With an HD port in Code of Princess EX and characters appearing in the soon-to-be-released Blade Strangers, it seems that this delightful little action-based Role-playing game is getting some love. Whether or not this is warranted, however, is another story. Code of Princess is, in many ways, a conundrum. Featuring absurd character designs, a wacky localization, incredibly extensive online functionality, and a slew of customization options, this game also suffers from terrible performance issues on the Nintendo 3DS, punishing difficulty, and a bland soundtrack. It is far from a perfect experience, which is perhaps why the prospect of co-operative play and altered enemy A.I. are large pushes- and welcome changes- in the EX package.
When looking forward to the EX version on Switch, however, it is important to acknowledge what will remain the same- namely, the fundamental qualities of the game's narrative structure and replay value as well as the movement system itself. Despite possessing an action-based combat system, Code of Princess may not look like much of a Role-playing game at first glance. Indeed, the title appears to have more in common with Beat-em-up titles like Streets of Rage, River City Ransom, and Double Dragon. Another comparison to be made is in its mission-based structure, as each chapter of the narrative (as well as the post-game missions) are more or less "stages," with light traversal, predetermined waves of enemies, and usually a boss encounter at their conclusion. There is some variety: certain missions have the player protecting an NPC, slaying a certain amount of foes, and more, but for the most part, the game has little exploration to be found in comparison with other Role-playing games.
This is likely to be a huge factor in whether a player enjoys Code of Princess, as it is still tied to the Role-playing genre in other ways. An enemy may come along, for example, who may prove a bit too difficult to defeat, forcing the player to either grind for experience, money, or items on an earlier mission. Likewise, its varied cast acts as a double-edged sword, offering plenty of wacky attack options and combinations- seriously, I cannot stress this enough, it is wild- but each needing extensive progression of their own in order to be truly viable as the player gets deeper into the narrative or missions. There were moments in Code of Princess where it was easy to find a spammable attack input or combination in order to rack up experience at low risk, but once again, rebalanced enemy A.I. may put a stop to this.
If it sounds as if Code of Princess is a hard sell, it was- in its original form. Too many enemies on-screen caused the frame rate and input lag to spike intensely, making it difficult for a player to get their bearings on a situation, or have to turtle up in order to cope with these issues. One can only hope these performance hiccups will be rectified in the EX version, however, they also inadvertently highlight what might be the most important aspect of Code of Princess' design. The major difference between the title and those in the Beat-em-up genre is the limitations of movement in both the stage design and attack patterns of each character.
The success of Action-based combat relies heavily on the ability to maneuver the player avatar through specific situations. In an ideal reality, Action-based Role-playing games allow the player to excel with a strong enough understanding of the game's mechanics, so that player level becomes less of a hindrance and they are able to instead focus squarely on methods of attack and defense. Of course, systems like stamina and durability seek to add additional layers in order to disrupt a state of perfect momentum, and the inclusion of either or both is not necessarily a bad thing. Code of Princess chooses to focus on the commitment in attacks and movement, however, and it results in a gameplay experience rather different than that found in contemporaries sharing the genre. First, every stage is comprised of three "lanes," with characters able to hop in between these lanes in order to get within range of attack or avoid enemies.
Often, a stage will possess hazards that can either impede horizontal or vertical movement within these lanes, such as rocks that must be navigated, barrels that must be destroyed, and other kinds of choke-points. Switching lanes is not instantaneous, and landing in a new lane can often leave the player vulnerable. The player may use these limitations to their advantage, however, as characters can jump and dash in order to execute certain attack animations, which can carry them over obstacles and reach enemies. Likewise, specific characters have certain attacks that can create stage hazards and traps to exploit stage layouts.Because many moves have a low amount of cooldown, this can allow for overwhelming offense, which is where Code of Princess truly excels. Because of the frame rate drops, the player can add precious seconds in order to review the battlefield and decide on new means of attack or lane switches. Because of this, players can certainly turtle in order to keep enemies away from them, but a more active play style that capitalizes on the limitations placed upon the enemy is often far more effective. Whether capitalizing on enemy wakeup animations or using your most devastating combat options (all of which are performed via simple button and directional inputs), mastering combat in Code of Princess does feel satisfying, especially when pitted against similarly aggressive boss encounters.
That being said, is Code of Princess a fantastic game? Not really. While its movement and stage design are unique and help it stand out in a genre normally dominated by pure 2D and isometric gameplay, it still trips up more often than not. Side missions provide a wide and varied collection of grinding scenarios for players to indulge in, and the online mode itself is novel in concept, but underpopulated servers make it a hard sell. Its performance issues are the largest issue, of course, but this is perhaps a reason why the EX version may be a fantastic alternative. As its stands, the nature of how enemy A.I. reacts to aggressive play and navigates a smoother framerate are still up in the air, but if this article should spark your interest, it would be best to take a closer look at gameplay videos, as well as one's own completionist tendencies, if you considering a purchase. As it stands, Code of Princess won't win any awards for compelling storytelling or breadth of content, but it does possess its own charms that, with the right improvements, could make for a very memorable addition to the Switch's library.
Have you played the Steam version of Code of Princess? Are performance issues still present in that version? A great deal of this article is based upon impressions of the 3DS title, so as always, we encourage discussion whenever possible. If you like what you've read, please consider subscribing for more new content, following me on Twitter to get sneak-peeks at future articles, or simply sharing with those who enjoy video games.
When looking forward to the EX version on Switch, however, it is important to acknowledge what will remain the same- namely, the fundamental qualities of the game's narrative structure and replay value as well as the movement system itself. Despite possessing an action-based combat system, Code of Princess may not look like much of a Role-playing game at first glance. Indeed, the title appears to have more in common with Beat-em-up titles like Streets of Rage, River City Ransom, and Double Dragon. Another comparison to be made is in its mission-based structure, as each chapter of the narrative (as well as the post-game missions) are more or less "stages," with light traversal, predetermined waves of enemies, and usually a boss encounter at their conclusion. There is some variety: certain missions have the player protecting an NPC, slaying a certain amount of foes, and more, but for the most part, the game has little exploration to be found in comparison with other Role-playing games.
This is likely to be a huge factor in whether a player enjoys Code of Princess, as it is still tied to the Role-playing genre in other ways. An enemy may come along, for example, who may prove a bit too difficult to defeat, forcing the player to either grind for experience, money, or items on an earlier mission. Likewise, its varied cast acts as a double-edged sword, offering plenty of wacky attack options and combinations- seriously, I cannot stress this enough, it is wild- but each needing extensive progression of their own in order to be truly viable as the player gets deeper into the narrative or missions. There were moments in Code of Princess where it was easy to find a spammable attack input or combination in order to rack up experience at low risk, but once again, rebalanced enemy A.I. may put a stop to this.
If it sounds as if Code of Princess is a hard sell, it was- in its original form. Too many enemies on-screen caused the frame rate and input lag to spike intensely, making it difficult for a player to get their bearings on a situation, or have to turtle up in order to cope with these issues. One can only hope these performance hiccups will be rectified in the EX version, however, they also inadvertently highlight what might be the most important aspect of Code of Princess' design. The major difference between the title and those in the Beat-em-up genre is the limitations of movement in both the stage design and attack patterns of each character.
The success of Action-based combat relies heavily on the ability to maneuver the player avatar through specific situations. In an ideal reality, Action-based Role-playing games allow the player to excel with a strong enough understanding of the game's mechanics, so that player level becomes less of a hindrance and they are able to instead focus squarely on methods of attack and defense. Of course, systems like stamina and durability seek to add additional layers in order to disrupt a state of perfect momentum, and the inclusion of either or both is not necessarily a bad thing. Code of Princess chooses to focus on the commitment in attacks and movement, however, and it results in a gameplay experience rather different than that found in contemporaries sharing the genre. First, every stage is comprised of three "lanes," with characters able to hop in between these lanes in order to get within range of attack or avoid enemies.
That being said, is Code of Princess a fantastic game? Not really. While its movement and stage design are unique and help it stand out in a genre normally dominated by pure 2D and isometric gameplay, it still trips up more often than not. Side missions provide a wide and varied collection of grinding scenarios for players to indulge in, and the online mode itself is novel in concept, but underpopulated servers make it a hard sell. Its performance issues are the largest issue, of course, but this is perhaps a reason why the EX version may be a fantastic alternative. As its stands, the nature of how enemy A.I. reacts to aggressive play and navigates a smoother framerate are still up in the air, but if this article should spark your interest, it would be best to take a closer look at gameplay videos, as well as one's own completionist tendencies, if you considering a purchase. As it stands, Code of Princess won't win any awards for compelling storytelling or breadth of content, but it does possess its own charms that, with the right improvements, could make for a very memorable addition to the Switch's library.
Have you played the Steam version of Code of Princess? Are performance issues still present in that version? A great deal of this article is based upon impressions of the 3DS title, so as always, we encourage discussion whenever possible. If you like what you've read, please consider subscribing for more new content, following me on Twitter to get sneak-peeks at future articles, or simply sharing with those who enjoy video games.
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