Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 208 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus Game Cover
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"Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus" is a dark fantasy detective action game, set in a city shrouded by constant rain and controlled by a megacorporation. Players, as the protagonist Yuma, investigate mysteries in the real world and then conquer "Mystery Labyrinths" using collected clues to uncover the truth. Currently available in Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese, with English and other languages planned to be added in a patch update on October 1st, 2024.

  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 208 reviews
story33 positive mentions
grinding5 negative mentions
  • The game features a captivating story with engaging mysteries that keep players invested throughout.
  • The visuals and art style are stunning, showcasing a beautifully designed world that enhances the overall experience.
  • The character designs are memorable, with a diverse cast that adds depth and personality to the narrative.
  • The pacing can be uneven, with some sections feeling drawn out and tedious, particularly during investigations.
  • The protagonist, Yuma, can come across as passive and frustrating, lacking the agency that players might expect.
  • Some gameplay mechanics, such as the Mystery Labyrinths and quick-time events, can feel repetitive and detract from the overall enjoyment.
  • story127 mentions

    The story of "Master Detective Archives: Rain Code" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging characters, emotional depth, and intriguing twists, reminiscent of the Danganronpa series. However, some players found the pacing slow, side quests unfulfilling, and the overarching plot lacking cohesion, leading to a disappointing conclusion. Overall, while the narrative has its strengths, it struggles with execution and consistency, leaving some players wanting more from the experience.

    • “The storytelling is very well-executed, giving plenty of hints without spoiling the full mystery.”
    • “Master Detective Archives: Raincode is one of the best investigative adventures I've played since the original Phoenix Wright trilogy; the cases are amazing, the characters are incredible, the villains spectacular, and the overall mystery that connects all the happenings of the story is just beautiful to see unfold, leading to a great, heartfelt ending that will stay with me for quite a long time.”
    • “The story, characters, and plot twists are quite solid and well-written.”
    • “The 'open world' felt forced and the story was disappointing (wtf was that ending?).”
    • “The expectation of the game is to form bonds with your fellow master detectives, but I feel like the story and writing doesn't really sell it, therefore everything else loses any setup/meaning towards the end of the game.”
    • “Pretty much every case ends with a very convenient deus ex machina (character A appears and pulls some kind of bullshit outta their ass, plot's resolved, you leave) plot shenanigan and everyone just brushes it off, time and again.”
  • gameplay52 mentions

    The gameplay of this title has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the innovative mechanics and engaging mystery-solving elements, while others criticize it for reusing Danganronpa's features without offering substantial improvements. Many found the minigames tedious and the pacing slow, yet some enjoyed the overall experience and narrative, suggesting that the game has potential for fans of the genre despite its flaws. Overall, while it builds on familiar gameplay concepts, it struggles to fully separate itself from its predecessor, leading to a varied reception among players.

    • “The game’s standout mechanics, like the mystery dungeon system that visually connects clues and ideas, keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.”
    • “With its innovative gameplay, gripping narrative, and memorable characters like Shinigami, Rain Code is a must-play for fans of the genre, offering a fresh and immersive experience that’s as fun to look at as it is to solve.”
    • “Spike Chunsoft absolutely knocked this one out of the park as it not only continues the great trend of mysteries to solve from the Danganronpa series but also immensely improves on the mechanics of those games by introducing 3D models, a quasi-free roam map, and even captivating side quests.”
    • “I just felt like this was a subpar Danganronpa game that reuses mechanics and sound design and does not separate itself as a new IP.”
    • “There is a good story kind of here if you're willing to put in 30-ish hours with remedial gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay elements through which the player solves the mysteries also were quite lacking.”
  • music34 mentions

    The music in the game has received high praise for its quality and consistency with the Danganronpa series, with many reviewers noting its engaging and atmospheric qualities. While some feel it may lack the distinctiveness of Danganronpa's original soundtrack, it still delivers a compelling auditory experience that enhances the overall gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's presentation and emotional impact.

    • “The quirky humor, the ever-expanding mind-frick of mysteries, and outstanding music and graphic design.”
    • “Good story, great set of characters, and a brilliant soundtrack.”
    • “Walking around in this neon-lit, rainy cyberpunk but also fantastical place while Takada's soundtrack plays in the background certainly puts you in a special sort of trance.”
    • “Music is extremely underwhelming, especially considering Takada was the composer.”
    • “The worst part about this game is that the OST isn't available on Spotify.”
    • “The soundtrack could have been mixed in with the OSTs for Danganronpa and I'd never be able to tell.”
  • graphics33 mentions

    The graphics in the game have received high praise for their stunning art style and vibrant colors, reminiscent of the beloved Danganronpa series. Many reviewers noted the beautiful 3D and 2D visuals, with some highlighting the effective use of ray tracing and polished textures, although performance issues on certain platforms were mentioned. Overall, the artistic design and aesthetic consistency were celebrated, making it a visual treat for fans of the genre.

    • “The art style in this game is breathtaking, the overworld you walk around in is beautiful, and I applaud the designers they hired for this game.”
    • “The vibrancy of the colors and art style are breathtaking, paired with the same convoluted schemes we've come to love from other Spike Chunsoft characters, makes me fall in love with the genre all over again.”
    • “I have no idea why Kodaka forced it to be on the Switch, which butchered its graphical quality and the flow of its gorgeous city, fast-paced minigames, and cutscenes with a 30fps lock.”
    • “The graphics in this game are more about art style and expression, which Rain Code Plus absolutely nails.”
    • “There's also a mod to completely remove the terrible fog while bolstering graphics and even another mod to help us out with Shinigami's shadowing.”
  • emotional16 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with some players experiencing profound moments that evoke tears and deep reflection, particularly in certain chapters. However, many feel that the emotional connections to characters are weaker compared to similar titles like Danganronpa, as the transient nature of character interactions diminishes the overall impact. While the story features heartfelt moments and a satisfying conclusion, it can also leave players feeling frustrated or heartbroken due to abrupt character developments and bittersweet endings.

    • “The cases are extremely thought-provoking and are also emotional roller coasters; it definitely gave me lots of moments that made me think.”
    • “Some of the best characters, story, atmosphere, and overall writing I've seen in a while. The story of this game is incredibly good; it envelops you in a cyberpunk noir mystery that touches all the right bases, with suspense, clever crimes, amazing villains, even better protagonists, and some of the most heartfelt moments I've had in a story in a long while.”
    • “Master Detective Archives: Raincode is one of the best investigative adventures I've played since the original Phoenix Wright trilogy. The cases are amazing, the characters are incredible, the villains spectacular, and the overall mystery that connects all the happenings of the story is just beautiful to see unfold, leading to a great, heartfelt ending that will stay with me for quite a long time.”
  • character development14 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising the striking character designs and intriguing personalities, while others criticize the depth and progression of certain characters, particularly the protagonist and Yuma, who are seen as bland or lacking significant growth. Despite the high-quality visuals and familiar style reminiscent of previous works by the same creators, the writing and character arcs leave some players wanting more substantial development. Overall, while the aesthetic and design are celebrated, the character development is viewed as a weaker aspect of the game.

    • “Character design, especially for the main characters, is truly phenomenal.”
    • “The character designs are striking, with intriguing personalities.”
    • “It has the same character designer and composer as Danganronpa as well as the same creator, which leads to the game feeling very familiar if you've played those games before (in a good way!).”
    • “His only remarkable trait is that he has amnesia; he is too bland and weak-willed, way too much like a self-insert isekai protagonist, and his character development feels kind of weird in my opinion.”
    • “And finally Yuma, poor guy got the worst character development out of all protagonists from Spike Chunsoft games.”
    • “Sure, they allow him to meet people who eventually help him with those greater goals, and they contribute to his character development and understanding of what it means to be a detective, but they rarely, if ever, contribute significant and tangible progress towards solving the main mysteries.”
  • humor13 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mix of quirky, dark, and lewd elements, often blending murder mystery themes with lowbrow jokes and character tropes. While some players appreciate the bizarre combination of humor styles, including dirty jokes and silly antics, others find the reliance on ecchi humor off-putting. Overall, the humor is polarizing, appealing to those who enjoy a mix of dark comedy and fanservice, but may not resonate with everyone.

    • “The quirky humor, the ever-expanding mind-frick of mysteries, and outstanding music and graphic design.”
    • “The amount of times I would see Shinigami go look at something and make a quip or do something funny in the background is countless.”
    • “The dark humor mixed with horny jokes here and there make a very bizarre combination I haven’t seen anywhere implemented properly for quite a while.”
  • optimization13 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it offers impressive visuals and generally smooth performance on PC, particularly at 1440p and 144Hz, some users noted that it is not fully optimized for Unreal Engine 4, leading to underwhelming performance in certain scenarios. Despite these issues, the game runs well without significant port problems and shows great potential for high-end hardware.

    • “After finishing the game, this is an incredible visual and performance upgrade to the Switch version.”
    • “From a technical standpoint, it didn't have port issues that v3 had and runs smoothly on PC.”
    • “Runs smoothly at 1440p and 144hz.”
    • “That setting eats 20+ fps of performance, and I couldn't see a difference with it on or off, and I even made screenshots to compare.”
    • “The performance is a bit underwhelming, since it’s running on Unreal Engine 4 and was not properly optimized for it, but the visuals themselves are amazing.”
    • “For reference, a mobile RTX 3070 can run it in 1440p at 70-90 fps with no stuttering.”
  • atmosphere7 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique and immersive qualities, particularly in its cyberpunk setting that enhances the storytelling and character development. Players appreciate the blend of suspense, clever design, and memorable side quests, although some express a desire for a more fleshed-out narrative towards the end. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature that captivates and envelops players in its world.

    • “Cyberpunk detective game with cool puzzles, a dope atmosphere, and a solid story.”
    • “The atmosphere in Kanai Ward is amazing, and there are a few side quests that remind me of the Like a Dragon series in how memorable they are.”
    • “The atmosphere in this game is unlike anything I have played before.”
    • “The different setting and atmosphere remove some of the design constraints that Danganronpa was stuck with, like an all older high school student cast.”
    • “After finally playing it, I can say that, while it’s partially true, it definitely has the exact same vibe and atmosphere.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively time-consuming and tedious, often requiring significant effort to progress. While the combat introduces a unique mental challenge rather than traditional grinding, it can lead to frustrating pacing issues, particularly in puzzle-solving segments. Many reviewers express hope for future improvements to alleviate these concerns.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The overall pacing of the game really suffers because of this, which can make some sequences extremely tedious to get through.”
    • “I can't imagine how much more tedious the later chapters are going to be.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Overall, users report a stable experience with minimal to no glitches or bugs affecting gameplay.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

24hMedian play time
24hAverage play time
24-24hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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