Nameless;Code Recreation Evaluate

The newest game in the Science Adventure series, Anonymous;Code, takes place in the same universe as Chaos;HEAd, Robotics;Notes, and Steins;Gate. If you’ve ever played or seen the anime versions of any of these visual novels, you probably already know what to anticipate from Anonymous;Code. It has a wide range of people, an underdog group entangled in many real-life conspiracy theories, and a central science fiction idea around which the whole narrative revolves.

Let us begin by discussing the cast. Among the many intriguing characters in Anonymous: Code are Pollon, the enigmatic Momo, the astronaut-turned-detective Tengen, and the fabled hacker Cicada 3301. Regretfully, the problem with Anonymous;Code is that “interesting” does not equate to “fully developed.” With the exception of Momo and Pollon, none of the characters seem very deep or nuanced, and just one scene is dedicated to each character’s past.

This is due to the fact that Anonymous:Code only has one path through the tale, as opposed to multiples for each of the main characters in the game, unlike the other Science Adventure titles. These other paths were fantastic “what if” scenarios to the main story in previous games, which gave the supporting characters more room to grow. The game itself seems like the skeleton of the plot it should have been without them.

All of it is not to imply that Anonymous: Code is a horrible tale. It does an excellent job of fusing science fiction, real-world science, and conspiracy theories, as is customary with the Science Adventure series, to produce an exciting and entertaining narrative with plenty of highs and lows. This time, the main threats are the Vatican’s covert efforts to precipitate the end of the world in accordance with a religious prophesy and the danger posed by Earth simulators that are so accurate that they can predict the future. You have a good Science Adventure story when you combine it with a series of death game obstacles that Cicada 3301 put up to test humanity.

Anonymous: Code’s novel “save/load system” distinguishes it from its other Science Adventure siblings. Throughout the narrative, Pollon establishes a save point in his life. Then, as the narrative progresses, you may have him come back to that spot at crucial junctures, such as when it seems like a dead end or when fresh information is discovered that might have been helpful in the past.

The game’s regrettable drawback is that its save/load mechanism may sometimes be fairly confusing, making it difficult to determine when to load. As a result, you can sometimes find yourself brute-forcing the loading button after each line of text after coming to a standstill in an attempt to identify the ideal moment to load. It goes without saying that if you’re interested in seeing how things turn out, this may pull you out of the narrative and be rather annoying.

Having said that, I did appreciate the less-traveled-path loads you could complete—those that lead to minor side tales like winning the jackpot or taking a whole new approach to the present Cicada 3301 mission—rather of being a part of the main narrative. The game would feel much more complete if there were more of them.

The “meta” portion of the plot, however, is the most inventive and greatest feature of Anonymous;Code. To put it simply, you are a character in the tale as the player. On Pollon’s computer, you are essentially assuming control of the application when you choose to load. He soon realizes that there is intelligence behind all of this, that some unidentified unknown ally is watching over him and assisting him. It comes to the point where Pollon and the other characters talk about you all the time, and your relationship with Pollon is ultimately what really makes the difference. It’s an interesting idea that gives you the impression of being a member of the group in this made-up setting.

In conclusion, if you’ve previously finished the Science Adventure series, Anonymous: Code is a must-play. There are several little crossovers and callbacks that enhance the main plot. However, Anonymous: Code is still a good science fiction adventure even without all of that. Even though it only lasts 20 hours, it’s a lot shorter than the previous games, but it still tells an intriguing story. If you like massive conspiracies, virtual worlds, and hackers, this game has a lot to offer.

On September 8, 2023, Anonymous;Code was made available in North America for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC.