Parents' Guide to Danganronpa 1-2 Reload

While the content of these adventure/mystery games is grisly, the experience can be deep and engaging for mature players. Lots of people might say their high school years were murder, but for the students of Hope's Peak Academy, this is literally the case. If you've never heard of Danganronpa before, the best way to describe the series is to imagine Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney meets Saw, by way of Saved by the Bell. And if that sounds weirdly twisted and macabre, you're on the right track. The game's high school setting and the students' unique personalities hide the brutality of the actions taking place. Make no mistake, though. The scenes of torture, murder, and execution, coupled with the dialogue and plot of the game fall right into grindhouse territory in terms of shock value. Don't let the game's anime art style fool you -- this is most definitely not for kids.

Once you're able to look past the shock value and start digging into the actual game, the Danganronpa series is actually a deep and entertaining experience. Your observational skills are put to the test as you seek out evidence and talk to fellow students to try to sort out the clues you'll need to discover the identity of the killers. Once the Class Trials begin, you're not only tested on your detective skills, but you'll also rely on a keen sense of timing to be successful in the different mini-games and actually use your evidence. The games do a phenomenal job of starting off slowly and easing you into your role before ramping up the difficultly. By the time you've reached the end of each game, you can't help but feel a bit of pride in sussing out the truth and bringing the stories to their conclusion.