Following up on the Danganronpa series was always going to be a tricky proposition. With its deceptively simple 'Killing Game' premise, its huge cast of eclectic characters, and its often overwhelmingly macabre atmosphere, it’s no wonder Spike Chunsoft’s visual novel franchise became such a hit with players worldwide.

Naturally, the temptation with a spiritual successor is to go bigger and bolder, and that’s exactly what developers Too Kyo Games and Spike Chunsoft have strived for with Master Detective Archives: Rain Code. And make no mistake, it’s absolutely a spiritual successor to Danganronpa in our eyes; while Rain Code differs fundamentally in how you navigate the environment and interact with its inhabitants, both require you to use your keen detective skills to solve a series of gruesome murders.

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Review - Screenshot 1 of 4
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)

You play as Yuma Kokohead, an amnesiac who awakens in a lost-and-found storeroom with no memory of who he is or what he’s doing there. He quickly discovers that he needs to catch a train and, upon boarding it, meets a group of exceedingly gifted detectives who all possess a unique ability known as 'Forensic Forte'. Oh, and Yuma is also bound to a delightfully mischievous 'Death God' spirit called Shinigami.

The entire section on the train effectively serves as the game’s tutorial as Yuma gets to grips with his new-found profession as a detective-in-training. It introduces the first of many mysteries and walks you through each of the core mechanics that you’ll be utilising throughout the story. If you’re familiar with the Danganronpa series, then you’ll already have somewhat of an idea of what to expect here.

Solving the murders requires a number of key steps. First, you’ll need to investigate the crime scenes and surrounding areas for potential clues. These clues are then stored in your inventory as ‘Solution Keys’, which you’ll be needing later as you whittle down the potential suspects.

Once you’re done gathering all of the relevant evidence, Shinigami will conjure up a magical realm known as the ‘Mystery Labyrinth’; a physical manifestation of the mystery at hand, if you will. Here, key questions and statements will present themselves as traps, obstacles, and even enemies. It’s your job to utilise your Solution Keys (along with your own clever noggin) to resolve each challenge, progress through the labyrinth, and conclusively prove who the true culprit of the crime is.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)

Fundamentally, while the Mystery Labyrinth is an interesting place visually, we actually found these sections of the game frustrating and repetitive, often overstaying their welcome by a significant margin. Walking through the labyrinth itself is a chore, as there are no twists and turns; just a straightforward corridor to jog down while Yuma and Shinigami exchange thoughts and ideas. As such, the realm itself is merely surface dressing to provide some visual variety as you solve the mystery, but in terms of actual gameplay, it can be a bit of a bore.

Thankfully, the gameplay becomes a lot more engaging when you come across enemies. These normally present themselves as warped versions of characters found in the real world; often those who have either come to their own rushed conclusion or who actually believe Yuma to be the culprit.

Fights with the enemies are a case of dodging and cutting through statements fired at Yuma. With a select few Solution Keys at hand, you need to keep dodging statements until one appears that you feel confident you can rebuff. Simply select the relevant Solution Key and slash through the statement. It’s an interesting setup, but doesn't present much of a challenge. With only a few Solution Keys available to you at any given time, it’s generally pretty easy to deduct which one will be required for each statement.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)

Most other obstacles within the Mystery Labyrinth generally require you to solve multiple-choice questions based on the evidence gathered in the real world. Elsewhere, minigames will pop up from time to time, including one that’s a rather bizarre take on the toy game Pop-Up Pirate, whereby you need to throw swords into a barrel (containing a scantily-clad Shinigami) in order to spell out a certain word within a set time limit. Get it wrong and the time limit will be cut even shorter, but these sections are generally very easy.

All told, our time spent in the real world was a lot more satisfying than the Mystery Labyrinth, and this is largely down to how remarkably designed the main location of Kanai Ward is. Split into specific districts, the city is a glorious mix of gothic architecture with cyberpunk-esque neon visuals, complete with a perpetual downpour. It’s not a particularly large environment, but it's dense with interesting things to look at and explore.

The true star of the show, however, is the core cast. Much like the Danganronpa series, every character is blessed with a unique design and personality traits that make them stand apart from the crowd. You’ve got Shinigami herself, who delights in the macabre and pokes fun at Yuma’s apparent lack of experience, Seth Burroughs, a brooding antagonist who speaks so softly that one of his henchmen is required to hold a megaphone up to his mouth, and many more.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

The problem, however, is that we really didn’t get to spend as much time with these inhabitants as we’d have liked. Ultimately, while Danganronpa thrives off of interactions with its core cast of characters to push the narrative forward, you’ll spend a great deal of time in Rain Code on your own (albeit in the constant company of Shinigami), searching through crime scenes and navigating through Mystery Labyrinths. Oftentimes, one of your fellow detectives will join you and lend a hand, but relationships in Rain Code feel disappointingly fleeting compared to Danganronpa.

Despite our grievances, however, Rain Code shines where it matters the most. While its crime-solving methods are often questionable, the actual mysteries themselves are great fun and a true delight to crack. They only get more complex as time goes on, so while Rain Code won’t turn you into the next Sherlock Holmes, it requires you to pay attention at all times in order to progress through each case with little hassle.

In terms of performance, the game runs perfectly fine on the Switch, though visuals can sometimes look a little washed out during gameplay, especially in handheld mode. If we’re being really nit-picky, the loading screens can be a tad too long in some instances, but given the gorgeous visuals on display, we can’t complain too much. The music and voice acting are both on point and a real highlight of the experience, so make sure you play with the sound cranked up to the maximum.

Conclusion

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code is a solid follow-up to the Danganronpa franchise that demonstrates a heap of ambition from its developers and mostly lives up to its predecessor's impressive reputation. But while the game delivers an excellent cast of characters and some truly intriguing mysteries to solve, it also stumbles in its methods, introducing mechanics and locations that outstay their welcome and become frustratingly repetitive. Still, for fans of Dangaronpa and those who enjoy a good gruesome crime or two, it's definitely worth checking out.

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