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DANGANRONPA 2: GOODBYE DESPAIR
review | PLAYSTATION VITA
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Publisher: Spike Chunsoft.
Developer: Spike Chunsoft. Released: September 2014 (Europe). Genre: Investigation. Other versions: PSP. Posted 7th January 2026. By Shane Battams © 2026 |
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Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc proved a real delight for Vita fans: a murder mystery brimming with likeable characters, enjoyable cases, and a distinctive style that sat with the best of its class. Luckily for fans, Goodbye Despair would further up the ante, delivering something all sequels should aspire to. Taking what you loved about the first game, adding improvements to key aspects and subverting sequel expectations with delightful glee, this visual novel proves another essential purchase for aficionados of Sony’s underrated handheld.
Taking place some time after the first killing game, this story focuses on Hajime Hinata. A student at Hope’s Peak Academy, he’s taken to a tropical island along with a number of other students where a seemingly idyllic school trip turns dark by the returning Monokuma. With murder once again the only means of escape, the body count soon starts to rise. The events take place over several Chapters with distinct phases: Daily Life sees Hajime socialising with students, before the discovery of a body instigates an investigation and trial. The familiar setup is lent a unique identity thanks to the unusual Jabberwock Island, a big change from the high school setting of the original. The larger map adds a grander feel to proceedings, and while you might suspect this leads to confusing navigation, the layout is supremely intuitive and offers multiple fast travel points for those less patient. Every chapter introduces a new location to explore, providing a greater versatility of pace changes compared to the first game, and serving as the backbone for means of murder. While high school life was enjoyable, Goodbye Despair’s island of paradise and murder proves supremely memorable.
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Goodbye Despair conjures the same gorgeous presentation and off-kilter storytelling that made the original such a treat
Danganronpa 2 also boasts a strong set of cases, filled with the kind of weaving surprises that made Trigger Happy Havoc so memorable. The opening case is especially strong, a breakneck set of reveals leaving your head spinning and changing your outlook on a particular character for the rest of the game. The game also bookends this quality with an insanely wacky, subversive final case, which flips the script in a satisfying way. None of the cases feel dull though, each offering a plausible yet explosive murder plot to uncover. The roster of characters also helps, with sixteen distinct and memorable personalities with whom to grow attached. At least, until most of them are killed off. It makes every twist, death and surprise sting that much harder. Hajime helps anchor the cast together, a personable central figure who serves as a top vessel for players, while the bout of amnesia causing him to forget his talent adds another mystery to the pile.
Trials see revamped mechanics and new gameplay modes. Nonstop Debates mostly work the same, though there are now also blue points of interest which Hajime can agree with. Hangman’s Gambit proves much tougher as you’re forced to spell out words in the correct order this time. Panic Talk Action replaces Bullet Time Battle, though the rhythm gameplay functions quite similarly, albeit with players forced to spell out the key clue at the conclusion. Two new gameplay types also join the fray. Rebuttal Showdowns see players defending against a dominant rebuttal by slicing through their arguments to gain a stronger position and expose a weakness to counter. Logic Dive sees you skating down a path while avoiding obstacles and choosing between different paths to create a logical point. Both prove welcome, if somewhat minor, additions to the Trials. The difficulty curve is also steeper this time around, with more risk of damage and tougher obstacles, such as denser white noise, which requires more shots to dismiss.
Trials see revamped mechanics and new gameplay modes. Nonstop Debates mostly work the same, though there are now also blue points of interest which Hajime can agree with. Hangman’s Gambit proves much tougher as you’re forced to spell out words in the correct order this time. Panic Talk Action replaces Bullet Time Battle, though the rhythm gameplay functions quite similarly, albeit with players forced to spell out the key clue at the conclusion. Two new gameplay types also join the fray. Rebuttal Showdowns see players defending against a dominant rebuttal by slicing through their arguments to gain a stronger position and expose a weakness to counter. Logic Dive sees you skating down a path while avoiding obstacles and choosing between different paths to create a logical point. Both prove welcome, if somewhat minor, additions to the Trials. The difficulty curve is also steeper this time around, with more risk of damage and tougher obstacles, such as denser white noise, which requires more shots to dismiss.
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Daily Life sees a lot of returning functions, including spending time with characters or gifting presents to uncover the backstory behind each student, though exploration now takes place on a 2D plane. This ties into a lot of the side content of Goodbye Despair, with Island Life allowing you to meet with fellow students and bond. Like School Mode, you must balance resource gathering to build projects for Monomi with cleaning your lodgings. A virtual pet can be bred within the menu, levelling up after walking a certain number of steps and changing into different creatures depending on their happiness/despair meters. The former is boosted via the gifting of presents, while the latter increases if you fail to clear up droppings. There’s also a mini-game involving Monomi and how she opens up paths to adjacent islands between chapters. It’s not all substantial, but keen players may get a good thirty hours out of it, with the main cases proving the meatiest part.
Danganronpa 2’s presentation is fantastic, with its 2.5D style benefiting from the tropical theme. Gorgeous island scenery, such as a sun-kissed beach with palm trees, serve to make neon-pink murders all the more shocking. Over-the-top executions for convicted killers prove darkly comic, and a plethora of hand-drawn event stills look excellent. Some slowdown and odd-looking stills can be distracting, but aren’t severe. The audio is once again a treat, with the soundtrack proving a standout. With rearranged versions of previous songs, superb new tracks attuned to the island life and some top-notch 8-bit versions of Danganronpa songs, it’s toe-tapping and builds atmosphere very well. Voicework is strong, with a game cast that delivers lines with a balance of emotion and nuance, without seeming grating. The sound effects, such as key character traits and jingles, seem a bit off-balance at points, but don’t prove too distracting.
Danganronpa 2’s presentation is fantastic, with its 2.5D style benefiting from the tropical theme. Gorgeous island scenery, such as a sun-kissed beach with palm trees, serve to make neon-pink murders all the more shocking. Over-the-top executions for convicted killers prove darkly comic, and a plethora of hand-drawn event stills look excellent. Some slowdown and odd-looking stills can be distracting, but aren’t severe. The audio is once again a treat, with the soundtrack proving a standout. With rearranged versions of previous songs, superb new tracks attuned to the island life and some top-notch 8-bit versions of Danganronpa songs, it’s toe-tapping and builds atmosphere very well. Voicework is strong, with a game cast that delivers lines with a balance of emotion and nuance, without seeming grating. The sound effects, such as key character traits and jingles, seem a bit off-balance at points, but don’t prove too distracting.
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Tense, exciting trials and creative storytelling ensure D2 remains absorbing throughout
Danganronpa 2 proves an excellent sequel, but not quite perfect. The story’s subversive tone is certainly welcome, but a few strange detours are more head-scratching than compelling, even accounting for the game’s quirky baseline. Dialogue also feels less concise than in the original, with some long-winded sequences hampering the flow of cases. There are a few translation errors and issues with text display, resulting in dialogue being cut off and requiring you to read the transcript to see fully, though this occurs only very rarely.
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair proves a fantastic sequel, taking the standout qualities of Trigger Happy Havoc and amplifying them with clever design, imaginative storytelling and gameplay improvements. A series of strong cases, excellent characters and numerous effective tweaks result in a superior experience, even if a few small issues prove distracting. For fans of the original and adventure games more generally, this trip to paradise is one of the best experiences the PlayStation Vita has to offer.
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair proves a fantastic sequel, taking the standout qualities of Trigger Happy Havoc and amplifying them with clever design, imaginative storytelling and gameplay improvements. A series of strong cases, excellent characters and numerous effective tweaks result in a superior experience, even if a few small issues prove distracting. For fans of the original and adventure games more generally, this trip to paradise is one of the best experiences the PlayStation Vita has to offer.
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VERDICT
"Amplifying the standout qualities of Trigger Happy Havoc, Danganronpa 2 benefits from a series of strong cases, excellent characters, and numerous gameplay tweaks. It’s one of the strongest games the Vita has to offer." OVERALL: 9/10 |
OTHER CLASSIC HANDHELD INVESTIGATION GAMES REVIEWED
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (2006, DS)
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Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (2014, PlayStation Vita)
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