A year after its Nintendo Switch release, Master Detective Archives launches on PS5 with a new upgraded and enhanced version, entitled Rain Code Plus! Is this definitive version worth your time? Or should it have stayed confined to the Switch?
Taking A Chance
Developers Spike Chunsoft have garnered worldwide recognition for their work on the superb Danganronpa series. The series has become acclaimed for its visual novel style and hilarious and twisted writing. So it would have been perfectly understandable for the development team to focus solely on that franchise and stay in their lane. Thankfully, these developers decided to take a chance and succeeded with the excellent Master Detective Archives and now it can finally reach more players with the release of this remastered version Rain Code Plus.
Much like Danganronpa, Master Detective is a visual novel styled experience that puts you in the shoes of protagonist Yuma Kokohead, a naïve young detective. The story begins superbly with Yuma waking up on a train platform, dazed and confused, with nothing but a letter addressed to him informing him he is a part of secret society of superpowered detectives, along with a train ticket to the game’s main location, the mysterious and daunting city of Kanai Ward. Whilst travelling on the train, the game sets up the stakes for Yuma by informing both him and the player that he in fact gave up his memories to a Death God named Shinigami in exchange for her powers and guidance. With no idea why he decided to agree to this exchange, Yuma is forced to go along to the city with Shinigami to find the answers to his questions whilst discovering the seedy underside of Kanai Ward.
This story is no means groundbreaking in its themes and narrative but it succeeds in large part thanks to the wonderful dynamic of the two main characters. Yuma and Shinigami’s ever evolving relationship across the course of the 30 hour story is fascinating and engrossing. The story is at its best when these two characters are learning how to coexist with one another, dealing with the aches and pains that go along with that. It can be cheesy at times but the voice acting is absolutely superb and really makes these characters come to life. The supporting cast also leaves a lasting impression with very minor characters even having great one liners! It can truly feel like you have been thrust into an epic anime saga at times with its great cinematics and visual style. Add in all the additional DLC and you have a hefty amount of content awaiting you. A thought provoking, engaging and mysterious story that is propelled by its two main leads and their thoroughly contrasting personalities.
An Appetite For Exploration
Gameplay in Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Plus is a real mixed bag and the additions this updated version brings do little to change that. This game is at its best when you are exploring the streets and environments of Kanai Ward. Searching for clues, hints or any points of interest is so addictive. Once enough clues are found, Yuma will be thrown into fights, thanks to Shinigami. These turn based fights are solid but don’t really catch the eye and feel quite repetitive by game’s end. Alongside the exploration and combat are minigames which are spliced in throughout the game in hopes of keeping the game feeling fresh. Whilst some of these minigames are fun and innovative, others are downright awful and are so gimmicky and luck based it will infuriate you.
Nothing in this new remastered version has been updated or modified when it comes to gameplay. There are no new quality of life updates like a difficulty option or combat modifiers. The only real addition, bar the DLC content, is a gallery mode which allows you to rewatch the game’s cutscenes. Once again, I feel like a broken record bemoaning how a so called definitive version of the game is packaged with no new real eye catching content to grab returning players’ attention. I can forgive this remaster to a certain extent as it is coming to new consoles and attempting to capture the attention of the player base on those systems, but for Switch players it is really disappointing.
A Visual Tour De Force, A Musical Disappointment
I wanted to love the visual presentation when I first saw the announcement trailer. Thankfully, the game delivered -and then some! The environmental design and graphics in this game are nothing short of spectacular; every location is dripping with vast amounts of detail and bursting with colour and it’s astounding. The blending of different art styles is something to behold. Add in newly updated 4K visuals and improved fidelity, and you have one gorgeous stylish game. Every character looks particularly impressive, with small beautiful details added to each outfit, making every one of the cast stand out. This is a beautifully rendered game that delivers a jaw dropping anime style. Bravo!
Similarly, the audio design is top notch, propelled by a powerful performance from the voice cast, in particular Anjali Kunapaneni as Shinigami. These performances bring the characters to life and leave such a lasting impression. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the game’s musical score, which is a profound failure. The score composed by Masafumi Takada is boring, repetitive and bland as it tries to weave varying musical genres together but it never achieves its goal. Musical scores are meant to propel the narrative forward but unfortunately this does nothing to help craft more emotion into the story.
Verdict
If you are buying Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Plus for the first time you will find a great compelling story full of mystery, intrigue and superb characters. Great visuals, beautiful art style and stunning voice acting make this game a truly must play game. However, gameplay remains a true mixed bag, making it a shame for returning players that there is not enough new content or quality of life improvements to really warrant returning to this game.
