Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Reviews
This neon-soaked mystery game is Kodaka's best work to date.
Master Detective Archives: Rain Code is a captivating and refreshing take on the mystery genre. It uses a zany story, uniquely expressive characters and a perfect blend of mystery and adventure to stand out amongst its contemporaries. While some performance limitations stop it from looking its best, Rain Code's strong and effortlessly stylish presentation more than makes up for it. It's a satisfying and immersive experience that anyone who's a fan of visual novels, courtroom dramas or both themselves to check out.
Overall, while not without its faults, Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE is still a highly enjoyable and ambitious game with a good narrative, a mostly lovely aesthetic, and fun gameplay elements. It isn't a game I'd recommend to everyone, but it at least provides an engaging experience for mystery and Danganronpa fans alike.
Master Detective Archives: Rain Code falls short and ends up being mediocre. This game neglects the elements that made Danganronpa successful, such as well-written characters, engaging storytelling, and unexpected plot twists.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
Master Detective Archives: RAINCODE has some interesting ideas in isolation, but they never fully come together in a way that’s fun or fluid.
Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE feels a bit like another entry into the Danganronpa series simply without the school approach, leaving it feeling like it's not really standing on its own two legs.
Master Detective Rain Code is not as complete and original like the Danganronpa trilogy, but it is, nonetheless, an enjoyable and well written point and click adventure that wil appeal to all of the existing fans of Kazutaka Kodaka.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Fans of the Danganronpa games will surely find a lot to like with Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE. It is a worthy spiritual successor that expands on a grander premise and introduces new ideas. The callbacks are tasteful and the new cast hold their own in the fascinating world of Kanai Ward.
Interesting world and plot with a healthy variety of gameplay. Not necessarily a new paradigm in visual novels but still a fresh direction from veterans in the field.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
An outstanding mystery adventure that is a must-play on Nintendo Switch
Pacing and loading issues aside, the signature brand of storytelling that made the Danganronpa trilogy so refreshing is on full display here. I genuinely grew to adore the pairing of Yuma and Shinigami by the game's end, and that's a testament to how well both characters are written and voiced. There are some rough patches in this murder-filled mystery adventure, but it's a ride well worth experiencing.
The genre of crime stories visual novels is alive and if you want to deep dive into demanding cases, you have a very good chance here. There is a strong script with excellent characters, tricky murders and strong investigation. The overall Atmosphere, places and music are helping a lot too.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Rain Code falters in too many areas for it to be seen as a true or great successor to Danganronpa. There are sparks of light, such as its setting and the twists featured in the final chapters, but the ridiculously linear Mystery Labyrinths, poorly written characters, long load times and graphical issues set things back. Danganronpa and whodunnit fans will still find something worthwhile here, but wait for a discount.
Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE exudes a personality and style that differentiates it from its peers, and each individual chapter is brilliantly written and highly entertaining. Despite offering very little variety in terms of gameplay, each Mystery Labyrinth you’ll enter over the course of the game feels fresh and enjoyable thanks to the excellent storytelling and presentation. It is fortunate that this is what makes up the majority of the game, because the overarching narrative surrounding the mystery of Kanai Ward is often an unwelcome distraction from the case at hand, leading to a conclusion that is less satisfying than it could have been had more time been spent on setting it up over the course of the game. The blurry visuals and occasionally erratic performance can also occasionally break immersion in the fantastic set pieces on display in Mystery Labyrinths and the gloomy ambience of Kanai Ward. But even with those caveats, Rain Code is still a mystery adventure that is more than worth your time to solve.
The creative team behind Danganronpa and, now, Rain Code, are a rare group in video games. They know how to entertain – I didn’t even mention the “replacement” for Monokuma in this game, but Shinigami the ghostly reaper is somehow even more brilliant foil and source of sadistic humour than the iconic bear. But under all the hyper-colourful art, the mysteries that would give Sherlock Holmes a run for his money, and the sheer energy and panache of it all, they also offer something intensely thoughtful with a strong and blunt message to share. As much as I loved Danganronpa, by the end of the third in that series I did think they were running out of ideas. As it turns out, all they needed was a new creative playground.
Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE is a great mix of investigation, crazy word battles, and humour with a great cast of characters. If you enjoy solving mysteries and interesting stories, I am sure you will love this game.
Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE does a good job of refreshing the mystery solving formula with fun mini-games and an attractive neon city backdrop; that is, if you can sit through hours of banter between the more enjoyable parts.
For those who love a (long) mystery story, looking for clues, reading endless dialogues and getting lost in neon-lit alleyways, Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE is a perfect proposition.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Master Detective Archives: Rain Code is a trippy game that feels like a slightly tamer, though not quite family-friendly, version of the Danganronpa series. Great for lovers of the weird and whimsical.
I never thought I would leave with a smile on my lips from a murder mystery game in which solving murders is the least successful part, but Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE surprised me. It's a pleasure to get to know the central mysteries, characters, and locations of Kanai Ward, regardless of the ease of the crimes or some technical problems. With this title, Too Kyo Games and Spike Chunsoft have established an interesting reinterpretation of Danganronpa's mechanics, which we eagerly hope will be used as a basis and improved in new adventures by these elite detectives.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review