If there is one thing I have always loved it is the series of Danganronpa and everything that came from it Kazutaka Kodakaa creative genius who has given life to worlds made of madness and desperation, wrapped in a spiral of madness that I would define as unique in the panorama (perhaps emulated, if anything) for the way in which he combines every single element of his pieces, from the artistic direction to the staff that takes care of the project. After many years for Spike ChunsoftKodaka founded its own development team in 2017 – Too Kyo Games – and, much later, gave birth to the first game in his perfect style with many of the names present on Danganronpa and in collaboration with Spike herself. Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE it’s a bit like reliving Danganronpa for the first timeobviously in a setting far removed from the deadly game that the series reminded us of Zero Escape.
Originally released for Nintendo Switch, RAINCODE is back in a version Plus which is typical of re-releases of Japanese games that can be defined as niche. This version also sees the publication on other consoles, a clear improvement in technical performance and the inclusion of the DLC released in the meantime, which are a sort of collection of parallel stories that go into more detail on some of the game’s characters.
- Title: Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus
- Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam)
- Analyzed version: PlayStation 5 (EU)
- Type: Adventure, detective
- Players: 1
- Publisher: Reef Entertainment
- Developer: Too Kyo Games, Spike Chunsoft
- Tongue: Italian (texts), English or Japanese (dubbing)
- Release Date: October 1, 2024
- Availability: retail, digital delivery, Collector’s Edition
- DLC: includes all DLC previously released on Nintendo Switch
- Notes: The Collector’s Edition includes a plush, the soundtrack and a steelbook
We reviewed Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus with a PlayStation 5 code provided to us free of charge by Reef Entertainment.
Child Detective, Adult Fears
But many of you may have never approached Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE given the exclusivity of its platform and therefore would start from scratch with this version. In that case, in my opinion, you are lucky enough to experience it much better than the basic counterpart, since being a three-dimensional visual novel the fluidity of the scenes, dialogues and loadings it’s a must to fully enjoy the letter of the numerous dialogues that punctuate the game; verbose just as you would imagine any other detective title. But it wouldn’t be a Kodaka title without a crazy superstructure that revolutionizes the cards on the table.so there is bread also for those who do not just want to read.
In this game you play the role of a very young person Yuma Kokoheadthe protagonist affected by amnesia so loved by the Land of the Rising Sun and who seems to be one of the best investigators on the scene, so much so that he is part of the association recognized as Master DetectivesWaking up in a station with a train to catch just minutes after regaining his senses, Yuma doesn’t expect to end up entangled in a spiral of murders and mysteries that will lead him to investigate the darkest and most twisted recesses of Kanai Warda sort of obvious distortion of some aspects of urban life in Japan, seen from a kaleidoscopic lens that constantly oscillates between noir, splatter, the demented and social criticism.
But not everything is a real textbook investigation, in fact Yuma is possessed by a gothic lolita Shinigamior goddess of death, representing the powers of Yuma same. Thanks to the guidance of this foul-mouthed and crazy girl, familiar in some ways to Danganronpa fans, Yuma can access the Labyrinths of Mystery in a parallel dimension: physical embodiments of the cases that Yuma will have to face and whose most immediate comparison in the videogame sphere can only be the Palaces of Person 5game with which RAINCODE shares more than one aspect.
Macabre labyrinths
In these constructs born from the deviation of the Mind Palace loved by detectives, Yuma is a kind of role-playing hero who goes to defeat doubts and assertions in real battles. where you dodge false statements and counterattack by cutting through lies until you get to the truth. The gameplay phases in Labyrinths there are many and disparate, a WarioWare between the Japanese gaming show and the clash between ideologies, with numerous reflections on what really represents the truth and the enormous effort to succeed in obtaining it. In short, a very enjoyable triumph that clearly sacrifices the deduction phases for a very guided approach, demonstrating that in RAINCODE the experience you live is more important than being a detective in reality or in your mind.
What struck me most about RAINCODE is, once again, the mastery in knowing how to manage eccentricity and combine it at will with some truly macabre scenes, right from the prologue/tutorial. I think it is one of the best skills of Danganronpa And RAINCODE he is in many ways his closest heir, indeed I am convinced that the pupil has surpassed the master and exploits the noir philosophy reconverted to Japanese pop as a weapon capable of imprinting identity and shock factor on every case, even the most predictable.
Part of the reason is the contrast that arises between the investigations and the perspective of the Shinigami who, in himself, is a caricatured figure who hides his darkness, takes it out furtively and when it happens he does it with the most appropriate black humor that exists. There is a lot of play with sensuality and shotacon inclinations, but I wouldn’t call it fanservice because everything is functional to showing the divergences of Kanai Ward and the world surrounding Yuma: ua visionary panorama where the artistic direction describes a caricatural fantasy of colors and disfigured features, where nothing makes sense and the truth is tinged with the gold of the winners as the best moments of Catherine.
Yuma, an amnesiac detective trainee, and Shinigami, the spirit that haunts him, face unsolved mysteries. Enjoy an all-new dark fantasy detective adventure game from the creators of the Danganronpa series! Rain City is plagued by countless unsolved mysteries, and is under the complete control of a giant corporation. Master Detectives from around the world, each with their own unique powers, take on the challenge of uncovering the truth. With Shinigami by his side, Yuma joins the investigation as an apprentice at the detective agency.
Who do we recommend Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus to?
The version Plus Of RAINCODE It is certainly a great starting point, as previously mentioned, for those who have been waiting for the release on other platforms. For those who have already had the opportunity to see the investigation of RAINCODE there is the possibility of experiencing the Sub-stories present as DLC, which however are mainly visual novel portions that last much less than the main ones. However, they are interesting tools to delve deeper into the game universe and learn more about the characters, included in the basic package. In addition to the technical improvements, there is certainly enough meat on the fire to buy this new edition by changing platforms.
- Great art direction, Danganronpa team at their best
- Situations that are never banal and a basic plot to be discovered
- Brilliant ideas in the execution of the gameplay, mixing RPG and metaphorical investigation
- Various technical improvements and presence of DLC
- The substories are interesting but short
- Few reasons to relive the base game, unless it’s smoother performance.
Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus
Crazy and inspired, it returns in a new guise
Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus It is one of the most interesting titles in the oriental panorama of recent times and a breath of fresh air for those who love Danganronpaat least for those who didn’t experience it at its launch. The story of Yuma and of his Shinigami It’s a colorful descent into a psychedelic noir from start to finish, enriched by an excellent version on a technical level on modern platforms, always taking into account that even on Nintendo Switch was running more than fine. This new edition includes the DLC and several minor improvements, but it has little appeal for those who have already had the chance to investigate Kanai Ward. Only those who had performance issues, which have been completely resolved here, can try their luck.
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