Danganronpa Decadence Critic Reviews

To be blunt, I would never call Ultimate Summer Camp a deep or important game, but it is pure, undiluted fun. It's not trying to be deep or smart, but rather a bubbly-light bit of nonsense with a healthy dollop of fan service, and it delivers that with some spot-on delivery. Think of this as a reward for making your way through the 60-odd hours it takes to get through the Danganronpa series and the relatively serious and deep-thinking themes that those three titles explore. After that, you deserve a reward, and as a positive foil to them, this is the perfect delivery mechanism. So don't judge this in isolation. Consider that Danganronpa Decadence contains all those other games as well, and that you really ought to have played through them all before even stepping into the joy of this thing, making the overall collection the best that has been released on the Nintendo Switch to date.

Danganronpa Decadence works well for several different reasons. Not only is it a great way for fans—both pre-existing and prospective alike—to dive into the three core titles that truly helped to sculpt the series into something spectacular, but the additional bonus title, Ultimate Summer Camp, is a neat, albeit very much noncanonical, way of celebrating the plethora of weird, wonderful, and wild characters that have graced our TV (or Switch) screens. Sure, three-fourths of the game, technically speaking, isn’t “new,” but that’s no reason for anyone to pretend that the decadent, 4-in-1 Danganronpa combo pack is nothing less than spectacular.

When it comes down to it, Danganronpa Decadence is a must-play, even if you don’t consider yourself a visual novel fan. The enticing overarching mysteries and superb character writing are reason enough to give them a shot. Unfortunately, the 10th-anniversary edition contents, essentially just a gallery feature, might not be enough to warrant a full playthrough from seasoned fans, but the portability of the Switch and the ease of accessibility makes this one of the best collections available on the console to date.

Truthfully, I don’t think that Danganronpa Decadence is the best way to experience the trilogy. These are three very intense games, each with enough crazy twists and over-the-top cruelty and violence that you should probably take a break between each one. One thing that you’ll be reminded of again and again in each game is that they earn their M ratings beyond a shadow of a doubt. But nonetheless, these are still three of the best games the visual novel genre has to offer, and if you’re even remotely interested in playing murder mysteries, they’re all must-plays.

Danganronpa is bizarre in the best kind of way. It’s an engaging visual novel that never stops being excessive, but so many of the characters are charming it’s easy to want to learn about what happens and see if favorites will make it out alive or perish at the end. Visual novels as a genre crave more creativity like this and other detective-styled adventures, so it’s nice to see it now made available for more to try out on Nintendo Switch. Although it’s been some time since it released, Danganronpa is a delight and easy to see why it has such a strong following after all these years. Anyone who hasn’t tried it yet but even has the slightest amount of interest can’t go wrong with trying out Danganronpa Decadence.

I was so engaged when playing through Danganronpa Decadence. My predictions were wrong, and I was very impressed with the outcome. If you’re at all a fan of visual novels, mysteries, or anime aesthetics, then Danganronpa Decadence is a must play. It’s four games for the price of one, and I loved all of them.

Danganronpa Decadence is a great package of the three highly engaging games from Spike Chunsoft. While the collection comes included with some noticeable flaws, the overall package is worth every penny for die-hard fans of the series.

Danganronpa Decadence is an almost flawless collection for visual novel fans, containing three of the best games in the genre in one slick package. Ultimate Summer Camp is a weak addition, but you won't be mad at it for a long time.

Despite the Nintendo Switch being the perfect platform for Danganronpa thanks to the form factor, a few technical issues and lack of touchscreen support hold this package back from being the definitive way to experience these amazing stories. Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp is a nice bonus to have if you enjoyed the extra content in prior games, but it doesn't feel as fleshed out as it could’ve been. As a value proposition, all three mainline games and a spin-off for the price of a single full-priced game is hard to argue with, but I wish Spike Chunsoft gave these ports a bit more care.

Danganronpa Decadence is a very fine package that delivers a trio of deliciously devious and salacious murder mysteries, plus a grindy side-game we can live without. The main games here are funny, dramatic and pretty problematic, so exercise some caution — this is resolutely not a game for kids, but even adults will struggle with some of its less savoury or more overtly brash, thoughtless content. If they sound at all appealing, though, we urge you to check the games out for yourself, as they're classics in the visual novel genre. Trigger Happy Havoc offers a memorable Killing Game with fantastic characters and a genuinely funny and smart script. Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is even sicker and more delightfully disturbing than the marvellous original; it doesn't match its predecessor in some ways but makes up for its shortcomings in others. Our favourite is definitely the epic third game, though — go in blind and we promise you'll be in for the ride of your life.

Danganronpa Decadence has been a long time coming. The series itself is just such a perfect fit for the handheld device, and coming back to it has been such a joy. This is the kind of series that keeps you up at night, jabbing at your screen under the covers in the dark as you soak in every new bit of information, trying to unravel the mystery. It’s completely engrossing, and a wonderful addition to the Switch library.

Danganronpa Decadence finally brings Spike Chunsoft’s amazing murder mystery series to the Nintendo Switch, accompanied by an all-new bonus game, Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp. While the latter is fun on a shallower level, the Danganronpa games remain engrossing and engaging experiences that are just as good today as they were back when they originally saw release on the Vita. Well, almost as good, as the ports we get here see reduced visuals or performance at times due to (seemingly) being based on the previous mobile releases.

Danganronpa Decadence is a good value if you’re looking to get into the Danganronpa series, packing in solid ports of three excellent adventure games and a mildly amusing spin-off. While these Switch versions aren’t as smooth or fully-featured as you might like, I would imagine most first-time players aren’t going to mind the few nicks and flaws. Provided you’re okay with the mature subject matter, these are games you really should play if you haven’t before. If you’ve already picked the Danganronpa games up on other platforms it’s harder to call this is an essential purchase, but those who have hoped for this series to hit Switch should be satisfied.

Three games (and half) to celebrate over ten years of excellent thriller visual novels by Spike Chunsoft. The only new addition, Ultimate Summer Camp, is the weakest link of a shiny and highly attractive package.

I would highly recommend playing Danganronpa if you have any sort of interest in murder mystery or visual novels, either on Switch after they patch the performance issues or on another platform. The games are a lot of fun and you are sure to be sucked into them. The aesthetic and music is a step above the rest and while the story can be a little wild at times, it will always keep you engaged. It is nice that Danganronpa has returned to its portable roots, but upsetting that the ports are a little rough around the edges. I wouldn’t say this is the best way to play the series in its current state, but hopefully that will change in time.

Danganronpa Decadence bundles together the 3 main entries in the series, along with the original Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp. While Danganronpa S is undeniably the weakest of the titles, the other 3 entries hold up wonderfully by virtue of their exceedingly well-constructed plots and strong writing. They run great on the Switch, as well, making this bundle an excellent purchase for those who haven't yet experienced the gripping tales of despair that only the Danganronpa franchise can tell.

As a complete package, Danganronpa Decadence is a brilliant collection of three very well-produced adventure visual novels. It is a shame about V3‘s performance in the last case, but overall, these are some highly recommended stories. Expect to fall in love with the characters, be shocked at the many great surprises, and be gripped by suspense over what is around 100+ hours of gaming. If you are fans of visual novel adventures and have not checked this series out yet, then you seriously need to pick up Danganronpa Decadence.

With the exception of the thoroughly unnecessary Danganronpa S, the games of the Danganronpa Decadence package are still a great and unforgettable experience. Though they run better on other platforms, they’re just fine on the Switch, and players who can’t or won’t try them elsewhere won’t feel like they’re getting a worse deal. A more concerning wrinkle is that players who want as complete a Danganronpa experience as possible are better served on those other platforms, thanks to the absence of Ultra Despair Girls. As such, using the word “decadence” in the collective title comes across as a bit presumptuous on Spike Chunsoft’s part — a more accurate title might be “Danganronpa Sufficience“.

This deserved to be a home run, and it’s just an okay way to play some great games. Your mileage will vary based on how much some of this mattered, but if you’re looking to play these in excellent quality I’ll point you in the direction of the PS4 or PC ports. If Nintendo Switch is your console of choice, and you’re desperate to see what you missed a decade ago, you might as well check out the Switch version. Vita copies go for ridiculous prices, and I know maybe two other people who aren’t me that still own that system. I love the Danganronpa games, despite their myriad of flaws and occasional problematic content. These games are important to me, and they were formative for the person I grew into and the content I’ve fallen in love with since. It does not need to continue, as much as it is very likely it might in the coming years now. If it does, I’ll give it an open-minded chance I guess. It just won’t be the same after such a gratifying and perfect conclusion for a series that managed to always ramp up the stakes.