First Impressions - Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~

First impressions of Code:Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~

Platform: PS Vita

ESRB: T for Teen

Genre: Visual novel, otome

Release: October 2015

I'm making it a point to buy and play all of the otome visual novels we get over here in the US. Though I haven't posted anything else regarding Norn9, I have finished all of the routes, I just need to get through the epilogue. But this isn't about Norn9, it's about Code:Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~.

Code:Realize is like your typical otome visual novel. You have one heroine and multiple male character routes you can go through, five total in this one. The guys are Arsene Lupin, Impey Barbicane, Abraham Van Helsing, Victor Frankenstein, and Saint Germain. 

What's been completed...

• Impey Barbicane (true ending)
• Abraham Van Helsing (true ending)
• Victor Frankenstein (true ending)
• Count Saint Germain (true ending)

What I like so far...

• The heroine. We all know how annoying and helpless many heroines in these kinds of stories can be, but Cardia (or whatever you may change her name to) doesn't fall into either of those categories. She's spent most of her life in isolation due to her condition and even though she doesn't' know much about the world, she learns quickly and is able to apply that knowledge appropriately even in some really dangerous situations.
• The voice actors. I know, I know. I said the same thing about Norn9, but Morikubo Shoutarou (Impey Barbicane) is in this one, as well as Suwabe Junichi who voices Abraham Van Helsing (the reason should now be obvious as to why Impey and Van Helsing are the two routes I've done first haha). The other three also have recognizable voices: Hirakawa Daisuke as Saint Germain, Kakihara Tetsuya as Victor, and Maeno Tomoaki as Lupin. All the voice acting is well done, but I have to say, I wonder if any of these otome games will get an English dub. Not that I necessary want one, but I think it'd be interesting to hear.
• The stories are pretty good. Some are better than others, but as a whole, they all make sense and end satisfyingly. 

What I don't like so far...

• So many chapters before the stories branch off into character routes! I don't think you get into your guy's route until about chapter 9, and all of those chapters are pretty much the same since they don't really change regardless of who you end up with. 
• I'm not a fan of the England setting and steampunk aesthetic. It's okay, and I'm not saying I don't like it just because it's not set in Japan, but I always find it a little strange when these people are supposed to be in England, but they're speaking Japanese. I get it's a Japanese game and there's really nothing else to be expected, but it always strikes me as a bit odd. A personal qualm that doesn't really mean much.
• Pacing issues. While it's not a problem most of the time, there are some points when things just seem to drag on and on, particularly during missions. They're well-written, but between narration, explanations, Cardia's personal thoughts, character speeches, and monologues, I've found myself pressing through some of it just to get the scene over with. 
• Cardia's poison. This will be a bit of spoiler, but it's described so early on in the game, that if you've played any of it, you'll know about it already. The MC has this condition where anything she touches will melt. She even has to wear special clothes that are resistant to her poison so they won't melt on her flesh. The poison from within her is also released into the air, so no one can stay in an enclosed space with her for a long period of time. Curing this poison is her primary goal and all the guys are trying to help her do this. Now, if the the guys can't even touch the MC without their flesh melting away, there isn't a lot of opportunity for romance and especially not kiss CGs. T.T

Somewhat final verdict

I've enjoyed this game. It's still no Hakuoki, but it's much better than Norn9 and has helped renew my belief that Hakuoki wasn't just exception rather than the rule when it came to the standards for otome visual novels. The heroine is strong and not stupid. She's able to assess a situation and act accordingly. She doesn't veer too much on the "I wanna help no matter what, I just wanna be useful, please let me help even if I just get in the way" like Chizuru in Hakuoki, and she doesn't just stand on the sidelines and hope one of the guys will save her. In fact, she won't even let them protect her since she's so caught up in trying to protect them most of the time.

The game does a lot of things right and not too many things wrong. There are some humorous moments and while the game does take itself a bit too seriously at times, I've enjoyed everything I've played through.