The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy – A Nod to Danganronpa with a Fresh Spin on Beloved Tropes

Earlier this month, I wrapped up Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, marking the end of my journey through a captivating franchise that’s gripped me ever since its resurgence during the 2020 lockdowns. This timing couldn’t have been better, as it prepared me for the demo of The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, showcased at this month’s Steam Next Fest. The vivid conclusion to Kazutaka Kodaka’s renowned series was still fresh in my mind as I delved into this new venture.

Kodaka, along with a few former Spike Chunsoft colleagues, launched Too Kyo Games around the time V3 hit the shelves in 2017. Since then, their projects have often been seen as spiritual successors to Danganronpa. However, titles like World’s End Club in 2020 and Master Detective Archives: Rain Code in 2023 left some fans yearning. Although they shared a similar essence, the absence of certain Danganronpa elements—like the infamous killing games or school settings—was palpable.

Naturally, The Hundred Line is being viewed through the same lens. After playing the demo, it’s clear the game leans heavily into these comparisons, arguably more than its predecessors. The music and sound effects are so reminiscent that they almost feel like recycled parts of Danganronpa’s auditory fabric. Couple that with character designs that evoke a sense of quirky familiarity akin to encountering distant cousins at a family wedding, and the nods to Danganronpa are unmistakable.

The opening thirty minutes unfurl almost like a déjà vu experience. Through back-to-back animated, voice-driven scenes, you follow an ordinary teenager and his not-quite-girlfriend on a seemingly mundane school day that turns bizarre, leading to an awakening in a strange classroom with a bizarre, cartoon-like mascot at the helm.

Too Kyo cleverly toys with players’ expectations, presenting a character excited by the idea of a battle royale scenario. But here’s where the game pivots: instead of a kill-or-be-killed drama, The Hundred Line morphs into a turn-based strategy where characters must unite to fight menacing robots and odd monsters, actively working to prevent the calamity that often looms in the background of Danganronpa games.

Now, I’m no veteran of turn-based tactics, but I found The Hundred Line to be an intriguing balance of strategic challenge without breaking new ground. It seems poised to serve as an accessible entry into strategy gaming for those more steeped in visual novels, rather than the reverse.

The demo covers the first week within the game, ending on a cliffhanger I’ll avoid spoiling. While it’ll likely please those familiar with Kodaka’s past works, I don’t believe it’s trying to discreetly reignite the Danganronpa’s killing game spirit. I’m relieved it takes a different path. Having just completed Kodaka’s lengthy discourse on why he shouldn’t be pigeonholed into endlessly replicating Danganronpa, I have faith that if a fourth installment ever gets made, it’ll be under the Danganronpa name, or something clearly akin to it.

Approaching The Hundred Line purely seeking a Danganronpa experience isn’t the best mindset. However, the game wants fans to know it understands what made Danganronpa beloved: the charmingly eccentric characters and wild narratives. It promises those, just not within the constraints of the old formulas.

What I’ve seen so far suggests a delicate balance between launching into fresh territory and indulging in nostalgic echoes. Whether it leans more into innovation or familiar comfort is yet to be seen, but I’m eager to see where it leads. In a way, launching this sort-of sequel in 2025 suggests a timely message: collaboration holds more promise than conflict, perhaps evolving the narrative tropes to something more unifying.

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy demo is out on Steam, with its full release set for April 24th on Windows and Nintendo Switch. PC gamers can rejoice, as progress from the demo will carry over to the complete game.