June 29th 2023.
Master Detective Archives: Rain Code is the new supernatural detective yarn from the creator of Danganronpa, Kazutaka Kodaka. After leaving Spike Chunsoft and setting up a new studio called Too Kyo Games, Kodaka has been exploring new projects, including this one which clearly aims to be a direct successor to Danganronpa.
The game is set in Kanai Ward, an isolated psycho-pop city run by the corrupt Amaterasu Corporation and cursed by perpetual rainfall. Players take on the role of amnesia detective-in-training Yuma Kokohead, who teams up with a literal death god, Shinigami, to solve various murder cases.
Gameplay wise, Rain Code isn't too different from Danganronpa. It has the same character designer and composer as those games, as well as the censorship friendly pink blood. The Reasoning Death Matches are almost exactly the same except the statements fly towards you, requiring you to dodge them until you find the contradiction, and then slash at it with your Solution Blade. Some of the mini-games are just slightly different versions of existing Danganronpa mini-games.
What makes Rain Code stand out is its storytelling and writing. The murder cases are intriguing and cleverly put together, and the wider plot of Yuma’s missing memories and the mysteries behind Kanai Ward are engaging enough to keep you invested. The script can be genuinely funny, while also being disturbingly grim and tragic. The cast of characters are likeable, and the detective team each have their own superpowers that help make each case more unique.
That being said, solving the murder cases can be shockingly easy. You take very little damage from wrong answers or from being hit by statements during Reasoning Death Matches. The lack of difficulty options and the ability to increase health through a skill tree makes it all too tempting to fall back on trial and error. The story is also a bit slow-paced and the conversations could have been trimmed down.
Overall, Master Detective Archives: Rain Code is an enjoyable detective story, but it leans too heavily on Danganronpa's established gameplay and style. It's a fine example of 'if ain't broke, don't fix it', and while fans of Kodaka's work will be delighted, it robs the game of some of its own identity and originality.
Master Detective Archives: Rain Code has all the makings of a successful successor to Danganronpa. From its art style and soundtrack, to its characters and fantastical setting, it does an impressive job of capturing the feel of a Kodaka-helmed mystery.
The core gameplay, however, is a bit of a letdown. The Reasoning Death Matches are almost exactly the same as in Danganronpa, only with added action elements. And while they're easy to get to grips with, the lack of difficulty options or risks for failure does make them a bit too simple.
On top of that, some of the mini-games are just slightly different versions of existing ones from Danganronpa. While this will be welcomed by die-hard fans, it does rob Rain Code of some of its own identity.
But while the gameplay may be a tad underwhelming, the storytelling certainly isn't. It takes a while to get going, but when it does, it's both funny, disturbing, and tragic. The cast of characters are likeable and each murder case is intriguing and cleverly put together.
The wider plot surrounding Yuma's missing memories and Kanai Ward's mysteries is also engaging enough to keep you invested. Plus, Shinigami's overly bubbly personality and love of corpses does make her an interesting and, at times, divisive character.
Overall, Rain Code is a decent supernatural detective yarn that captures the feel of a Kodaka-helmed mystery. It may not offer much originality in terms of gameplay, but its story is engaging and its characters are likeable, making it a worthy successor to Danganronpa.
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