Code Vein II first impressions: Stylish and dramatic

If you’re a fan of Soulslike games, chances are that you’ve spent some time with Code Vein. Code Vein 2 is looking like it might outdo its predecessor, based on my time with a hands-on preview of the upcoming title.

Below, you’ll find all the key details from the Code Vein 2 preview, sans any story spoilers, looking at everything from the fast-paced and punchy combat to the rich variety of enemies dotted throughout the game. 

The Escapist recaps

• Code Vein 2 is an upcoming action RPG from Bandai Namco, acting as a spiritual successor to Code Vein.
• In Code Vein 2, players are placed in the shoes of a Revenant Hunter and tasked with saving the world from certain doom, using flashy combat and time-jumping abilities along the way. 
• The Code Vein 2 preview highlighted the game’s strengths nicely, split between an initial introductory period and a later-game dungeon. 
• Combat felt smooth and responsive in Code Vein 2, with a strong variety of enemies, each having their own strengths and attack patterns to be wary of.
• Fans of the original Code Vein will have plenty to look forward to with this game, based on the preview, despite it not being a direct sequel. The story seems suitably dramatic and intense, with plenty of interesting lore snippets to dig through.

Great news for character creator obsessives

Code Vein 2 is an upcoming action RPG from Bandai Namco that features a vast world, Soulslike combat, and an anime art style. Importantly for fans of the original game, it’s a spiritual successor, not a direct sequel. 

In Code Vein 2, players are thrust into a world where Revenants – vampire-adjacent beings – and humans are on the edge of destruction. The player character is a Revenant Hunter, presented with the oh-so-minuscule task of saving the world through time-hopping and boss-battling.  

I got the opportunity to check out a preview for the upcoming title, with roughly three hours of gametime, split between an introductory section and a later game segment. The former featured plenty of time to fuss with the character creation options, while the latter focused more on combat and exploring a moody dungeon.

Fans of detailed character creation systems and role-playing will be in for a treat with Code Vein 2. The options were vibrant and colorful, letting players tweak and customize their protagonist to fit their personal style.

For folks who aren’t fussed about character creators, there were also some lovely premades – I opted for a plague doctor get-up. 

The first section of the Code Vein 2 preview let the players get to grips with the style of combat and movement in the game, introducing key features like Formae – the new spin on Gifts – and drain attacks.

As someone who enjoyed the combat in Code Vein, the combat system took a minute to pick up, but once I had it, it was incredibly enjoyable, particularly when the ability to work alongside a partner was introduced. 

Movement in combat felt smooth and fluid, and being able to swap between weapons with ease was exciting, pointing towards fights with requirements for a multitude of attacks down the line.

Movement in general felt strong and smooth throughout the Code Vein 2 preview, which is arguably one of the most important features for a Soulslike or ARPG title. Clunky movement can be incredibly off-putting in a world that requires a lot of exploration, but this game felt rewarding to run through. 

Fun combat and an intriguing world

The second half of the preview was dedicated predominantly to combat, chucking us into a dark dungeon with a slew of unique enemies.

The variety of enemies in Code Vein 2 stood out as a highlight; there were all sorts of nasty critters to tangle with, each with its own attack patterns, movements, and strengths to remember while running through the dungeon. I’m a fairly avid Soulslike fan and found I got mashed into the ground by a fair few beasts in the later stages. 

Despite being tricky in places, there were some features put in place that made the whole experience feel player-friendly.

There was a footprint mechanic on the mini-map that let you see where you’d already been and how frequently you’d run that way. The dungeon was vast and multi-layered, and with a handful of deaths on the table, this feature helped a lot. 

Visually, Code Vein 2 presented an intriguing world to explore, with a more polished iteration of the anime art style from the first game. It did feel a little dark and murky in places, but on the whole, it looked good and seemed to run nicely, with no notable drops or quirks. 

If you were a fan of the first Code Vein, it seems like there’ll be a lot for you to fall in love with here. This preview session pointed towards a barrage of brilliant boss fights and a fascinating, multi-timeline story, complete with all the drama and flair that you’d expect from this franchise as a whole.

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