''Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair'' is a 2012
visual novel
A , often abbreviated as VN, is a form of digital semi-interactive fiction. Visual novels are often associated with and used in the medium of video games, but are not always labeled as such themselves. They combine a textual narrative with sta ...
developed by
Spike Chunsoft
is a Japanese video game development and localization company specializing in role-playing video games, visual novels and adventure games. The company was founded in 1984 as Chunsoft Co., Ltd. and merged with Spike in 2012. It is owned by Dwango ...
. It is the second game in the ''
Danganronpa
is a Japanese video game franchise created by Kazutaka Kodaka and developed and owned by Spike Chunsoft (formerly Spike). The series primarily surrounds various groups of apparent high school students who are forced into murdering each other ...
'' franchise following ''
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc'' (2010). It was first released in Japan for
PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
in July 2012, and a port for
PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita, or Vita) is a handheld video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, and in North America, Europe, and other international territo ...
was released in Japan in October 2013.
NIS America
is a Japanese video game developer and publisher. The company was founded in 1991 and has developed several role-playing video games, most notably the ''Disgaea'' and ''Marl Kingdom'' series. Its mascot is the penguin-like ''Disgaea'' character ...
released the game worldwide in September 2014; a port for
PC was released in April 2016 and a bundle for
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
called ''Danganronpa 1-2 Reload'', also containing the first ''Danganronpa'' game, was released in March 2017. An enhanced version with the subtitle ''Anniversary Edition'' was released for
Android and
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...
in August 2020, for
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
in November 2021, and for
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
and
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
May 2022.
Development of the game started as
Kazutaka Kodaka
is a Japanese video game designer, writer and mangaka. His work is known for recurring themes of contrasting hope/despair, luck/talent, truth/lies; mixing tragedy with dark humor, numerous plot-twists etc. He was an employee of Spike Chunsoft ( ...
was writing the
light novel
A light novel (, Hepburn: ''raito noberu'') is a style of young adult novel primarily targeting high school and middle school students. The term "light novel" is a ''wasei-eigo'', or a Japanese term formed from words in the English languag ...
prequel ''
Danganronpa Zero
''Danganronpa Zero'' is a Japanese light novel written by Kazutaka Kodaka and illustrated by Rui Komatsuzaki. It was published by Seikaisha from September 16 to October 14, 2011, and has been collected in two ''tankōbon'' volumes. A prequel ...
'' and added hints about a sequel to the novel following their approval. Kodaka aimed to develop a unique plot to give players more mysterious elements in a group of islands, inspired by the television series ''
Lost
Lost may refer to getting lost, or to:
Geography
*Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland
* Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US
History
*Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...
''. The protagonist
Hajime Hinata
, also known as , is a fictional Character (arts), character from the Spike Chunsoft visual novel action-adventure game series ''Danganronpa''. The character has two identities: Izuru first appeared in the 2011 light novel prequel ''Danganronpa Z ...
is part of a group of high-school students who are trapped on a tropical island by their high school's headmaster
Monokuma
is a fictional identity adopted by several characters in the Danganronpa, ''Danganronpa'' series, serving as the mascot and main antagonist of the series. Monokuma first appears in ''Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc'' as a disguise used by "Depr ...
, a sentient stuffed bear, along with Monomi, a sentient stuffed rabbit. Similar to the first game, to leave the island, students must kill one of their peers and not be caught in the subsequent investigation and trial.
The game was well received based on sales and critics. Critical response to the game's narrative and cast was generally favorable. However, the gameplay elements involving class trials earned mixed responses; some writers found some parts of the game uninteresting, while early ones proved unchallenging. ''Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair'' was followed by the spin-off ''
Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls'', which was released on September 25, 2014, and the anime ''
Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School'', which ran from July 11, 2016 to September 29, 2016. A loose sequel to the series, called ''
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony'', with similar gameplay but a different storyline was released on January 12, 2017.
Gameplay
In a similar manner to the series'
previous game, ''Danganronpa 2'' has two modes of gameplay; School Life, which is split into Daily Life and Deadly Life sections, and the Class Trial. In the
dating sim
Dating sims, or , are video game subgenre of simulation games with romantic elements.
Dating sims are often dialog-heavy and focus on time management. The player must befriend and carefully build and maintain a relationship with one or more ...
-like "Daily Life" section, players interact with other characters and progress through the plot. Conversing with characters during "Free Time" sections earns items known as Hope Fragments, which can be exchanged for skills that can be used in the Class Trial, increasing the protagonist's skill in debates. Players earn currency known as Monocoins by finding hidden Monokuma Figures and performing well in trials. Monocoins can be exchanged for presents that can be given to other characters during Free Time segments and thus create more Hope Fragments. In the Deadly Life section, which occurs when players discover a crime scene, the player must search for evidence that will help them in the upcoming Class Trial to expose the culprit.
The Class Trial, in which players must determine the identity of a culprit, has the same features as the previous game with new gameplay elements. Class Trials, which uses the
first-person shooter
First-person shooter (FPS) is a sub-genre of shooter video games centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action through the eyes of the protagonist and controlling the pl ...
genre, mostly consist of Nonstop Debates, in which players must find weaknesses in the students' discussions and shoot them with "Truth Bullets" that contradict them. Yellow "Argue Spots" and blue "Agree Spots" must be shot with a Truth Bullet, indicating someone is telling the truth. In the minigame Hangman's Gambit, players must combine matching letters appearing from both sides of the screen before they collide and combine incorrectly. Combined letters may either be destroyed or used to spell a clue. "Panic Talk Action" replaces "Bullet Time Battle", with a similar rhythmic timing gameplay mechanic used to overcome a student's mental defenses as the latter refuses to listen to logic. Controls from the last game are slightly revised; players must spell out a phrase in the correct order at the end of the section rather than firing a specific Truth Bullet. In the Closing Argument, players fill in a comic strip depicting the events of a crime; panels are selected from stocks, and must be chosen correctly, rather than being available from the start.
New gameplay elements have been added to the Class Trial. Rebuttal Showdowns take place when a student tries to refute the player's logic. In these sections, players must
slash
Slash may refer to:
* Slash (punctuation), the "/" character
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Slash (Marvel Comics)
* Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'')
Music
* Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band
* Nash ...
apart their opponents' argument to gain dominance in the conversation and reveal new information before using a "Truth Blade" to strike the correct weak point when it appears. Logic Dive is a snowboarding minigame in which players steer themselves down a logical tube while avoiding obstacles and pitfalls, and occasionally choosing between multiple routes based on a question to arrive at a logical conclusion. The final segment Spot Select requires players to examine an image and indicate an important spot.
Besides the Class Trials and Daily Event, ''Goodbye Despair'' also offers several mini-games. Players always have access to a
virtual pet
A virtual pet (also known as a digital pet, artificial pet, or pet-raising simulation) is a type of artificial human companion. They are usually kept for companionship or enjoyment. People may keep a digital pet in lieu of a real pet.
Digital ...
, accessed from the pause menu, that grows as players walk in the game and earns players rewards based on its Hope and Despair statistics. ''Magical Girl Miracle☆Monomi'' is a minigame in which players control Monomi, a mentor of the main characters, who fights waves of monsters. Island Mode, which is available after clearing the game once, is an alternative mode in which the students are not subjected to Monokuma's killing game and aim to make friends with each other and earn Hope Fragments, allowing players to bond with characters more easily than in the main story mode. ''Danganronpa IF'', a short story depicting an alternative storyline for ''Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc'', is also unlocked after clearing the game once.
Plot
In ''Goodbye Despair'', players control
Hajime Hinata
, also known as , is a fictional Character (arts), character from the Spike Chunsoft visual novel action-adventure game series ''Danganronpa''. The character has two identities: Izuru first appeared in the 2011 light novel prequel ''Danganronpa Z ...
, an
amnesia
Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be caused temporarily by the use ...
c boy who has just become one of Hope's Peak Academy's "Ultimate" students alongside fifteen others who befriend the calm but mentally unstable
Nagito Komaeda
, also known as , is a fictional character introduced in the 2012 Spike Chunsoft visual novel action adventure game '' Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair''. Nagito is a high school student from Hope's Peak Academy who gave him the title of "Ultimat ...
. The game is set on a remote tropical island called Jabberwock Island, where they have been marooned by their alleged teacher, a small, rabbit-like mascot named Usami, who claims it to be a field trip. However, the school's principal
Monokuma
is a fictional identity adopted by several characters in the Danganronpa, ''Danganronpa'' series, serving as the mascot and main antagonist of the series. Monokuma first appears in ''Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc'' as a disguise used by "Depr ...
announces the students cannot leave the island unless they murder another student and get away with it. If the students can identify a murderer in a Class Trial, that culprit is executed, but if they make the wrong assumption the killer goes free whilst everyone else is sentenced to death.
Several students are murdered over the course of the game, and, through Hajime's investigation, the killers are discovered and executed. Byakuya Togami (later revealed to be the Ultimate Impostor) is inadvertently killed by Chef Teruteru Hanamura in an attempt to stop Nagito from committing the first murder. Photographer Mahiru Koizumi is killed by swordswoman Peko Pekoyama, to prevent
yakuza
, also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media, by request of the police, call them , while the ''yakuza'' call themselves . The English equivalent for the term ...
Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu from killing her to avenge his sister. Musician Ibuki Mioda and traditional dancer Hiyoko Saionji are killed by nurse Mikan Tsumiki as she was under the effects of Despair Disease. Team Manager Nekomaru Nidai is killed by animal breeder Gundham Tanaka in an honorable
duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon Code duello, rules.
During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the r ...
to prevent the rest of the students starving to death. As these murders occur, new areas of the islands are discovered and the group becomes aware of an organization monitoring them, the "Future Foundation". Nagito, through a convoluted process, arranges his own death so that
Chiaki Nanami
is a Character (arts), fictional character from Spike's 2012 visual novel ''Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair''. Formally known as the , Chiaki initially appears as an apparent high school student trapped with fifteen other student in the Jabberwock ...
is considered his killer, and executed. During the graduation, it is learnt that she is actually an
AI program created by the late
Chihiro Fujisaki to observe and protect the students during the Future Foundation's experiment. After Chiaki's death, Hajime recovers a memory of arriving at the islands with Nagito, who had transplanted the arm of a woman,
Junko Enoshima
is a fictional character and the primary overarching antagonist of Spike Chunsoft's '' Danganronpa'' series. Junko is featured as the main antagonist and mastermind in the first two games of the series as the true identity of the robotic teddy ...
. As reality falls apart around him, Hajime learns that Nagito and his fellow students are surviving members of Ultimate Despair, a group Junko led, whose terrorist actions led to a crisis known as The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History, also known The Tragedy, which caused societal collapse worldwide.
The Future Foundation has been attempting to undo Ultimate Despair's damage.
Makoto Naegi
is a fictional character introduced as the protagonist of the 2010 visual novel adventure game '' Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc'' by Spike Chunsoft. A fairly optimistic but otherwise average student who is selected in a raffle to enroll in H ...
captured the surviving members but, rather than executing them, decided to rehabilitate them by erasing their memories and putting them in a
virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that employs pose tracking and 3D near-eye displays to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video games), educ ...
program. Makoto warns Hajime that an artificial intelligence copy of Junko has hijacked their program and is trying to manipulate events to possess the bodies of the deceased students, which are still intact in the real world, once the surviving students "graduate". Alter Ego Junko's ultimate plan is to download herself into every person on the planet. Makoto tells Hajime if the class votes not to graduate, it will allow him to reset the system and purge Alter Ego Junko.
Junko attempts to deter Hajime by revealing he is Izuru Kamukura, the former leader of Ultimate Despair. The other students hesitate, afraid of reverting to their original personalities, but Hajime eventually finds the inner courage to thwart Alter Ego Junko's plan, and persuades the other students, Fuyuhiko, princess Sonia Nevermind, mechanic Kazuichi Soda, and gymnast Akane Owari to refuse graduation, proposing that they create a future in which they do not have to forget. Hajime, Makoto and the others reset the system, delete Alter Ego Junko and retain their memories. In the epilogue, Makoto is confident the students will find a way to revive their friends.
Development and release
After the release of the first ''Danganronpa'' game, there were no plans for a sequel, and the game's development team was split up to work on other projects. As a result, writer
Kazutaka Kodaka
is a Japanese video game designer, writer and mangaka. His work is known for recurring themes of contrasting hope/despair, luck/talent, truth/lies; mixing tragedy with dark humor, numerous plot-twists etc. He was an employee of Spike Chunsoft ( ...
was attracted to the idea of creating the novel ''
Danganronpa Zero
''Danganronpa Zero'' is a Japanese light novel written by Kazutaka Kodaka and illustrated by Rui Komatsuzaki. It was published by Seikaisha from September 16 to October 14, 2011, and has been collected in two ''tankōbon'' volumes. A prequel ...
'', which he decided to write after consulting producer Terasawa. While writing ''Zero'', Kodaka was approached by Terasawa with the idea of writing a sequel, and took on writing for both ''Zero'' and ''Goodbye Despair'' concurrently, eventually finishing with the former in October 2011. Kodaka considers the novels needed more structuring work than the game. As ''Zero''
foreshadows events of ''Goodbye Despair'', Kodaka recommends gamers read ''Zero'' before playing the sequel. The writer attempted to create unique storytelling methods for ''Goodbye Despair''; this is more relevant to the second half of the story, in which Hajime starts playing a video game when the player is already controlling Hajime. In retrospect, Kodaka felt proud of the way the game's segments were developed. While he personally prefers the original ''Danganronpa'' over the second one, Kodaka felt more emotionally moved by the second half of ''Goodbye Despair''.
To bring more variety to the sequel, Monokuma was given a counterpart named Monomi (or Usami). Kodaka also said the islands were used to give players more content to explore, comparing the sequel to the television series ''
Lost
Lost may refer to getting lost, or to:
Geography
*Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland
* Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US
History
*Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...
'' in terms of amount of plot twists and how different the narrative is. Kodaka said characters like Nagito, Byakuya and Gundham were created to confuse returning players due to their similarities with characters from previous games. However, he still feels he made the cast more human as the story progresses. The characters were designed by
Rui Komatsuzaki
is a Japanese illustrator and character designer. He is best known for designing and characterizing the cast members from the visual novel adventure games ''Danganronpa'' and the anime ''Akudama Drive''.
Career
Komatsuzaki was a sculpture gradua ...
. In early sketches, Hajime's design differed from those used for the series; his hair was originally meant to be longer, and at one point, he was designed to be wearing glasses. He was the earliest designed the character which generated a major contrast between his white clothing to Nagito's dark clothing.
Nagito was made to be an absolute rival to Hajime, with a relationship similar to the one between
the Joker
The Joker is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson, and first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book ''Batman (comic book), Bat ...
and
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
in
''Batman'' (1989). To confuse gamers and suggest the characters may be the same person, Makoto and Nagito were both voiced by female actor
Megumi Ogata
is a Japanese actress, voice actress and singer from the Greater Tokyo Area. As a singer, she goes by the name em:óu. She attended Tokai University, but left due to lack of interest. She is best known for voicing Shinji Ikari in ''Neon Genesis ...
. The name "Nagito Komaeda" was conceived as an
anagram
An anagram is a word or phrase formed by rearranging the letters of a different word or phrase, typically using all the original letters exactly once. For example, the word ''anagram'' itself can be rearranged into ''nag a ram'', also the word ...
for "Naegi Makoto da" ("I am Makoto Naegi") to infer it is a
pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
.
Ogata had problems playing Nagito because she did not understand him. Komaeda was introduced with the same Lucky Talent as Makoto Naegi but the staff considered them opposites based on their ideals of "hope". There was a lack of pre-release promotion materials for the original version of ''Goodbye Despair'' in its release year. This surprised Ogata because the anagram had been kept secret from the other developers and voice actors, including Ogata.
Other characters include the heroine
Chiaki Nanami
is a Character (arts), fictional character from Spike's 2012 visual novel ''Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair''. Formally known as the , Chiaki initially appears as an apparent high school student trapped with fifteen other student in the Jabberwock ...
with whom Hajime would often interact and bond romantically; Kodaka said the relationship between Makoto and
Kyoko Kirigiri
is a fictional character from the Spike Chunsoft visual novel action-adventure game series ''Danganronpa''. She was introduced in the 2010 game '' Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc'' as a high school student and "Ultimate ???" of Hope's Peak Acade ...
, a skilled detective and supporting character from the previous game, was meant to help the player solve cases. In the Japanese version of the game, Hajime was voiced by
Minami Takayama
is a Japanese voice actress, narrator and singer who is currently affiliated with 81 Produce. She is also the main vocalist of Two-Mix and ES CONNEXION when it was active. Her uncle is a former New Japan Pro-Wrestling managing director Hisashi Sh ...
, famous for voicing the main character of the detective
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
''
Case Closed
''Case Closed'', also known as , is a Japanese detective manga series written and illustrated by Gosho Aoyama. It has been serialized in Shogakukan's ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' since January 1994, with its ch ...
''; the staff put a reference to her career in the snowboarding minigame of ''Goodbye Despair'' as
Jimmy Kudo
, known in some major English adaptations as Jimmy Kudo, is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the manga series ''Case Closed'', created by Gosho Aoyama. A high school detective, he is forced to ingest the lethal poison after an en ...
often surfs a turbo skateboard. Junko's resurrection was left to the player's interpretation. Kodaka compared her to comic book villains like the Joker and
Magneto
A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current. Unlike a dynamo, a magneto does not contain a commutator to produce direct current. It is categorized as a form of alternator, ...
who always survive. Kodaka said Junko can be killed and that she may be the strongest villain he ever created.
''Danganronpa 2'' was first released for the
PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
in Japan on July 26, 2012. A limited edition that includes a Monokuma PSP pouch, an art booklet, a soundtrack and audio commentary CD, keychains and badges, and a download code for a custom theme was available. A compilation of the game and its predecessor, ''Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc'', titled ''Danganronpa 1・2 Reload'', with new touch controls and high resolution graphics, was released in Japan for the
PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita, or Vita) is a handheld video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, and in North America, Europe, and other international territo ...
on October 10, 2013.
After releasing the Vita remake of the first game in North America and Europe in February 2014,
NIS America
is a Japanese video game developer and publisher. The company was founded in 1991 and has developed several role-playing video games, most notably the ''Disgaea'' and ''Marl Kingdom'' series. Its mascot is the penguin-like ''Disgaea'' character ...
released the sequel under the name ''Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair'' in Western territories in September 2014. Localization member Robert Schiotis said finding a voice actor for Nagito in the English-language version proved challenging because he is meant to clash with Makoto's ideals.
Bryce Papenbrook
Bryce Austin Papenbrook (born February 24, 1986) is an American voice actor and martial artist who has done voice work for Funimation, Bang Zoom! Entertainment, Viz Media, Animaze, Studiopolis and Scoffer Studios. He has voiced in several anime ...
voiced both characters, making the connections between them more interesting according to localization staff.
Johnny Yong Bosch
Johnny Yong Bosch (born January 6, 1976) is an American actor, musician, singer, and martial artist. His first major role was the portrayal of Adam Park, the second Black Power Ranger and later, the Green Zeo Ranger and first Green Turbo Ranger i ...
took the role of Hajime; Bosch found being immersed in Hinata's role difficult due to the lack of artwork depicting him. When a ''Danganronpa'' player asked him to sign a copy of ''Goodbye Despair'', Bosch could better understand the character he voiced. As well as a standard edition, a limited edition was released via NIS America's online store, including an art book, soundtrack CD, stickers, Monokuma medals, and a pair of sunglasses. ''Danganronpa 1・2 Reload'' was also released in North America and Europe for
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
in March 2017. An enhanced version for
Android and
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...
, under the name ''Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Anniversary Edition'', was released on August 20, 2020. This version features the gallery mode, allowing players to replay the character voices and view event illustrations. During
E3 2021
The Electronic Entertainment Experience 2021 (E3 2021) was the 26th E3, during which hardware manufacturers, software developers, and publishers from the video game industry presented new and upcoming products. The event, organized by the Entert ...
, it was announced that this version of the game will also be released for the
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
in 2021, both as part of the ''Danganronpa Decadence'' bundle, as well as separately. It was also released for
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
and
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
via
Microsoft Store
Microsoft Store (formerly known as Windows Store) is a digital distribution platform operated by Microsoft. It started as an app store for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 as the primary means of distributing Universal Windows Platform apps ...
on May 10, 2022. It was made available through
Xbox Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass are video game subscription services from Microsoft. Both services grant users access to a rotating catalog of games from a range of publishers and other premium services, including Xbox Live Gold and EA Play, for ...
on the same day.
Reception
Critical response
''Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair'' received "generally favorable" reviews based on
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
reviews.
Upon its release in North America, the game was met with praise for its plot. ''VideoGamer'' said "''Danganronpa 2'' tells a great story that is worthy of your time"
while ''
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' was "hooked from the get-go, enthralled by every surprise turn taken by the story, stunned by every unexpected character revelation, devastated at every death, and pumping my fist at every small victory against that bastard Monokuma".
''
Polygon
In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two toge ...
's'' reviewer found the cast's traits repetitive but enjoyed the dating sim elements. He found the trials more challenging and engaging than those of the original game, including the searches for clues when interacting with the cast. He said newcomers to the franchise would be confused by the story of ''Goodbye Despair'', which is connected with the plot of the first game.
On the other hand, ''
Game Revolution
''GameRevolution'' (formerly ''Game-Revolution'') is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots ...
'' stated the mystery involving the connection between two ''Danganronpa'' games is obvious and it does not confuse newcomers, who would notice clues. The reviewer also said the humor is more adult and perverted than that of the first game, making it feel more innovative for its genre.
The class trials earned mixed responses; ''
Giant Bomb
''Giant Bomb'' is an American video game website and wiki that includes personality-driven gaming videos, commentary, news, and reviews, created by former ''GameSpot'' editors Jeff Gerstmann and Ryan Davis. The website was voted by ''Time'' mag ...
'' praised the way the class trials become progressively more challenging.
According to ''Hardcore Gamer'', "So much of ''Dangranonpa 2'' is an immediate, purposeful retread in both mechanics and storytelling" he felt there were not many improvements.
''Hardcore Gamer'' appreciated the new setting and enjoyed the multiple plot twists for being more difficult to understand than those of the previous game, and added references to other games made him feel the plot is self-aware.
''Touch Arcade'' praised the handling of the cellphone versions for being easy to handle but he criticized the poor handling of the camera in the cellphone game and wanted the developers to fix this issue.
''GameSpot'' enjoyed the class trials for staying true to the original formula but gave a negative response to the minigames, which the reviewer said feel unnecessary. ''GameSpot'' also praised the handling of the plot and cast.
''GameRevolution'' said the additions to the original class trial system are enjoyable because they provide more variety in terms of gameplay but found some mechanics annoying.
Due to the multiple minigames of the class trials, ''Game Revolution'' wished the game had focused more on its visual novel style, which he felt is the part of the game that stood out the most.
''Hardcore Gamer'' enjoyed the blade-based style in the form of the Rebuttals and the revised Hangman’s Gambit, which come across as improvements.
According to ''Video Gamer'', the gameplay mechanics are one of the title's weak points.
The characters and their interactions with Hajime were the subject of praise. ''Video Gamer'' praised the returning villain Monokuma and said the cast provide enjoyment despite having mixed thoughts about their originality due to most being stereotypes previously seen in other games.
''
Joystiq
''Joystiq'' was a video gaming blog founded in June 2004 as part of the Weblogs, Inc. family of weblogs, now owned by AOL. It was AOL's primary video game blog, with sister blogs dealing with MMORPG gaming in general and the popular MMORPG ''W ...
'' praised the balance between lighthearted moments and violent deaths, and said the characters are likable and distinct enough from each other enough to make their dating sim events enjoyable and easy.
''Touch Arcade'' liked the characters and their dating sim elements, favoriting Ibuki Moda and Nagito Komaeda.
While originally viewing the cast as archetypes, ''GameInformer'' noted the writing was good at fleshing them out.
''Hardcore Gamer'' had mixed feelings in regards to the cast, viewing some as likable and others as annoying despite the more engaging narrative.
Similarly, ''Polygon'' found few character bondings in the game worthwhile due to some being less likable than the original ''Danganronpa'' and the rest dying across the title.
''Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair'' won an "Award of Excellence" at the
Japan Game Awards 2013 ceremony.
''Hardcore Gamer'' awarded it "Best PS Vita Game",
"Best New Character" (
Monokuma
is a fictional identity adopted by several characters in the Danganronpa, ''Danganronpa'' series, serving as the mascot and main antagonist of the series. Monokuma first appears in ''Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc'' as a disguise used by "Depr ...
)
and "Best Adventure Game".
''
Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
'' readers voted it the best game of 2012.
Sales
The game sold 69,000 copies during its first week on sale in Japan and was the fifth best-selling game of the week. In Japan, the PSP version sold 162,408 copies during its life cycle.
The
Steam
Steam is a substance containing water in the gas phase, and sometimes also an aerosol of liquid water droplets, or air. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization ...
release had an estimated 178,000 players by July 2018.
Other media and appearances
Several
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
publications based on ''Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair'' have been conceived. A direct adaptation began serialization in
Enterbrain
, formerly , is a Japanese publisher and division of Kadokawa Future Publishing founded on 30 January 1987 as . Magazines published by Enterbrain are generally focused on video games and computer entertainment as well as video game and strategy ...
's ''Famitsu Comic Clear'' magazine from December 10, 2012. The spin-off manga ''Dangan Island - Kokoro Tokonatsu Kokoronpa♪'', ''Chō-Kōkō-Kyū no Kōun to Kibō to Zetsubō'', and ''Nanami Chiaki no Sayonara Zetsubō Daibōken'' were published by
Mag Garden
is a Japanese publishing company that focuses on manga-related publications and is also involved in the development of anime and live-action adaptations. It was founded on June 5, 2001 by Yoshihiro Hosaka along with former manga artists of Enix ...
from October 2013. Another spin-off, ''Nangoku Zetsubo Carnival!'', was serialized in
GA Bunko is a publishing label affiliated with the Japanese publishing company SB Creative, a subsidiary of Softbank. It was established in January 2006 and is a light novel
A light novel (, Hepburn: ''raito noberu'') is a style of young adult nov ...
's magazine from April 2013. Other two include ''4Koma Kings'' and ''Comic Anthology'' compilations by various artists.
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops known ...
has released the ''Chō-Kōkō-Kyū no Kōun to Kibō to Zetsubō'' manga under the title ''Danganronpa 2: Ultimate Luck and Hope and Despair'' in North America on September 15, 2018. They also published the first of three volumes of the ''Super Danganronpa 2: Sayonara Zetsubou Gakuen'' manga, as ''Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair'' in North America, on March 25, 2020.
Monomi appears at the end of the final episode of the first game's 2013
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
television adaptation ''
Danganronpa: The Animation''. An anime adaptation of ''Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair'' was initially planned but the producers instead chose to make an original anime series titled ''
Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School'', which aired between July and September 2016. The series' second part ''Despair Arc'' focuses on the characters of ''Goodbye Despair'' prior to the events of the first game.
A Monomi costume is available in the Japanese PS Vita and
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
versions of ''
Terraria
''Terraria'' is an action-adventure sandbox game developed by Re-Logic. The game was first released for Windows on May 16, 2011, and has since been ported to several other platforms. The game features exploration, crafting, building, painting, ...
''. Downloadable outfits based on
Monokuma
is a fictional identity adopted by several characters in the Danganronpa, ''Danganronpa'' series, serving as the mascot and main antagonist of the series. Monokuma first appears in ''Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc'' as a disguise used by "Depr ...
and Monomi also appear in the ''
Super Sonico
is a fictional character created by Tsuji Santa for the Japanese computer and video game software company Nitroplus, first appearing as a mascot for a Nitroplus-sponsored music festival in 2006. Nitroplus has since developed the characte ...
'' game ''Motto! SoniComi''.
Notes
References
External links
*
*
{{Danganronpa, state=expanded
2012 video games
Adventure games
Android (operating system) games
Danganronpa video games
Dark Horse Comics titles
Enterbrain manga
Gangs in fiction
IOS games
Linux games
MacOS games
Mag Garden manga
Mystery video games
Nintendo Switch games
Nippon Ichi Software games
PlayStation Portable games
PlayStation Vita games
PlayStation 4 games
School life in anime and manga
School-themed video games
Shōnen manga
Single-player video games
Spike Chunsoft video games
Video game sequels
Video games about amnesia
Video games about death games
Video games about virtual reality
Video games developed in Japan
Video games set on fictional islands
Video games scored by Masafumi Takada
Video games with alternate endings
Visual novels
Windows games
Works about the Yakuza
Xbox Cloud Gaming games
Xbox One games