While nearly all visual novels take their time in crescendoing, Guardian of Rebirth is especially slow to do so. If there’s any one particular barrier to Code: Realize‘s enjoyment factor, though, it’s the pacing. It’s easy to get lost in the game’s many moments of grandeur when the world- and character-building are done so with a great deal of forethought and sharp writing. Much of this is due to solid prose and dialogue that bring the tale to life. Though its humor is never dolled out self-referentially or in poor taste, seemingly knowing how to weave a tale that manages to hit many peaks and valleys, be them comedic or serious. Even in its tame, more tender moments, its silliness is hard to deny. At times, characters can feel a little archetypal, but for the most part they manage to stay away from overused tropes though when the writers do go down that route, the tropes are handled in interesting ways instead of the usual “here we go again” way. Like any good visual novel, these diverse characterizations are brought to light through their interaction with Cardia and each other. Each cast member has their own unique personality that comes through either in certain body language quirks they show, dialect, or just their general agenda in Cardia’s endeavor. It’s thanks to the superb writing and characterizations that ultimately make this a real page-turner of sorts. Instead, the storytelling here is one that finds a nice cadence of getting down to business while also knowing when to throw in a joke or light-hearted moment to keep the experience compelling. This is not a visual novel that takes itself too terribly seriously, yet at the same time, never devolves into eye-rolling comedy either. The very inclusion of these characters sets the tone for Guardian of Rebirth quite well. Sherlock Holmes, Arsène Lupin, Abraham Van Helsing and Victor Frankenstein are just a few of the famous “faces” players will meet along the way. The men she meets are all characters from classic literature. Due to the general nature of visual novels, over the course of Cardia’s quest players meet and have the opportunity to court various male characters–though there is a caveat here. As a young girl who has been locked away in a mansion by her father, and left in complete isolation due to a condition she has that poisons anyone who touches her, Cardia’s tale is one of cultural discovery and self-exploration as players follow her on her journey of finding her father and seeking answers to the many questions she has. As an otome visual novel, Code: Realize‘s star of show is in fact a female character by the name of Cardia. As a Vita exclusive, this sizable visual novel from developer Otomate sets itself apart well from the rest of the pack, which is important as the market fills up with like-games.Ĭode: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~ takes the traditional visual novel experience - of one male character interacting with a host of potential female suitors - and turns it on its head. Thus far, the PC and Vita are decidedly the go-to consoles for visual novels, at least here in the States, and the release of Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~ is not breaking from that mold. On top of that, studios seem to really be focusing in on which systems are the ideal platforms for these kinds of experiences. Aksys Games is one of those companies that are helping to bring the historically Japan-only niche to wider audiences here in the West. Instead, it would seem that larger publishers are getting behind localization efforts for these types of titles. And with heavy hitters like Clannad and Muv-Luv still waiting in the wings for a release, it doesn’t look like the genre is going anywhere any time soon. The visual novel market has exploded over the last eighteen to twenty-four months.
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