Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls Reviews
Danganronpa Another Episode Ultra Despair Girls is still a profound story with improved mechanics on PS4, but its standing in the series' narrative has shifted for the worst since it originally launched.
Danganronpa: Ultra Despair Girls offers an exciting and decidedly chilling story for fans who have followed the series since its inception, with callbacks to the original game and important revelations those in touch with the games won't want to miss. Unfortunately for newcomers or those who aren't as in tune with Danganronpa, there's not much here to convert anyone.
For fans of the Danganronpa series who've never experienced Another Episode, I can't recommend it enough. The shooting gameplay may be stiff, but the world draped around it is more morose than much of series past. Yet despite these darker visuals, there's an even more lighthearted tone than ever before. Komaru and Toku are a delight, and have a witty banter between the two even while trying to survive a death game.
Ultra Despair Girls may not be as great as the first two Danganronpa titles, but it's still a worthwhile experience for fans of the multimedia franchise. There is plenty to look forward to in this entry, especially since Another Episode takes a wider look at the world than its predecessors. Getting through some of the shooting bits may be a little rough, but overall Another Episode is a game worth playing through.
Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls is a great addition to an already strong franchise with a fan base that is eager for more. Even though this is a port from the PlayStation Vita, it's still worth picking up if you skipped over it the first time. If you already own it, you're better off waiting for Danganronpa V3 when it arrives later this year, as nothing new has been added to the game. Either way, this is a must-own for fans of the franchise, and is a strong addition to anyone's library looking for a fun exploration and shooting game with an insane story and fantastic cast of characters. Just do yourself a favor and play at least the original game first. You'll have a much better appreciation for it if you do!
Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls is for those who care more about story than shooting. The amount of time given to cut scenes is on par with earlier games in the series, and the tale is fascinating as long as you can handle some pretty dark content. The shooting is serviceable, but it works more as a device for solving puzzles since it feels too slow for an action game. As long as you know to temper your expectations in that regard, Ultra Despair Girls makes for an interesting spin-off, but it would be nice to see improvements if the series goes down this route again.
There is a better story here than there is a game. If you are looking for a twisted, original, horror themed tale, Danganronpa Another Episode has a great one to tell. It will keep you guessing throughout with visually stimulating environments and cutscenes. While the gameplay will be entertaining at first, it will quickly become just a means to get to the next story section.
Different mechanics, same great Danganronpa storytelling
Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls might not be as polished as the previous mainline games, but within this handheld adventure is still the fabulous, quality story and tone fans expect from something slapped with Danganronpa on the case.
Like it or not, Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls is an essential part of the series canon, despite the vastly different take on the previous visual novel format. Whilst far from perfect gameplay-wise, and dragging on too much for its own good, many of the positive attributes Danganronpa is known for successfully transfer across to this entry, filling in the gaps left between the previous two releases. It is the plot that carries Ultra Despair Girls along, but had it not been for the entries before it, this may not have been received as favourably. Either way, this is still a must-play for Danganronpa fans.
Ultimately, Ultra Despair Girls is a good follow up to the previous Danganronpa games. It still carries a consistent tone throughout, and the writing is as good as ever. And don’t let the game’s design fool you – despite being an action title, Ultra Despair Girls is just as heavy on text as the previous games. Thankfully, the story is the best part, so making your way through all the text never feels like a chore. And, despite a few issues here and there, this is still a Danganronpa game, and worth your time.
While the title does hit rough patches here and there (expected of a series hitting uncharted waters), players can expect to experience a decently polished third-person shooter that extrapolates well on the mythos of Danganronpa, particularly the on-goings between the first and second title, and is well worth the price of admission for fans of the series.
Overall, Ultra Despair Girls manages to be both a worthy distraction between the two mainline Danganronpa titles, while also giving a new coat of paint to the series' formula.
But for all the pacing and control issues, as well as frequently being treated as though I can’t solve my own puzzles in a game made for adults, it’s still a game I highly enjoyed.
Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls is oddly named and really, the game lives up to that tone: Odd. But that’s part of the charm and appeal and fans of past entries will quickly embrace this style. What’s questionable is whether or not they’ll embrace the new third-person action gameplay, which is a dramatic departure from the courtroom scenarios seen before.
Danganronpa’s break from the visual novel genre doesn’t produce the best results. It was definitely an experiment worth trying yet the action gameplay does little to hold up its side of the bargain. Once again, it’s the story and character development that really drive the experience, serving up plenty of fan service. For that reason, I’d easily recommend Another Episode to those who adored the first two games – newcomers, on the other hand, may struggle to see the appeal, especially when wading through shooting segments just to watch the plot unfold.
A disappointing spin-off from the excellent mainline games, and although the script is as sharp as ever the move into action game territory just does not work.
Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls is a mixed bag, with some interesting moments offset by monotonous gameplay and poor pacing.
This game has been made for fans new and old, meaning whether you've played the previous titles or not, you can dive straight in here. Sure, you won’t know who each and every character is, but you'll still be able to enjoy the story. If you're apprehensive, it’s time to push those fears aside, this is a must-own title!
Ultimately, Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls just didn't click for me the same way previous games did. Sure the narrative still has some strong moments, but it's punctuated with third-person shooter gameplay that doesn't enhance my engagement with the narrative the same way the first two visual novels did. If you're a series fan, there's a good, text-heavy, hands-off narrative to be explored here, but the gameplay sections really dragged it down for me.