DRAMAtical Murder

About

Now Released About the GameGet ready for the official English language version of Nitro+CHiRAL's most popular Boys' Love game! Set on an island ruled by a powerful megacorporation, DRAMAtical Murder paints a vivid picture of a world where the boundaries between the virtual and the real are breaking down. Dragged with his friends into a battle for the future, will our hero Aoba be able to regain …

Genres & Tags

Adventure

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,570 reviews

story354 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

story
776 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
51%
3%
The story of "Dramatical Murder" is widely praised for its depth, character development, and engaging narrative, often surprising players with its complexity and emotional weight. While some reviewers note issues with pacing and plot holes, many appreciate the unique blend of romance and darker themes, making it a standout in the visual novel genre. Overall, the game is recommended for those seeking a rich, story-driven experience, particularly within the yaoi and cyberpunk realms.
- “Dramatical Murder honestly really captivated me; the story and writing of the plot and its characters really just pulled me in from the get-go, and I wanted to experience more and more.”
- “The storytelling is amazing; even within the first hour, I found myself incredibly immersed in a way in which no other visual novel has managed to do so far.”
- “The story is mind-blowing and overwhelming in the best way possible.”
- “Does not make sense and genuinely ruins the flow of the story.”
- “The story is a bit confusing and there are definitely glaring plot holes that you need to ignore to enjoy the action.”
- “Once you reach a character route, characters go through the motions solely because the plot requires them to be there, the pacing is abysmal, and you don't really get too much romantic development with characters at all.”
music
212 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
50%
1%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy and immersive quality, often highlighting the contributions of composer Goatbed. The soundtrack is described as a blend of techno and electro-pop, perfectly complementing the vibrant art style and enhancing the overall gaming experience. Many players express a desire for the soundtrack to be more accessible, indicating its lasting impact and appeal.
- “The soundtrack is golden and I wish I could buy it and put it on a CD and listen to it until the heat death of the universe.”
- “The music is absolutely fire, and even though the bad endings absolutely crushed my heart, the songs they play for these endings still had me bopping my head to them.”
- “The combination of its vibrant art style and evocative music provides a sense of immersion that is hard to match.”
- “The music is a bit repetitive at times.”
- “The music is the kind that makes you want to hear more but will also annoy you if you sit there too long lol.”
- “The music is okay, not my taste, but it does suit the theme of the game very well.”
graphics
156 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
38%
2%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning quality, vibrant art style, and intricate character designs, creating an immersive experience that enhances the storytelling. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful artwork and dynamic visuals, which contribute significantly to the game's overall atmosphere, despite some content being heavily censored. Overall, the combination of impressive graphics, engaging music, and thoughtful world-building makes the visual aspect a standout feature of the game.
- “The graphics are beautiful, the characters are well written, and the world feels real.”
- “The combination of its vibrant art style and evocative music provides a sense of immersion that is hard to match.”
- “From amazing visuals to fantastic worldbuilding and storytelling, even after all these years this game blows me away.”
- “Text and audio are updated with the patch, but the visuals remain censored.”
- “Some scenes are cut out, particularly all the sex scenes and any gory/graphic content.”
- “Images are heavily modified in order to avoid showing the original explicit artwork in its entirety.”
emotional
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is described as a profound and intense experience, with players reporting a wide range of feelings from joy to heartbreak. Many highlight the impactful character arcs and the ability of certain routes, particularly those of Koujaku and Clear, to evoke tears and deep emotional responses, while also acknowledging the darker themes of abuse present in some storylines. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to create an emotional rollercoaster, leaving players both devastated and uplifted by the contrasting good and bad endings.
- “I have played all routes and achieved all good and bad endings, and I can say that personally, Koujaku and Clear's routes are my favorites, with some of the most emotional scenes I've ever witnessed.”
- “Clear's route genuinely made me emotional, and I even cried when he was breaking, even though I knew he would.”
- “The story line is interesting, the art is beautiful, the characters are my life (especially Aoba, that's my sun), and it's surprisingly really emotional even during those scenes; I was bawling my eyes out.”
character development
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
57%
5%
Character development in the game is highly praised, with players noting significant growth for the main character, Aoba, and the side characters, which enhances the overall narrative. The intricate character designs and their relationships contribute to a rich storytelling experience, although some routes focus more on individual character arcs than the overarching plot. Overall, the combination of stunning visuals, engaging character dynamics, and relatable themes makes for a compelling character development experience.
- “Aoba has so much character development, as well as the side characters, and I related so hard to the main character needing a break.”
- “You can tell that love and effort were put into everything from character designs to voice acting, relationship dynamics, the music, and backgrounds.”
- “I played every route when this game first came out, and the story is actually really interesting. The best part is playing different routes and seeing the effect of the relationship you picked on Aoba's character development.”
- “Clear did grow to be more mature, but I felt that his character development was somewhat sudden.”
- “Noiz’s route touches somewhat upon the big picture but is mostly focused on his character development rather than the overall story plot, thus it leaves quite a bit out but gives more than Koujaku’s route.”
- “The character development is nothing to laugh at either.”
humor
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "Dramatical Murder" is widely praised for its blend of silliness and depth, with players enjoying the comedic moments alongside the more serious themes. Characters like Noiz and Aoba are highlighted for their funny and endearing traits, contributing to a lighthearted atmosphere that balances the game's darker elements. Overall, the humor is described as a significant and enjoyable aspect of the game, enhancing the overall experience.
- “It's funny, sad, sweet, and horrific all at the same time, and though it definitely has its flaws, I would absolutely recommend Dramatical Murder to anyone who is able to handle the darker subject matter it contains.”
- “But after playing the first 3 hours I felt like I already fell in love with it: the music is a banger, the random silly funny moments that happen randomly kill me every time, the voice acting is amazing... and the story is really well written from what I could tell!”
- “Haha, funny blue-haired gay boy and his silly little friends.”
gameplay
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
71%
13%
The gameplay is primarily focused on narrative choices typical of visual novels, offering around 30-40 hours of content with multiple routes to explore. While some players appreciate the engaging story and cyberpunk theme, others feel that the choices lack significant impact on the outcome, and the gameplay mechanics are somewhat dated. Overall, it combines a rich story experience with minimal interactive elements, appealing mainly to fans of the genre.
- “I would recommend this game if you want to play a cool visual novel with interesting mechanics.”
- “All in all, the plot is amazing and you easily get 30-40 hours of gameplay out of this game.”
- “There is a ton of gameplay and varying routes, the sort you can't stop playing until you find them all.”
- “It takes nothing away from the story, but it did make the gameplay feel as if the choices didn't really matter.”
- “That being said, this is a strictly story-based game with no gameplay mechanics other than your choices.”
- “In terms of gameplay, it's basically the usual visual novel in which certain routes are determined by whatever choices you have made along with a few mini-games.”
atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
25%
15%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and distinctive qualities, enhanced by unique visual elements, engaging art style, and a fitting soundtrack. Reviewers highlight how these components contribute to an engrossing narrative tone, making it a must-play for fans of visual novels and otome games. While some noted minor issues with the writing, the overall aesthetic and atmosphere remain a standout feature that captivates players.
- “The game uses a series of unique elements that help create a distinctive and immersive atmosphere.”
- “It is truly a wonderful game; the story is engrossing, the music is catchy, and the art style fits the atmosphere just right!”
- “The art of this game is also spectacular; the aesthetic of the UI and the colors of the art add to the atmosphere as much as the dialogue does.”
- “These aspects contribute to the game's overall atmosphere and narrative tone.”
- “The visual effects throughout the game really add to the atmosphere.”
- “The art of this game is also spectacular, the aesthetic of the UI and the colors of the art add to the atmosphere as much as the dialogue does.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game offers high replayability due to its lengthy narrative and multiple endings, with players likely to forget details that enhance the experience upon replays. However, some users noted that certain sensitive themes detracted from their desire to replay the game. Overall, it stands out as a story-driven title with significant replay value, featuring 12 different endings to explore.
- “The length of the story, for me, also adds to replayability after completing the whole game--you're bound to forget some details so it still feels nice to redo the route of your favorites.”
- “This is probably the first heavily story-based game that has actual replay value in my library.”
- “As a result, it has a high replayability rate, which is good considering there are 12 endings total to achieve.”
- “It is a beautiful game most of the time and I did manage to enjoy some moments in certain routes, but there was little replay value for me because of the near-rape issues.”
- “There was little replay value for me because of the near-rape issues.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find certain grinding elements, particularly related to "glitching" or "obstacle" scenes involving scrap, to be tedious and frustrating. Additionally, the process of purchasing and applying the uncensored DLC from a non-Steam website adds to the overall annoyance.
- “Some of the 'glitching' or 'obstacle' scenes when scrap is used can be tedious.”
- “It is annoying to have to buy the 18+ uncensored DLC from a website that isn't Steam, and the process of applying the DLC is tedious.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game's dialogue system has received mixed feedback, with players noting that the voice acting is passionate and engaging, but the pacing can lead to missed lines if players read too quickly. This suggests a need for better synchronization between text and voice to enhance the overall experience.