you get free time, and you can spend time with other students. The thing is, you have no idea who is going to live or die so good luck with picking who to hang out with.
During my playthrough, I didn’t run into any bugs or crashes. While I enjoyed the game, as a newcomer I did feel overwhelmed by a lot of the stuff coming at me early on in the game. I also felt like it took far too long to get to the first trial and to get into the meat of the game. These are minor gripes, and anyone who has played the series before will most likely be okay with them.
If you are a Danganronpa fan, you shouldn’t hesitate to pick this one up. If you are new to the series, however, try the demo first to make sure the game is right for you.
