Code Realize: Guardian of Rebirth is a famous otome visual novel, which surely the most experienced will already know. Originally released on PlayStation Vita in 2015, it is now also available on Nintendo Switch and is just waiting to be played!
A unique and interesting setting
Many titles baked by Otomate can certainly boast of particular and suggestive settings and in this case it is just like that. We will find ourselves in one London steampunk at the pinnacle of 19th century technological advancement, controlled by the crown of England and plumbed by the mysterious secret forces, Twilight.
Just as seen on Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms, there will be an intertwining of fictional and real elements, perfectly blending fiction and history. One thing we really like about this type of games is the ability they have to instruct the player through a series of small information that can be found in the Glossary in the game menu.
By doing so, you will surely learn some curiosities about the history of London that can always be useful! In addition, the added fantastic elements serve to give that touch of amazement and intrigue that is needed in a story that still has romance as a side dish.
Another distinctive element of the game is the strange condition of the protagonist Cardia, afflicted by a disease, or rather, a curse, which poisons anyone who comes into physical contact with her. That's not all, suffering from pretty severe amnesia will hardly remember anything from his past, other than his father's name.
Saved and aided by the legendary gentleman thief Arsène Lupine from a potential kidnapping, Cardia sets out on an adventure with him and his friends, knowing nothing of her past.
With these premises, we can already guess that this bizarre condition will be the fulcrum of the entire narrative and also the reason why you should give this title a chance.
A different protagonist than usual
A prominent element of Code Realize is the diversity of the protagonist compared to the classic otome of the moment. We are facing yet another silent character, but this time with a pinch of novelty.
During the course of history we will see a gradual and pleasant change in Cardia's behavior, who will go from a defenseless young maid to an enterprising woman capable of defending herself and making courageous choices.
Normally, it is extremely common to come across protagonists deliberately "tasteless" as the avatar characters can also be interpreted as simple shells that represent only the choices of the player.
Consequently, it is by no means certain that the protagonist of the moment should have a strong characterization. However, Code Realize: Guardian of Rebirth gives us an example to contradict a typical trend and it does it pretty well too.
A well-groomed male cast
The otomes are naturally designed for a female target, even if they are still playable by boys. In the end, the romantic component of these games is not excessive, you will often think you are playing a normal mystery-themed visual novel.
The male cast is made up of historical characters and mythological figures that you have probably heard of several times. Each character will have their own route, which you can access with the right choices throughout the story.
As always, there are different types of characters to satisfy every possible (or almost) female taste. From the shy and awkward type to the swashbuckling type, without forgetting the usual dark type or the rudest one, here too there is nothing really new to report.
Breathtaking views and style to spare
Otomate never ceases to amaze when it comes to aesthetics and good taste. The design of the characters is extremely stylish and “fashionable”, as is clearly visible from the choice of outfits and from the setting given to the models.
Also the scenarios are extremely suggestive and allow a conscious immersion in reading, obviously with an equally worthy soundtrack that fits perfectly.
If you want to feast your eyes and see some style, otomes are surely one of the best choices, especially Code Realize.
We are less satisfied with the game menu interface, which is too simple but still functional and practical. In all honesty, something more characteristic would have helped and given that "plus" that doesn't hurt.
A port that was needed
Nintendo Switch is being lucky enough to receive enough porting from other consoles, such as PlayStation Vita, which enjoyed an excellent title park, if we are talking about niche or oriental-style games.
Otomate has indeed console support confirmed and we will be able to see some good ones in the future, even here in the West maybe!
Fortunately for us (and yours), it is easily possible to recover many pearls now, including Code Realize: Guardian of Rebirth at prices that are all in all adequate.
True, the game is from years ago and on Sony consoles it is available at a discount, but considering that not everyone has a PlayStation Vita, this can be the golden opportunity to compensate.
Among other things, the title enjoys touch support, a factor not to be underestimated since some visual novels on Nintendo Switch do not include this very convenient feature.
Many readers will think (even rightly so) that otomes are titles exclusively aimed at a female audience, and they are not really wrong. However, we reiterate that a male audience can still enjoy this kind of titles, which in practice have more mystery elements than romance.
As already mentioned in the past with the Hakuoki series, the romance component is almost a side dish to the mystery story that envelops the steampunk London described by Code Realize.
The title is recommended for fans and otome fans, being a must have within its genre of belonging.
Highly recommended to the curious or to those who want to expand their knowledge of visual novels to other sub-genres that can amaze in terms of storytelling and aesthetics.
