Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

cool game, while outdated today it still has an intresting story that motivates the reader to pay attention

Really good! I watched the anime before, but the experience still was fantastic!

It would be incredible if I could just forget the history so I could play the game without knowing anything.

I have never been so invested in a story before. It ruined my sleep schedule because it kept gettiing more and more interesting and i couldn't hold my self from playing to discover the truth of the murder game. Very fun characters, they all had good synergy and the soundtrack is banger. 8.5/10

I have never been so torn between recommending something and telling people to avoid it. This is a game that itches every inch of your deductive reasoning on the field. It starts off a pattern quickly showing you what you can and can not expect. Trigger happy warnings. Be prepared for any possible depictions.

it holds up surprisingly well despite its 2010 release date and I would definitely recommend it. This is the only visual novel game series I've ever played or been remotely interested in but I still had a very good time. It has a genuinely gripping story despite how formulaic it might seem from the outside, and the characters had a good degree of depth such that you do care when they get killed.

I played on Mean difficulty and felt like that level of difficulty was about right. There were some sections where the answers were so blindingly obvious that you're just sitting there waiting for the game to catch up to you, but there were also sections that I had to retry a couple times because I just couldn't understand what logical leaps or inferences the game was asking of me, so I guess it balances out. For better or worse, failure has no real consequences because failing a particular part of the trial just means you have to retry that specific section (and it gives you full health upon retry).

While the first trial is fairly sensible, the murders rapidly turn bizarre and my suspension of disbelief was frequently destroyed. I understand that the whole idea is that a student has to murder in such a way that they won't get caught even by the combined investigative skills of the class, but these plots get so elaborate that it honestly kinda brought me out of the game at certain points. Every time a character mentioned a piece of incongruous information, or something remotely out of the ordinary happened, I saw it through a very game-y lens. Instead of reacting naturally, I was just like "Ah, yep, this completely random fact is gonna be a clue in the eventual trial." That being said, I think that's also part of the charm of the series. The murders and trials are many things, but "boring" is absolutely not one of them, BECAUSE they're so elaborate and unbelievable.

I'm not sure if I loved or hated the last trial and the ending, though I can't really talk much about it because I don't want to spoil anything. It's simultaneously very touching, but also very stupid. It's a great ending, but it also doesn't really make a lot of realistic sense. But again, that's part of the charm I suppose.

The mode you unlock after the game is complete is vaguely interesting, but it kinda feels... wrong? Like, I watched these students rip each other to shreds and do heinous acts of murder, and now (because of the alternate reality scenario of the mode) they're working together and I can just talk to them...? I suppose it's nice if you really want to get to know EVERYBODY to the greatest extent possible but otherwise, I don't think it's worth doing.

It's an entertaining game, though there are occasional moments where the logic feels a bit rigid. Fortunately, these instances are rare and don't take away from the overall experience. The final chapter tends to drag on with excessive dialogue and explanations, making it feel somewhat drawn out.

Forget about the fandom this game is so good.

You should go in blind.

8.5 / 10, would play the other games

Story: ★★★★☆
Music: ★★★★★
Gameplay: ★★★★☆
Overall: ★★★★☆
Good game gives me lots of zetsubou

Being a Danganronpa game ( and the first in its series ) it definitely has its flaws, but it's still a fun play nonetheless .

I did absolutely hate grinding out the achievements though . Just a warning for any fellow completionists .

I'm am really enjoying this game it's so much fun and reminds me of the series on Crunchyroll. Monokuma is my favorite in the game he can be so funny sometimes but this game is a 10 out of 10!

Played this as preparation when people hyping up The Hundred Line had caught my interest. Amazing anime logic-arguments in a story right up my ally, great characters and a nicely developing-as-it-goes-along plot not lacking in edge. I had to force myself to play it for no more than 2 hours a day so that the enjoyment would last.

Played this in my peak danganronpa phase in 2022 but never tried to fully complete it, now in 2025 after replaying it for fun ive gotten back into my phase once again. This game honestly is such a fun game if you look past some of the weird scenes that have just aged poorly over time and I have and always will have a special place in my heart for this game. If you like detective, visual novels then u need to try this game for yourself.

The characters are fun, the voice-acting is great, and the soundtrack is incredible. The high-school setting, murder-mysteries, and high-stakes class trials all work together to create such a unique and captivating story. The game has its flaws but Danganronpa will always be my favorite visual novel.

Idk why but the story overall was meh. The game's fandom seems to have a very hardcore following though but i really don't get why. story was meh, average, and kinda extremely unrealistic. The art was, well it was fine, i didn't like how they all looked like cardboard. the sound was... meh. the gameplay was super meh. I guess if you are super super interested into mysteries, then yeah sure, but i'm not. unfortunately by the time i wanted a refund i had already played for 3 something hours. This game just isn't for me

I'm primarily someone who enjoys multiplayer games over singleplayer story games, but if you like murder mystery and crime stories I can't recommend this game enough. There are few singleplayer games that get me hooked and this is one of them.
This game is about 15 years old I think? And yet still, playing through this story I couldn't get enough of what was happening. Incredible story from top to bottom and honestly, I would recommend this to anybody even if this is not their type of game. Easily worth the money.

First time I played it a few years ago I found it entertaining, but coming back to it I've realized the translations, general writing and storytelling are quite disappointing. Game has good music but most everything else was pretty bad. (also the sexualisation of the underage characters makes the whole thing even worse) If you're thinking of buying this, I would recommend looking into a fairly new indie game called "Of the Devil" which has a free fully fleshed out demo case and supporting its creators.

first off, THE SOUNDTRACK???? did the "ultimate music composer" make it or smth lmao its insanely good

i remember during 2020-2021 danganronpa hype , i tried watching it on youtube but its really not interesting like that. you have to play it because you realize stuff at your own pace.

that being said, trials 2 , 3 and last one were crazy good and had me on edge of seat constantly. kyoko was clutching every chapter lmao. i look forward to danganronpa 2 <3

I love the characters , and their voice actors . The story is really keeping me in suspense while having fun solving the murders.

A Great first outing into what would later become a pretty well known series, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is fun from beginning to end. Mixing first person shooter mechanics with a captivating mystery plot visual novel ,and a surprisingly heartfelt ending it had me second guessing myself when it came to just what was going on!? The characters added onto this with their dynamic personalities and fun interactions and the stakes of the death game being played where quite fun to see unfold.

The Pros: Great Voice acting, A Diverse And Unique Cast, An Enticing Mystery.

The Cons: Some ideas feel like they need to be a little more fleshed out. but what is there makes up for it.

Just play it already. So easily worth buying. The story unfolds in ways you'd never expect.

Really enjoyed if you like puzzles, and don't mind visual novels.

Great mystery game.
Great story with an overall convincing and fun point-and-click detective structure.
Some minor flaws, but overall probably still a B-B+

"Do not say: ‘I have sinned much, and therefore I am not bold enough to fall down before God.’ Do not despair. Simply do not increase your sins in despair and, with the help of the All-merciful One, you will not be put to shame. For He said, ‘he who comes to Me I will not cast out.’ (John. 6:37) And so, be bold and believe that He is pure and cleanses those who draw near to Him. If you want to accomplish true repentance, show it with your deeds. If you have fallen into pride, show humility; if into drunkenness, show sobriety; if into defilement, show purity of life. For it is said, ‘Turn away from evil and do good.’ (I Pet. 3:11)” - Saint Gennadius of Constantinople

i LOOOOOVE this game. i've already watched the kubz scouts play it, but its a fucking masterpiece i had to play it for myself. no seriously, its so worth the money.

After completing every achievement in the game, I can say for certain this game is the start to something fantastic. While the game itself is fine, comparing it to the other games is just unfair. But ignoring the other games, it's story is very slowly paced at times, but a very fun story overall. What the game does differently than most visual novels is put effort into actual gameplay as well, and I find that pretty neat. It adds a sense of suspense and a break from the typical dialogue, which can be very refreshing. If you want a full experience, you can also play School Mode, a mode unlocked after completing the story. It's a cute little resource management minigame with a bunch of cute dialogue from the cast, each with their own ending if you become besties with them. Albeit a grind, fans of the game should try it out! Either way, W game, would play again but Danganronpa v2 exists LMAO

It's really good! A story worth its weight in gold, some might say it's priceless.

This game definitely has a negative reputation especially from the fandom but once you actually play the game it is pretty enjoyable, only real complaints that i have besides from some of the characters being over sexualized and the controls being clunky at times are the characters. Near the end of the game the only characters left are the most stereotypical one note caricatures and the game does become a bit of a slog to play through sometime during the third trial but despite that the story is somewhat gripping and definitely an interesting concept if you're interested I'd recommend

Personally didn't like it very much, The linear and repetitive story line didn't help.

You can give it a try if you want.

It's a nice, lighthearted dating-sim visual novel with no other surprises. And there's certainly no killing game, definitely not in this 15-year old game that's well known about and highly memed and talked-about on the internet. Just play it.

It is an awesome game with a good cast of characters.

Pretty fire game. It did get repetitive at some points but the lore and story kept me craving for more. 10/10 would recommend.

Great game. Lots of freaks, but if you can look past them the story and "normal" characters are actually really interesting. 9/10.

Amazing game, great characters, masterful story, 0 complaints from me, 10/10

Kyoko Kirigiri is best girl.
I enjoyed story mode!
I hated school mode. I spent more time in school mode trying to get all the achievements. It was annoying...
If you want to give it a go, just play story mode. Unless your a completionist like me, I wish you all the luck!

Going into Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc blind, as my friend suggested, was absolutely the right move. As someone who loved AI: The Somnium Files, I was looking for another gripping mystery, and this game more than delivered.

The storytelling is next level—each twist and turn keeps you hooked, making it impossible to put down. The way the narrative unfolds is masterful, and by the time all the pieces fall into place, it’s nothing short of brilliant. If you enjoy visual novel-style mystery games, this is a must-play. It’s a wild, unforgettable ride that’s well worth your time.

W game great story telling totally give it a try

I have only few criticisms regarding this game. Not all characters have the same level of depth, another dimension.
And the resolution of the cases has some very unnecessary elements, like the bullet time battles.

But the greater plot is great and so are the individual cases. Usually, I'm pretty good at figuring out what happened before the resolution. For this game I only once figured out about 90% of the events, in all other cases I was pretty much completely blindsided.

84/100

i was enjoying myself until the 3rd chapter. the game became so difficult i was going to freak out. glad it's over. i don't know how someone could possibly solve those cases without a guide.

Overall, yes, I would recommend this game, it's definitely a trip and has cool gameplay. Creative mechanics for solving the mysteries and trials, and honestly amazing storytelling through them.


SPOILERS BELOW THIS--------------------------
For the negatives, though they're more warnings for anyone who may want to know about these:
There are definitely some very dated things, some awkward weird feeling things too, namely:
- Pretty bad example of a character with DID, stereotypical "evil other personality" trope
- Fat character is obligatorily an incel and gooner
- Masculine female character being hit with the "omg i thought you were a guy!" moments
- Many female characters are arguably sexualized a lot in the art

Despite everything though? I still enjoyed it a lot and found even the first character I mentioned endearing even with that feature. I still highly recommend and I've already gotten the rest of the series!

At first i thought this was a parody of some anime stereotypes with a cool premise and sometimes a few good characters that kept me playing. Now i just feel stupid and like i wasted my time this is Kingdom Hearts for adults with the repetitiveness of a microwave. The jokeler 2 of garbage endings.

Completed all achievements, grinding monocoins was a pain in the ass but worth it.
The game has great art, soundtrack and AMAZING story. I knew the overall lore beforehand (watched the anime a couple years ago) and i was still shocked during class trials and plot twists. Gameplay is not hard at all and tha game pretty much handhelds you during trials. Very enjoyable and I highly recommend it, on my way to the second game ;)

8/10
story 9/10
characters 10/10
design 8/10

If I was rating games purely on their story and how it unfolded, this would probably be one of the greatest games of all time. Masterful delivery, most characters were deep and complex individuals.

The gameplay isn't anything fancy. Point, click, read and then the trials.

Going to watch the anime now.

Highly recommend.

Absolutely floored by how engrossed I was in the story. Good writing and very entertaining murder cases which did, to my surprise, sometimes greatly challenge your deduction skills and ability to follow what's happening. Main character is pretty daft at times but that's a minor complaint. Always love a good mystery. Even if this is one of the first full length visual novels I've ever played I thoroughly enjoyed it. BANGING soundtrack btw

Never thought i would enjoy a visual novel game, it was somewhat captivating, watched the anime long ago before playing the game and I don't recommend it since mostly they are spoilers (it is a replicate of the game but in least details, and somewhat can't relate to the characters, I mean fair since it is 4h compare to the game around 25h to complete. Personally, if I were to give a note if the game is 7.5/10, some glitches and had to replay at some point in the middle of trial. The anime would be around 2,5 to 3/10) with the game you actually see characters's depth/ personality, and actually engaged in the investment which give more insight, unlike the anime you barely understand what happened and I love most of how the crime were committed with bunch of plot twists. This game is literally a box of chocolate, If you are not spoiled then you'll never know what is going to happen. Finally, if you enjoy uncovering crimes and casually be a detective with minimal dating sim content then this game is for you.

I don't like the cast of DR1 as much as the other games but this is still a solid story and really enthralling especially on your first playthrough if you don't know anything about the series.

Doing the post-game content 100% for the second time was a little bit painful but worth it

I'm only just finishing chapter 1 and I'm obsessed. I knew from long before I played it I loved the art style and characters and finally I'm getting into it. It's a lot of reading but it's in a way my ADHD brain can handle without having medication to focus on reading lol. Fantastic art/soundtrack/character design. Can't wait to play the rest of the game and the series!

The Danganronpa series has definitely become one of the more infamous weeb-friendly video games of all time. Some people even call it "visual novel-ish," but I will vehemently disagree with that. There’s too much gameplay and moving around for it to be a proper visual novel.

That said, Danganronpa took the weeb fandom by storm, even when it was just a fan translation—and for good reason. While the whole "people trapped in an enclosed space, potentially having to kill each other to escape" premise isn’t too unique, the quirky Japanese high school characters, courtesy of writer Kodaka, made it stand out.

Every main character having an "Ultimate" ability (or "super high school level" in the original Japanese) gives them a distinct flair that makes them memorable and ties into the murder mystery aspect—figuring out who the culprit is in each case and, more importantly, who the mastermind is behind trapping all these high school students in a school.

Compared to the rest of the series, the first Danganronpa game is relatively simple. The very first case, for example, more or less gives you the answer straight up once you find the first victim. Apparently, this is less obvious in the original Japanese, mostly if you're a Japanese-native who may not know much of the English language.

Even so, the murder mysteries are a mix of straightforward and challenging, depending on how much of a mystery game or story veteran you are. Personally, I found every case—besides the first and third—pretty tough to solve. Figuring out the details through the investigations and nonstop debates during the class trials was decently challenging and kept me engaged.

If there’s one thing the Danganronpa series lives and dies by, it’s the character cast. The characters in the first game are fine overall. They still have their quirky gimmicks, but they’re more down-to-earth compared to the over-the-top personalities in the sequels. In a way, the simplicity works in their favor. Characters like Makoto Naegi, the ultimate "Normal" protagonist, get more room to shine, especially later on in the story. My personal favorite was Kyoko Kirigiri, the main female lead—clearly familiar with mysteries and murder, with some solid character development throughout the story.

Overall, Danganronpa 1 is a solid introduction to the series. Sure, there are minor issues—like the cast being hit-or-miss for some people, certain mysteries being too easy, and a bit of first-game clunkiness—but it’s a memorable and fun murder mystery experience.

The controls are easy to understand, the trials are fun, love this game!

erm... O.o
used to be a big fan but have mixed feelings about the entire Danganronpa series now;
As a friend once put it "feels like murder p*** of a bunch of minors"

Idk, pretty conflicted about everything right now, but I'll be sure to revisit this game when am more stable?? Am way too high on despair right now

- Junko Enoshima Kinnie

Nice audiovisual, immersive storyline and interesting detective. The best visual novel I have played