Code of Princess

Fast and thoroughly enjoyable throwback to classic side-scrolling RPGs, but too much content is hidden behind Multiplayer.

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In "Code of Princess," players control the princess Solange and her allies in a side-scrolling action RPG, fighting against numerous enemies and bosses in a quest to protect the kingdom of DeLuxia. The game features a variety of playable characters, each with unique abilities and weapons, and supports both single-player and multiplayer modes. With colorful graphics and a light-hearted story, "Code of Princess" offers a fast-paced and engaging experience.

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Play Modes

Reviews

51%

Audience ScoreBased on 256 reviews

story35 positive mentions

grinding30 negative mentions

The game features a large roster of playable characters, each with unique abilities, encouraging diverse playstyles.
The combat system is satisfying, with a mix of RPG elements that allow for character growth and customization.
The character designs and art style are colorful and appealing, contributing to an enjoyable visual experience.

The port suffers from low-resolution graphics and clunky controls, making gameplay feel unresponsive at times.
The localization is poorly executed, with mismatched dialogue and awkward translations that detract from the story.
The game can become repetitive, with short missions and a grinding requirement that may frustrate players.

story
173 mentions
20 % positive mentions
72 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally viewed as simplistic and somewhat generic, often described as a typical anime fantasy narrative with a mix of humor and memorable characters. While some players appreciate the lighthearted dialogue and the ability to experience the story from different character perspectives, others criticize the localization and pacing, noting that the story feels underdeveloped and lacks depth. Overall, it offers a fun, albeit short, experience that can be enjoyed alongside its gameplay mechanics.
- “Though the story is short (took me about 4 hours), the characters are memorable, the sprite work is good, and some of the dialogue is pretty funny.”
- “I really do enjoy the storytelling, the mix of hi-res backgrounds with lo-res characters.”
- “Overall, I'd say that the game is good for its price, with a fun story, competent voice acting and music, good 2D character art with poor 'sprites' and a nice little beat 'em up.”
- “Take a game that is either boring or frustrating at any given moment, throw in a trite story and a bad localization, and it's an altogether unpleasant bundle of shortcomings.”
- “Unfortunately, the story and the characters are entirely uninteresting shallow tropes.”
- “The story isn't anything new or clever, nor is the dialogue which borders on incredibly lame, but is fortunately quite skippable.”
graphics
80 mentions
28 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Code of Princess" have received mixed reviews, with many players noting the pixelated character models and overall low resolution typical of a 3DS port, which some find unattractive. While the colorful art style and smooth animations at 60fps are appreciated, the lack of graphical improvements in the PC and Switch versions has disappointed others, leading to a consensus that the visuals may detract from the overall experience for those sensitive to graphics quality.
- “Graphics are beautiful, characters are well developed, and each completely unique in combat and in their art styles!”
- “Hand-drawn graphics, with the characters being done in detailed pixel art against a higher resolution but still 2D background looks nice, the animations, especially of the player, are smooth.”
- “Animation is completely fluid at 60fps and the graphics are very stylish.”
- “One warning I would give everyone is that if you cannot handle lower-end graphics, then you may find this title to be ugly.”
- “Unfortunately, the graphics did not receive any treatment, and the character models are so pixelated they are downright ugly to look at.”
- “Really, just why didn't they improve it for PC and on top of that the recent Switch port still has awful graphics, story is generic anime fantasy, buy on sale, overpriced considering the quality.”
gameplay
76 mentions
21 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as a mechanically shallow beat-em-up with light RPG elements, featuring a large roster of distinct characters and a simple combo system. While many players find the gameplay satisfying and fun, especially in its fast-paced combat, criticisms include unresponsive controls, repetitive mechanics, and a steep difficulty curve in later levels. Overall, it offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic brawlers, but lacks depth and polish compared to more modern titles.
- “The 2D beat-em-up gameplay is quick to pick up, and chaining together combos on-the-fly to slice and dice the monsters to bits is quite satisfying.”
- “I for one actually love the gameplay of this game.”
- “Hack and slash with RPG elements thrown in to keep the gameplay interesting and fresh.”
- “The game is a mechanically shallow beat-em-up with a simple combo system and the option to cancel into a single special.”
- “The difficulty curve takes a very steep turn in the final areas of the game, turning breezy and simple gameplay into a massacre very quickly as mobs surround you and stun-lock you to death.”
- “As a PC game, this game has a huge lack of depth in gameplay.”
grinding
30 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is described as excessive and tedious, requiring players to spend hours on repetitive tasks to level up characters and progress. While some players appreciate the RPG elements and the sense of character growth, many find the grinding to be a chore, especially given the short levels and lack of engaging action. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant detractor from the gameplay experience, making it feel slow and unexciting.
- “The battles are more about grinding than action.”
- “It's grindy, incredibly slow, and not particularly exciting, beyond near every character's ability to smack a mook across the playing field.”
- “Too much grinding for a game not played on the road.”
humor
27 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its witty and self-aware dialogue, memorable characters, and a goofy storyline that adds charm to the beat 'em up RPG experience. While the English translation may not fully capture the humor, players appreciate the funny subtitles and unique character interactions. Overall, the game offers a lighthearted and entertaining narrative, despite its short length.
- “This is a fun little beat 'em up RPG, with an unusual art style that is quite enjoyable, a simple but easy to understand leveling/stat system, as well as a funny story.”
- “Though the story is short (took me about 4 hours), the characters are memorable, the sprite work is good, and some of the dialogue is pretty funny.”
- “The music and in-game voice lines of Code of Princess are a tad repetitive, as the characters make the same callouts every time they use even basic attacks, but the English subtitles are hilarious and very self-aware, and worth reading.”
music
24 mentions
58 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The music in "Code of Princess" is generally well-received, with many praising its decent soundtrack and standout tracks like Ali's main theme and "Empurrium." However, some players find the music and in-game voice lines repetitive, and while the overall quality is good, a few describe it as unremarkable or forgettable. Despite these critiques, the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's fun atmosphere.
- “The soundtrack's decent, and tracks like the Empurrium are unexpected gems.”
- “Music is nice, really like Ali's main theme.”
- “The music is nice and the story is fun to go along with.”
- “The music and in-game voice lines of Code of Princess are a tad repetitive, as the characters make the same callouts every time they use even basic attacks, but the English subtitles are hilarious and very self-aware, and worth reading.”
- “Music is forgettable; sound effects do their job.”
- “Music is alright, if unremarkable.”
character development
18 mentions
33 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
Character development in "Code of Princess" is noted for its striking and whimsical character designs, primarily crafted by renowned artist Kinu Nishimura, which evoke a nostalgic 90s aesthetic. However, the game's narrative lacks depth and seriousness, leading to a perception that while the characters are visually appealing, their development is superficial and not integral to the gameplay experience. Overall, the character design is highly praised, but the character development itself is seen as lacking substance.
- “Great character design by Zero Escape artist, Kinu Nishimura!”
- “Fun character designs from Kinu Nishimura of Street Fighter fame.”
- “Just like Guardian Heroes and Panzer Bandit that came way before it, Code of Princess features intense action coupled with some very ridiculous character designs and art done by Kinu Nishimura of Street Fighter fame.”
- “The game really doesn't take itself seriously when it comes to story, so don't expect anything deep (you really shouldn't if you've seen the character designs). Code of Princess feels like something straight out of the 90s PlayStation era.”
- “If you can't get past the short length or the rather ridiculous character designs, you might want to pass this one up.”
- “Just like Guardian Heroes and Panzer Bandit that came way before it, Code of Princess features intense action coupled with some very ridiculous character designs and art done by Kinu Nishimura of Street Fighter fame (odd that they couldn't incorporate her art style for the in-game dialogue portraits).”
replayability
12 mentions
17 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, with players potentially investing triple-digit hours through bonus quests and character leveling, including the option to unlock four additional characters. While it features a decent amount of replay value, particularly in its RPG elements, it lacks the online replayability found in similar titles like Dragon's Crown. Overall, it has been rated highly for replayability, with some users giving it a score of 9.
- “Now the game itself is a decent beat 'em all similar to Guardian Heroes (line switch, equipment, stages with a story, etc.) with a light RPG component (experience, stats, equipment) and good replayability.”
- “Replayability: 9, plus I didn't mention before there are four other characters to unlock to play with as well!”
- “Sadly it hasn't got much replay value like Dragon's Crown in online mode.”
- “Replay value comes in the form of completing bonus quests and trying out every character, and if you're up to it, maxing them all out to level 99.”
- “Together the two, along with a band of other misfits, only half of them are playable in the story, go on a journey to figure out what’s going on.”
optimization
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly at 60 fps with various graphic options and a flexible layout that allows for dual-screen display without performance issues. Additionally, it offers good control options from the outset, enhancing the overall user experience.
- “It now runs at 60 fps, has some graphic options, a really nice layout choice (allowing you to show two screens like on a 3DS) that you can switch on the spot without any performance impact, and with good control options from the start.”