In Anonymous;Code, a young hacker named Pollon Takaoka is a member of a group called Nakano Symphonies. It takes place in Tokyo in 2037. In addition to earning money and helping people out, Pollon hacks alongside his friend Cross, even though he doesn’t enjoy it much.
It’s when Pollon comes across an enigmatic young lady called Momo that things quickly escalate. It’s while Pollon is trying to save her from being abducted by a shady military unit that he realizes he has the unique ability to Save and Load the world. By using what he’s learned and experienced, he can basically change the future. It’s an interesting mechanic, especially since you’re the one who activates when Pollon uses it, which can lead to different endings.
There are some intriguing backstories about Pollon’s friends, but most of the time you are thrown straight back into the main narrative after a brief discussion. Although the main story is so dramatic, with deadly threats from a mysterious hacker, a religion conspiracy, and shadowy government organizations, the characters aren’t given enough time to shine. Consequently, you won’t feel any emotional attachment to the characters, so the story doesn’t reach the same highs and lows as Steins;Gate.
Despite that, it’s still an entertaining visual novel and a worthy addition to the Science Adventure series. Whenever there’s a big ‘action movie’ moment, the artwork is dramatic, with comic book vignettes. There is also an option to hear the original Japanese version if you prefer the English voice overs.
It’s a great place to start if you’ve never played the other games in the series. Despite references to past events, these are well explained in the moment. This visual novel is worth your time if you’re looking for something new.
Pros:
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A clever save/load system.
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A good story.
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Beautiful work.
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Japanese and English voices.
Cons:
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Character development is lacking.
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Some endings can be tricky.
This game gets a 7 out of 10.