Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Game
Game2016
XBlaze Code: Embryo
Developer Arc System Works
Xblaze Code: Embryo (エクスブレイズ コード：エンブリオ, EkusuBureizu Kōdo: Enburio) is a prequel visual novel of the fighting game series BlazBlue by Arc System Works. It was released in Japan for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita on July 25, 2013 and North America on June 24, 2014 by Aksys Games. The Microsoft Windows's version was released worldwide on March 1, 2016. A sequel titled Xblaze Lost: Memories has been released… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
69 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky) · newest Sep 2, 2026 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
73
Fresh
49 positive · 18 negative
95% range 61–82%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 49 | 18 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
2 newer reactions are still waiting for a label.
Steam's own rating
Mostly Positive
90 of 120 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
Summary pending — the reactions are listed below.
Reactions
60 of 69 · most liked first"XBlaze! Activate!" (Updated Review as of 7/6/16) If you ever thought to find your normal everyday life wasn't normal, then you've come to the right place, we start out our story of the Azure/Blue/etc. with Touya Kagari, a normal High School student with his pals Hinata and Akira, but when Touya comes to a place of remembrance, he meets a mysterious girl by the name of Es, and the two start their journeys together. As it is, XBlaze is the prequel story to the popular fighting game series…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A fun and entertaining VN to read through Pros Serves as a great introduction to the BlazBlue series. Characters are interesting and fun enough to keep the reader interested. Story is interresting. Good length. Multiple endings. Enjoyable music. Japanese VO. Weekend cartoon feel. Cons Very few written mistakes and word wrapping issues but its no big deal. Great, pudding urge incoming. 8.9/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really, really sad to see only a handful of reviews about this game. Only 38 at the time I type this and that after over a year on steam. Hence why I write this review. XBlaze and Arc System Works deserve the support. What can I say about the game? Everyone who loves BlazBlue like me should absolutely take it. Even if you wouldn't consider yourself a big fan of VNs. Story wise it's also not too complicated for new comers. The basics are more than easy explained for BlazBlue standards. Great…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Waiting to play this like 2 years, i didnt wanted to buy the game on ps3 because i dont like reading novels on a console and i was hoping god make my wish come true and yes, im finally Happy. 10/10 now time to wait for BlazBlue ChronoPhantasma Tomorrow, cant wait <3
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Easy skip, just read the wiki. Painfully mediocre hard-templated haremtrash writing. "Wait, a high school boy is living with non-blood related female relatives, w/ parents conspicuously absent? For some reason this seemingly ordinary boy is suddenly attracting lots of attention from lots of hot girls, much to the chagrin of his one and only male friend? Wowzer!!!1" Great visuals, alright music, bad writing, barely any relevant Blazblue lore. Character profiles are of no use and make very…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TL;DR If you like BlazBlue just read what happens on a wiki. This VN is a travesty. The production value is really good, and if the characters or the storyline were even slightly interesting it would be fantastic. Every character in this game is a horrible trope of some kind and there's not a single one worth remembering. Mori Toshimichi is good at world building but he can't design characters worth a damn. He's like an anime version of Bethesda. There's a handful of interesting concepts that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →OMG this is trully a magnificient visual novel!! The art is so good. Most importantly ES is soooooooooo kawaiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!! This game broke my heart.. The ending was sooooo good man.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →High schooler Touya is heading home from his part-time job when passing by The Restricted Zone, he hears a bell ringing and wanders in only to be attacked by a stranger with supernatural powers. Rescued last minute by a bizarre, petite girl with a sword, he goes home only to find her already waiting in his living room. Apparently having awakened an ability to “hear” and locate people using a supernatural ability, he’s been noticed by a mysterious organization and warrants a bodyguard – and a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is not a prequel to the blazblue series(which are also, very good), but it has lots of references and easter eggs about it, making it an important part of the azure saga, as a visual novel by itself, is also fantastic and really worth buying. Recomend that you buy it worth the price, and if you can, play the blazblue series too, cause they are also fantastic
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game doesn't have Steam Trading Cards. I bought it, looked at the Option Menu for like 6 minutes to have the right write a review, and exited so that I could write this line: PLEASE add Steam Trading Cards and to support the developers (I didn't like it when I saw a guy talking about playing this VN, but a pirated version, on Facebook), but still mostly to write this line (twice) PLEASE add Steam Trading Cards Will definitely delete and write a proper review after I can play it. For now,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Idiotic story combined with a non-sensical choice system. Instead of making dialogue choices, the news articles you either read or not will determine the ending you get. There's no way of knowing what the impact will be of reading the articles though. Also, most of those arcticles trigger "toi scenes". These are scenes, conversation that you would not see if you didn't read a certain article. All the scenes feel very out of place though and don't add anything. Not even character development…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →play this at 720p windows mode to get better graphic.. does not affect the gameplay since the game is all about reading, no complain..
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Generic Anime Protagonist The visual novel Non-existent body fat Yells all of his attacks out loud Love interest is his best friend since kindergarten "God mode" unlocked by dying or by seeing his friends getting killed. wins with the power of friendship
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →if you into blazblue lore this is a must buy
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →XBlaze Code: Embryo is a game set 150 years before the events of Blazblue Calamity Trigger, serving to explain some of the lore behind the game, Don't worry if you have not played the main series, this game does a good enough job of explaining most of the things. I think one of the great things about how they went about doing it is that lore is first introduced then explained (such as Izayoi and its curse). This gives some satisfaction to those who are fans of the series as well as not…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The first of the two XBlaze visual novels, a prequel to the main BlazBlue games. Even if you're not familiar with the latter, you don't neccessarily have to be in order to enjoy Code:Embryo. The main character is an average highschooler, rescued from a fugitive using weird powers by Es, a short girl with a big sword, and from that point onwards craziness unfolds and new characters engage into the plot. Fairly lengthy, with multiple routes and endings, including typical for the series "gag"…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →At first it felt like a cheap copy of Fate Stay/Night, but then it was a little more complex than that. It still pales in comparison to Blazblue's story (and Fate as well, but that's not the point) and I hope no more characters than Es will join the Blazblue series Maybe people that didn't play any other VN will appreciate it more than me
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Simple easy read that flows well. This VN is fun, a bit funny in an awkward kind of way. The visuals are really nice, it somehow reminded me of an action anime series aimed for young men or "Shonen". There are waifus and some fan service. While it's mostly an supernatural adventure, the characters offer some grounding to the story. I wasn't bored with the whole thing, it was a good read where I don't have to think too much and enjoy the ride. Recommended
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm Coding my Embryo to this
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A must have for BlazBlue fans.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →love this game great game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Convoluted storyline, and it's easy to end up stuck due to not having read the correct 'articles' in previous chapters, which takes away a lot of the enjoyment. Lots of unnecessary harem/fanservice - while it's normal in anime, in this case it's to the point of ridiculousness. The art and voice acting is pretty decent however, just not enough to save this tropey cliched mess.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I know nothing about BlazBlue universe, and it absolutely wasn't necessary to enjoy this high-quality VN. But I do recommend to spend more time for open all endings — it will be waaay more satisfying than 1 playthrough. The game has multiple routes, and they differ quite significantly — it's a huge plus. Characters are well written and memorable. They are personalities. The secret episode is funny and hilarious and worth the time spent to open all endings. I'm glad that I accidentally…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A must-have for every Blazblue fan. Finally on PC.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Do you want to watch Erin get back into playing BlazBlue? Well, XBlaze Code: Embryo is technically a BlazBlue game! There's probably no fighting tho. Even so, come and watch her on Twitch today! www.twitch.tv/gamegrin
unlabelledView post →The pudding is good.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →everyone in this has a personality disorder
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ripper is cool. But why Do I care? (I do care I love him) Have a blueberry pancake recipe. 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup granulated white sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup milk + more to thin out the batter, as needed 1 large egg 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries maple syrup 1. Whisk together first 4 ingredients; make a well in center of mixture. 2. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and oil; add to dry ingredients,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I simply love this game. The way it looks like, the way it works, the way it relates the story. It reminds me of the times I was in high school. All those anime heroes and villains, all that creative energy and all those battles. I got to say that this game, although it's a visual novel, is remarkably well done. PROS: - Classic anime introduction to the story; - Great soundtrack; - Intriguing, complex story line with multiple endings; - Character profiles along with tips and extras; -…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A less convoluted version of blazblue type of story-telling, but without the fighting element, I'll let a yes because is average
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Choose your Waifu Simulator They're Kawaii-kawaiii get the rekt off desu yo~
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game #19 is XBlaze: Code Embryo (PS VITA)
unlabelledView post →interesting story
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty good visual novel that takes place in the BlazBlue universe. I think this was mostly made to make you understand what they're talking about in the fighting games, but that's just my hypothesis. I don't know if ArcSys still updates this game, but at least it's cheaper than looking for a PS3 disc of it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This novel has no idea inside it, no proper story nor storytelling and NO VALUE. I highly don't recommend buy it even on sale. The game doesn't worth any attention at all. Even if you are a big fan of BlazBlue series, reconsider your decision and buy something else instead.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This "niche" BlazBlue prequel that brought me and my irl best friend making memes. I want these characters in the fighting game lmao I also love the use of Dubstep+Opera, and even some old Mario tunnel NES vibes in some songs C;
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great art and production, but horrid story and characters. Read it if you like generic anime crap.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is visual novel ??. I'm thought wacth anime, japan animation. it so exciting. I'm never enjoy like that before, when play game visual novel type. Many thing in the game pretty good, Story,Presentation,Art work,BGM etc. These things I'm can't stop play for go to bed or do something else easy. If any comment. I'm think two male character,Touya and Akira should add private clothes when he in day off or nigth time. If someone finding visual novel for read in rest time, I'm recommend try…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you want a background information on BlazBlue universe, this is a must. If nothing else, this is a good fun story in on itself, with interesting characters and bonus silly stuff to top it off.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was skeptical in purchasing this as it was over 20$ CAD but when I recieved it as a gift I was genuinely suprised by the amount of time this kept me around for. I have almost 20 hours in this game as of this review and I still have more to do. The other endings provide great incentive for replaying the game. I'd reccomend. Only con is the game pulls some stereotypical anime/manga tropes. If you're interested in this title you should be expecting that though.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Good: Interesting story (kind of required for a visual novel) and multiple paths give lots of replay. The Bad: It is very easy to miss reading an article on the TOi, which can ruin your current run. Make sure to have multiple saves! The SaHD: Admittedly not much of the plot was a surprise to me, since I reviewed the sequel to this before playing this game. I also found I prefer visual novels on a portable device to the PC. See more reviews at my site, sahdgamer.com!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really enjoy the game 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I started the game. I made it through the intro. I needed to tend to stuff on the stove, as I'm preparing some curry for dinner. Got distracted just to come back nearly 20 minutes to find out the game had finished. My cat staring intently at the screen. I was perplexed. I walked away and saw her batting at my controller. She hit the RT button to skip everything. That's hilarious. She's a great cat. Anyway, I have no clue what's going on in this visual novel. While I doubt I'd get…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This will be awesome!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →XBlaze Code: Embryo, developed by Arc System Works and published by Aksys Games, is a visual novel that trades the fast-paced combat of its BlazBlue roots for a slower, more deliberate focus on narrative and world-building. Set long before the events of the main series, it attempts to establish a foundation for the universe through a story that blends supernatural elements with modern-day settings. The result is a game that leans heavily on dialogue and atmosphere, offering a dense but…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kikuo cooked the OST
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Didn't feel compelled by any of the characters, but I did like the "checking the news" mechanic, as it fleshed out the world. Not a bad VN, just not for me.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →cons: mei and early touya are annoying asf. Other characters decent at best. The story can definitely be better. pros: high quality considering the age of this game. thumbs up because its not expensive one can definitely try. also the controls suck for keyboard
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Possibly the worst VN I've played and one of the worst games I've played. Even if you're a Blazblue and/or Es fan, just listen or read some summary from somewhere. Not worth the money or time.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not for me. Couldn't get into the story, while going in knowing nothing about this franchise. Judging by others, it's not the best story to learn of this series.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Why the hell would someone take a shower with a complete stranger? What is this ♥♥♥♥
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So to start off this game almost has no connection to the mainline series of games, BlazBlue. So if you're getting into this for that change that train of thought, though they do reference some of that worlds aspect into this game. Best parts of this game are each scene is fully voice acted, good music to accompany the scene, the sprites are decent, the cg are good, and the story routes great especially the Es route least to me are splendid. Now the cons of the games kind of stick out…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →recommend for blazblue player
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →it ight. didn't really like the TOI system.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →✔️ Tested on Steam Deck, it works fine (12/09/2025). Good visuals and voice acting but terrible writing and cliché characters that made me want to cry out of cringe. Unnecesary fanservice of 16 yo girls in the swimming pool scenes.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I enjoy visual novels and I am a huge Blazblue fan, but even having completed this game I can't say that i had a good time. The story and characters are really bad, has some lore about the Blazblue universe, but in my opinion it is not worth.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As a big fan of the Blazblue series, this game has a story that is uniquely different from the game, and yet still very interesting. Even if you haven't played Blazblue before, I'm fairly certain that you will love the story of this game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very average for 20€... gameplay is weird for VN, short
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I like the blazblue franchise. While the story is not overall a masterpiece and is more convoluted overcomplicated than great, I still very liked some of the characters and the idea of fusing vs fighting with visual novel in a way where the battle result was your choices for the novel. That being said, I was very interested of what would be this pure visual novel prequel. Well, let's get reviewing. Warning, contain spoilers Story : like blazblue story, it's entertaining without being that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good game expanding the univers of BlazBlue. If you're a fan of BlazBlue history you must pick up this game. Touya best protagonist.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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