The mobile version of Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is here after quite a wait, with Android and iOS ports available. Given the nature of the game, people might wonder how well it works. After all, this is a huge Danganronpa installment. It does a lot! There’s a lot of data! It’s visually intense. But even considering all that, it functions better than I expected.
The first thing I noticed is the cost. I’m a big fan of the Danganronpa V3 iOS price, as the mobile version is the cheapest one. On both the PS4 and PC, a digital copy will normally cost you $39.99. The Switch version goes for $29.99. Grabbing it from the App Store or Google Play only costs someone $15.99. Considering the size and scope of the game, it’s frankly a ridiculous deal. To compare, it only hit that 60% off price point during the 2022 Golden Week PlayStation Store and Steam sale.
Once I actually started playing it, I was surprised at how good this port is. Danganronpa V3 is the most demanding of the three mainline games, and the mobile version was running rather well on my 2018 iPad Pro. Visually, it looked great. The trials had some issues, but I think the movement problems I experienced were the kind of bug that could be patched out rather than a genuine issue. They might even be attributed to the age of my device. It looks very good, considering the compromises needed to likely get it running on a phone or tablet.
There is an issue I noticed once I finished the prologue. Danganronpa V3 will begin downloading additional data once it is done. However, it seems like there might be a bug here too. It will sometimes look as though the data isn’t downloading at a steady pace, even though it is. Given the extra data was an over 2GB download on iOS devices, this can take a while. I recommend having your phone or tablet plugged in and on WiFi. Maybe check the screen every once in a while, to make sure the bar is gradually progressing. When I gave it enough time, it worked out. It just meant jumping from 0% to 48% along the way.
I also appreciated how well the touchscreen controls worked, for the most part. When investigating, they work great. It is responsive and accurate. I had no problem with the game picking out what I was selecting. Granted, I was using an iPad Pro, so I did have plenty of surface space. The menu and UI are also very well organized. I did notice that during trials things sometimes weren’t as snappy as they are during the more leisurely looks around the school. But again, it is quite functional. I wasn’t too concerned as well, as it could be something that perhaps could be adjusted with patches down the road or be due to the age of my tablet.
The downside is, I can not get used to the virtual control pad for moving around Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles. How it works is this. On the left side of the screen is the virtual joypad used to move. On the right is the one that controls the camera. During the introductory segment, in which Exisals are chasing Kaede, it’s pretty difficult to get your bearings! (Yes, the pun is intended.) It took me a few tries to find the “sweet spot” to make her run. And it wasn’t until after I could freely explore the school that I finally figured out how to make it work for me. Still, it isn’t comfortable! It doesn’t work well, which is sad considering how well the rest of the port functions.
In fact, I was also delighted to see that the Danganronpa V3 iOS version worked on another platform. While it isn’t verified for macOS, I found it worked just fine on my MacBook Air. Granted, I was just messing around when I tried it. Especially since there’s no controller support and I didn’t have a touchscreen to make those exploration segments easier. But it is a welcome surprise to see that yes, someone could play it on a Mac if they are patient enough.
I’d say Danganronpa V3 has the potential to be really great on mobile devices. The virtual analog sticks take some getting used to. Class trials too. But the game generally looks great and runs rather well, all things considered. It being on more platforms is a perk too. It’s a fantastic thriller and adventure, and this just means more people can enjoy it.
The mobile port of Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is available on Android and Apple iOS devices. People can also find it on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Vita, and PC.
