Post 23: Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is a mystery visual novel developed by Spike Chunsoft Co. The game takes place in Japan where you, the main character, are sent to Hope’s Peak Academy where Japan’s brightest high school students attend to become future leaders of the nation. Upon arrival, you discover that you are imprisoned in this school with 14 other students with no means of contacting the outside world. A strange bear, Monokuma, introduces himself as the one behind this scheme, and the only way out is to murder one of your fellow classmates and get away with it. You play as Makoto Naegi, and your objective is to find out who Monokuma really is and find a way out without murdering anyone.
Danganronpa has several features to its gameplay. You will be doing multiple tasks throughout each day you spend in the high school. You will be socializing, searching for clues, and investigating murders when they occur. When you finish investigations, you will be placed in a mock trial with the surviving students and debate to find the culprit of the murder.
Socializing in this game is important. You will need to gain as many allies as you can, especially when everyone is suspicious of each other. By socializing, you will learn about each of the character’s background, and you will unlock certain endings depending on how your relationships are with the other students. You will need to keep in mind who you want to socialize with since you are given a limited amount of time each day to do your activities. Interacting with the other students will also aid you during the mock trials. They will provide you information and clues about the murders that occur, which will be useful in determining who the killers are.
Investigations usually take place after three people have discovered the dead body. There will be a dead body announcement, and all the students will have to gather at the crime scene. From there, you will look for clues and piece together what had happened. You will need to talk to the other students and search the accessible rooms throughout the school. After you found all the evidence and gathered all the testimonies that you can possibly get, you will be called to go to the mock trials.
Mock trials will consist of debating about what had happened during the murder and who had done it. You must expose who the murderer is since all your lives depend on it. If you choose the wrong person as the culprit, the murderer will be given freedom while the rest of you will be killed. During the mock trials, you will present evidence and refute incorrect information that others will bring up. Mock trials have four styles of gameplay: Nonstop Debate, Hangman’s Gambit, Bullet Time Battle and Closing Argument. Nonstop Debate is a section where others will present their evidence and arguments, and you will have to find lies or contradictions within their arguments. You will need to shoot these weak points with a bullet that contains the true evidence. Hangman’s Gambit is a section where you will shoot letters that spell out a clue. Bullet Time Battle is a rhythm-based game where you have a debate with one other person in the trial. Your opponent will make statements that you will have to shoot down by pressing the right buttons to the beat of the music. The last part of the trial is the Closing Argument where you will piece together the evidence in a comic-strip and reveal how the murder occurred.
When you are not socializing, investigating murders, or participating in mock trials, you are able to look for clues about the school and Monokuma. You can explore different areas throughout the school that have been opened, and you can find clues that reveal information about other characters, the school’s history, or Monokuma. Searching for clues will give you a greater perspective on the plot of the game, and it can affect the ending you get when you finish the game.
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is a long and intense game. If you love mystery and puzzle-solving games, you will love this visual novel. It has a unique storyline as well as great graphics and soundtracks. It is not a game you can finish in an hour; you will find yourself spending hours at a time just to finish one part of the game. Although it is a long game, it will keep you engrossed for as long as you play it.