Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Interview – Creator Shares all the Sexy and Disturbing Post-Launch Details

Everyone loves a good mystery. However, when the mind behind the Danganronpa series is behind the wheel, you may need some time to mentally prepare for the experience. Don’t let the charming and cartoonish design of Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE fool you. This is a fully fledge detective experience with a cast of characters you want to root for, even though they may have their share of flaws.

To learn more about this game and what post-launch plans are in the works, we sat down with creator Kazutaka Kodaka to discuss his most recent game.

Azario Lopez: Now that Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE is available, can you provide details on the extra story DLC that’s been announced?

Kazutaka Kodaka: So the DLC is separate from the main game. The main game has an ending, but the DLC will act as side-story content taking place during the events of the main story. Throughout the game, the Master Detectives can be seen as the sub-characters. But in the DLCs, you can control the Master Detectives and use them to investigate the case.

AL: What was the reason behind giving these characters extra screen time?

KK: During the game, the Master Detectives are Yuma’s partners. But they also have their own cases to investigate and solve themselves. I wanted to show how they approach the investigation through their own stories.

AL: Aside from the Master Detectives, the antagonists, the Amaterasu Peacekeepers, have some unique character designs and their own personalities. However, I feel like they don’t have enough screen time. Is there any chance that we can see more of the Peacekeepers in their own side stories?

KK: So, the Peacekeepers didn’t have much screen time because they’re villains, and sadly, they won’t be featured in the DLCs. However, if they become popular, maybe I will expand on them more.

Spike Chunsoft: It’s really up to the players.

AL: Yeah. I really liked Seth Burroughs. I just want to know what he was doing before all this, maybe see him during high school.

Laughs

AL: Now that the game has been released, what are your feelings? Are you relieved, or is it business as usual for you and your team?

KK: Since Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE was released, like close to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Final Fantasy XVI, I was a bit worried about the release and reception since it’s not a AAA game. Still, I feel like I was able to convey the unique elements of Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE to allow it to stand out. I also notice it received positive reviews. So, I’m relieved.

AL: I want to talk a little bit about Shinigami and Yuma’s relationship. Yuma has lost his memories and doesn’t really have confidence in his abilities, so he relies on others. However, Shinigami and Yuma are complete opposites of each other. While this works, I’d like to know how you came up with this relationship, as it’s quite brilliant how it plays out.

KK: I first thought about Shinigami’s characteristics and how she really likes mysteries. She is ultimately a character who does things at her own pace without caring about what others think. I wanted to make the partner one that is constantly distracted by her and disturbed by her selfishness. By thinking about this, Yuma was born. When I was creating his characteristics, he developed into a character who lacks confidence.

AL: Do you feel like Yuma has more room to grow? If this becomes a series, can we see him become more confident in his abilities as a Master Detective?

KK: Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE is a new IP, but took a lot of work to bring together. I spent a lot of time looking over what worked and what didn’t and created this game. I would love to make a sequel, but I’m still not sure if Yuma and Shinigami will be the main characters again. I’ll pay attention to the opinions and feedback from those who play to create more stories with this IP.

Spike Chunsoft: So it’s really up to the players again. Otherwise, they may not be in the next game. Laughs.

AL: There was a recent interview where you said that you wanted Shinigami to be sexier. Do you feel like she is at her peak sexiness in the game?

KK: So I am very satisfied with her design. I’ve also spent a lot of time looking through her expressions during dialogue. I think that she is a great balance of sexy and mysterious.

AL: The size of the explorable areas in Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE is pretty ambitious. Was this overwhelming from a creation standpoint like, oh man, we have to make another area? How are we going to do this?

KK: When it comes to visual novels, players get to read through scenes and move about the world automatically. But for Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE, I wanted to create a game where players can have their own experience. You could go into the cities and look around the room by yourself. This was my general idea, but we did have a hard time bringing this concept to fit on the Nintendo Switch.

AL: Do you think that the game will release on other consoles?

KK: Only Spike Chunsoft will know.

AL: Is there anything you’d like to share for people looking forward to Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE?

KK: When it comes to mystery games, I think it’s good to play on a big screen, but I also like the idea of users being able to play while they’re in bed. I think the Switch is a very good platform for that. It’s a unique game where players can experience gameplay elements that they can only find in Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE. So I hope you play it.

Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE is available now on Nintendo Switch. In case you missed it, check out our review.