2023-06-30 16:47:34
After two games that were moderately convincing, the Tookyo Games studio is now offering a new, much more effective adventure. With this Master Detective Archives Rain Code, the Japanese studio signs a good hybrid between RPG and investigation game, but its universe will not please everyone.
In the sphere of Japanese games with a modest budget, several narrative and investigation games have distinguished themselves during the last decade. Fans of these genres may think of Spike Chunsoft’s productions such as the games in the Zero Escape series or the one that interests us a little more today: Danganronpa. The thinking heads of the two series mentioned above are also behind the creation of the studio Tookyo Games, the company behind the subject of the day. If their productions released since the creation of the company in 2017 have not caused much noise, this new game has nevertheless benefited from more consistent communication, in particular thanks to its passages in several Nintendo Direct due to its exclusivity on Switch. Now available, this Master Detective Archives: Rain Code will probably not please everyone because of its somewhat eccentric proposal, but nevertheless proves to be a convincing narrative game.
Above all, we owe the project to Kazutaka Kodaka, the father of Danganronpa, from whom this new title inherits the style of writing and the somewhat crazy atmosphere. In this new adventure, we follow Yuma Kokohead, a young man waking up in a train station. The latter seems to have lost his memory, but finds a transfer notice asking him to go to Kanai Ward, a city full of mysteries where the rain never stops falling. Yuma then understands that he is part of the “Master Detectives”, an organization of investigators with supernatural abilities and working in the shadows. An introductory investigation takes place on the train leading to Kanai Ward, while all the passengers are murdered, except for our protagonist. It is with the help of Shinigami, a goddess of death with whom Yuma made a pact before losing his memory, that he will have to solve several cases during the game.
Kanai Ward is a charming town to visit.
The adventure will therefore mainly take place in this rainy city where we can visit several neighborhoods freely. This Master Detective Archives is a kind of hybrid between a very narrative investigation game, as well as an RPG. If the bulk of the adventure takes place on the rails of the scenario, the game allows us to visit the city and perform some side quests. During the investigation phases, the gameplay takes place very classically. We have to talk to characters, search the environments for clues, choose the right lines… Playing efficiently earns “Detective Points” which will be useful during our explorations in the labyrinth of mysteries.
This is where things get complicated. Once enough clues have been collected, Shinigami’s powers allow our character to enter the labyrinth of mysteries. It is an abstract and crazy dimension that materializes the mysteries of the real world. A game phase then begins in which you have to solve the many puzzles of the investigation using all your clues by performing mini-games and fights. These consist of dodging the speeches of characters and finding a flaw in their argument, before (literally) slicing the incorrect sentence with our sword containing the correct clue. The Detective Points mentioned above allow you to level up and earn other points to spend in a skill tree.
Battles require confronting enemies with their lies.
This universe without logic allows situations crazier than each other. The gameplay of the fights will undoubtedly be familiar to fans of Danganronpa, we find similar ideas which remain rather original for a game of its kind. We might, however, point the finger at the lack of difficulty in these phases of the game since there are very few consequences in the event of failure. We have a limited number of attempts (symbolized by our character’s life bar) to answer questions and fights, but the title remains very generous and a game over simply asks us to start all over once more, the answers obviously do not vary since ‘they are linked to the scenario. It is therefore virtually impossible to fail, even when the plot asks us for some far-fetched answers. The title is however captivating thanks to the staging of these passages and the eccentricity of the labyrinth which is always very entertaining.
The screenplay has a lot of qualities and is easy to navigate thanks to a plot full of mysteries that knows how to make us want to know more. We find the grain of madness specific to this author in a dystopian universe, with slight touches of science fiction. The writing is more than correct, with colorful characters and a small comic aspect thanks to the presence of Shinigami, a follower of dark humor. It is also necessary to underline the real work of staging in spite of a play which, one realizes it very quickly, did not have the means of a AAA.
Different interactions are possible with several characters.
If it takes up a lot of Kazutaka Kodaka’s previous series, the same goes for the character-design of the characters that we owe to the same artist (Rui Komatsuzaki). The visual style stands out, however, by offering a fully 3D universe. The title is not visually unpleasant, especially thanks to its creative artistic direction, it is however very perfectible technically. Many visual details stumble while the framerate is just as unstable. We console ourselves with the very good artistic direction and the memorable pieces of its soundtrack.
Master Detective Archives: Rain Code is a title that lasts a few tens of hours and which will undoubtedly interest fans of investigation games, but which risks putting off more than one because of its many eccentricities. Those most open to the proposal will find a creative game and a unique adventure, despite a layer of technical concerns brought by its limited budget.
Conclusion
After two productions that have moderately convinced critics and players, the studio Tookyo Games offers Master Detective Archives: Rain Code, an investigation game headed by Kazutaka Kodaka, Danganronpa’s dad. In this new adventure, we follow Yuma Kokohead, a young detective who, accompanied by a goddess of death, will have to solve several criminal cases in the mysterious city of Kanai Ward. Mix between an investigation game and an RPG, this very narrative title will ask us to collect clues before sending us into the “maze of mysteries”, an abstract dimension which materializes the elements of the investigation in different forms. This dimension reserves some fights with original mechanics, despite a very big lack of challenge. With a very convincing scenario, the game manages to impress thanks to its writing, and sometimes even its staging which knows how to be ingenious despite a clear lack of budget. The title is definitely not AAA as evidenced by its dated visuals. Its artistic direction is still charming and the adventure offers a memorable atmosphere. If the title is not a success on all levels, Master Detective Archives: Rain Code is a unique game that will delight those who appreciate the crazy universe it offers.
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Master Detective Archives : RAIN CODE
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On aime :
A successful scenario
Original gameplay ideas
A unique atmosphere
A solid artistic direction
We like less:
A staggering staging
Visually perfectible
No difficulty
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