This is absolutely amazing. I played through all four existing trials today, and each one just gets better and better in quality. At this rate, I'd guess we'd have a functional Nonstop Debate and Closing Argument (rather than text boxes) for Case 5 and a full-blown investigation section for Case 6. I kid, I kid, but I am curious as to what new thing will happen.

Everything on the DR side of things feels spot on. Character growth feels exactly right for a DR game. I'm sad it was Hat Kid specifically that died (versus, say, Bow Kid) because I absolutely love HK's trial sprites. Extra love to the 'sideways stance, hands in pockets' sprite. That said, it has opened me up to ideas I hadn't considered, in which you effectively play as everyone as the trial demands. It feels like everyone's contributing, rather than a couple people constantly leading the trial. The Alpine Nomad is the surprise black horse here for me. I absolutely love them!

If I have two actual grievances, it's to do with some plot details. Case 4 spoiler warning for anyone reading this before playing the case!

The fact there were five traitors, plus the fact that one had already died, made it pretty obvious who they were. Less obvious, but still fairly easy to intuit, was that the rest of them were more of the 'sleeper agent' style (the Subconite's statement about the others being special cases in Case 3). I take particular issue with the assertion that Hat Kid signed their life away, because contracts don't work like that. A pocket dimension, or a simulacrum, or even just a 'replay' function of the Time Pieces would make sense for it, but Hat Kid has no power of attorney over any of the traitors. It's not hers to sign away.

It's clear that Snatcher needs contracts to function at all. The finale being what it is, I doubt he'd have bothered to make a contract with the Alpine Goat unless he literally couldn't prove the explosive fruit without one. Death Wish makes it clear that he is actually bound by the BFF clause in the contract Hat Kid altered (presumably because he stamped it), with Death Wish implying that it's the sort of thing he'd do with a hypothetical 'BFF'. Furthermore, if Hat Kid could sign other people away like that into servitude, Snatcher could have just made a contract with the first random ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ to come into his territory that says he gains ownership/control of anyone who wanders into his forest.

The lesser grievance, and related to the above, is that while the trials themselves I can see falling under the 'games with BFF' loophole, the framing is another thing entirely.

...Actually, now that I think about it, the idea that Hat Kid is the traitor, and her thinking this is just another Death Wish contract (or bribed with dyes/clothes) would have made one heck of a twist.

Edit: One quality-of-life improvement I'd suggest is marking the statements you can present evidence on in some way as to remind you as to if you'd be Countering, Concurring, or Perjuring that statement. This isn't a problem in the actual game, since you can see the color of the statement as you select it, but it is a bit of an issue here. I'd recommend marking Countering with [C], Concurring with [A] (for Agreement), and Perjuring with

.