Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc comes to us from developer Spike Chunsoft and publisher NIS America. The game was originally released on the PlayStation Portable way back in 2010 and later ported to iOS and Android in 2012. These releases were all exclusive to Japan and western audiences finally get an official english language version on the PlayStation Vita. Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is a murder mystery with a tremendously engaging story full of twists and turns. There’s a couple of hiccups in the gameplay and with certain mechanics but its offbeat sense of humor and interesting characters are more than enough to keep the game fun and interesting. Describing the game to friends I called it Persona 4 meets Phoenix Wright filtered through the film Battle Royale. That description alone should warrant a purchase from just about anyone and render the rest of this review unnecessary. However, allow me to indulge myself and tell you a little more about the game.
Danganronpa puts you in the shoes of high schooler Makoto Naegi. Makoto has just been accepted into a high school that admits only the most elite students. Every student at Hope’s Peak Academy is some type of prodigy. Makoto’s classmates include the “Ultimate Swimming Pro,” the “Ultimate Fanfic Creator,” and even the “Ultimate Pop Sensation.” Makoto is an average student and only made it into Hope’s Peak via a lottery system, thus making him the “Ultimate Lucky Student.” However his promising new adventure takes a dark turn the instant he steps into his new school. Makoto passes out and when he wakes up he discovers he and 14 other classmates have been trapped in Hope’s Peak with all the exits and windows sealed off. But who trapped them? And why?
The answers to those questions drive the narrative in Dangaronpa. You get some clues right away. Your “headmaster” is an insane and sadistic robotic bear named Monokuma. His introduction kicks off the rest of the action when he explains that the only way to leave Hope’s Peak is kill one of the other students and not get caught. Otherwise the students will be forced to live the remainder of their lives in the confines of the school. At first the students are set on defying Monokuma and refusing to play the game but it isn’t long before Monokuma finds a way to motivate the students and the murders begin.
Gameplay follows a cycle. You’ll have some free time to explore Hope’s Peak and get to know the other students. Unfortunately the fun is always interrupted by something awful happening one of the students, usually murder. When a murder is committed an investigation is conducted to try and determine what exactly happened. You can examine the scene of the crime and search the school for clues. Then comes the trial. With every student as a suspect, players use evidence and testimony in a series of shooting and rhythm game sequences to discover who the killer is.
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The cycle of gameplay feels organic because of the way the narrative unfolds. As you explore the school and spend time with your classmates you learn more about them and their motivations. As the students try to resist the game and search for answers, Monokuma devises new ways to keep the game going. The writing and dialogue are strong enough that it really felt like I was getting to know new people when I interacted with the other students. It’s this growing attachment that makes each murder have weight. Early on in the game I spent time getting to know a specific character and feeling like I was building a genuine friendship when they were suddenly, and brutally, murdered.
The world of Danganronpa is presented in a beautiful art style that uses 2.5D motion graphics to create a living graphic novel. The art is just as impressive as what you would see in an anime or a manga. In fact the original PSP game was so popular it spawned an adaptation in both mediums. The slick art combined with the writing and gameplay bring a cast of unique and interesting characters to life. Even though the narrative employs some anime tropes that have grown tired and some characters fall too easily into certain stereotypes, the game explores ideas that games rarely do. What is the true meaning of friendship? Can you ever truly know someone? What could motivate a person to commit murder?
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This review has only touched on gameplay lightly because Danganronpa isn’t focused on the gameplay. The trial sections contain the “gamiest” sections and feel like a hodgepodge of different ideas that were just slapped together. Making arguments involves contradicting testimony by shooting relevant information at certain sections of the other student’s testimonies. Other times you deal with particularly stubborn students in a rhythm game that has you arguing with them head-to-head or you’re playing a variation of hangman by shooting letters as they appear on-screen. Gameplay isn’t particularly hard but can be a bit frustrating because the game introduces new tweaks to the formula before you can even get accustomed to the way the mechanics already work. The best part of the gameplay is the exploration and conversation systems. Having a relatively small area to explore gives you a strong sense of geography and helps you understand how it would feel to have nothing a but a few rooms and hallways to live in. The conversations range from heartfelt to really funny and there’s even a gift system that rewards both by providing backstory for the other students and by discovering skills that can be used during the trial sections.
At its heart Danganronpa is a visual novel that uses gameplay and interactivity to put you in the center of the story in a way only videogames can. Engaging writing will have you itching to spend time with as many characters as you can while working together to unravel one mystery after another. Gameplay can be a little confusing sometimes but overall it’s solid enough to keep you moving through the story. The mysteries are all well constructed and challenging without being impossible to figure out. I had an awesome time with it and consider it a must play for any Vita owner.
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Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is available now for the PlayStation Vita from retailers and via download from the Playstation Store. This review is based on a copy of the game provided by NIS America.
All images courtesy of NIS America.
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