conflict
so many decisions about the plot and the characters are just really, really bad. the premise itself is so bizarre and not handled well in any route. the level design and gameplay are good generally but it dropping weapon usage in favour for debuffs was such a bad decision and also i hate it. the character throwbacks to awakening were too much. characters being able to have kids worked in awakening and was just the absolute worst thing in this game and also i hate it (2x). the cast is decent, especially the player characters families, and theres some good moments when you care about the characters. somehow revelations has the worst plot of each three? which is saying a lot. i have 400 hours+ in this
battler you need more fucking LOVE IN YOUR STUPID HEART
the exploration is usually fun and the combat is good but the characters and plot suck real bad. i found it really really difficult to care about any of the party members let alone to not actively dislike most of them. the player character is bland no matter which options you pick, which is true for the entire game. none of this will stop me from replaying it
This review contains spoilers
solid gameplay and visuals, really good soundtrack, and some great characters. the plot isnt bad and the story of each route has its own unique feeling. -1 star for byleth and -1 star for verdant winds needing to be less similar to silver snow
2016
the game is 5/5 until it gets to the plot
2019
i love this game so much. i would absolutely not recommend anyone play this game without looking at the content warnings first.
dead wishes takes an interesting concept and absolutely delivers on it, theres some routes that feel underdeveloped but there wasnt a single one that didnt capture my interest in terms of both the overall story as well as the characters. theres a generous amount of routes and endings, more than youd usually expect for sure. the tone can vary quite a bit between routes and its written in a way that makes that a strength to the game and not a weakness, though it does mean youll probably find some routes less compelling than others. the player character makes choices that make sense for each route and you can see their personality adapt to their circumstances. the art and the music are both good, the amount of choices you can make and how much they affect the story feels very satisfying and immersive. the writing itself is what saves this from feeling like 'misery porn' and makes it so enjoyable that youll want to experience every route.
for negatives, the ending felt a bit weak to me, like it couldve been expanded on in some way but i did still really like it, and as i mentioned above it does have a feeling or 2 or so routes having less attention paid to them than to the others.
if you dont like feeling miserable this game isnt for you, 5/5
dead wishes takes an interesting concept and absolutely delivers on it, theres some routes that feel underdeveloped but there wasnt a single one that didnt capture my interest in terms of both the overall story as well as the characters. theres a generous amount of routes and endings, more than youd usually expect for sure. the tone can vary quite a bit between routes and its written in a way that makes that a strength to the game and not a weakness, though it does mean youll probably find some routes less compelling than others. the player character makes choices that make sense for each route and you can see their personality adapt to their circumstances. the art and the music are both good, the amount of choices you can make and how much they affect the story feels very satisfying and immersive. the writing itself is what saves this from feeling like 'misery porn' and makes it so enjoyable that youll want to experience every route.
for negatives, the ending felt a bit weak to me, like it couldve been expanded on in some way but i did still really like it, and as i mentioned above it does have a feeling or 2 or so routes having less attention paid to them than to the others.
if you dont like feeling miserable this game isnt for you, 5/5
This review contains spoilers
not that danganronpa as a series has ever had the best cast of characters but drv3 was the worst of the lot by far. the new trial mechanics were good, and it had the best ending in the series