Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 266 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 182 out of 266
  2. Mixed: 35 out of 266
  3. Negative: 49 out of 266
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  1. ExLight
    Jul 9, 2018
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is pretty much a 40 hours long version of case 2-3 (Turnabout Big Top) from the Ace Attorney series but with a terrible tryhard meta ending. Sharing the same problems as the infamous case: the lack of a coherent story, and characters that feel bland and stupid amidst mistimed nonsense comic relief. Let's break it down.

    A futuristic setting with a fresh theme of Lies vs. Truth. With all the hype built through the years that preceded the release, the expectations were high for this game. After two incredible main games, with interesting twists and (some) memorable characters, the start of a new saga unrelated to the Hope's Peak Arc fills everybody with hope and despair.

    Firstly, the new mechanics. The new minigames are not an improvement, they still feel somewhat the same from the previous games, not appealing but kinda nice to break the monotony of a tiring class trial. Perjury is an interesting concept, but it was poorly worked: the back routes could be interesting but are way too short to the point of feeling more like an easter egg than a feature; I also don't like the fact it isn't optional at some points. Debate Scrums are stupid, require no thinking and the fact you're always on the correct side is annoying. Panic Debates despite being more realistic are just chaotic in this game, most of the characters are just spouting gibberish while you're the one panicking trying to end it asap.

    Secondly, the common points. Some cases are fantastic, V3 has some of the best murders mysteries of the series; on the other hand, some are pretty streched, forced, and/or predictable (i.e. cases 2 and 3). Executions are decent, the usual weirdness is there. Monokuma feels off without the Despair vs. Hope fight being the focus. "Junko" is bad. Side character (Maki) is pretty good despite being somewhat generic and lackluster after Kirigiri and Chiaki. Rival (Kokichi) is way duller than appears, with a conflicting character development that results in him being outshined by Komaeda and even Togami.

    The game starts pretty strong, with a solid and surprising first case (if you finished the game you know that this case loses all its shine due to the deus ex machina randomly thrown in it). It's still early in the game, and it introduces new potentially interesting characters. The twist is exciting and shocking. The new theme is introduced coherently and somewhat well developed. Monokubs are downright annoying and unnecessary.

    On the Chapter 2 it starts to feel uneasy. At this point it's made clear that Gonta, Himiko, Kaito, Miu and Tenko are irrelevant, instead they'll be repetitive comic relief characters with annoying catchphrases and/or lack of real personality for the rest of the game. The "How" is predictable, and the case is able to ruin and kill the characters with the most potential.

    Chapter 3 is about an incestuous creepy crazy serial killer with dissociative identity disorder murdering two people outta nowhere for his dead sister that is actually himself. Sounds ludicrous, right? Yeah. "How" and "Who" are obvious. Case is annoying, tries to have this mythical and eerie vibe. Just ends up being stupid.

    Chapter 4 is pretty good. The "How" is somewhat predictable, but the way the case progresses is really interesting. Here we get to see some real antagonism by Kokichi, which is way better than him just lying to stall the trial "for fun".

    Chapter 5 has an awesome trial, to me one of the best from all 3 main games. it has twists enough to make the player question their own sanity. "Who", "How" and "Why" are completely unpredictable and masterfully done. Kokichi's character development from the previous chapters is thrown outta the window. Here we see the effort that should've been put into the whole game.

    Chapter 6 is what we all know. In a rushed attempt to tie all the loose ends it ruins the first case, sh*ts over the already bad story to replace it with a bad 4th wall breaking ""plot"" twist. No decent internal conflict, terrible mastermind, discards all development the game had built, etc.

    The "story" progression has no effort, it's just about collecting the vague Flashback Lights and comical events; the characters are just apathetic after the trials; the comic relief ends up being vulgar and mechanical. In the end, it does deliver what it intends: a bunch of uninteresting characters without any real talent, a washed-up charmless shallow reality show, a Bollywoodesque absurd story that gets a little too self-conscious, and Monokuma(s).

    Intentionally or not, this game is clearly an unpleasant satire of the own Danganronpa franchise. The fact people just seem to ignore this and love it blindly to feel better about wasting their money is one of the most uncomfortable aspects of this game to me. It mocks every player and every meta game, pointing out how oblivious this fanbase has grown.
    I'd say this game deserves a 53/100 to match its title, but that would be a lie    … Expand
  2. GReviews
    May 2, 2018
    3
    I know this game has a big cult following in the west and there are people that do really enjoy flicking through these games as little comic books. But I just can’t get my ahead around why. I’m sorry Japan, I love you but this one is just way beyond my taste. If you like ‘visual novels’ you might like Danganronpa V3: The Killing Harmony. Otherwise you will be much better served buying aI know this game has a big cult following in the west and there are people that do really enjoy flicking through these games as little comic books. But I just can’t get my ahead around why. I’m sorry Japan, I love you but this one is just way beyond my taste. If you like ‘visual novels’ you might like Danganronpa V3: The Killing Harmony. Otherwise you will be much better served buying a game that actually is a game.… Expand
  3. Undisputedera0
    May 8, 2020
    0
    Ok so I absolutely hate the ending of this game. It destroys all the work from the other games. For me it made me feel like it was an absolute waste of time playing these games.
    In the end the survivors find out they don't exist in the real world and are fictional and only exist in Danganronpa. They find out that all the other killing games are fictional as well. What a **** ending if    Ok so I absolutely hate the ending of this game. It destroys all the work from the other games. For me it made me feel like it was an absolute waste of time playing these games.
    In the end the survivors find out they don't exist in the real world and are fictional and only exist in Danganronpa. They find out that all the other killing games are fictional as well. What a **** ending if I've ever heard of one.
    Oh but then 3 of them survive the academy being destroyed and go wait what if she was actually lying this whole time and the remnants of despair do exist and ****
    I don't get how this game is rated so highly when fans of the franchise just got a massive **** you of an ending.    … Expand
  4. greninjaX
    Feb 11, 2022
    0
    never in my life have I seen something so self-deprecating that was equally pompously arrogant
    I was completely satisfied with Danganronpa 1, 2 and 3 (anime) and was wondering where the story could possibly go from there
    and it ended up going nowhere. it does nothing to justify its own existence, and if the developers didn't want to continue the series, they shouldn't have continued it.    never in my life have I seen something so self-deprecating that was equally pompously arrogant
    I was completely satisfied with Danganronpa 1, 2 and 3 (anime) and was wondering where the story could possibly go from there
    and it ended up going nowhere. it does nothing to justify its own existence, and if the developers didn't want to continue the series, they shouldn't have continued it. and yet they have the nerve to say the fans are problem? **** that, you guys are the ones milking the franchise, not us.    … Expand
  5. Melopahn
    Jul 18, 2023
    0
    The game is trash as is anyone who thinks it deserves better than 1/10. Anyone who likes this game should come with a warning that they are absolutely not fit for society. People should have something to signal that they are a danganronpa fan so humanity knows to give them a wide berth and avoid any contact with them.
  6. Kai82
    Oct 9, 2022
    4
    Firstly I must warn you about the final twist / reveal. While being interesting it ruined the game for me and harmed even Danganronpa 1 and 2. It is a deconstruction or like it is called today “Subverting expectations”. I looked it up and I am not alone with this. Fans of the franchise fall in between “Clever deconstruction” or “Destroying the established franchise”. Before that the gameFirstly I must warn you about the final twist / reveal. While being interesting it ruined the game for me and harmed even Danganronpa 1 and 2. It is a deconstruction or like it is called today “Subverting expectations”. I looked it up and I am not alone with this. Fans of the franchise fall in between “Clever deconstruction” or “Destroying the established franchise”. Before that the game has the strengths of the franchise while being weaker that its predecessors. Those are interesting characters, well written cases and a story line that keeps you engaged. It is a visual novel videogame which is a mixture of detective game aka murder mystery investigation and daily school life. Some describe this as mixture of “Ace Attorney” and “Zero Escape”. To give you warnings. It is a new story line as the Hope Peak arc from the previous games ended not in a videogame but in the Anime “Danganronpa 3 The End of Hopes Peak High School”. The story starts again with 16 people with ultimate talents trapped in a killing game lead by a robotic and sadistic bear named Monokuma. The only way to escape is killing a fellow student. But this is not battle royal as you have to get away with the murder undetected and there are rules that are enforced. After a dead body is found all students investigate the crime scene and after some time passes there is a class trial where the evidence is analysed and the culprit is decided by mayor vote. If they get the right person the culprit is executed. If the majority is wrong everyone except the culprit is executed. This is the setting of the game. To be fair while it entertained me it is not as refreshing as before and some ideas feel recycled. Also it has the cast I liked the least from the 3 main games. The cases are mostly interesting but also are a bit weaker than in the prequels. To be fair the first one was a an intense highlight and the fifth one is a valid choice for the best in the franchise as even Monkuma got pushed into a corner. In between those I got a bit bored to be fair again. The gameplay is like I said a visual novel and less a true videogame. Spending time with fellow students and investigate murder cases when those happen. For the cases you collect evidence called truth bullets you use in class trials to fire at arguments (Visual system for discussions), present them and have some mini games. Those trials are intense and a highlight as the truth comes slowly out. Again or better said per franchise standard the graphics are dividing. I find them nice but they are a bit 2,5 dimensional and look like the scenery books for children that unfold by opening it. It could be a prime example for the phrase “It is not for everyone”. The soundtrack and voice actors are fine for me. Overall I was a bit disappointed before the final reveal that ruined the experience. I was thinking about a 7/10 rating before but the reveal draggs it to a 4/10 and I can see me giving a 1/10 to be fair for a third time. I would skip the game if you liked the first to to not ruin those with this games implications.… Expand
  7. GioGio27
    Nov 23, 2022
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Put it shortly the ending ruined my entire day. It’s not because it was depressing, but more because it ruined the entire universe of the game I loved.… Expand
  8. CobaltLotus
    Mar 12, 2022
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The ending was terrible and made the previous games pointless and it disrupts everything and story to throw out the window Most of the game was good with clever trials but the final chapter just ruined it all.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

51
#51 Best PS4 Game of 2017
81
#81 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 44 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 44
  3. Negative: 0 out of 44
  1. GameGrin
    Jan 2, 2018
    85
    I would give this higher, but I know later down the line and looking back this is by no means a 9 or even 10 in terms of the game’s scope. But if the writing kept its pacing from start to finish, it would’ve matched the astonishing soundtrack, blistering court cases, impeccable murders, and superb characters. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to find myself a tissue for the tears I shed to those lost in this Killing Game.
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  2. CD-Action
    Dec 19, 2017
    90
    A brave, flashy, self-destructive spectacle that made me chuckle like a madman right up to one of the best endings in the history of video games. [12/2017, p.58]
  3. Cubed3
    Nov 26, 2017
    60
    The narrative choice made is going to be massively divisive in the fan base. It's a bold choice; it's an interesting choice; it's the wrong choice. Sometimes it can be about the destination and not the journey, especially if the driver suddenly swerves into a wall.
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