ANONYMOUS;CODE | An Excellent Existential Experience

Title	ANONYMOUS;CODE
Released	Jul 28, 2022 (JP) September 8, 2023 (US)
Developer	MAGES. Inc.
Publisher	Spike Chunsoft
Platform
Genre	Visual Novel, Adventure
Rating	M
Pricing	$59.99
Proton	Custom Build

Completed on PC

HowLongToBeat Time: 26 Hours | My Clear Time: 34 Hours (100% Completion)

ANONYMOUS;CODE Background

Originally teased in 2015, Anonymous;Code spent a long time in development as MAGES worked through delays and internal restructuring. The project finally landed in Japan on July 28, 2022 for Switch and PS4, followed by its worldwide release on September 8, 2023 on Windows, PS4, and Switch.

Chiyomaru Shikura set out to make this entry far more than another branch of the Science Adventure series. His aim was to deliver a story that clears up long-running mysteries fans have carried with them across earlier games. This was billed as the one that would tie threads together for long-time readers while staying accessible for newcomers.

Anonymous;Code shifts away from the usual world-line focus and builds its identity around “save/load” manipulation as a central idea. It’s a direction that helps it stand apart while still fitting into the broader SciADV universe.

The development team for ANONYMOUS;CODE includes:

ANONYMOUS;CODE Experience

I’ve been with the Science Adventure series for a long time, starting back when Steins;Gate showed how far this form of storytelling could go. Since then I’ve played every entry, experiencing the highs and the lows, including the disappointment that was Robotics;Notes DaSH. Coming off that, my expectations for Anonymous;Code were high. I wanted something more focused again, something that captured the strengths that made this series memorable in the first place.

That’s why this game had my attention from the start. The long development cycle made it tough to predict how things would land, but the promise of answering long-running questions pulled me back in. The new save/load approach added even more intrigue.

Once Pollon took center stage, Anonymous;Code showed a tighter structure and clearer direction.It tries to deliver answers while building something that stands on its own, and that alone set it apart from recent entries.

ANONYMOUS;CODE Impressions

Introduction

Anonymous;Code jumps in immediately by putting Pollon front and center. His rough-around-the-edges personality comes through fast as he and an unnamed girl face an advancing militia. Before anything unfolds, Pollon calls out what’s about to happen with the same kind of confidence Joseph Joestar shows in Battle Tendency. And true to that comparison, every beat plays out exactly as he predicted. It caught me off guard in the best way and had me locked in from the start.

Gameplay & Mechanics

Backlog
Used to review earlier dialogue. Character names can be selected to replay their lines, which helps with clarity and keeps the flow consistent.

TIPS
Acts as a reference for terms introduced throughout the story. Each entry gives a short definition so you always understand the context.

Save
Saving functions much like a traditional visual novel system, giving you full control over when to mark key moments. Manual saves are especially useful when you want to revisit specific decisions or compare how different inputs affect Pollon’s path. The game provides generous save slots, which makes it easy to track multiple points of interest throughout the story.

Load
Loading is a central part of the Anonymous;Code experience. The story is built around the idea of retrying moments, so the load feature is integrated into the flow in a way that feels intentional rather than mechanical. Whether you are correcting a mistake or experimenting with the hacking trigger, the load function responds quickly and minimizes downtime.

Auto
Moves the dialogue forward without user input. The speed setting helps match the timing of the voice acting.

Glossary Auto-Update
Updates itself whenever new terminology appears. Entries stay brief and help keep track of the world and its concepts without interrupting the story.

Skip (Read Only)
Moves through text you have already seen while stopping at anything new. This makes backtracking or cleanup runs simple.

Story & Writing

Anonymous;Code is story-heavy, tasked with answering lingering questions across the Science Adventure series. It feels like a culmination of lessons learned from previous entries. Character and relationship writing builds on strengths from Robotics;Notes, moments of tension echo Chaos;Head, and the depth of scientific detail recalls Steins;Gate. The narrative also tackles a meta narrative, one of the rare times it is done effectively. Rather than being a joke or running gag, it is used to explore questions central to cyberpunk: What does it mean to be human? Can you quantify the soul? These themes are at the heart of Anonymous;Code’s story.

The game provides answers both for the player’s perspective and for series lore. Some may see these as retcons, but for players who have experienced all mainline SciADV titles and paid attention to implications, the story expands on ideas like World Lines and real-booting in a logical and satisfying way. Conceptually, it is like turning a square into a cube. The game takes previous ideas and projects them into the next dimension.

Anonymous;Code favors a more linear approach than earlier entries, but the pacing is smooth. Filler and slow segments that might have frustrated players in Robotics;Notes are removed, letting the highs feel more impactful and the moments of despair land harder. The meta narrative gives you the perspective of a fly on the wall, making key situations feel immediate. It is hard not to get invested in Pollon, especially during moments when tension peaks and Takeshi Abo’s Accelerator drives the scene.

Art & Audio

Anonymous;Code has the strongest presentation I’ve seen in a visual novel so far. The Kaliedo engine by M2 makes characters more lifelike with smooth animations and mouth movements. The art style stands out with a bold, almost Jet Set Radio inspired look, while manga-style paneling in some cutscenes adds visual flair and variety.

The sound design is another area where Anonymous;Code excels. Each bang, pop, zoom, and engine rev adds depth to the world. The visual novel feels more immersive than previous entries thanks to this attention to detail. Kanako Ito delivers one of her strongest openings in the series with GAME OVER, powered by sharp vocals and memorable instrumentation. Takeshi Abo continues to show why he remains one of my favorite composers. Picking three tracks was tough, as the entire soundtrack hits.

Standout tracks:

Accelerator
A high-energy track that drives key sequences, perfectly matching Pollon’s tense and decisive moments.

Crucial Moment
A tense, atmospheric piece that amplifies suspense during critical narrative choices.

Fragment
A soft, atmospheric track that underscores reflective moments, giving emotional weight to the story’s quieter beats.

Unique Features & Mechanics

Hacking Trigger
Core mechanic that lets Pollon retry key moments and influence outcomes. More active and visible than Steins;Gate’s Phone Trigger.

Linear Storytelling
Mostly linear with occasional bad ends, streamlining the narrative.

Auto Save
Works differently than typical visual novels. Auto Save functions like a chapter select, allowing quick reloads of key segments to revisit events or optional scenes.

English Dub
The first Science Adventure visual novel to offer a choice of English voice acting for all voiced dialogue.

Conclusions
Unique to Anonymous;Code, Conclusions are effectively bad ends with their own cutscenes. They provide hints for making the correct choice when reloading the game.

Seiyuu Performances

All cast performances are strong. Voice acting matches character personalities and adds weight to key moments. Sugita’s dynamic with Chiba’s Pollon stands out, capturing an expressive, brotherly friendship that brings key scenes to life. Ishikawa and Tamura also make the most of their scenes, which left me anticipating their next appearance.

Performance

The game ran smoothly throughout my playthrough. I experienced no visual glitches, audio issues, or crashes.

ANONYMOUS;CODE Verdict

Anonymous;Code delivers a focused, well-crafted entry in the Science Adventure series. The story successfully ties together long-running mysteries while exploring compelling cyberpunk themes, and the meta narrative adds weight without feeling forced. Pollon’s character and the cast’s performances bring energy and depth to every key scene.

Mechanically, the game feels intuitive, with Hacking Trigger, Auto Save, and the glossary system enhancing engagement without overcomplicating the flow. The linear storytelling keeps pacing tight, letting the highs hit harder and the moments of despair resonate.

Visually and aurally, Anonymous;Code impresses. The Kaliedo engine makes character animations feel alive, the art style stands out, and the soundtrack by Takeshi Abo is consistently strong, with standout tracks that complement narrative tension and quieter, reflective moments.

Overall, Anonymous;Code is a strong return to form for the series. It respects veteran players while remaining accessible to newcomers, providing both answers and a satisfying, immersive experience. Despite its lengthy development, Shikura and the team have delivered a title I can confidently place alongside Chaos;Head, Chaos;Child, and Steins;Gate 0.

ANONYMOUS;CODE TLDR

Tested On
CPU: Ryzen 7 5900X | GPU: AMD RX 9070XT 16GB | RAM: 64GB DDR4 | Storage: Crucial P5 Plus NVMe SSD
OS: Windows 11 x64 | Resolution: 720p |

References

1. Anonymous;Code Teaser Movie
2. ファミ通.Com. (2017, September 21). 志倉千代丸氏インタビュー　『シュタインズ・ゲート エリート』は”ゲーム以上でいて、アニメ以上”.
3. Accelerator – Takeshi Abo
4. Crucial Moment – Takeshi Abo
5. Fragment – Takeshi Abo