REVIEW: Master Detective Archives: Rain Code


Title	Master Detective Archives: Rain Code
Developer	Too Kyo Games, Spike Chunsoft
Publisher	Spike Chunsoft
Release Date	June 30, 2023
Genre	Mystery, Adventure
Platform	Nintendo Switch
Age Rating	Mature
Official Website

When I first saw Master Detective Archives: Rain Code, I was drawn in by how unique it looks. When I found out some members of the Danganronpa team was behind the development of this, I knew I had to check it out. Even though I wasn’t the biggest fan of that series, it had been a while since I played a good mystery game, and I figured this would fit the bill. Let’s see if it lived up to my expectations.

The story here follows a young man named Yuma Kokohead. He wakes in a storage room after being knocked out and can’t remember anything but his name, and barely catches his train. However, Yuma doesn’t wake up alone, as he soon notices a Shinigami in the form a tiny ghost that only he can hear hanging around him. She tells him the reason for his amnesia is that he has made a deal with her. The train he boarded is heading to the Kanai Ward. This area is cut off from the outside world and controlled by a huge corporation called Amaterasu. They rule this area with the might of a militarized Peacekeeper force. He has been sent by the World Detective Organization in order to figure what is actually going on in the rainy neon lit hell. This will not be easy, though, and even the train ride there will prove to be a lot more than our young friend bargained for.

I really enjoyed the overall story here. Each case was pretty well thought out and let all the various characters you meet throughout the game shine, even if just for a little bit. I feel like they could’ve done a better job fleshing out these side characters, but maybe the DLC cases will do this. Each case across the six chapters was pretty interesting, but I feel like some of them were drug out in the labyrinth section. The game has a decent runtime of 35 hours overall, but you could shorten this down if you just stuck to the main story.

Graphically, Master Detective Archives: Rain Code is one the best looking games on the Switch. All of the character models are nicely detailed and gloomy environments in the city are just outstanding. The design of that downtrodden city always covered in rain with an amazing neon glow is just great. Shinigami has the standout design here; no matter if it’s her cute ghost form or full on sexy female one, she is just great in style and character. This is also one of the best performing games on the Switch. It runs at a consistent frame rate docked or handheld, which is not always a given for a title that looks this nice on the platform.

I have to say this soundtrack is one of the most fitting ones I’ve ever heard. Lots of sorta upbeat tracks, but they all have that sense of mystery to them that really adds to the atmosphere. The sound effects during the mini games are great as well; I usually don’t have much to say about sound effect but these really did add to overall experience here. The voice acting is top notch in both Japanese and English. All of the actors do a great job giving these characters life, and really it just comes down to preference on which one you think is better.

The gameplay here is divided up into a few sections. The first is where you control Yuma as you explore the surroundings looking for clues. The ones you find will earn you Detective Points you can spend to upgrade your various skills. The last is the Mystery Labyrinth, and these sections are by far the biggest during each case. Here you will traverse a maze playing different mini games and quick time events. I put the difficulty here on Easy since I’m never good at these sorts of things, so when I failed I lost a little health, but my guess is on higher settings the penalty will be more brutal. You do this until you reach the end boss and uncover the truth of the case! The interactions here between Yuma and Shinigami are great and were one of my favorite things here.

All in all I had a good time with Master Detective Archives: Rain Code. The game really has a focus on death, which is pretty much what you should expect from this team, but it went a little hard for my personal tastes. Those who loved Danganronpa and the other works of this team will be right at home here, and there is nothing wrong with that since they are the target audience. If you love mystery games that have a wild twist to them, you would probably want to check this one out as well. I feel like it is well worth the $59.99 for those into this, and the DLC cases will likely add icing to this already wonderful cake.