Danganronpa is a Japanese visual novel game series consisting of three main line games (Trigger Happy Havoc, Goodbye Despair, and Killing Harmony), along with the spinoff game Ultra Despair Girls and two anime series.
The first game, Trigger Happy Havoc, was released in Japan in 2010, while it was later localized for western audiences in 2014. While all the games feature a suspenseful atmosphere, I personally believe this game sets that tone the best and leaves you constantly wondering what awful thing will come next.
Super Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair was released in Japan in 2012 and brought to North America in 2014. The game continues the story of Hope's Peak Academy and its Ultimate students, set on a tropical island which quickly derails into another killing game. This game is likely the most popular in the series, for good reason! The music, characters, and setting are all fantastic and I cannot wait to see what they do with Danganronpa 2x2, the remake announced for a 2026 release.
New Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony released in Japan in January 2017, coming to North America and Europe in Winter the same year. This game features a cast of characters and events unrelated to the previous two games. The game promotes the main series' first female protagonist and is also currently my favorite of the series! I like it best for the multiple twists and turns of the story, the characters, and the aesthetics in the trials.