{"id":36645,"date":"2018-07-30T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-07-30T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/reviews\/nintendo-switch\/code_of_princess_ex"},"modified":"2018-07-30T15:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-07-30T15:00:00","slug":"review-code-of-princess-ex-switch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2018\/07\/30\/review-code-of-princess-ex-switch\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Code Of Princess EX (Switch)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/reviews\/nintendo-switch\/code_of_princess_ex\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/reviews\/nintendo-switch\/code_of_princess_ex\/small.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div id=\"\">\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"Code Of Princess EX Review - Screenshot 1 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/91448\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/91448\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"Code Of Princess EX Review - Screenshot 1 of 5\" \/><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>Proudly continuing the Japanese tradition of awkward-sounding fantasy game titles, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/code_of_princess_ex\">Code of Princess<\/a><\/strong> arrives on Switch in \u2018EX\u2019 form courtesy of new publisher, Nicalis. The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/3ds\/code_of_princess\">3DS original<\/a> launched back in 2012 and positioned itself as a spiritual successor to the SEGA Saturn cult classic, <strong>Guardian Heroes<\/strong>. This souped-up edition promises a range of improvements, although it\u2019s not quite the revamp we were hoping for.<\/p>\n<p>This is a hack-and-slash game with some RPG trappings (you level up and use stat-altering equipment). The story is broken into thirty-or-so \u2018Quests\u2019 \u2013 essentially side-on battle arenas. You arrive in an area, get attacked by waves of enemies, perhaps defeat a boss, then the narrative takes you to a new area and the cycle repeats.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"Code Of Princess EX Review - Screenshot 2 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/91446\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/91446\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"Code Of Princess EX Review - Screenshot 2 of 5\" \/><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>As with classic 2D brawlers, the controls aren\u2019t too complicated. \u2018A\u2019 and \u2018B\u2019 offer different attacks, with special moves available by pressing down twice on the analogue stick before attacking. Each fight screen is separated into horizontal \u2018rails\u2019 which you hop between by holding \u2018L\u2019 or \u2018R\u2019 and pushing the stick up or down. It feels restrictive at first (and we\u2019d have preferred the option to jump between rails using the more easily-pressed Z-triggers), but success relies on herding and prioritising enemies to your advantage.<\/p>\n<p>Pressing \u2018Y\u2019 locks on to a specific foe and increases the damage dealt. You can also activate a limited number of \u2018Bursts\u2019 which drain a Magic meter for additional damage. This was toggleable on 3DS but deemed overpowered, so now, once activated, it can\u2019t be paused. You develop a satisfying flow with your chosen fighter, but after hitting a couple of frustrating difficulty spikes in the middle of the campaign, we found ourselves wishing we were a little OP. Hack-and-slash enthusiasts will certainly enjoy it, but Code of Princess won\u2019t convert naysayers to the genre \u2013 take the score at the bottom of the page and add or subtract a point according to your appetite.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"Code Of Princess EX Review - Screenshot 3 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/91451\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/91451\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"Code Of Princess EX Review - Screenshot 3 of 5\" \/><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>Quests are spread across multiple modes: Campaign, Free Play, Bonus and Tutorial. Free Play allows you to replay quests using any of the fifty characters you unlock throughout the game proper. The original four Campaign characters are now joined by a handful that were previously relegated to Free Play. Bonus Quests offer further opportunities to level up and online multiplayer is available in co-op and versus flavours. Lobbies were empty at the time of review, but we\u2019ll be sure to update if online play isn\u2019t up to scratch.<\/p>\n<p>The original roster remains unchanged, from the heroine who wears little more than a belt into battle to the genteel villain who got lost en route to the masquerade ball. It\u2019s a suitably oddball (and pleasantly female-strong) cast with impossibly large swords and impossibly larger hair. Rather than spoil any of the story, we\u2019ll leave it to the description of the eponymous princess to give you a taste of the tone: \u201cSolange Blanchefleur de Lux, Princess of DeLuxia and protector of the sacred blade, DeLuxcalibur.\u201d <em>Quite<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Suffice it to say, it\u2019s nonsense of the highest calibre, but \u2013 <em>crucially<\/em> \u2013 the game\u2019s tongue is firmly in its cheek. It jokes about inappropriate battle attire and fantasy conventions, and the localisation is possibly the best thing in the game. Cutscenes are skippable but you\u2019d be missing out.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"Code Of Princess EX Review - Screenshot 4 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/91450\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/91450\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"Code Of Princess EX Review - Screenshot 4 of 5\" \/><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>Which leads us to our first doubts over this Switch edition: the cracking English language voice over is <em>not<\/em> included here. Whether due to oversight or bureaucracy, it\u2019s a baffling omission. A Japanese VO option would have made a fine addition to the package but losing elements from the original is disappointing, especially for a game purporting to be the definitive version.<\/p>\n<p>In general, the audio varies in quality. A barrage of MIDI trumpets grate on your nerves in the introduction, as do the repetitive battle cries during combat \u2013 you get the feeling that those diminutive 3DS speakers helped disguise this. Perhaps our expectations are simply different on a home console in 2018, but the soundtrack doesn\u2019t quite hold up like other games of the period.<\/p>\n<p>Elsewhere you\u2019re left wondering where exactly the \u2018EX\u2019 is hiding. Fire up the game in docked mode and welcome to Jaggy Town, population: Princess Jiggle-Physics. While portraits and text look sharp (and pleasingly large), the character models display line artefacts and the action looks a bit ropey on a big screen. The little 3DS helped to gel the art styles together in the frame but there\u2019s a visual disconnect in HD. Change to handheld mode, however, and the softer presentation makes everything look significantly better \u2013 portable mode certainly offers the better visual experience.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"Code Of Princess EX Review - Screenshot 5 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/91447\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/91447\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"Code Of Princess EX Review - Screenshot 5 of 5\" \/><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>So what else is there to justify that \u2018EX\u2019 tag? Well, 60fps is a notable upgrade over the original, which struggled to deliver a steady 30fps. Couch co-op is now possible without needing multiple consoles and copies of the game, and the simple controls lend themselves well to snapping off a joy-con with a mate. Stat allocation is now automatic, with manual customisation limited to the gear you equip. While this preserves each character\u2019s individuality, we\u2019re not convinced removing the ability to tailor your favourite fighter to your specific playstyle is necessarily a change for the better.<\/p>\n<p>Other alterations include rebalanced AI and some redrawn textures, although you\u2019ll only notice if you have an intimate knowledge of the original. Your entire party now earns XP as you play (although at a reduced rate), making levelling up less of a chore. All-in-all, there <em>are<\/em> changes, then, but not universally positive ones.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"conclusion\">\n<h2 class=\"heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re a fan of the original, you\u2019ll likely enjoy the minor tweaks and upgrades on offer, but don\u2019t dive in expecting a \u2018remaster\u2019. You get couch co-op and a healthy framerate, although it doesn\u2019t look great on a TV and the original\u2019s excellent English voiceover is AWOL. Despite modest enhancements, the 3DS origins of this six-year-old game are plain to see, which may put off newcomers. It\u2019s a solid hack-and-slash experience, as it always was \u2013 we just wish it did more to earn that \u2018EX\u2019 addendum.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Proudly continuing the Japanese tradition of awkward-sounding fantasy game titles, Code of Princess arrives on Switch in \u2018EX\u2019 form courtesy of new publisher, Nicalis. The 3DS original launched back in 2012 and positioned itself as a spiritual successor to the SEGA Saturn cult classic, Guardian Heroes. This souped-up edition promises a range of improvements, although [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nintendo-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36645"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36645\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}