Grasp Detective Archives: Rain Code evaluation 

Grasp Detective Archives: Rain Code is a wierd sport. I don’t essentially imply that in a “wow so wacky” sense, although it kinda matches the invoice there too. I imply it appears like a sport that has had completely zero enhancing. As a thriller sport, it’s a hell of numerous enjoyable, however as a sport, it’s in such a bizarre place that I don’t even know method it when reviewing. 

So let’s begin firstly. Rain Code has you dwelling the lifetime of Yuma Kokohead (sure, that’s his precise identify), an amnesiac detective who made a pact with a dying god to assist him clear up mysteries. Truthful sufficient, y’know? I can’t say that’s any extra of an absurd setup than one thing like Xenoblade Chronicles or mainly any Zelda sport. 

Yuma, waking up with zero reminiscences, rushes to hop on a prepare, the place he meets 5 different detectives from the World Detective Organisation (WDO). Because the identify suggests, they’re an elite group of grasp detectives who excel at fixing unsolved mysteries. Most of them have particular powers, although they’re hilariously restricted in ways in which at all times made me chortle. 

For instance, one grasp detective you meet early on can commune with the useless by sporting their garments. Appears fairly helpful for fixing a homicide! Besides she will be able to solely use garments which can be roughly her dimension, and provided that they’re not ugly garments. One other can imprint photos from his mind into digital units, which additionally appears fairly helpful, however he’s an outdated man, and as his reminiscences fade (in a short time, as a result of once more, he’s outdated), so does the image on the system. 

I’ve strayed off the trail of the story I used to be telling right here, however it’s essential to set the scene for what’s to come back. You must know that this sport is deeply humorous, deeply unusual, and completely unhinged in the most effective methods. 

So Yuma, he’s on this prepare, chatting up these detectives. Possibly they’ll know who he’s, proper? Since they’re all a part of the WDO. Nope — most detectives work alone, in order that they don’t know one another. Some on-train shenanigans occur, there’s a homicide to unravel – don’t fear, I’ll be avoiding most main spoilers on this evaluation – after which we get into the investigation side of the sport. 

There will probably be an enormous quantity of people that bounce off Rain Code throughout the first investigation. It’s purported to be a tutorial, however as I discussed within the intro, there’s been no enhancing right here. You get bombarded with mechanic after mechanic, and whereas there’s some tutorialising in place, for probably the most half you’re thrown proper right into a trial by fireplace. It’s exhausting. I’ve had the sport for a few weeks, and the complete first week of this sport was me taking part in the primary case in small chunks as a result of making an attempt to mainline it unexpectedly was far too overwhelming for my drained mind. 

It doesn’t assist that the primary case is as complicated and messy as each case that follows it. Not like one thing like Ace Lawyer, which can ease you into complexity, Rain Code prepares you for the sort of considering you’ll should be profitable proper from the get go. It’s a compelling case, don’t get me mistaken, however the twists and turns in that first case alone could be over-the-top for a full sport, not to mention a tutorial. 

The gameplay itself is damaged up into two facets, very equally to Ace Lawyer. The primary section is the investigation, the place you’ll have a look by way of the scene of the crime or thriller, gathering as a lot data as you may. These come within the type of resolution keys, that are bite-sized items of data that make up the info of the case. There’s probably not any strategy to miss resolution keys, so investigations aren’t all that troublesome to determine — that’s superb, as a result of the following section is a convoluted mess.

When you’re completed together with your investigations, it’s time to go into the Thriller Labyrinth. Right here, Shinigami, your dying god pal, turns into a really busty girl, due to course she does, and you need to piece collectively the thriller by way of a collection of motion sequences, minigames, and ridiculous logic. 

The Labyrinth sections go as follows: you’ll wander down a hallway for a bit, have some conversations, then enter a Reasoning Dying Match, Rain Code’s type of fight. The phantom you’re up towards will throw phrases at you, and also you’ll must dodge irrelevant statements and refute others together with your resolution keys. You do that just a few occasions, going between hallway wandering and fight scenes, sometimes dipping again into the crime scene to assemble some extra clues.

I’ve talked about Ace Lawyer so much on this evaluation, and I’m going to do it once more: Reasoning Dying Matches are merely a dressed up model of Ace Lawyer’s courtroom sections. It really could be a bit higher, because you don’t must scroll by way of mountains of proof to seek out the proper piece — as a substitute, every refutable assertion offers you three totally different resolution keys to select from. It’s nonetheless loads difficult although, particularly within the warmth of the second as you’re dodging statements and dealing your mind to attempt to determine it out. 

There are different minigames, like one the place you need to throw swords at a barrel to spell out phrases. Naturally, Shinigami is in a bikini within the barrel, and fires out when you clear up the puzzle. 

Oh yeah, I ought to most likely point out that Shinigami is sexy on a regular basis. Like, each different sentence out of her mouth is about her boobs, or about how turned on she is, or how a lot she loves mysteries. That final one doesn’t sound so unhealthy, however it’s much less about what she says, and extra about how she says it. 

Different characters fare much better, and are literally one of many strongest factors of the sport. Rain Code’s characters are phenomenally well-realised, well-performed, and for probably the most half, well-written. There are just a few moments right here and there the place it’s clear the localisation isn’t fairly proper, however I can not sing sufficient praises for the characters on this sport. 

The story itself is fairly compelling too. You’re teaming up with a bunch of cool detectives to uncover the secrets and techniques of a world thriller, whereas trapped in a corporate-controlled metropolis through which it’s at all times raining. Fixing mysteries round city helps edge you nearer to discovering out what the massive image is, and it comes collectively competently effectively — with just one twist, on the again finish of the sport, feeling significantly misplaced. You’ll realize it if you get there, and it’s not tremendous nice.

I discussed in my intro that it appears like there’s been subsequent to no enhancing carried out right here, and I wish to reiterate that within the strongest phrases. Every thriller has like eight twists to it, typically feeling convoluted and ridiculous, and there are far too many gameplay mechanics for a sport like this. Some sections go on for approach too lengthy, some characters speak far an excessive amount of, and Shinigami gained’t shut the hell up about her boobs. It’s a sport that takes extremes to extremes, in nearly each side, and whereas that’s exhausting, it’s additionally sort of endearing in a approach. 

There will probably be numerous comparisons to Danganronpa, given the director, lead artist, and composer all made that collection what it’s. Truthfully although, after having performed Rain Code, there’s not quite a lot of connective tissue. Whereas Danganronpa asks you to focus closely on the characters, Rain Code is all concerning the world you’re in, the mysteries but unsolved. It pulls the main focus again and asks you to consider the state of the world — not simply in-game, however our personal world too. 

That in-game world positive is gorgeous although. It’s darkish, grim, and exquisite, a rain-soaked metropolis crammed with neon indicators and other people making an attempt to take advantage of their time on this planet. The artwork course is flawless, the character design is phenomenal, and it’s all held collectively by a soundtrack that pulls completely zero punches. 

It’s all contrasted by Thriller Labyrinths, the place as a substitute of darkish and dire, we see a bombastic, colour-filled wonderland, full with magical woman transformations and glam rock-inspired enemies. Rain Code’s considerate use of color in any state of affairs is sort of unmatched in any sport that involves thoughts, and it nearly offsets any of the blurriness that comes when taking part in handheld. Nonetheless, the body price is generally strong, the sport seems good most of the time, and it manages to drag off two fully disparate artwork instructions with out dropping the ball. That’s an achievement. 

Grasp Detective Archives: Rain Code doesn’t draw back from being deeply unusual. It’s a pleasant thriller sport within the vein of Ace Lawyer with each dial turned as much as 11. Its artwork course, music, world design, and gameplay are all strong, even when there’s far an excessive amount of of all the things, and regardless of some suspect writing with sure characters, it’s laborious to take a look at it too harshly. My solely want is that, if there’s to be a sequel sometime, someone brings in an editor and trims down a few of the fats. 

Score: 4/5