Capsule Review: Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
Structurally the same as its predecessor (a visual novel in which you investigate murders and then solve them in courtroom sequences) but with much improved writing - characters are more consistent, revelations are (usually) more interesting and more plausible, and atmospherics are put to better use. While respectful of the first game and its fans, it does poke fun at or brutally deconstruct some of the more cliche or implausible elements while paving over some plot holes. The mechanics unfortunately are even more bloated than in the first game. There are a couple of minor improvements (such as the removal of the completely unnecessary Re:Act system, and explicitly marking which courtroom arguments would be supported as opposed to refuted by your action) but rather than trimming the fat for a more pure and focused experience, even more minigames and systems to manage have been added. It doesn’t really add anything to have an in-game Tamagotchi, or to put courtroom questions behind a tube-racing minigame. Still, the result is a game that’s even more engaging than the first, and this time you’ll almost never be frustrated by the story or characters - just the mechanics.
I Stopped Playing When: I finished the game and all side content for the platinum trophy. (The side content is not really worth the time if you aren’t a trophy collector.)
Four Stars: Great. Not only did I finish the game, I probably played through the whole thing again and/or completed any optional objectives. It's an easy recommendation for any genre fan.