This review will be completely spoiler-free, but I do want to write a spoiler version in the future once I’ve finally completed every route. So, you can consider this review from the perspective of someone who has finished the first core route and is currently playing some other routes here and there.

Kodaka and Uchikoshi’s Insanity in Full Showcase

This is an insane game, even by the standards of both Kodaka and Uchikoshi. We’ve seen and played Danganronpa and Zero Escape, and while this game really does feel like a hybrid of the two, it feels so much more expansive than both. It’s kind of absurd. I have over 50 hours in the game at the moment, and I’ve only completed fully the initial route and I’ve gotten about 8 shorter endings.

The game didn’t draw me in at first, mostly because I didn’t find the character designs as appealing as in Rui Komatsuzaki’s previous works. Plus, the characters came off as somewhat obnoxious to me. Everyone in this game is quite extreme, almost archetypal in their depiction. But as you spend the long 100 days with them in the main route and the alternative routes, I found myself really falling in love with most of the characters. I didn’t end up disliking a single one. This game is a slow burn, both in its character development and its mysteries. I mean, there are 100 endings.

I honestly became quite addicted to this game and can’t wait to play through all the routes. The mysteries keep piling up, and it’s the kind of experience that can only be delivered through a game of this size. It’s something wild from the minds of Kodaka and Uchikoshi that we might never see again, at least not on this level of scale.

The Hundred Line

As you probably already know, the story follows a group of students who must defend a mysterious academy known as The Last Defense Academy for reasons that are initially unknown. They are regularly attacked by creatures called Invaders and are forced to fight in a war they barely understand. The game unfolds over a series of days, and the goal is to survive until the final 100th day. The name Hundred Line also refers to the fact that the game contains 100 endings, which again is insane. While the premise may not seem as immediately mysterious as the killing game in Danganronpa or the Saw-like scenarios in Zero Escape, trust me when I say that mysteries and secrets are everywhere in this game. You will likely need to explore multiple routes to fully uncover them.

The gameplay itself is a turn-based tactical RPG that feels well-designed overall. I focused more on the story aspect since that is what usually draws me to Kodaka and Uchikoshi’s work, not necessarily the gameplay. That said, the gameplay works well. It is a bit on the easier side, which may actually be a pro for players unfamiliar with the genre. There is a wide range of characters and plenty of options to experiment with in battle, like placing fences to block enemies or using potions to boost your powers. The game also does not punish you too harshly for neglecting to level up certain characters.

It’s very hard to talk about this game without spoiling anything, so I honestly don’t even know what to say anymore. The game is too big to discuss in a short review like this, and anything truly worthwhile would involve spoilers. That’s why I really want to write a spoiler review or at least a discussion of every single route, because I just really loved it.

One of My GOTY So Far and I’m Not Even Done Yet

As a lifelong Danganronpa fan, I have to say this game surpassed it for me. The characters feel much more developed, the amount of story and worldbuilding it offers is impressive, and so far the execution has been much better than what I’ve seen in Kodaka’s recent works like Tribe Nine (mostly referring to the anime) or Akudama Drive. I can’t recommend this game enough. It has been such a fun and massive time sink. I’m still playing through it, trying to find all the routes, and the sheer scope keeps surprising me with how much content there is. From what I’ve seen, even though I haven’t finished every route yet, there seems to be something for everyone. Each route might focus on a specific character or overarching story, and you might be surprised by who you end up liking, even if you spent all 100 days in the main route without connecting to anyone.

That said, I’m sorry for not being more specific. This game is nearly impossible to review in a spoiler-free format, so this is the best I can offer for now. I love it. It might end up being my game of the year, and that alone might be all you need to know.

If you’re a fan of Kodaka and Uchikoshi’s usual writing style, you’ll probably love this. If you’re into visual novels and enjoy making choices that shape the story, it might take about 30 hours before you really get to make major decisions, but it’s completely worth it. As someone who loves choose-your-own-adventure games, I don’t think there’s anything else on the market with this level of scope, at least in terms of playtime.

For tactical RPG fans, the game might be a bit too easy, to be honest. But if you think you’ll enjoy a great mystery story with some rather intense characters, and I mean quite intense, some people even call them “extreme anime” characters. That might put off a few players, but if you don’t mind characters like that, or if you are an avid anime fan, then please give this game a try.

I cannot recommend this game enough.