¡°I didn¡¯t want to figure it out, I didn¡¯t want to know. But I can¡¯t turn away from the truth.¡±

It wouldn¡¯t be a stretch to say that this quote from Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is one that I¡¯ve turned to time and time again in my personal life. I¡¯m not a gifted high school student in the throes of a killing game like the characters in the Danganronpa series. But the game¡¯s themes of hope versus despair and truth against lies is something that deeply resonated with not just me but the global fandom that has developed around the Danganronpa series.

That¡¯s part of the magic of modern visual novels, a niche within the video game world that, while not as widely played as a Legend of Zelda or Call of Duty title, has experienced a renaissance of sorts over the past few decades. Long after the credits roll, it¡¯s the characters, the narrative and the dialogue of these interactive stories that stay with you.