Mini Review: Anonymous;Code (PS4) - Exciting Visual Novel, But Lacks Character Depth

Anonymous;Code is the latest visual novel in the Science Adventure series. It takes place in 2037 Tokyo and focuses on Pollon Takaoka, a young hacker who's part of a group called Nakano Symphonies. Pollon doesn’t particularly enjoy being a hacker and isn’t even that skilled at it, but he does it along with his friend Cross to earn money and help people out.

Things quickly begin to escalate when he comes across an enigmatic young lady called Momo. It’s while Pollon is trying to save her from being abducted by a shady military unit that he realises he has the unique ability to Save and Load the world. This means he can essentially go back in time and use the knowledge and experience he's gained to change the future. It’s an interesting mechanic, especially as it’s you as the player who activates when Pollon uses this skill, which can lead you to different endings.

While Pollon has some interesting friends, it doesn’t always feel like they’re given enough of the spotlight. There are some intriguing backstories, but most of the time you’re only given a brief conversation to discuss their past before being thrown straight back into the main narrative. It’s great that the main story is so dramatic, with deadly challenges from a mysterious hacker, conspiracies involving religion, and shadowy government organisations, but it’s a shame the characters aren’t given enough time to shine. Because of this, you’re unlikely to have any real attachment to them, and so the story never reaches the same emotional highs and lows of its predecessor, Steins;Gate.

Despite that, it’s still a really entertaining visual novel and a worthy addition to the Science Adventure series. A large part of this is thanks to the gorgeous artwork, which includes dramatic comic book vignettes whenever there’s a big ‘action movie’ moment. The English voice overs are also well done and it’s great that there’s the option to hear the original Japanese version if you prefer.

Even if you’ve not played the other games from the series, Anonymous;Code is a great place to start due to its standalone story. While there are a handful of references to past events, these are well-explained in the moment. If you’re looking for an exciting new visual novel, this one is well worth your time.