LogFAQs > #895346844

88. Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (pyresword)


I like this game, but I feel like it'd be hard to go back to after playing the sequel since it's just so much better (list spoilers). The premise of all these Ultimate High School talents being locked inside the school as the apocalypse rages in the outside world is very intriguing, although the exact details are always kept nebulous for effect since you're never sure how much you can believe of what Monokuma says. Danganronpa starts off pretty well with an interesting first case. There's a surprise betrayal, a delightfully corny riddle in 11037, and perhaps the best execution in either of the first two games (I haven't played V3 yet, so I can't speak to those). It leaves you feeling unsettled in a good way, wondering what's going to happen from here on out.

Unfortunately, it kind of veers off in another direction for a lot of the game by going really over the top with its black comedy. I don't like Monokuma's brand of "humor" at all (Mondo Butter was just the worst), and the murder mysteries weren't as compelling for the next two cases. Part of it is that Danganronpa has a rather large cast, but most of them aren't all that good. And for being a school filled with kids who are supposed to be the future hope of the nation, a lot of them are really dumb. The logic and actions of some of these characters are pretty bad at times. I guess there's supposed to be some sort of message that a completely average in every way kid like Makoto winds up being the leader and a symbol of hope, but it just makes me think the school's selection process is fundamentally flawed somehow! Anyway, Danganronpa manages to turn things around with the last two cases, which are really good, partially because at least the game recognizes who the best characters are and has gotten rid of most of the bad ones at that point. The twist at the end of the fourth case in particular was really well done, I thought, and really helped cement Asahina as one of my favorites from the first game. Regardless, the trial segments are almost always a good time (as long as you're not playing one of the mini-games anyway). The action feels fast-paced and free-flowing as the debate jumps around from one character to the next. It's the other aspects of a case that usually bring them down in my book.

I often hear people compare Danganronpa to Ace Attorney, and while I get where they're coming from, I wouldn't recommend this game to someone simply because they like AA. I think it'd be pretty jarring for someone who came into this expecting the two to be a lot alike. I know it was for me! Danganronpa is a lot sloppier and more irreverent, in addition to having an entirely different sense of humor. Plus, it cranks the anime factor up to eleven. The characters aren't as charming either for the most part, although I do like a handful of them quite a bit. The Free Time Events are pretty fun and help you grow attached to the ones you like, but they feel a bit more simplistic than something like Social Links from Persona. It's a lot more of a hit or miss experience than Ace Attorney tends to be. Don't get me wrong. I think Danganronpa is fun, but I don't think the target audience is necessarily the same.

Bonus Question: Who is your favorite character from the first Danganronpa?
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