7) Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
The appearance of an imported visual novel from Japan on our Game of the Year list may seem like it indicates how few quality releases there were this year, but Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is honestly just a fantastic title. It might not have deep, challenging gameplay or mass appeal, but it’s backed by one of the most fascinating plots to hit stateside in years and a cast of memorable characters that absolutely shine compared to more forgettable protagonists.
Danganronpa follows a group of students who have been chosen to attend Hope’s Peak Academy, a school created to help the most talented students in the world reach their potential and eventually become symbols of hope to humanity. Upon arrival, though, the 15 students discover that they are instead being locked in the school forever, and their only chance of escape is to murder one of their classmates and not get caught during the class trial that follows.
Similar to the Phoenix Wright series, these class trials shine as some of the more intense gaming moments of the year, with each verbal battle leading you one step closer to figuring out which student was desperate enough to murder one of their best friends. It’s an interesting mechanic that serves to heighten the drama with every passing minute, never knowing when or how the next murder will occur.
None of this would matter if the cast was full of cardboard characters with no personality, but Danganronpa boasts one of the most charming and interesting group of characters within the past few years. Each student has their own talent, worries, motivations and mannerisms, and it’s devastating finding one of their bodies, especially when the killer was one of your favorite characters. The villainous Monokuma, a stuffed teddy bear who antagonizes the students at every turn, manages to stray away from being an obnoxious Japanese stereotype and becomes a standout baddie, and possibly the best villain of the year.
Simply put, Danganronpa is the perfect reason to dust off your Vita and enjoy a compelling, well-told story that you’ll be talking about for weeks. If you can get over the lack of playable action and get sucked into the environment (and the excellent soundtrack), you’ll lose days at a time to the confines of Hope’s Peak.
