Code: Realize ~Wintertide Miracles~ is an otame visual novel game developed and published by Aksys Games and Idea Factory for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita and is the fourth game in the Code: Realize franchise. Fans of the series will get to experience yet another chapter in Cardia Beckford’s story and have some very festive dates full of winter fun in this most recent installment.
As a Code: Realize newcomer myself, there were many times during my playthrough that I was thoroughly confused on what was going on and who all these characters were. While it didn’t fully hinder my enjoyment of the game, it would’ve helped to have more context on the story and world beforehand. That said, I would recommend starting with either Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~, the first installment of the franchise, or Code: Realize ~Bouquet of Rainbows~, which is a collection of the first two games.
In Code: Realize ~Wintertide Miracles~, the story once again follows the main protagonist Cardia, a young woman with poison flowing through her body, and takes place during the holiday season in steam-punk London. Like the previous games, the player gets to choose to go out on a date with the classic five characters from Lupin’s Crew.
There’s the cunning yet caring master thief Arsène Lupin, the lovable oaf Impey Barbicane, the sincere vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing, the cute nerd Victor Frankenstein, and the mysterious gentleman Saint-Germain. Along with these five options, there are also interesting epilogues for Herlock Sholmes and Finis, and a side-story for Cantarella. In terms of content, Idea Factory went above and beyond to provide die-hard fans the conclusions they wanted with their favorite anime bachelors based on famous literary icons.
But how interesting are the winter scenarios themselves? To be perfectly honest, they can get pretty boring and drag on for quite a while. Some have very light-hearted and funny moments sprinkled into each one that capitalizes on the quirky dynamic between all the different characters. However, I couldn’t help but feel that a lot of the awkward romantic interactions got old after a while and should’ve been trimmed down a bit. At the same time, some of these love-professing moments were touching and it’s clear that fans of the series enjoy seeing these parts the most.
Two of the more notable scenarios that I enjoyed were Van Hellsing and Victor’s. Even though I didn’t know much about what happened in the previous games, Van Hellsing’s story stood out to me because it focused both on his hidden affection towards Cardia and the inner demons he’s struggling with from his past. Thankfully, the game provides enough context into Van Hellsing’s backstory for me to understand what exactly he’s going through, which made him stand out as my favorite among the five. The reason I enjoyed Victor’s story was that it was one of the funniest dates of the bunch, with a complete misunderstanding leading to true love. It also showed a more assertive side to Cardia’s character which wasn’t presented much in the other stories.
Along with the winter events and epilogues, there are also the triangle dates which allows Cardia to enjoy the company of two bachelors. These dates are less romantic and more humorous as it focuses on the bachelors “fighting” for Cardia’s affection. Personally, the sudden competitiveness from the bachelors felt a little strange and took away some of the characters’ better qualities. But they’re worth trying out just for a few laughs and some nice art.
In the end, Code: Realize ~Wintertide Miracles~ gave the impression of a filler game in the franchise that lacks substance in both gameplay and story. While fans can enjoy the stunning visual art and the warm feeling of having a romantic Christmas ending with their favorite bachelors, it doesn’t feel worth it since most of the stories drag on for far too long and aren’t all that captivating. Honestly, the most exciting moments are when they would reference the previous games, which shows how lackluster this latest installment is. Either way, if you’re hungry for some more quality time with the cast of Code: Realize, feel free to give this one a shot.
6.5/10
Check Out the Code: Realize ~Wintertide Miracles~ Trailer:
Code: Realize ~Wintertide Miracles~ will launch for Nintendo Switch on February 25, 2021. You can pre-order the game right now.
Visit http://www.aksysgames.com/wintertide/ for more information.
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Nintendo Switch Review
I've loved playing video games ever since I first played Battletoads on the NES when I was a kid. Since then, I've played a wide variety of games on different systems, including Xbox One, PS4, Switch, and have mostly gravitated towards open-world RPGs and action-adventure games with amazing storylines and character arcs. I'm passionate when comes to writing and interested in working as a narrative designer.
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