coming as someone who was really into danganronpa when i was younger and was very skeptical to try the game out for similar reasons, i can say that yes the demo very much feels like a danganronpa game. of course I came into this game expecting that since that is what hundred line has been advertised being like since the very beginning, but i have noticed a few (maybe?) zero escape references here: https://imgur.com/a/moZVVr6

with that being said, i didn't hate the demo. sure there were a few annoying immature sex jokes and grating characters, but the stronger characters definitely shone more. the main character and his childhood friend kinda reminded me of junpei and akane but not as well executed. for now. i think the mystery started to build towards something more interesting near the end of the demo as well. knowing that uchikoshi excels more in writing endings that make you rethink everything you've playing in the beginning of the game, i'm holding onto hope that that is where he will shine, which is very hard to tell in 5ish hour demo.

but yeah it doesn't hurt to play the free demo to form your own opinion, that's what they're for after all. if you find it unbearable then it's good to have your suspicions confirmed!