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Ariana and the Elder Codex
(aka: Mahou Shisho Ariana Nana Eiketsu No Sho)

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Ariana and the Elder Codex (Video Game)

Ariana and the Elder Codex, originally known as Magical Librarian Ariana: The Book of Seven Heroes (魔法司書アリアナ ~七英傑の書~, Mahou Shisho Ariana Nana Eiketsu no Sho) in Japan, is a Fantasy Action RPG announced for the 2025 Compile Heart title lineup. Developed by Compile Heart, Idea Factory, and Hyde (creators of Digimon Survive), it was released on August 21, 2025 for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch in Japan, and is slated to launch internationally in 2026.

The story follows Ariana Virellis, a librarian at a magic library, who is on a mission to retrieve the Seven Hero Codices, as they've been tempered with. With the help of her special ability to repair books, Ariana sets out on a journey to uncover the secrets hidden in her library.

The Japanese website can be viewed here, while the English website can be viewed here.


Tropes:

  • 2½D: The game is 3D but most of the movements and actions are in a side-scrolling 2D dimension.
  • Breaking Old Trends: This is the first Compile Heart title to not use Live2D for its 2D sprites in the visual novel segments.
  • Dub Name Change: The Book of the Seven Heroes in the original Japanese version is dubbed in the international releases as the Seven Hero Codices.
  • Elemental Powers: The attacks are elemental based. Among them are Fire, Water, Wind and Light.
  • Ground Pound: Ariana can pound the ground below her, revealing a hidden passage.
  • MacGuffin: The Seven Hero Codices were suddenly lost one day, and the plot involves Ariana finding them.
  • The Magic Goes Away: The narration states that when the Seven Hero Codices got lost, the magic it brought to the world also disappeared.
  • Magical Library: The titular library holds the Seven Hero Codices, and is shown to be quite magical in its own right, as anyone who works there is given the ability to enter books.
  • Medium Blending: The gameplay shows 3D models with occasional 2D backgrounds and effects.
  • Minimalist Cast: There are only six named characters in the game: Ariana, her parents, Divina, John and Vester.
  • Painted CGI: The models have a hand painted look to them, imitating the 2D art used for the game.
  • Point Build System: Ariana can upgrade her powers via points to make them more powerful.
  • Primary-Color Champion: Ariana, the main playable character, has blond hair and is dressed in blue and red, with some yellow and white thrown in.
  • Video Game Dashing: Ariana can dash around enemies and towards various platforms.

Alternative Title(s): Mahou Shisho Ariana Nana Eiketsu No Sho, Magical Librarian Ariana The Book Of Seven Heroes

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