Ludography
More scores
Metacritic usersuser score
73/100
GameFAQsEasy
4.12/5
Player reviews
96% positive4,681 reviews
Steam Deck
Unsupported
Runs on
Windows
Price
US$19.99

Where to get it

Dramatical Murder Re:code cover

2012 · Nitro chiral · Boys' Love · LGBT themes

Dramatical Murder Re:code

PlayStation console exclusive

2012 video game

Released
23 March 2012
Platforms
PlayStation VitaWindows
Genres
Boys' LoveLGBT themesScience
Developers
Nitro chiral
Publishers
—
Modes
Single-player
Country
Japan
Time to beat
9hmain story24hcompletionist

About

Dramatical Murder (ドラマティカル マーダー, Doramatikaru Mādā; stylized as DRAMAtical Murder) is a Japanese BL visual novel developed and published by Nitro+chiral. It was originally released on March 23, 2012, for Windows PCs as a first press edition, with a regular edition released on April 27, 2012. A fan disc follow-up titled Dramatical Murder re:connect, also for Windows PCs, was released on April 26, 2013, adding additional scenes, images and songs to the existing routes, as well as four new character routes to play through. On October 30, 2014, a version of the visual novel aimed at ages 15 and above titled Dramatical Murder re:code was released for the PlayStation Vita which removed the sex scenes, toned down the violence, and included an additional route for the character Mizuki.

An anime adaption by studio NAZ premiered on July 6, 2014. It is directed by Kazuya Miura, with Touko Machida and Kabura Fuchii handling series composition, Yukiko Ban designing the characters and Yuki Hayashi composing the music.

Players say

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Dramatical Murder is a science fiction and romance visual novel in which players assume the role of Aoba Seragaki. Much of its gameplay is spent reading the story's narrative and dialogue. Dramatical Murder follows a branching storyline with multiple endings. Depending on the decisions the player makes during the game, the plot will progress in different directions.

The game initially features four main plot lines, one for each of Aoba's potential suitors. Following the completion of all four, a fifth one is unlocked for Ren. Throughout gameplay, the player is given multiple options to choose from, and text progression pauses at these points until a choice is made. Each decision awards one point to Koujaku, Noiz, Clear or Mink respectively. The suitor who has amassed the largest number of points is the one whose plot line, "route", will be played.

Story

Dramatical Murder is set in the near future on the fictional island of Midorijima (碧島), Japan. At some point in the game's recent history, the island was privatized by the powerful Toue Konzern (東江コンツェルン, Tōe Kontserun) and turned into a resort called Platinum Jail (プラチナ・ジェイル, Purachina Jeiru), with the island's original residents being forced to live in the Old Residential District (旧住民区, Kyū-Jūmin-ku). Protagonist Aoba Seragaki lives on the island and works at a store named Junk Shop Mediocrity (平凡, Heibon), hoping to live a simple life. However, after being forcefully dragged into the popular cyber game Rhyme (ライム, Raimu) with its virtual world and its use of Allmates (オールメイト, Ōru Meito), mobile devices that usually appear as if they are the owner's pets, and hearing rumors about disappearances involving Ribsteez (リブスティーズ, Ribusutīzu), turf wars between groups, all semblance of a peaceful life for Aoba ends.

==== Main characters ====

Development

Dramatical Murder was originally released as an adult game on March 23, 2012, playable on Windows PCs as either a digital download or DVD. On April 26, 2013, a fan disc called Dramatical Murder re:connect was released; it included extra scenes, expanded upon the endings with scenes that take place before and after them, new CG images, songs and a minigame.

On October 30, 2014, a revised version titled Dramatical Murder re:code was released for PlayStation Vita in Japan. This version was aimed at ages 15 and above, removing explicit sex scenes, toning down violence, and adding a new character route not present in the original PC version.

Reception

Dramatical Murder ranked third in Rice Digital's list of "Top 10 English Yaoi Games" and the second highest Nitro+chiral visual novel, following Togainu no Chi. The review states: "everything about DRAMAtical Murder is bizarre, but it makes for a very interesting game".

As of October 2024, Twitch prohibits livestreaming the game.

Editions and related releases

Derivative works
Dramatical Murder

Games like this

Collections1 collection

Platform libraries

Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.