Lurker > ZeldaTPLink

But that's an amazing chance to see what Smash will do for his contest strength

People are discussing the insect thing as it gives alibis to everyone but it's only after it ended that Monodam redistributed the motives, which probably set this crime up. What I mean is... fuck alibis.

Angie was the one who came up wih the idea to use piranhas. Hmm...

Ok so the insect thing did prevent them from coming to the gym. But that's when the windows come up.

Plot just hinted that the killer could be someone who thinks Himiko actually does magic. I'm looking at you, Tenko.

The talk about how Ryoma as trying to find a reason to live is pretty sad.

Oh I figured it out. Ryoma was dropped from the window into the tank, along with extra piranhas. Only question is why they didn't eat him immediately. I guess he was dropped right before the end of the magic show?

Tsumugi has low self esteem, huh. But watching over Kokichi is actually very important work.

lol Kokichi asked Kirumi to be his mom so she started scolding him.

Damn Maki is scary. No wonder Gonta didn't capture her. She reminds me of Kyoko.

There's an Ultimate Prisoner Lab? Weird.

The other pool window connects straight to Ryoma's shower room. The plot thickens.

Plot is implying Kokichi was actually being a good guy all along. I don't doubt it.

B piece of black fabric in the pool when the monokuma file says Ryoma was drowned, and Kaito thinks it's just trash. That's why he's not the protagonist.

There's an inner tube in the pool. Strike two against Tenko. Is it too late to ask for the money I bet on Angie back?

Damn Tsumugi stop spoiling the game with your lampshading!

Man never mind what I said about convoluted, this is looking like a very obvious case, unless there's some evidence that I missed. Tenko did it.

Is Monokuma implying humanity was extinct or something? Or that this is another simulation so nobody else in in "this world"? I think another simulation twist would be kind of dumb.

The scene showing everyone's faces right before the trial is pretty cool, but what is coolest is Kaede angrily staring at the screen as if she's saying "DO YOUR JOB, SHUICHI", while Shuichi's face shows him looking shy and scared.

Ok so, who dunnit?

There is a pattern in this series that the killer and the victim are almost always people who had some major scene during the chapter, which either is used to develop their arc or relates to the case in some way. The only major exceptions I believe are Leon and Peko, and it makes sense because they were both subversions in some way (with Sayaka and Fuyu being the real masterminds of the cases). For the victims, I think they all got major scenes one way or another (maybe I wouldn't count Ibuki since she just got a concert scene, but 2-3 plot sucks like that). Kaede, Rantaro and Ryoma also follow the pattern.

Ok, so who can we exclude, assuming the pattern is followed? Kiyo, Tsumugi and Miu. The last one got a casino scene, but I think that was optional? And it wasn't even centered on her.

As for the rest:

Shuichi: I don't think they are repeating that twist in a consecutive chapter. Next.

Keebo: He got the recorder scene. Could be used in a case somehow, but it's more likely to be used in his favor, not against him. And I don't feel him as a killer.

Gonta: If Gonta kills anyone I'll be very surprised, the dude is innocent as fuck. Only way I could see is if Kokichi convinced him to commit the murder without noticing he was commiting a murder, but that would be complicated. Could explain his reaction to seeing Ryoma in the tank, might be guilt. Do we need another extreme tragedy right after 3-1, though?

Kokichi: he is always a suspect. But he's also such a major presence in this whole game I don't see him going out in Chapter 2. Either he's being Byakuya'd, or he's turning into some kind of penultimate boss, or he'll be exposed as a fraud later on.

Kirumi: there was a bit about how everyone was abusing her talent. She could break sooner or later.

Maki: she has a whole mystery about her lab that needs to be solved. It's likely going to be relevant to the case, too (maybe that window in the pool connects to her lab). Relevant in the sense of making her the killer? I dunno.

Himiko: she is this case's obvious-suspect-therefore-it's-not-her. Killers in DR don't make themselves obvious like that, they try to pin the blame on someone else.

Tenko: she got the unrequited love with Himiko. Could be used as a motivator. There is also the bit about how she can't swim, which can connect to details in the murder method, or serve as an attempt to cretae an alibi.

Kaito: he is missing from the magic show, and he got a lot of development this chapter. I don't think it's good for the overall plot for him to die now though, he's serving a very important role as Shuichi's motivator. He's even becoming his sidekick, so it would be kind of a repeat of 3-1 plot if he was the killer.

Angie: she helped set up the show. She had a lot of involvement with Himiko. And she is completely one-dimensional, which is a death flag on its own, although I like her overall. Also she had the bit about how she wants to stay in the school, so her being the killer would be an interesting subversion.

My money is on Angie. If not her then one of Maki, Tenko or Kirumi.

It's Ace Attorney all over again. The magician refuses to reveal the trick even if she dies.

I am now Kaito's sidekick. I'm okay with this development.

"The cause of death was drowing". Gotcha. So they used the pool after all. The piranhas were just to complicate the murder. Man, this will be a convoluted one. We'll have to find out how he got killed, how he found his way into the tank, and how Himiko found her way out of the tank, in same trial.

Free time with Miu. She's basically Chopper from One Piece. Likes people but won't admit it. I give her a Working Chair of Doom and she's surprised I get her tastes. Gosh, those kids are so predictable (and having 90% of the store's inventory is so useful).

So I finally enter her lab and... why does it have an operating table with saws around it? Scary.

This was certainly worthwhile. Man, I can never decide whether I like Miu or not. When she's just insulting people she sucks, but when she's nerdying about tech stuff or being owned by others she's likable. I guess she has a better chemistry with Shuichi than Kaede, too.

Free time is over, and it's time to face the plot again. Kaito comes to my room to tell me to run away becuse "He" is coming.

Kind of feels like a prank, though.

Holy shit Gonta went Super Saiyan. Save yourselves.

So Kokichi did something to convince Gonta to get angry and go get the motives for him. Bastard. You don't corrupt poor Gonta like that.

I wake up with Kokichi over me. The rest of the game will now be a slasher movie featuring Kokichi and his idiot tarzan henchman.

We are all about to be forced to see our motive videos against our will, but Tenko is only seeing a chance to lick Himiko. Disgusting.

(for the record, in case anyone is wondering, this is not me having a problem with lesbians. This is me having a problem with characters who are just designed to be mindless harassment machines. What I said about Teruteru in the previous playthrough applies)

lol at not even Gonta being able to stop Kirumi from working

Insect meet and greet. This game won't stop being hilarious.

Keebo's secret weapon is a recorder. Kind of lame that THIS spends a lot of energy, but Keebo makes the most from it by being smart.

Yeah, trust Monodam to return the pads to the right rooms. Now he's gonna place them in the right way. When you guys could have just distributed them at random or something. I hate when an entire cast decides to act stupidly at once.

A magic stage with a water tank and piranhas. Suddenly I'm fearing for Himiko's life. Rigged magic shows are a classic murder scenario.

And she's doing a trick that she's never done before. Or at least that's what I'd say if I were a professional magician. But Himiko is silly enough she might be telling the truth.

Kaito is strangely missing. Shit.

I didn't know Angie could tell jokes. Puts some things into perspective.

Gonta don't ruin the trick, that's how people actually die.

Bet: someone BESIDES Himiko has just been eaten by Piranhas, while she is safe in whatever place she was supposed to escape to.

I was right. But I hate it that I was right. One of the best characters in this game just died. And I don't even know the story of how he took down a mafia. Why didn't they take Tenko instead?

Himiko being cluelessly happy is more funny than tragic, lol.

Tenko helps Gonta throw Keebo into the tank, but chances are Gonta would have been enough.

So I guess the pool rules will be used just to restrict how Ryoma could have gotten to the tank, then. Considering we have two windows at play, it's possible he got thrown or launched all across the pool, from one window to another.

Maki doesn't want to be involved with any of this shit. I'm guessing she is feeling insulted by her lab, or something?

Kokichi lampshades it. Himiko is so suspicious she seems not suspicious. But now, the fact he lampshaded it makes her more suspicious.

He lampshades what I just wrote above. I give up.

The Popo posted...

Didnt Mondo swear in DR1?

Yeah but iirc he just said "you son of a bitch". Fuyu and Miu are swearing machines.

I've noticed my write-ups are longer than usual. Either this game is just longer too, or I like this cast so I have more to say about them. Hope I'm not bothering you people with those walls of text, though.

Himiko joined the Church of Atua. It's a cult! Someone stop it! I guess that's what the brainwashing thing was about, but if Himiko is aware of it then I'm not sure if we can say it worked.

Whelp, I guess escapism is really welcome here. And religion can work as that.

Angie is pretty skilled as a priest, too. She is empathetic. Meh, I'm not a fan of religions.

Tenko has been exposed, lol.

Tsumugi is trying to figure out what spells Himiko will gain from worshipping Atua. Neeeeeeeeerd.

"Don't say that, that's super death flag!". lmao Tsumugi, never change.

Angie's plan is silly, but holding magic shows and cherishing on their friendship could actually accomplish things in the long run. But they'll have to go back to their objective eventually.

The show will happen tomorrow morning, in the gym. The same gym that has a window to the pool. The same poll Tenko can't swim in, and whose regulations were just added to the game's main list of rules. Holy foreshadowing, Batman!

I once said I liked Fuyuhiko for bringing swearing to this series. Miu makes him look like a toddler in comparison.

Kaito on the floor after losing a gambling match is the new meme.

I was here wondering why some of the gifts in this game are related to music and now it makes sense. You can befriend Kaede in school mode, right?

Free time. There seem to be fewer gifts in the mono machine, because I'm almost done with them. Either that, or more gifts will be added later. Hope it's the former, so that I can see myself getting them all through save scumming around chapter 4.

I talk to Kaito. I learn he's actually a scholar, which makes sense. He's training to be a damn astronaut. So his dumbass attitude is more of a personality thing that real stupidity, probably.

Maki doesn't want to talk. She's too busy guarding her lab door. Maybe next chapter, then.

Of course the Non-Alcoholic Drink of Immortality is aimed at Kokichi. Talking with him doesn't reveal anything new, though. Or rather, it reveals a mountain of stuff that are probably 99% lies. That said, someone decided he was worthy of being called Ultimate Supreme Leader, so I'm curious to why.

Only Monodam is in the night announcement. But the other three visit me in my sleep, to leave a present.

Monokuma theater tells me I should drop all videogames to focus on my studies. Except the ones made by DR's company. Sure.

Ok this whole speech about where to study was pretty funny.

3-2's motive is basically 1-1's motive. Repetitive, but it's better than the forced garbage from 3-1. That one ended being good in practice because of Kaede's plotline, but in theory it was another meaningless motive that didn't prove anything. Then again, there are no cameras so I'm not sure if this mastermind is even trying to prove anything.

Why do I have Kaito's though? Did the kubs screw it up?

So all the videos were swapped around. Nice job breaking it, kubs.

Keebo has a decent plan that involves they keeping each other's videos, Kokichi and Ryoma screw it up by being anti-social dicks. Well, that's Kokichi's description, in Ryoma's case is more mysterious, as always.

They are all abusing Kirumi, huh. Normally I'd wonder if she'll break, but she's not the Ultimate Maid if a bunch of lame teenagers can break her. That said, I can see the plot making her break character for some other reason. Such as seeing her motive when she goes to clean their rooms.

Kirumi on free time next. The attempt to get her to socialize ends with her making a feast to me. This girl seems even more rigid than Peko. At least Peko knew how to play a normal person role when Fuyu ordered her to do that.

Ryoma likes candy cigarette. Lol. He is pleased that I didn't come to just ask him about tennis or about his backstory, which makes sense. So pleased that he ends up revealing a bunch of stuff about his old tennis friends. Poor dude.

Monokubs cooking are cute af.

Eh what did Himiko just say about brainwashing?

Why is everyone being mysterious all of a sudden?

Ok, Kaito is awesome. He saw through Shuichi's suffering and decided to give him a training session to cheer him up.

The narration is implying betrayal is about to happen. Hope it's not from Kaito, I'm warming up to the dude.

Miu wants me to go to the casino. I just burned all my coins on gifts, though.

Why does everyone want me to go gamble with them?

I'm torn on that, but I'd say this was the most impactful death in the series for me, so far. I'm still sad for it. Playing as someone means you get to empathize with them a lot more. So it was probably worth the move just because of this.

If I were writing the story I'd make it so Shuichi never gets hailed as Ultimate Hope or anything like that, and it's Kaede's influences that pushes those kids to victory. She deserves it. Shuichi is already useful enough as the detective.

No, but I think I've bordered on depression quite a few times.

For all I'm bashing Tenko, I'm realizing once you remove her, there isn't a single character I want to call bad. Even the annoying ones seem annoying for a good reason or have something that makes them worthwhile.

This might be the best cast so far.

This one was actually very easy. It only needed the little thing to start talking.

We play the ocarina, revealing a secret passage. Kaede would have enjoyed this.

Poor Keebo is sad he's too heavy to swim. Someone give this dude some floaters or something.

A window to the pool that is important enough that the game forced me to check. I guess we have our next murder scene.

The fact the poor is being set as a murder scene and the fact Tenko said she can't swim are giving me happy thoughts.

Yes, add pool specific rules to the school regulations. We need more info to be used in the next trial.

We receive some of our memories back. Not all of them, though. I guess we'll get them little by little after each murder. Cool.

So the kids chose to have their memories erased so they could escape from the Ultimate Hunt. But someone decided to bring they back. What I wonder is how Rantaro knew it, though. Or how he knew stuff at the start of the game's prologue. Does his talent affects how his brain reacts to memory tampering?

Killing the Nagito at the start of the game so we spend all of it wondering what he knew. Clever, DRV3.

Ryoma, the more you keep saying that you plan on dieing the more likely it is that you'll live.

Guesses:

Monodam is Byakuya.

A funeral for Kaede? In the school? No, outside of it. And it seems it includes the other 15.

Are they dead and this is the afterlife? Time travel? Virtual reality? Or were they just kidnapped and made it to look like an accident? In this series, it could be ANYTHING.

The game keeps hinting there is an evil group that hunts ultimates, though. Somehow I think that will be twisted later on. As in, it's not the same group that is behind Monokuma.

The fact there are not bugs anywhere is likely very relevant to the plot. Makes my afterlife theory stronger. Or maybe this is a lab, and the whole environment is artificial.

"horse a"?

Did Shuichi abandon the cap because Kaede told him to? I hope so, the cap sucks.

The little monokumas you find didn't appear in Kaede's room, they were in Shuichi's room all along. I wonder what was his reaction to toys magically appearing in his room.

Did the game just reset all of my character friendship levels? That's realistic, but mean.

Shuichi removed the cap, revealing the hair spike that is obligatory for any DR protagonist. The proccess is complete.

Kaede dieing gave those kids a level of unity that is not usual for Chapter 2. Wonder how it will break.

Only an absolute bottom tier character can call Gonta degenerate when he's being hopeful about seeing bugs.

Obvious answer to the question I wrote above: Kokichi.

Did Tsumugi just make a Homestuck reference? It's hard to keep track of Tsumugi's references.

Thanks for the... huh... ocarina. I don't think it can be used open an exit, can it?

Theonokubs are pissing their pants because of Monodam and I'm enjoying every second of it.

So instead of opening new areas, they make us do puzzles to open them. Not exactly a fan of that, sounds too off-genre.

We open the first new area, thanks to dumb puzzles... I mean, Himiko's magic. Thanks, Himiko!

Himiko's lab has a bunch of magician props... and a cauldron. Perfect.

I think Rantaro's lab will be extremely useful when we finally find it.

Angie looks really kind for praying for Rantaro. Then she ruins everything by bragging about getting points.

Miu: "You are clearly a pro at playing with yourself". LOL.

Poor Ryoma wishes he was a tennis player again but his past is too heavy for him to allow himself to.

Ok I wanna see what's inside Maki's lab.

Gonta's lab has actual bugs. But they are all either dead or in eggs. Either way, Gonta seems happy.

Angie takes a flashlight away. Angie, don't take mysterious looking items away, that makes you likely to be the next victim or killer as that item becomes a piece of evidence.

Kirumi's lab has a victorian era table with dolls so she can... practice serving them? Those labs are kind of silly if you think about them.

The puzzle mini-game works because the characters just gather around the goals. Avoids a lot of annoyance.

A casino. I'm not really in the mood to waste hours playing mini-games, tbh. Kaito is, though, and watching him lose everything is more entertaining than the mini-games would have probably been.

Hotel Kama Sutra... lol.

I was like "okay so, Shuichi and Rantaro are unkillable this early, since they are important. But what if the game pulls a twist and kills Shuichi? I'm so clever!"

<cries>

I'm supposed to do coursework and the only thing I can think of is playing this game until my eyes jump out of their sockets.

Now then, I wonder if the world of Best Girls can be saved.

Kyoko was a best girl once, but DR3 took her down. It did bring her back, but that was so forced I still feel like she's dead.

Chiaki had to be taken from us twice.

Kaede was being set up to be a best girl and now she's gone.

Hina and Sonia are the closest we ever had to surviving best girls, but they are not the same thing.

The remaining cast is kind mixed. Tenko is garbage. Angie varies from annoying to charming. Miu varies from annoying to cool. Kirumi is kind of meh. Maki is kind of meh too, but I feel a lot of potential in her. Himiko is funny but not very charming. I think Tsumugi is our best hope, aside from maybe Maki. If she can pull off something like cospox every chapter, she could do it maybe.

The Popo posted...

Did anyone here actually somehow guess correctly that Kaede was the killer in 3-1 when asked to identify the killer? As in that was their first assumption and selection?

Id imagine that everyone of us was throwing out a few wild guesses, followed by a Wait... what? moment when we finally just went with Kaede... Im curious if instead of everyone of us, it was actually just most of us.

I could see someone guessing it. The scene where she picks the ball kinds of hints to it, and someone more paranoid than me (or who happened to remember of other works that did the same thing while playing) could have the idea.

The fact this is the third game in the series kind of makes you confortable with the idea the protagonist is never guilty, though. We had two cases with Makoto as the main suspect, for example, where the only thing that saved him was pure conviction that he was not the killer.

Next you'll tell me Makoto is Shuichi.

Wow.

I decided to ignore pitch and just go with a hunch.

Turns out both VAs are good at making different pitches.

I said reveal all of them but never mind, I might try again later.

But feel free to reveal Kaede and Rantaro.

I guess... Hajime is Rantaro and Kyoko is Kaede?

But it's kind of lame that this series seemed like it would finally have a female main (besides UDG but that doesn't count) and then it was a fake out. Kaede and Shuichi could have been made with swapped genders, for example. This thing with the Japanese where they are afraid of putting females in lead roles gets annoying some times. Westerners are way far ahead in that sense.

I'm playing as Shuichi now. Against Kaede. This is unprecedented.

Kaede threw the ball into the air vent, so it slid over the books she set up to fall onto Rantaro's head, who was there because of the flash she set up. I'm amazed at myself for even figuring this out.

This is arguably the best Hangman's Gambit so far, but it still sucks because it's fucking Hangaman's Gambit.

The stacked book set up looks a bit over convoluted, like you'd have to be sure the ball would turn left once it got out of the vent, then stop and fall on Rantaro's head. And that Rantaro wouldn't hear any of that.

Ok the illustrations make it look a bit more possible, but I still feel like this would be harder to set up in practice than it looks. Not to mention it would take like an hour to be done properly. Meh.

I'll never be able to play DR properly again. I'll be doubting everything the progatonist is seeing because they could be skipping scenes.

Oh it's the damn BGM that was covering the noise. Of course. Though that does create a plot hole because Kaede didn't know there was going to be the BGM when we was setting up the books for the kill.

Now this cast will have to recover from the fact they executed the Ultimate Hope right in Chapter 1. Damn.

Even Kokichi is disturbed by it.

Shuichi is doubting Kaede's motive. We all are.

I guess the tried to take down the mastermind? Hmm... what if Rantaro thought he was the mastermind himself because of the lost memory, and set up a plot for Kaede to kill him? Besides that, I could see Rantaro being onto the plan in some other way.

Kaede is now a boss battle. Because.

This was the normal rhythm thing, but my heart was racing the whole time because it was Kaede I was trying to take down. Danmit.

Godanhmit this is even sadder than the Chiaki execution. Both versions of it.

STOP KILLING MY BEST GIRLS, DANGANRONPA!

The case review thing gets better every game. It's simpler and move user friendly, while still keeping the awesome. And the new song is a remix of DR2's opening, which is great.

I once wished I could play as the Ultimate Detective. Be careful what you wish for.

Oh cool we get to vote manually this time. Wonder if the plot won't use that creatively later on (as in, vote for someone innocent to crack the game or something).

Damn Kokichi is savage. Even I believed he was legit sad now. Will he ever get character development?

So either there is no mastermind and we ahve a different twist (like in DR2), or it's Rantaro (unlikely because repeating the Junko twist would be lame), or the bears are fully automated and the mastermind is just playing a much more subtle game, that includes predicting Kaede would out herself.

This execution was savage. Also, WTF Monodam? Is he going to murder all the cubs or something?

Rantaro had a hunch. It was probably the Ultimate Hunt thing. I guess whoever is behind Monokuma had a grudge against ultimates? Maybe they were forced to watch Future Arc.

Monokuma thinks Kokichi will live for a long while. If he dies soon, I'll lol. I won't mind if he does live though, he is a huge asshole but he is a good character.

Kaito punching Shuichi reminds me Kamina. Though the real Kamina of this game was Kaede.

I was right that Shuichi and Kaede being a pair all game would be difficult. So I predicted Shuichi would die. The solution was much more interesting. And sad.

If the game manages to keep this beat (which will be very hard, I know), it will be the best game in the series by a mile.

Agatha Christie spoilers:

This is Murder of Roger Ackroyd all over again, isn't it?

For all Kiyo looks like a creepy loony, he is actually pretty reasonable.

In fact, I'm getting this reaction from almost the whole class. Most of them are smart enough. Probably more than the previous casts.

Damn Kokichi's evil grin is really cool.

There is a lie mechanic? Cool. Bet they could never have implemented that in DR1, with Makoto being the MC. DR2 maybe. Reminds me of Phoenix Wright.

I wonder if people won't start mistrusting Kaede if she just starts lieing every trial, though.

Kokichi lie detector is OP.

Debate scrums. This game has some interesting new mechanics. The only issue is that I've had to figure out how the Xbox buttons flashing in the screen matched to my dual schock buttons, but I pulled it through.

So the twist is that Shuichi already did the Kyoko thing and solved the case, but hes too afraid to speak it because of his traumas about comdemning semi-innocent people.

Kade says she has known who the culprit is for a long time. Myself, I'm still puzzled. The stuff about setting up flashes suggests Miu, but doesn't Miu have an alibi?

I tried to guess Miu, then Shuichi then Rantaro. No deal. Then I kept trying to think, but everyone either had an alibi or no evidence pointing to them. Then I wildly guessed Kaede. It worked. Eh... what?

WTF is going on

Kaede is laughing. Eh... am I playing with an evil character?

Split personality, maybe?

Or Kaede will get executed and we'll play with Shuichi for the rest of the game?

TPLink.exe has crashed and needs to be rebooted.

I just don't see any appeal on a character whose lines are 75% "ALL MALES ARE MURDERERS AND DESERVE TO DIE".

I mean, I'm a big sympathizer of feminism, but this is just permanent cringe.

It's ironic because Mahiru is what the character would be like if they had done her right. So they somehow made an already existing concept worse.

Never mind the creepy stuff with Himiko too, and the fact she is just an Akane knock-off when you remove all the bad stuff.

I just defeated Atua in an argument. Where is your god now?

Rebuttal Showdown seems a bit easier now, like you can actually see if the blade will hit or not.

Kaede you got swag, but nothing compares to Hajime saying "Allow me to cut those words!"

Shuichi noticed something. Spit it out!

They don't do the thing where the main character is executed when there is a game over. Another tradition killed, but that was a really dumb one anyway.

There is also a "make prepatations and retry" button which is a godsend. Yay for anti-frustration gameplay!

Miu may have just solved the case. The camera had intervals. But then it would have to be someone who has messed with the cameras before, Like... Shuichi?

I keep insisting on him, but I also keep looking at the game from now on and I can't think that is interesting for Shuichi to hang out with Kaede all game. The reason Kyoko worked was that she avoided Makoto, meanwhile Chiaki wasn't exactly glued to Hajime, and Nagito only was during the first chapter. The protagonist needs some space to sneak around and interact with people. What I'm saying is that I smell some twist with Shuichi coming.

Bingo, she told Shuichi about it and he's not saying anything.

Eh... but now he's going to turn into the case's obvious suspect. I guess he's not the killer, then. But Kaede may feel betrayed by Shuichi and that will solve the problem I highlighted above, as least for a while.

MrSmartGuy posted...

Kaito is Kazuichi in more ways than character....

They don't really sound alike imo. But hey, that's quality VA for you.

That's the problem with the guessing game, most VAs are too good to be easily guessed like that.

Tsumugi could be Sakura or Kyoko for all I know and I'd never notice.

"Effective during Hangman's Gambit Ver 3.0".

"Hangman's Gambit".

"Ver 3.0"

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/976/824/913.gif

I can't stop rewatching this opening. It took me a few rewatches to notice everybody gets a shadow with purple eyes, not just Rantaro. Another cool thing is how at the end, Rantaro is the only one whose body appears to be flickering. Finally, what's up with the meteors? Another Tragedy, or an execution? This open does show a lot less footage than DR2's, and I liked DR2 because it went slowly with showing the characters and seemed to get more epic as it went on, but this one is so stylish and has a very good song.

It seems this game simply does not recognize the right stick in my dual shock and I have to use the mouse just to read the truth bullets.

I just huh... learned something about Himiki's ear cleaning habits. Thanks, Himiko.

I love how the very first truth bullet shot in this game is to exclude the possibility of Rataro being another Junko.

"Kaidiot and Poo-ichi". lol. It's like Miu really wants to be a bitch but he deosn't have it in her.

Eh... what are the monokubs making a reference to when they talk about someone who died after soaring with the wind? Is it from a previous game?

Kokichi says he knows who the killer is and I think he's about to accuse Keebo just for the lulz, but he actually has a great point about Miu being the suspect. The Byakuya part is being stronger than the bargain bin part right now.

Kaito has Kazuichi faces. My analysis was right. He is Kazuichi done better.

The triple debate thing is really cool, but has the potential to be really hard later on.

Gonta is the easiest suspect by default because his superhuman strength can overcome a lot of case hurdles. Except that is too easy.

Kokichi: "Just be the culprit already". lol true.

Guesses

Monotaro is Hifumi
Miu is Akane
Tsumugi is Monomi
Kaito is Taka

Yes, show me a cover with Rantaro in it to make me more paranoid about his role in this story.

Kids are thinking the culprit is the mastermind so that's why they didn't step forward. Because they want to kill everyone in the trial. Except in Danganronpa, the mastermind's goal is never just to kill everyone quickly. It's always something more sophisticated.

Miu built a fucking drone so she can slack off in the rest of the investigation. Priorities.

Kaito picked the six people he thought would do well in a fight. The tarzan, the aikido master, the girl with a god behind her, the witch, the guy with a a plan and... the child carer who is kind of mean.

I wonder why he didn't invite the guy who took down an entire mafia with tennis balls, though. I think he would be one of my top picks.

"So Gonta in here alone, watching bug movie!" Protect him.

"Magic shouldn't be used like that. It will lead to corruption." Best excuse ever.

Kaito is like Kazuichi done right.

lol at UDG being an actual videogame in this universe.

Lots of work checking who has alibis. But alibis are never important in DR Land, except to make killers perform extra steps that end up inciminating them in the trial.

Well, th alibis are not important, but I guess the VA room is.

Yay for the game saying "Tenko didn't say anything new" so we don't have to read any Tenko dialogue.

I swear, I'm considering doing a master character list of this series after I'm done with it, and Tenko is a strong candidate for dead last. Right now, she is worse than anyone in DR2 or DR3, and I think only GJ-less Toko compares. And Toko still has a whole game I haven't played where she can develop.

Never mind, there was some Tenko dialogue to listen to. Meh.

Kokichi is like a bargain bin Byakuya.

I love how "I'll commit that to my memory bank" is a line someone bothered to dub.

Suddenly about 2/3 of the cast has alibis and I'm thinking my line about alibis is outdated. I'm also thinking the killer is a dumbass for doing this during daylight, when people are more likely to have alibis.

Keebo: "You don't need to be so PC". lol, ok.

I just learned that "cospox" is thing. I don't know what to do with that piece of information. In another news, I'm starting to see why people said here they like Tsumugi.

Rantaro turned off the one sensor who could have indeitified his killer. Of course.

Also this has turned into one complicated closed room murder. It seems neither door was used to get in, and Kaede was watching the entrance to the air vent the whole time, except for when she ran straight into the library to find the body. Complicated.

I'm smelling suicide. Though thay would be a bit off in a Chapter 1. I want executions and all.

The monokuma statue sinks and a secret door goes up. This is so zelda.

Monokid's honey hangvoer saga is... huh... intriguing.

You can actually buy skills right before trials. Such a revolutionary innovation in gameplay that DR2 did not bother to have.

Seems like I got played like a fiddle. Shuichi dieng was getting so damn obvious this is probably intentional by the writers.

Kaede is anxious because of the camera plan. I'm anxious because I just wanna see who's gonna die.

Shuichi has a tragic story. He found one of the dark things about solving mysteries: the result is not always pleasant. Kyoko knew that.

Kaede is awesome.

Everyone went to the basement. Of course.

"No! You stay here and keep watch, Kaede." Famous last words.

Damn bro stop going back and ruining my death predictions.

Tenko and Kaito are invited to join us in the library. Because we need at least 3 people for a body discovery announcement. Welp, I guess I was wrong about Shuichi dieing.

Rantaro is dead.

Shenanigans are at play. The dude was seriously involved with the plot. Either this is a fake out, or the game will have to find a way to connect him with the plot later. If he is really dead, I'm disappointed because he looked really cool.

Also add another blunt weapon kill to DR series, because every kill must either be a blunt weapon or a stabbing.

Hmm, seems like Kokichi had something for Rantaro.

No one is admiting the kill. Of course, there had to be a twist.

What if Rantaro killed himself? That might create a paradox, since he doesn't get to go out free.

Monokuma comes here to give a present.

Everyone! IT'S. THE. MONOKUUUUMA FIIIIIIIIIILE!

He didn't say it? Stop killing traditions, V3, danmit!

Investigation time.

Free time.

Before then, here comes my favorite part of this franchise (not). Betting monocoins on a dumb slot machine.

Well, it seems the animation between each present is getting shorter each game, so that's a relief.

Free time. I spend some with Tsumugi. I have no idea what happened, but it was funny.

Gonta next. To learn some Gonta facts. Such as how Gonta likes cricket music and sleeps naked. Except not anymore, because Gonta wants to be a gentleman. We all sympathize with Gonta.

I feel like at some point Gonta will do something so heroic he'll just be hailed as a gentleman because of that.

I'm still torn on how much I like the Monokubs exactly, but I really like how every day/night announcement is different than the previous one. The previous games were pretty lazy with those.

Someone is at the door, and it seems it's not Shuichi. Did someone finally come to share the death flag with him?

Nope, it's just Monokuma.

I just noticed something. Every room as monitors, usual. But I've seen no mention of the cameras. The bad guys are watching everything, right? But the kids don't know it. This is why Shuichi's plan will backfire.

I like how real Ryoma is about the darkness of the setting yet he doesn't seem to have any malice himself.

I think maybe Rantaro didn't actually forget his talent and he's hiding it for some reason.

For a moment I thought Kaede was about to slap Miu, but she begged instead. Well, that's the Ultimate Hope for ya.

"Who the hell uses bowing as a threat?" Shounen protagonists. Get used to it.

lol at Miu not knowing how to react to kindness. This scene might have saved her character, I think it's going somewhere interesting now.

I ust watched an argument between a boring character, an annoying one and a godawful one (Himiko, Angie and Tenko). This cast has some gems, but it does have some turds too. Unless they start developing.

Is it just me or gifts are much harder to give than in previous game? It seems those kids will only take talent-specific gifts.

Free time with Kirumi. We don't make friends at all because she can't break the maid character. Wonder why she's like that.

Free time with Shuichi. Gotta learn something about him before he inevitably... you know. This was actually very informative. Seems like Shuichi is a realistic type of detective instead of a crime solving one like Kyoko. He investigates infidelity and runaways, as part of his uncle's agency. I'm curious about the one case that made him famous.

Last night before the deadline. Chances of dead people next morning are very high.

Hmm... Monophanie is Sonia?

Shuichi doesn't answer the door. RIP.

Nope, he's alive. Phew. Its like the game is doing it on purpose.

Angie is better than Hiro because Angie is so positive all the time. I don't know what I think of her. Like, I tend to rteally dislike religious fanatics, but her mood is contagious.

Yes, Shuichi, separate yourself from Kaede in the last day before the deadline.

Kokichi is another one I can't decide on. He's a really big asshole, but he is so serious about his evilness it crosses the line and makes him interesting again.

Ryoma is doing the Nagito thing. In the non-psychotic way. He might actually convince people. It's cold and rational, eve if it's the Despair option.

Rantaro has a secret plan. Damn. This is the most interesting Chapter 1 in the series so far. So many twists.

Tsumugi is shipping Shuichi and Miu. I can relate.

Shuichi did not get murdered in the way to the classroom. Meh, we had a few possible alibis.

Air vent. Door that can see who goes to the basement. Cameras with specific instructions. The perfect murder case is being set as we speak.

Could go with Monophanie = Monomi but they don't sound the same imo.

Shuichi is increasing his death flag meter to extremely dangerous levels by continuing to be the one who interacts the most with Kaede as 3-1 gets closer to murder time. We know what that did to Sayaka and Imposter. This is the series' way to give proper screentime to a character who goes out too soon, and Shuichi is taking all of it.

His only saving grace is that they bothered to have Kaede's VA record her saying "Shuichi", so maybe they wouldn't want that to go to waste. But hey, a lot of stuff in this series is only said once.

How to survive a killing game: spot the person who never seems to give up, and avoid the fuck out of them until at least 10 people are dead. After than, stick close to them and do everything they say, no matter how crazy it sounds.

Kokichi crying is about the most pathetic thing I've seen in this series.

Hey, Monokuma, this isn't Future Arc! What do you mean, no class trial? Booooooooo!

But seriously, what is even the story point of tis, create another Junko scenario?

Kaito attacked Monokuma. Unbelievable. He had a strong death flag, but that's kind of a wasteful kill, unless they do repeat the Junko scenario.

What? The robot attacked... Monokuma.

This was very very random and I don't even know how to discern who got motivated by this.

Yes, Shuichi, go visit Kaede after the motive scene, that will certainly improve your lipespan. Also keep having a generic personality in the meantime.

Himiko wants us to save her from what looks like lesbian sexual harassment and I wish I could help.

Ooooooh secret bookshelf passage.

We found the mastermind room already, it seems. Someone get Gonta to break it. Iirc they haven't banned us from breaking into rooms yet.

Announcement with just... Monodam?

Monokuma is still alive in the theater, I guess.

Man I really want to know the story of how Ryoma took down the mafia.

Monokuma returns as a ghost. I approve.

Tsumugi is disgusted by the low quality of the cosplay, and Kiyo by the fact he is mistaking hosts for yokais. Gotta focus on what's important.

The Monokubs have no spares, and the rules don't forbid us from killing them. Someone tell me why we haven't started murdering them yet.

Everyone will die if there is not a murder. This series wth the forced motives again. Have I mentioned I hate this stuff? I hate this stuff.

"Males in human sciences are soft". Damn, Tenko, just STFU.

Miu is another chracter who is ageing like milk. She is becoming another Hiyoko except Kokichi does that job better anyway.

Ryoma's imaginary knife holding image is a thing of nightmares.

You've never seen team spirit break this fast in a DR game before. Where is Nekomaru when we need them? Oh yeah, he's an evil bear now. We're fucked.

I don't even know how the game can have a Free Time now. The mood is just horrible.

Rantaro knows shit. And in that fake prologue, he knew even more shit. I think they deleted his talent because the very nature of it contains spoilers about the setting they don't want him to know. He mentioned Ultimate Hunt. Maybe he's the Ultimate Killer of Ultimates, or something?

Oooh we're gonna try to find out who the mastermind is. In chapter 1. Wonder how this will backfire.

Oh so there is a free time. Okay. Will play it later.

Guesses:

Mikan is Monophagie
Teruteru is Kiyo

If Robot is not Hajime, then what about Shuichi? Was my first guess until I decided Robot sounded more like Hajime.

Man I was pretty sure on the Hajime and Celestia ones. They have similar timbres.

A lot of the ones I got wrong were more wild guesses though. But hey, was not confident about Gonta at all and got it right.

And Fuyu's VA has a very characteristic timbre, so I managed to get it even though he's doing a different kind of character.

By the way, when the other guy talked about 2B's VA, I googled her name and found out she is Hiyoko. So you can cross that from the list. Really surprising one, I agree.

I'll just see it on youtube later.

I'm more curious at what happens in the story if you do. But I guess that's a spoiler.

Edit: oh ok

You guys are allowed to tell if my guesses are right or wrong, assuming that doesn't spoil the game's plot (I'm not sure how it would, but who knows).

I am very disappointed that this game doesn't play opening whenever you turn it on. Certain traditions should be sacred. If I learn they also got read of the comic book thing at the end of trials I'll demand a refund.

"The killing game will continue until only 2 students remain". Huh, that's new. Until now I kind of just imagined when the ending would be called because the game was unplayable for lack of students. Now there's an actual ending in sight. Wondering if we'll really see 14 people die.

Violence against Monokuma is forbidden, but they didn't say anything about the Monokubs.

Shuichi lampshades how the game can't go on with only 2 people. Which means there is another, secret reason for that rule.

Kaede incarnates her inner Makoto and starts talking about hope. Like always, it's very effective.

Trying to figure out the VAs is making it hard to concentrate in the actual dialogue, lol.

Rantaro gives off serious Nagito vibes. And I don't think it's the same VA, but he is inspired on Nagito, I'm sure of. But he is like... more straightforward about his creepiness, while Nagito kept saying crazy shit with a natural voice and took a while to show his true colors. Rantaro is not trying to seem nice, and I have no idea what the deal with him is.

lol why is there a Monokuma little toy on the table.

I was not that big on Tenko overall but her honestly believing that Himiko can do magic endears her to me.

lol at K1 being as weak as an old man in order to prevent a robot apocalypse or something. Meanwhile, Gonta could be a match to Sakura in strength.

Yes, a wooden sign with the word "Exit" is totally not going to be a trap. Count on it.

Miu is looking at K1 and all she is thinking of is whether she could install a large dick on him. Amazing.

And now Tenko is becoming less likable by acting as a way less subtle version of Mahiru. The reason Mahiru worked was subtleness, this one is just a straw feminist.

Death Road of Despair. Eh... what?

This game is very hard, damn.

I'm genuinely curious at what would happen if someone actually got to the end of this. Cuz I'm not pulling it off, but I think I could if I was more skilled.

The game doesn't give you more than 2 tries, though. And the story effect of it is... interesting. Kaede's Ultimate Hope was crushed before the first murder even happened, and now she might take the whole game to recover it. That is new in this series.

Not a huge fan of Kaito until now but him cheering Kaede up is lovely.

Gonta is the best character and if he dies early there will be blood.

I feel like we'll go back to the platform game later. The cheer up command was never used for anything. Bet it will give the cast invicibility or something later on.

VA guesses:

Kaede is Chiaki
Kaito is Mondo
Kirumi is Celestia
Angie is Hina
Gonta is Hiro
K1 is Hajime
Tsumugi is Sonia
Kokichi is Fuyuhiko
Himiko is Hiyoko
Tenko is Genocide Jill (and/or Toko, not sure if they have the same VA).

That's probably why I'm seeing parallels with old characters. Well, Monokid is definitely Nekomaru and Monosuke is Byakuya I think.

Ok before we begin, let's make some wild guesses.

First, who is gonna die first. I'm gonna make a bold one and go with Shuichi, the Detective. So far he's been a protagonist, but he kind of felt like a boring character compared to all those crazy people so far. Killing him would create some good starting drama like with Sayaka in DR1. It would force Kaede to step up and do great in the first trial. And it would help avoid the Kyoko issue, where the detective does all the work.

There aren't many other killable candidates, tbh. The only other ones I see likely are Aikido Master, Astronaut and Maid. Because I think the game already gave everything there was to know about them.

Green Hair is obviously lasting all game. If he dies now I'll call fake out. Gonta, Anthropologist and Inventor are too cool to die now. Tennis Pro is overflowing with character potential. Magician and Cosplayer have a lot of gag potential. Childcare Giver seems like she has an arc to build. Artist is one dimensional but I think the game will abuse her shtick like they abused Hiro, for better or for worse. Supreme Leader is annoying but he has a lot of interesting dialogue and backstory to milk yet. Robot has a huge death flag, since his unusual body could be used for different kills (see Nekomaru), either as the victim or the killer, but he is too unique to be Case 1 fodder.

If Shuichi makes it to Case 2, he is now my top pick for mastermind. If I'm right and he dies, I'm gonna make another wild guess and say it's Astronaut. Just a hunch. Last time I guessed Chiaki and I didn't hit the mastermind (which was impossible) but I hit the traitor, so let's see if I can repeat the feat.

Hbthebattle posted...

ZeldaTPLink posted...

I'm getting Gundham vibes. Dude is a dwarf, with a strange face that may or may not be a mask, who is a Tennis Pro, and took down a mafia by hitting them with tennis balls. And wtf is with this voice. I can't even.

Gundham and Ryoma have the same VA, so that's probably why

I approve of that.

Raka_Putra posted...

My favorite out of the kubs is Monophanie actually.

ZeldaTPLink posted...

I did the fake wings.

I didn't know you worked for Team Dangan Ronpa!

Dig*

I can't even begin to decide which one of those is my favorite character on first impression. Probably between Tennis player and Entomologist, with Inventor not far behind. Damn.

Pink Girl talks about weed about as often as Nekomatu talked about shit. This is gonna be a long ride.

It's time for business to start. And the one who brings the business up is Monodam, speaking for the first time. Wonder if we aren't getting Monokuma, though, I miss him.

Ok, I dig Artist saying Atua will protect them while giant robots are fighting. lol.

Yes. YES! The best bear arrives.

I did the fake wings.

Monokuma lampshades how DR1's prologue was much shorter. That's why he's the best bear.

lol at the Trump reference.

Monokuma explaining the killing game never gets old. Especially when we get to see.... huh... bears puking and getting boners.

Why do they keep saying this game is similar to reality itself? Wtf?

Very cool opening. I still prefer DR2's, but this one is very stylish.