32.6 hours played
Written 24 days ago
Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 79:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ (8/10)
You wake up on a tropical island as Hajime Hinata, one of sixteen new “Ultimate” students forced into a killing game by a robotic bear named Monokuma. The rules are simple: kill to leave the island, and get away with it. Fail, and you’re executed. As murders unfold, you’ll investigate, gather clues, and engage in wild courtroom battles to unmask the killers.
Despite its excesses and tonal whiplash, [i] Danganronpa 2 [/i] swings for the fences. When it hits, it really hits—there are moments of emotional devastation, clever design, and bold storytelling that make it unforgettable. But it’s also weighed down by some of the most annoying characters in the franchise, intrusive fanservice, and a final act that alienates as much as it amazes. It's still essential for fans of the series, just go in knowing it’s a rollercoaster with a few too many loops.
[b]🗣️ Pros [/b]
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[*] Stronger, more intricate mysteries than the original. Many of the murder cases are genuinely clever—Chapter 2 is emotionally wrenching, and Chapter 5 is complex and inventive. Even if you guess the culprit, the “how” and “why” still pack a punch.
[*] Free-roam island setting and QOL improvements. Teleporting to characters and locations speeds things up considerably. You no longer have to manually wander hallways to find people, making Free Time more enjoyable and less of a chore.
[*] Some standout characters and arcs. Chiaki is lovable, calm, and feels like the heart of the group. Gundham starts as comic relief but ends up incredibly touching. Peko and Fuyuhiko's stories hit surprisingly hard. Nagito is chaotic and unforgettable, and Sonia is charming and unexpectedly competent. Even if the whole cast doesn’t land, the ones who do are really memorable.
[*] Bold, surprising final act. The final quarter of the game swings hard with its meta-narrative and fourth-wall breaks. Whether or not it fully lands, it’s ambitious and genuinely shocking. It gives the game an identity beyond “murder school sequel.”
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[b] 🤯 Cons: [/b]
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[*] Dialogue bloat and pacing issues. Trials often over-explain the obvious, repeating arguments and dragging out reveals. Some cutscenes feel bloated, and the tonal interruptions from Monokuma or side characters can kill emotional momentum.
[*] Ending leans too hard into “power of friendship." I mean, DR1 was quite similar, but still! The final stretch gets a little too saccharine and heavy-handed. After so much death, darkness, and despair, the warm fuzzy message of unity and hope feels ... weirdly at odds. It’s earned in some ways, but still cheesy in others.
[*] DR1 Cast > DR2 Cast? The DR2 cast feels like they genuinely like each other more than in DR1. There’s more banter, more group bonding, more beach episode vibes. That’s not inherently bad, but it does shift the tone. DR1 had an oppressive, moody atmosphere where everyone felt on edge and terrified of each other. That tension made every betrayal and reveal cut deeper. DR2, by contrast, didn't quite have that edge.
[*] DR1’s cast might’ve been more tropey at a glance, but they were also sharper, more tightly written in the early chapters. Kyoko, Byakuya, Aoi, all had sharper personalities and more conflict. In DR2, there are more “eh, they’re fine” characters padding out the roster (Akane, Soda, Nekomaru) who often feel loud instead of interesting.
[*] Excessive, off-putting fanservice. The fanservice is way more prominent than in DR1 and often undercuts dramatic moments:
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[*] Whatever the hell was going on with Mikan.
[*] The name of a music venue being called "Titty Tycoon." Funny, very funny.
[*] LOTS of weird shots and focus on female characters' thighs and breasts.
[*] Akane wrapping her thighs around the protagonist's head.
[*] Teruteru and Soda’s nonstop perv comments. It’s jarring, stupid, uncomfortable, and hard to ignore. It often overshadows otherwise good character moments. Tough grass, please.
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[*] Weaker, more annoying characters. In short, Teruteru is a walking harassment charge; Hiyoko is cruel, bratty, and infantilized—so much wasted potential there. The writers planted seeds of redemption, but it was too little, too late. Ibuki is loud and quirky to the point of exhaustion; Mikan is underwritten and sexualized in a way that feels cheap; Nekomaru is comic relief with no weight, even in the latter half of the game. So, it’s hard to care about a cast when you actively dislike or feel exhausted by many of them.
[*] Final act is divisive and tonally wild. Some players love the meta turn; others find it immersion-breaking and too absurd. It's risky and somewhat original, but not universally satisfying. The tonal shifts can feel jarring and emotionally ungrounded.
[*] Hard to 100% without a guide. Maxing Free Time events, earning all skills, and completing post-game content is a massive grind. The requirements aren’t intuitive, and you’ll likely need multiple playthroughs or a walkthrough to help.
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