Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Review – A Mysterious Case of Despair

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code for Nintendo Switch

I’ve been a fan of the Danganronpa series for quite some time, from the games to the anime to the manga series. Since its conclusion, there’s been a void left by its bittersweet ending, that is, until the announcement of Master Detective Archives: Rain Code.

If you’ve been missing Danganronpa (like I have) or have been looking for a fresh new take on the detective narrative, then Rain Code is the right title for you. Every time you think you’ve got it all figured out, the storyline seems to always go in a completely different direction, with ridiculous amounts of twists and turns. 

Like its predecessor, the entire cast is designed to look like the main character, whether it be their unique hairstyles or bizarre fashion choices. But, of course, the one with the question mark hair curl is the central figure, with a whimsical name of “Yuma Kokohead” that I sometimes can’t help but laugh at. In true Danganronpa fashion, Yuma suffers from memory loss, with the twist of harnessing the powers of a Shinigami. This creature of darkness is your primary companion throughout the narrative, but others will join you to help with cases. 

I was happy that the fan service had been turned down a notch, given that the Shinigami can transform into the form of every beautiful girl you’ve seen in an anime. Sometimes, she can be oversexualized, yet anything beats the oddly objectifying moments with the Ultimate Nurse in Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair.

While Yuma hitches a ride on the Amaterasu Express Direct, he finds himself in a chaos of mystery at the Kanai Ward, a city where the rain never stops. Players will work alongside the Master Detectives, who each harness a Forte with a distinct power catered to them; you can basically think of it as another version of Ultimates. 

This time around, the character’s perks are much more helpful, as they can assist you with various tasks. For instance, one individual can allow you to see the crime scene when it initially occurred, giving you more of a chance to get the evidence you need. Your primary goal is to decipher the truth behind the evil organization, the Amaterasu Corporation, in order to take back the city.

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code functions like any other detective game, where you take on a case, investigate evidence, and then solve the mystery with the information you’ve collected. But, instead of a hearing, you’ll dive into the Mystery Labyrinth, an alternate dimension that acts as a trial. Out of all the elements in the game, this feature stands out the most since it is much more fluid and dynamic than the standard trials of Danganronpa. 

Not to say that the cases from the original are lackluster; it just seems to be more of an improvement than what I’ve seen before. So, rather than remaining idle during examinations, you’ll walk through a maze of tunnels filled with traps and enemies. While here, players must choose the right entryways marked with choices, typically involving the selection of suspects, murder weapons, and contradictions.

The foes you meet along the way are known as “Mystery Phantoms,” who will try to steer you away from the truth. It essentially works the same way as Danganronpa’s bullet time battles; however, it still stands on its own through its more RPG-like boss fights. In this case, you’ll need to dodge the enemy’s accusations and attack them with a sword using the correct keys (evidence) to counter their lies. 

Apart from the actual cases, the remainder of the game showcases more open-world mechanics through its exploration and side quest adventures. If you played any of the Danganronpa games, you’d have a much easier time moving around, thanks to the change of third-person mode. I found it fairly difficult to walk around in the past versions, and now it feels a lot smoother.

Although the Request side missions can be somewhat repetitive, they provided alternative storylines for Kanai Ward residents. And, they can improve Yuma’s performance by rewarding players with Detective Points for abilities and rank levels.

The only real issues with the game were the over-drawn explanations and the slower pace of certain intervals. It could be due to my experience with its slightly fast-paced predecessor since the investigations feel more extensive than before. Nevertheless, I can still understand why it moves leisurely, given that it is a detective game where the stakes aren’t as high as Danganronpa (mainly because your life isn’t always on the line).

As always, the characters are the heart of the story, as they entertain you with their wild dialogue scenes and fourth-wall-breaking teases. Shinigami is probably my favorite out of the cast, while she continuously pokes fun at Yuma throughout the story. She just feels like another version of Junko Enoshima, only this time, she’s actually on your side.

The game itself feels like a character as well, considering that it will intentionally misguide you into the wrong decisions. Then, you’ll be left feeling stupid for actually following the directions it prompts.

Even if Master Detective Archives: Rain Code can sometimes be overshadowed by its forerunner’s impactful storyline, I believe it is a step in the right direction since it capitalizes on Danganronpa’s fun elements and gets rid of its past issues. Albeit, the game does have a slower burn than most, but if I learned anything from Goodbye Despair (which is still in my top 10), the result is incredibly satisfying.

So, whether you are a fan of Spike Chunsoft’s previous work or a detective enthusiast, you should certainly pick up Master Detective Archives: Rain Code. Persona fans may even enjoy the RPG mechanics and the environment that almost seems reminiscent of its layout. I hope to see more projects like this from the developers, where it can potentially step away from its predecessor to become something else entirely.