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Danganronpa Beginner's Guide, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Despair

Steel

Banned
DR 3 was hot trash by most standards, I concur. The series doesn't really have a great story in the first place, the situation the characters are in, the characters themselves, and the mysteries are what's worth playing the games for, anyway.

I screwed up a couple of months ago and clicked a tiny spoiler tag in some thread and got spoiled on what I think is a pretty significant detail, but I'm still interested in seeing where that game goes.

I almost did the same, but I think I can guess what that spoiler tag was based on context. Unfortunately.
 

Chris R

Member
Having just played 1 & 2 is there a good website/article that does a quick plot recap so I can just jump into 3 without having to go back and play 1/2 again?
 

A.J.

Banned
Having just played 1 & 2 is there a good website/article that does a quick plot recap so I can just jump into 3 without having to go back and play 1/2 again?

V3 dosen't require any prior knowledge from my understanding. It's a different universe.
 

Chris R

Member
V3 dosen't require any prior knowledge from my understanding. It's a different universe.

Even if that is the case I'd still like an article with a good plot summary of those games if one exists. If not no biggie, I'll probably play through them again at some point early next year.
 

Marow

Member
I screwed up a couple of months ago and clicked a tiny spoiler tag in some thread and got spoiled on what I think is a pretty significant detail, but I'm still interested in seeing where that game goes.
The worst thing is that the spoiler tag is completely pointless as the non-spoiler still... yeah. The whole paragraph is unnecessary. But yes, I'm interested in playing it too.
 

Alastor3

Member
I looooooooove 999 so much for the story, characters, endings, gore, but I could have deal with more difficult puzzles, will I like Dananronpa's games?
 
I looooooooove 999 so much for the story, characters, endings, gore, but I could have deal with more difficult puzzles, will I like Dananronpa's games?

Danganronpa's puzzles are simplistic at best. There's essentially 3 aspects of the "puzzle" half of the game:

1. Investigation. This uses a Point and Click adventure game style interface. Click on things that seem suspicious, and it will add them as evidence. The game literally leads you from point to point, so it's literally impossible to fail.

2. Class Trial. This is like Phoenix Wright. but in real time. Statements will fly up and you can "shoot" them with "truth bullets". Finding the point that seems the fishiest is the goal.

3. Mini games. Throughout the class trial, you might need to prove your stance by doing mini games, either an action surfing game, a bad hangman game (that is in both games) and a few others. Essentially the goal is to either come to a single word, logic thread, or complete rebuttal of the persons point.
 

ULTROS!

People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks.
Haha, I wonder where V3 will end up in that picture.

I have this gut feeling (and based on the reviews) it will be both on top of the mountain or below UDG, you know kinda like how people perceive FFXV here lol.
 

UberTag

Member
I have this gut feeling (and based on the reviews) it will be both on top of the mountain or below UDG, you know kinda like how people perceive FFXV here lol.
In other words, the reaction will be polarizing. And I agree with you 100% on that.
 

Link1110

Member
Finally bought dgr2. Of course I had to go still the end googling how
junko took over the world
but I still liked the first case.

didn't see the giant robots coming though. Maybe I should've since they showed giant monokumas in the last game.
 

Link1110

Member
Was about to say.

Lucky for me, that's the spoiler everyone and their pet Monokuma knows.
I actually didn't get it spoiled but I did see it coming a mile away

I can't see outside? This is from the makers of VLR? must be something going on outside
 

AHA-Lambda

Member
I'm watching DR3 just now and about half way through I think

What exactly is so bad about this? It's a little silly in some places but it's fairly enjoyable?
 
I'm watching DR3 just now and about half way through I think

What exactly is so bad about this? It's a little silly in some places but it's fairly enjoyable?

Can't really go into that without major spoilers, but the short version is that
pretty much every new character is introduced just to get killed for shock value, most of everything that happens ends up being totally pointless by the end, and perhaps worst of all it manages to make DR2 retroactively a worse story
.
 
I looooooooove 999 so much for the story, characters, endings, gore, but I could have deal with more difficult puzzles, will I like Dananronpa's games?
999 was my first game like this and I played Danganronpa 1 immediately after. I liked it, but I’d say the story and characters are a good step down from 999. I was also really surprised at how not-dark the game was; after 999 I was primed for some more grim stuff, but DR goes for more of a “wacky” tone. Still, I found the world kind of interesting, and I really enjoyed the investigation/trial structure.

I’ve had DR2 and Despair Girls on my shelf for ages, finally starting DR2 today.
 

Catvoca

Banned
DR gaf I need help. I want to play V3 on Vita but I can't find the download size for it anywhere..

You literally just need to google "Danganronpa V3 vita download size" and you would have got it!

It's 3056 MB on vita and a bit over 25 gigs on PS4.
 
I only watched a LP of UDG but I think Monaka is a great villain and pretty what Junko should have been. What she did with the WoH is pretty what everyone expected what Junko did with the DR2 cast before DR3.
 
Nice OP, OP. Didn't know there was a self contained demo for V3. Will definitely be trying that out. I always wanted to get into Danganronpa but want to finish Zero escape first.
 

UberTag

Member
I'm watching DR3 just now and about half way through I think

What exactly is so bad about this? It's a little silly in some places but it's fairly enjoyable?
The reason folks are so sour on the anime is largely due to how it falls apart in the 2nd half. I actually considered it to be a pretty successful and ambitious experiment over its first handful of episodes... but we were all still in full-fledged speculation and theorycrafting mode at that point.
 

Flandy

Member
Still haven't gotten around to watching 3 but with v3 looming on the horizon I'm hyped and desire some danganronpa
Maybe it's time I watch it
Or maybe it'll completely deflate my hype for v3
I'm not that invested in the series though so maybe I'd just be able to ignore how bad it might be?

I'm secretly hoping that Chiaki Nanami somehow shows up in it. I don't even know how that would work considering the nature of her existence
 

Zeroro

Member
Still haven't gotten around to watching 3 but with v3 looming on the horizon I'm hyped and desire some danganronpa
Maybe it's time I watch it
Or maybe it'll completely deflate my hype for v3
I'm not that invested in the series though so maybe I'd just be able to ignore how bad it might be?

I'm secretly hoping that Chiaki Nanami somehow shows up in it. I don't even know how that would work considering the nature of her existence

It's not nearly as bad as people say it is. It tries to do/explain too many things, and that's mainly where it falls flat, but it's still a fun watch. Just temper your expectations in knowing that it doesn't reach the highs of DR1/DR2. Some of the new characters are also pretty good.

Great Gozu :'<
 
It's not nearly as bad as people say it is. It tries to do/explain too many things, and that's mainly where it falls flat, but it's still a fun watch. Just temper your expectations in knowing that it doesn't reach the highs of DR1/DR2. Some of the new characters are also pretty good.

Great Gozu :'<

I agree with this.
 

selo

Member
I wouldn't recommend skipping udg, it explains some questions I had about the series as a whole. I think the story is very good, what's not so good is the gameplay though, its decent at best.

Btw, isn't V3's release date on the 26th instead of the 29th? At least that's the date on steam.
 

Yohane

Member
Even if that is the case I'd still like an article with a good plot summary of those games if one exists.

I don't see the need to spoil the previous games for yourself.

If you end up really liking v3 you can always go back actually playing Dangan 1 & 2
 

GamerJM

Banned
I played through 1 and 2 when they came out, bought UDG but realized after the tutorial I really wasn't in the mood for a poor man's RE4 with DanganRonpa characters so I put off playing it. I read that DR3 basically required knowledge of the events of UDG to watch it so I put off watching that as well. I finally played a bit of UDG again yesterday and I'm not exactly enthused to play through it, though I figure that if it ever gets tedious or unfun I'll either just breeze through it on the lowest difficulty or watch an LP.

But anyways, can I have more specifics on why V3 isn't a good place to start? Is it gameplay-related or is there some more spoilery reason? I want to know if UDG or DR3 is still recommended. I still want to experience both for completionist reasons but I want to know in case I ever start to change my mind on that or if I decide I want to play DRV3 when it comes out instead of spending time on these first.
 
It's not nearly as bad as people say it is. It tries to do/explain too many things, and that's mainly where it falls flat, but it's still a fun watch. Just temper your expectations in knowing that it doesn't reach the highs of DR1/DR2. Some of the new characters are also pretty good.

Great Gozu :'<
I agree with this. Future arc is actually pretty good with some small issues here and there. Despair Arc starts great in the first half but begin to drop the ball all the way until the end. Hope Arc is just full on fan service which at that point I decided to embraced it and enjoyed it.

Honestly I think a lot of the issues the anime had could have been fixed if both Future and Despair had more episodes.
 
I played through 1 and 2 when they came out, bought UDG but realized after the tutorial I really wasn't in the mood for a poor man's RE4 with DanganRonpa characters so I put off playing it. I read that DR3 basically required knowledge of the events of UDG to watch it so I put off watching that as well. I finally played a bit of UDG again yesterday and I'm not exactly enthused to play through it, though I figure that if it ever gets tedious or unfun I'll either just breeze through it on the lowest difficulty or watch an LP.

But anyways, can I have more specifics on why V3 isn't a good place to start? Is it gameplay-related or is there some more spoilery reason? I want to know if UDG or DR3 is still recommended. I still want to experience both for completionist reasons but I want to know in case I ever start to change my mind on that or if I decide I want to play DRV3 when it comes out instead of spending time on these first.

I'll keep this as vague as I can but I'll still put it in spoilers just in case.

Potential spoilers for V3


You probably don't need to play the other games but some elements of the end game will have a bigger impact if your familiar with the first two games.
 

AHA-Lambda

Member
Yeah I just now finished DR3; certainly some dumb points and inconsistencies, and the ending feels rather weak as a conclusion to the story but it was on the whole enjoyable imo, and not worthy of the hate i've seen it get.

Let's just say it's not Iron Fist.
 

ymgve

Member
I wouldn't recommend skipping udg, it explains some questions I had about the series as a whole. I think the story is very good, what's not so good is the gameplay though, its decent at best.

Btw, isn't V3's release date on the 26th instead of the 29th? At least that's the date on steam.

It's 29th on consoles in Europe since Friday is the standard game release date there. It's 26th on Steam because, reasons, I guess?
 
But anyways, can I have more specifics on why V3 isn't a good place to start? Is it gameplay-related or is there some more spoilery reason? I want to know if UDG or DR3 is still recommended. I still want to experience both for completionist reasons but I want to know in case I ever start to change my mind on that or if I decide I want to play DRV3 when it comes out instead of spending time on these first.

V3 as an experience really works best in context with the first two games. As in like, someone who has played 1 and 2 will be left with a completely different view of V3 (and possibly the entire series) as a whole than someone who just jumped in at V3. It doesn't fall apart if it's your starting point or anything, but being there from the start makes it all come together in a way that's definitely really special.

That said, UDG and DR3 are almost completely irrelevant to V3. Almost. I think UDG is maybe worth giving a try to see if it clicks with you, but my feelings about DR3 are... well documented at this point lol
 

Zeroro

Member
V3 as an experience really works best in context with the first two games. As in like, someone who has played 1 and 2 will be left with a completely different view of V3 (and possibly the entire series) as a whole than someone who just jumped in at V3.

...It's gonna be really refreshing to finally be able to play and finish this game and not have to tiptoe around spoilers anymore.
 
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