Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Pros

• Gorgeous anime art
• Impressive translation of a visual novel
• High replay value due to the branching story

Cons

• Violent & controversial gameplay

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is a visual novel that traps players inside of an elite school that only takes on Japan's best and brightest. A twisted killer stuffed animal by the name of Monokuma has taken over the school, and he feels it only right to pit students against one another in a murderous game for his own enjoyment. It's up to gamers to put a stop to his reign of terror and release the ironically named Hope's Peak Academy from this horrific monster.

Astute fans of the Danganronpa series will appreciate the scenario, though they'll probably notice some differences from later versions if they've never played this initial title. Gamers play as Makoto, the only student at Hope's Peak that isn't known for having an ultimate talent. Unlike the other students, he was sent to the academy as an experiment in order to see if normal students could be elevated to elite status by studying alongside those with unbelievable talents.

Some of these talents are a bit more tongue-in-cheek than you might expect. You'll be bumping elbows with such stellar individuals as the ultimate writer of fan fiction and the greatest junior detective. Some have even more unusual talents, such as a student who claims to be the greatest leader of a biker gang. Perhaps if Makoto had one of these abilities, he wouldn't have found himself trapped in the school like everyone else. Then again, these skills didn't prove much help for any of them either.

The rules of the game are simple, but quite vicious. You're asked to kill another student without getting caught. Each time a student dies, a trial is held to attempt to find the culprit. If the culprit is found, then the individual in question is put to death and the experiment continues. Otherwise, everyone else dies and the person who committed the murder is essentially declared the winner.

While this sort of strong-armed plot might not sit well with some players, those who are used to the oftentimes rough environments presented by VN games will appreciate the unusual story. Players who've seen the Danganronpa anime series are probably among those most likely to appreciate some of the game's more brusque plot points.

Pros

• Gorgeous anime art
• Impressive translation of a visual novel
• High replay value due to the branching story

Cons

• Violent & controversial gameplay