LTTP: Danganronpa (Thrills...chills....SPOILERS!!!)

[Crayolan]

I really have a question here. Do we literally play as a detective in this game? Literally checking on alibi and figuring out the false arguments, or are they just gimmick?

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You play as a high school kid.

Someone dies, then you investigate the crime scene, any other relevant areas, and ask around to see what people were doing at the time. Doing this you collect "truth bullets" (evidence) which you then take to "class trials." People get into debates and you have to pick out which arguments are false and which piece of evidence refutes their claims. Aside from this there are multiple choice questions, times when you just need to bring up the relevant evidence to a discussion, some minigame where you figure out a word, some really stupid rhythm minigame (it's as dumb as it sounds), and a pretty cool part where you put together all the events of each case.

 

[psychedelic]

Sequel was definitely better, but personally speaking, sometimes the over the top anime tone of the games was really off putting for me, especially with the second game.

I will get around to playing the third game at some point, but I'm also sorta more interested in the third 999 game, which I also haven't played. Ace Attorney still has the better story out of all three, in my opinion.

 

[number8888]

If you like Danganronpa I'd say at least play the sequal and then watch the anime (Danganronpa 3 which has the proper continuation of the story from 2). Play Ultra Despair Girls if you want but the gameplay is kinda boring since it's a shooter and not a visual novel.

Play Dangaronpa V3 at your own risk. While it is clever and has some really good plot-twist, it can also alter your view on certain aspect of the franchise. Be warned. To me it might as well not exist.

 

[AnansiThePersona]

Also another question I had: Is Monokuma just "the symbol of despair" in the world or did Junko make him up?

 

[Deleted member 9746]

Also another question I had: Is Monokuma just "the symbol of despair" in the world or did Junko make him up?

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Both, I think. Junko made him and he became the symbol of despair.

 

[Revolsin]

It's several miles behind 999, but even still it's a really solid game.

D2 was a lot more enjoyable for me, even though I liked the setting less. Lot of great and memorable characters there. Nagito was super cool.

DV3 was super great, to a point. The ending killed it for me. In fact it might've killed the franchise for me. Hate that stuff.

 

[Dullahan]

DV3 was super great, to a point. The ending killed it for me. In fact it might've killed the franchise for me. Hate that stuff.

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I never understood why some people react like that to the ending. IMO it's the single best ending in videogame history.

Spoiler

Danganronpa isn't real in this world. Is the franchise ruined IRL? Of course not. It's not real in V3's world either. So what?

 

[Chittagong]

Loved Danganronpa.

My wife loved watching me play Persona 5, so I figured she'd be up for Danganronpa 2. I started it a while ago and know the setting, but I do not remember - can it be enjoyed without knowing the first one?

 

[Dullahan]

Loved Danganronpa.

My wife loved watching me play Persona 5, so I figured she'd be up for Danganronpa 2. I started it a while ago and know the setting, but I do not remember - can it be enjoyed without knowing the first one?

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I wouldn't suggest it.

 

[Crayolan]

Loved Danganronpa.

My wife loved watching me play Persona 5, so I figured she'd be up for Danganronpa 2. I started it a while ago and know the setting, but I do not remember - can it be enjoyed without knowing the first one?

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The 2nd game intentionally plays on your expectations after having played the first, as well as spoiling pretty much everything about DR1. If you wife is just watching and is never gonna see the first anyway, it'll probably be fine, but there'll be a bunch of things you have to explain about DR1 if you don't want her to be confused at certain points.

 

[Revolsin]

I never understood why some people react like that to the ending. IMO it's the single best ending in videogame history.

Spoiler

Danganronpa isn't real in this world. Is the franchise ruined IRL? Of course not. It's not real in V3's world either. So what?

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Spoiler

I took it to mean that DV3 was in the 'real world', and all the other ones simply weren't real altogether, not that V3 occupied a separate continuity where they weren't real.

The big issue with this is that it kills my connection with the characters. The fact that Kaito and Maki's whole relationship dynamic wasn't real, the fact that the pain Shuichi went through to develop as a person wasn't real, the fact that none of these emotinal deaths were real, the fact that all these moments were supposedly scripted in that world to happen, it just makes everything feel worthless.

Of course you can make the parallel like "Yeah but that's exactly what's happening in real life", but I go into all stories wanting to believe in those worlds. That's exactly why writers go out of their way to make detailed and realistic worlds with believable characters; for the people willing to suspend their disbelief and engage with what they've created on a personal level.

In my mind, they're real people, they have real connections and they have real emotions that I care about. When in that world they specifically say that none of that is actually a thing, that seriously burns me as all this time I've spent believing in it and seeing all these characters develop was just wasted in an emotional sense.

 

[CharlesAznable]

I'll be the odd one out and say that 2 is worse than 1. 2 has better cases for sure, but is boring as fuck until the 5th case, and has awful pacing. Also has a worse cast than 1 imo. Now V3 on the other hand....

 

[Crayolan]

Spoiler

I took it to mean that DV3 was in the 'real world', and all the other ones simply weren't real altogether, not that V3 occupied a separate continuity where they weren't real.

The big issue with this is that it kills my connection with the characters. The fact that Kaito and Maki's whole relationship dynamic wasn't real, the fact that the pain Shuichi went through to develop as a person wasn't real, the fact that none of these emotinal deaths were real, the fact that all these moments were supposedly scripted in that world to happen, it just makes everything feel worthless.

Of course you can make the parallel like "Yeah but that's exactly what's happening in real life", but I go into all stories wanting to believe in those worlds. That's exactly why writers go out of their way to make detailed and realistic worlds with believable characters; for the people willing to suspend their disbelief and engage with what they've created on a personal level.

In my mind, they're real people, they have real connections, they have real emotions that I care about. When in that world they specifically say that none of that is actually a thing, that seriously burns me as all this time I've spent believing in it and seeing all these develop was just wasted in an emotional sense.

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Spoiler

did you miss the point of the ending? Shuichi literally has a line where he says something like "we may be fictional characters but the pain we feel in our hearts is real"

DRV3 isn't in the real world because...it's literally not the real world. It's a game. The same way DR1 and 2 are games. It may take place in a fictional version of the real world, but so did DR1 and 2. There's nothing about DRV3's world that makes it any less fictional than those games.

 

[AniHawk]

Hiro: He was okay but I honestly have no idea how he was clairvoyant. Did he do a single clairvoyant thing the entire game? Sayaka was more psychic than him and she got smoked in the first hour.

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hiro isn't an ultimate. in one of the free times, it's revealed he's on the run from people who he owes money, and hid out in hope's peak academy. that's why when the twist is revealed that everyone's older than they thought they were he grabs his head and screams 'how old am i!?' - since he was actually older than all the students to begin with.

just him being a normal, dumb dude who lucks into surviving made him one of my favorites.

 

[AnansiThePersona]

hiro isn't an ultimate. in one of the free times, it's revealed he's on the run from people who he owes money, and hid out in hope's peak academy. that's why when the twist is revealed that everyone's older than they thought they were he grabs his head and screams 'how old am i!?' - since he was actually older than all the students to begin with.

just him being a normal, dumb dude who lucks into surviving made him one of my favorites.

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Hiro was basically the Ultimate Lucky(Unlucky) Student.

 

[Revolsin]

Spoiler

did you miss the point of the ending? Shuichi literally has a line where he says something like "we may be fictional characters but the pain we feel in our hearts is real"

DRV3 isn't in the real world because...it's literally not the real world. It's a game. The same way DR1 and 2 are games. It may take place in a fictional version of the real world, but so did DR1 and 2. There's nothing about DRV3's world that makes it any less fictional than those games.

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Spoiler

The point is that I don't want to consider them fictional, that's how suspension of disbelief works.
When a game outright admits that it's fiction, any suspension of disbelief I'd held for it immediately goes out the window as it's literally telling me its world doesn't exist in its own world.

I get the point that it's fiction no matter what, but there's a big difference between fictional worlds I believe in and fictional worlds that don't even believe in themselves.

 

[AniHawk]

Loved Danganronpa.

My wife loved watching me play Persona 5, so I figured she'd be up for Danganronpa 2. I started it a while ago and know the setting, but I do not remember - can it be enjoyed without knowing the first one?

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danganronpa 2 plays as though you don't need to know danganronpa 1, but the twists hold more weight if you've put time into the first one. it's kind of like playing 999 after playing virtue's last reward.

 

[Drelkag]

Hiro is pretty legit. His predictions are right 30% of the time. That 70% betting against him is some good odds.

DR3 spoilers:

Spoiler

He predicted everyone survived in DR3 too. 30% of the participants did.

 

[Revolsin]

hiro isn't an ultimate. in one of the free times, it's revealed he's on the run from people who he owes money, and hid out in hope's peak academy. that's why when the twist is revealed that everyone's older than they thought they were he grabs his head and screams 'how old am i!?' - since he was actually older than all the students to begin with.

just him being a normal, dumb dude who lucks into surviving made him one of my favorites.

Click to shrink...

Whoa whoa whoa what the fuck? That's a huge twist I completely missed. I thought he was just being dumb when he said the age line.

 

[AnansiThePersona]

Whoa whoa whoa what the fuck? That's a huge twist I completely missed. I thought he was just being dumb when he said the age line.

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Yeah by the end of the game Hiro is like, 23. It's hilarious. They all got two years of amnesia that they can't recover from. That's sooooooooo fucked up

 

[Dullahan]

Spoiler

I took it to mean that DV3 was in the 'real world', and all the other ones simply weren't real altogether, not that V3 occupied a separate continuity where they weren't real.

The big issue with this is that it kills my connection with the characters. The fact that Kaito and Maki's whole relationship dynamic wasn't real, the fact that the pain Shuichi went through to develop as a person wasn't real, the fact that none of these emotinal deaths were real, the fact that all these moments were supposedly scripted in that world to happen, it just makes everything feel worthless.

Of course you can make the parallel like "Yeah but that's exactly what's happening in real life", but I go into all stories wanting to believe in those worlds. That's exactly why writers go out of their way to make detailed and realistic worlds with believable characters; for the people willing to suspend their disbelief and engage with what they've created on a personal level.

In my mind, they're real people, they have real connections and they have real emotions that I care about. When in that world they specifically say that none of that is actually a thing, that seriously burns me as all this time I've spent believing in it and seeing all these characters develop was just wasted in an emotional sense.

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To be honest, I feel like you misunderstood quite a bit there.

Spoiler

It wasn't as scripted as you seemingly thought it was. It's why Tsumugi had to use Monokuma to lie and fake the end of the first class trial. It's also why Kokichi almost managed to create a perfect murder that even Monokuma couldn't figure out the culprit of. It's why at the end of the game, they pretty much end the killing game permanently by refusing to play. The characters are Real Fiction. In-universe, they are Danganronpa fans that essentially willingly became over the top Ultimates, to be in a killing game. They deaths ARE real. They aren't scripted. The only thing scripted is that the Ultimates get new memories that basically make them entirely new people. Their talents are implanted, and they get their major story beats from these false memories (Maki is programmed to fall in love with Kaito, etc). Then Tsumugi could implant even more false memories, to further control the pace of the game. But moments like Kokichi using creations of Miu to block out Monokuma's cameras, and take control of the Exisals, thus leading to Tsumugi losing complete control was certainly not planned. Just the generic beats of their stories.

And what's genius here, is how the game lampshades the entire thing so hard. I mean you literally see in-universe fan debates about the best Danganronpa or the best V3 characters. I mean it's exactly what Danganronpa fans do IRL. And Danganronpa characters not being actual people do not devalue them in our everyday life. They are fiction. Well the V3 cast are flesh and blood people, in-universe, that are now Danganronpa characters. They are just as "real" to the in-game fans, as the characters from 1 and 2 are real for you and me. And their talents actually became real. Miu WAS a genius inventor. Maki WAS an assassin with top notch physical skills. They became real. Their memories are real to them. And their emotions are all real.

Danganronpa 1 and 2 are scripted games and yet you connected to them on a personal level. They aren't real, and yet they still moved you. That's the entire batshit crazy point of V3's magnificent ending. It's a crazy parallel universe where Danganronpa got so big, they had to make the damn thing real. Danganronpa 53! Danganronpa 1, 2 and 3 and UDG being fiction in that world, should affect you about as much as it does in real life. Which is not at all. That's the whole point of the ending. That fiction can move people and affect them.

 

[Chittagong]

I wouldn't suggest it.

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The 2nd game intentionally plays on your expectations after having played the first, as well as spoiling pretty much everything about DR1. If you wife is just watching and is never gonna see the first anyway, it'll probably be fine, but there'll be a bunch of things you have to explain about DR1 if you don't want her to be confused at certain points.

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danganronpa 2 plays as though you don't need to know danganronpa 1, but the twists hold more weight if you've put time into the first one. it's kind of like playing 999 after playing virtue's last reward.

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Cheers guys. I think I can do the first one again with her then, it's not that long anyway, and it's a lovely experience to share

 

[chrominance]

I do think it's worth playing Ultra Despair Girls, partially because I honestly didn't think the shooting was as bad as I feared it would be after all the negative feedback, and partially because I think it mostly redeems Toko as not an awful character. Plus Komaru is pretty cool. Some of the story beats really don't land, though.

Definitely play DR2 before Ultra Despair Girls, though. And definitely play DR2, do not skip that gem of a game.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

Celeste and Taka were fucking robbed with that awful case.

You should play DR2/V3. UDG is skippable but the main characters have great charisma. Avoid the DR3 anime, total trash

If you like Danganronpa I'd say at least play the sequal and then watch the anime (Danganronpa 3 which has the proper continuation of the story from 2). Play Ultra Despair Girls if you want but the gameplay is kinda boring since it's a shooter and not a visual novel.

Play Dangaronpa V3 at your own risk. While it is clever and has some really good plot-twist, it can also alter your view on certain aspect of the franchise. Be warned. To me it might as well not exist.

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No idea how anybody could say V3 is "at your own risk" and can ruin the franchise but recommend you watch DR3.

 

[dancingphlower]

I really enjoyed, didn't know what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised at how engaging the story was, even when it was really over-the-top. I also was spoiled about the Junko stuff, but I still enjoyed seeing how everything played out.

 

[supremeplatypus]

2 is the best one.

 

[PKrockin]

Was I supposed to watch the Danganronpa 3 anime before starting V3? I had no idea that existed.

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

Was I supposed to watch the Danganronpa 3 anime before starting V3? I had no idea that existed.

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You can ignore it. The anime is abysmal. Adds nothing. Any ideas you have are better in your head then what plays out.

 

[Crayolan]

Was I supposed to watch the Danganronpa 3 anime before starting V3? I had no idea that existed.

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The anime has pretty much no impact on V3.

It gives the conclusion to DR1/DR2/UDG, but it's not a very good conclusion and it kind of undermines some DR2 plot points so it's easily skippable. The best part about it IMO is getting to see more of the DR2 cast outside of a killing game environment and some fun Junko antics.

 

[Feep]

Byakuya: I cannot believe he never killed anyone. BAFFLED. There were so many cases where I thought he did it. Total tool. The tooliest. The most anime of anime rival characters.

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You shut your mouth, peasant.

 

[Deleted member 8860]

I'll be the odd one out and say that 2 is worse than 1. 2 has better cases for sure, but is boring as fuck until the 5th case, and has awful pacing. Also has a worse cast than 1 imo. Now V3 on the other hand....

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I'm with you. DR2's setting alone makes it vastly less enjoyable than the other games in the series. Even the much lauded case 5 and its villain really fall apart with just the slightest application of reason. (Then again, DR as a whole falls apart if you actually think about any of it.)

You shut your mouth, peasant.

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Too easy.

 

[CharlesAznable]

I'm with you. DR2's setting alone makes it vastly less enjoyable than the other games in the series. Even the much lauded case 5 and its villain really fall apart with just the slightest application of reason. (Then again, DR as a whole falls apart if you actually think about any of it.)

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Glad I'm not the only one. Hated the island setting of 2. Didn't work for me at all.

 

[Deleted member 176]

I also bought it on Golden Week a few years back for the same reason! It's easily one of my favorite games ever now. I love how it's obviously really dumb and isn't afraid to admit it, but they sneak in moments here and there that hit you hard for real. And the music is so goooood!

I was in a pretty rough place and Hina was by far my favorite character and I started working out again because I thought she was cool. She's still my favorite even though I think I like the original game least out of the three, you gotta play the other two ASAP.

Edit: I also thought the island was a bad location but the characters in that game are so consistently strong (especially if you talk to them) that I forgive it. Hope's Peak is the best location.

 

[bmoral64]

Love the series, haven't played V3 yet only the demo but it felt like the casts got better each time. Gundam from 2 is still the best though

 

[cosmicblizzard]

Man, I can't imagine how people remain unspoiled on the first game at this point. Junko has become iconic, being one of the most cosplayed characters and just an overall big presence when trying to find any information on the series. You google her and the first image is her posing with Monokuma. Even if you remain unspoiled on her role, you'll still probably know she's a big deal for whatever reason, so when you see her die in chapter 1, you're gonna be super confused.

At least the major twists of 2 and V3 don't have the same ubiquitous presence, and that's where the REAL fun is.

Yeah you're right I forgot that part but......I guess I was more mad at Sayaka for trying to frame me for murder than I was at her getting murdered.

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You're joking about Leon right? As Celeste rightfully points out, he had any number of times when he could have STOPPED and not killed Sayaka. But he didn't. He wasn't innocent.

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According to the manga, he screwed off the door to go into the bathroom so he could calm Sayaka down, but accidentally stabbed her when the knife she was holding slipped. This isn't technically a retcon since we didn't actually know what happened in there, and in the game he was about to protest when Celeste brought that up, but Makoto interrupted so he could blame Monokuma.

Leon literally did nothing wrong.

Okay and the 3rd one is PS4. I'll definitely pick it up after I'm done. Also, as someone said before me, the game did drag on hard in the final trial. Like....I knew they had amnesia once the first picture showed up in the classroom.

Also how in the flying fuck did Junko give everyone amnesia?

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It should be noted there's A LOT of supplemental material in this series, some canon and some not. Danganronpa IF goes more into Mukuro and her personality, Danganronpa Zero goes a bit into the amnesia thing, Ultra Despair Girls and a bit of the Danganronpa 3 anime goes into the creation of Monokuma, Killer Killer goes a bit into the state of the world and a certain group of characters that gets introduced in 2, etc.

Of course don't look ANY of this up until you finish 2, with the exception of Danganronpa Zero which you're technically supposed to read after beating 1 and before playing 2, but that's not super important to do compared to doing the rest in order.

 

[Papaya]

Funny, I'm in a similar boat to you. I love Ace Attorney and picked this up. Just beat it this morning.

I like Ace Attorney more. It has more heart, and just feels a lot smarter. I think a lot of what happened in Danganropa was predictable. The first case was super annoying. It gives you the answer. I saw Leon written immedietly, but had to go through the entire process, until it was revealed, at the very end.

It's a great game, still. I didnt expect the ending to the 2nd and last case, and partially the 2nd to the last. The final twist was legitimately great. I didnt expect it at all. I discovered who the mastermind was after the blond guy emphasized the Ultimate Soldiers height and weight, by looking up the profiles of everyone that died. After that, everything slowly fell into place. I noticed immediately her face was hidden in every portrait, and realized they must have switched. But, the fact the world had "ended" is what got me. Great twist that ties everything up in a clean way.

For the 3rd case, Even thought I had a pretty good idea as to what was going on with Celeste and dumbass Hifumi, it was fun to see it all play out. I was sad to see what happened to Sakura. I thought it could be suicide early on, but seeing it happen pulled at the heart strings. Leading up the reveal, I actually started to think it was the Blond guy. The actual reveal was powerful, in the end.

Next is the sequel! I'm hoping for harder and better cases. This game was too easy. Also, some of the answers were obtuse. Hopefully that is fixed as well.

 

[the magical kitsune]

The other 2 games are better. Better trials, better characters (arguably). If you thought this game was over the top, you're in for a ride.

Also rule # 1 of danganronpa NEVER GOOGLE ANYTHING EVER. Not names, not locations. It's absurd how easy it is to get spoiled on real names / real ultimate skills, survivors, murderers / victims, plot twists, masterminds etc.

Edit: youtubing also falls under googling. Unless you want to listen to that sweet OST, in which case: proceed with caution / don't read comments.

 

[cosmicblizzard]

I like Ace Attorney more. It has more heart, and just feels a lot smarter. I think a lot of what happened in Danganropa was predictable. The first case was super annoying. It gives you the answer. I saw Leon written immedietly, but had to go through the entire process, until it was revealed, at the very end.

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DR1 cases are extremely predictable compared to the other 2 games. One of the cases in V3 is legit the most complex mystery that isn't nonsense I've ever seen in fiction, and another case in 2 isn't that far behind. IMO they're WAY smarter than anything in AA.

 

[kodax_shc]

OP should probably leave this thread. People are already saying way toooooooo much about V3.

 

[Deleted member 176]

Funny, I'm in a similar boat to you. I love Ace Attorney and picked this up. Just beat it this morning.

I like Ace Attorney more. It has more heart, and just feels a lot smarter. I think a lot of what happened in Danganropa was predictable. The first case was super annoying. It gives you the answer. I saw Leon written immedietly, but had to go through the entire process, until it was revealed, at the very end.

It's a great game, still. I didnt expect the ending to the 2nd and last case, and partially the 2nd to the last. The final twist was legitimately great. I didnt expect it at all. I discovered who the mastermind was after the blond guy emphasized the Ultimate Soldiers height and weight, by looking up the profiles of everyone that died. After that, everything slowly fell into place. I noticed immediately her face was hidden in every portrait, and realized they must have switched. But, the fact the world had "ended" is what got me. Great twist that ties everything up in a clean way.

For the 3rd case, Even thought I had a pretty good idea as to what was going on with Celeste and dumbass Hifumi, it was fun to see it all play out. I was sad to see what happened to Sakura. I thought it could be suicide early on, but seeing it happen pulled at the heart strings. Leading up the reveal, I actually started to think it was the Blond guy. The actual reveal was powerful, in the end.

Next is the sequel! I'm hoping for harder and better cases. This game was too easy. Also, some of the answers were obtuse. Hopefully that is fixed as well.

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Danganronpa 1 has both the most straightforward case in the series (1) and the most BS case in the series (5). I think its main strengths are the atmosphere of Hope's Peak and the fact that it started it at all, but basically everything else is done better in the sequels.

I'm not sure I would say Ace Attorney has more heart, it just has different vibes.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Okay and the 3rd one is PS4. I'll definitely pick it up after I'm done. Also, as someone said before me, the game did drag on hard in the final trial. Like....I knew they had amnesia once the first picture showed up in the classroom.

Also how in the flying fuck did Junko give everyone amnesia?

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Watch the anime after you finish D2. I liked it, anyway.

 

[TheGamingNewsGuy]

I highly recommend checking out the Danganronpa Fan-Games when they are completed - Danganronpa Another 2 especially though Ch6 just came out and a English Translation needs to be completed