Plot: Code: Realize is about the protagonist Cardia (the name is changeable) who lives in an abandoned home in the forest. Her body carries a deadly poison, and touching her is enough to be killed. When the British military tries to take her in, legendary phantom thief Arsene Lupin steps in and saves her. He promises to steal her heart and help her find her father, as he’s looking for him too. Joining them is Victor Frankenstein, Impey Barbicane, Van Helsing, and Saint Germaine. What happens when Cardia realizes that she’s in over her head?
Thoughts:
The art is strikingly fantastic. The characters have interesting designs without being too cluttered. After playing the game, I’d like to say it’s an otome game any fan could enjoy because of it’s great pacing, and easy to get into story. It never felt like it dragged on despite being an absolutely massive game. The writing was great, and I always felt the stakes. The interactions were charming and I always loved watching the banter between the characters. The whole game was an absolute joy.
Characters, and final verdict below the line!
Characters:
Arsene Lupin: Gentlemen thief extraordinaire. He sympathizes with the MC for being locked up her whole life. He promises to steal her heart. He’s probably the most balanced in the group. He has his goals he has to achieve in finding Isaac Bedford. He steals for a good cause kind of like Robin Hood. He is the final route much like Ukyo from Amnesia.
Impey Barbicane: A lighthearted character who claims he’s in love with the MC. Although he’s very goofy, he takes his work very seriously. He fixed up an injured corgi named Sisi and gave her a mechanical prosthetic. Arguably the kindest in the group. He’s also the group’s chef.
Victor Frankenstein: The most mild mannered guy in the bunch. He’s very soft spoken, and tries his hardest to be brave. He’s the one who came up with Cardia’s second outfit. Her skin melts through all clothing but her special outfit, so he reverse engineered her an outfit she can move around easier in.
Saint Germain: He’s the most mysterious in the group. Everyone lives in his mansion filled with antiques he’s collected. Saint Germain lets the group stick around because he finds them all very amusing, so letting them room in his home is worth the trouble.
Abraham Van Helsing: He was originally adamant about killing Cardia because of some misinformation. He joins the group without trusting them much. Van Helsing bears a heavy cross known as his past. If you appreciate tortured characters then there are tears to be shed on his route.
Pros:
Almost everything is a pro for this game. The music, art and writing are all fantastic. The character writing is great. The story is simple enough so every single person could get into it, and the pacing is great so you never feel like the story is just trying to fill or that it’s dragging it’s feet.
Cons:
The game itself is massive so you might feel impatient getting to Lupin’s route even if you’re having a great time on everyone else’s route.
The Verdict:
An absolute must buy. There is so much good in this game, that I feel like it’s the staple otome that everyone fan should have played. If you somehow haven’t played Code: Realize then it is a shame, and I hope you will soon. The game is such a great value, and I can’t praise it enough.
