Spike Chunshoft is known for its incredible work on the Danganronpa series, a collection of visual novels that saw critical acclaim for its interesting characters and dark yet comedic writing. Following on from such success is a difficult feat, yet in June last year, the release of Master Detective Archives: Rain Code on Nintendo Switch demonstrated the developer’s ability to apply the underpinnings of Danganronpa into a new setting, and the launch of this enhanced version for PS5, Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Plus, is no different from its base-version.
Rain Code, like Danganronpa, is a visual novel-like experience focused on solving mysteries, whereas this time you play as a young detective-in-training named Yuma Kokohead who forms a partnership with a Death God called Shinigami. This version of the game also boasts additional side-stories, focused on some of the game’s main characters, such as Vivia and Fubuki. If you enjoyed the Switch version and liked certain characters, this extra content might appeal to you. However, like most other visual novel games, the beginning of the campaign is somewhat sluggish, and can take a while to pick up momentum.
The main game loop sees you exploring the “real world” area of Kanai Ward, collecting notable pieces of evidence, before diving into the mystery labyrinth to piece together information. Most of this is done through a series of minigame-like challenges, which may seem simple but can become thought-provoking moments of quick deduction. Sadly, not all these challenges are explained well, or are a little bit strange to understand at first, which can ultimately lead to some frustrating moments.
Spike Chunsoft is known for its striking character design work and Rain Code is no exception. A lot of the characters you encounter have that signature over-the-top style, resulting in a distinct cast of memorable characters each with their own goals and ambitions. However, like Danganronpa, there are far too many moments where the game suddenly decides to lean more into over sexualisation of its cast or tell jokes that don’t necessarily hit the landing. Nevertheless, there is still good quality writing on display here – it’s just a shame that this reoccurs without too much warning, nor reason.
All in all, Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Plus delivers a fun mystery-filled visual novel experience, perfect for anyone who is a fan of Danganronpa or similar titles. There are a few frustrating elements here and there, but the whole package is a mostly solid narrative-focused adventure.
