The souls-like genre has exploded in popularity since the dawn of From Software’s Souls franchise, with multiple companies taking a stab at the format–and some companies taking multiple stabs. Bandai Namco, who publishes FromSoft’s Souls games as well as Elden Ring, dropped an anime-style version of the genre in 2019’s Code Vein, and now it’s back for more in Code Vein II.
We spent a few hours with the next Code Vein adventure during The Game Awards week, and we came away impressed with its improved combat system and a new and interesting take on the genre’s “summon” mechanic, but what surprised us most was an original story that carries some emotional weight. The original Code Vein was a solid first effort, but Code Vein II shows that the franchise may have, pardon the pun, cracked the code.
A new code
Code Vein II takes place in a world on the edge of ruin, and where humans and Revenants, a human-like species of beings with vampiric abilities, live amongst one another. Our demo picks up in the present, as the effects of the Resurgence–a cataclysmic event that slowly morphs Revenants into mindless beasts–are wreaking havoc on the world.
A century prior, a group of Revenant warriors tried to seal the Resurgence and save the planet, only to fail and bring on another phenomenon that insteads speeds up the process. Those fallen would-be heroes are trapped around the world, and our hero, with the help of a friend with time-traveling powers, must go back into the past, work with those warriors to figure out how to unlock that which traps them in the present, then come back and defeat them once and for all.
That’s a lot to take in, and if you haven’t played the original Code Vein before, you might rightfully assume you’ve missed something. Mercifully, Code Vein II is taking the Final Fantasy storytelling approach, as this is a standalone tale. Those new to Code Vein can jump in without needing background knowledge, which makes taking in all of the information presented easier.
Jumping into the game starts with creating a character, and the creator in Code Vein II offers a robust slate of choices for us to dig through. Dozens of skin colors, eye colors, hair styles, hair colors, accessories, and more are available right from the start, creating an experience that those with a creative imagination can sink hours into before even starting the game. Characters also have six attributes–strength, dexterity, mind, willpower, vitality, and fortitude–which can be enhanced by finding special perks called Blood Codes throughout the game.
After character creation, a small tutorial section offers a few brief moments of exploration, including our character meeting up with the time-traveling friend, and a cutscene establishing the story. We then travel via a sweet motorcycle to the time-travel access point, where we travel back in time to the Sunken Pylon dungeon, link with the fallen hero Josee Anjou, and the meat of the demo begins in earnest.
Form(ae)s of combat
Once we’re dropped into the dungeon, we are immediately presented with a wealth of combat options. Seven main weapons are provided for us to tinker with while in the dungeon, each with their own abilities and attributes. One-handed Swords served as a sort of baseline, as they acted like a standard sword would in any souls-like. Twin Blades allowed for faster strikes, while Greatswords and Hammers dealt massive damage–sometimes even one-shotting foes–with slower, more deliberate attacks.
The Bayonet was particularly interesting as the long-range weapon of the group, thanks to its allowing me to craft ammo on the fly whenever an opening presented itself, so long as I had the right materials. The floating Rune Blades looked really cool slashing through the air while I punched foes at the same time, though it quickly became clear that they would take more time to learn than the demo allowed–enemies kept getting between the blades and the character, leaving us open to big attacks.
Each weapon couples with two key components, Formae and Jails, in order to round out your abilities. Formae are weapon-specific abilities, like enhanced attacks, status effects, and more, that can be activated during battle. The Rune Blades, for example, included a Whirling Shredder Formae where the two blades spun like a buzzsaw in front of the character, hitting enemies caught in the circle multiple times.
Jails, meanwhile, function similarly to Blood Veils in the original Code Vein. Jail attacks are equipped separately from the standard weapons, and are used to drain Ichor from enemies. Ichor is the resource needed to use Formae, so routinely using Jail attacks will keep Formae attacks available for us when needed. Hound was our favorite Jail in the demo, as using it would produce two massive hound heads from either shoulder that would sink their teeth into a nearby enemy, but the massive hand called Ogre and the scythe called Reaper were also fun options.
Partner up
As our character has joined with Rosee Anjou in the past, she becomes the poster child for Code Vein II’s new Partner mechanic. As the hero meets with more fallen champions of the past, he can build relationships with them by bringing them into battle. The more frequently a hero is selected, the stronger that bond becomes.
The strength of the bond is most apparent in Link Points (LP), which are visible just below the playable character’s health bar. Link Points serve as additional health, and it depletes before the main health bar is affected, which means that the stronger our bond is with Rosee, the more health we will have as we fight. This is a cool way to reward building relationships with characters, and one that’s especially welcome in a genre known for its difficulty like the souls-like.
You can build your relationship with Rosee in one of two ways: Summon and Assimilation. Summoning Rosee adds her to the battlefield, where she can fight enemies on her own and serve as a distraction when we need to heal up or regain stamina. Assimilation adds Rosee’s power to your own, leaving us alone on the battlefield, but greatly enhancing our abilities.
Offering these options is an ingenious way to cater to two different types of souls-like players, those who like summoning help and those who prefer to go it alone, while allowing both the benefits of relationship building. We stuck to Summoning, as we appreciated the distraction Rosee provided during boss fights, but Assimilation is just as valid, as the power boost is certainly worth considering. The Partner system stands out as one of the best new additions to Code Vein II, if only because the development team found a way to include both sides of that “to summon or not to summon” argument.
Fixing the future
The demo culminated in two massive boss fights, one in the past and one in the present. The boss in the past was called the Metagen Remnant, a spider-like creature with a human face. This was a tough fight, but one made more bearable thanks to having Rosee on the field as a summoned partner. Rosee drawing the Remnant away so we could get a few extra strikes in was a major part of our victory, even with the disgusting toxic green goop the Remnant would shoot onto the floor when we got in close. Just when we think we’re avoiding the Remnant’s swipes, green goop hits us with a poison effect; that’s a souls-like for you.
After putting the Remnant down, our character says goodbye to Rosee and returns to the present, where the bindings of the now-monstrous Rosee are unlocked and must be vanquished. This fight is much tougher than the Remnant, and not just because of attack patterns or damage; halfway through the battle, Rosee remembers who we are, and begs us to mercifully end her life as her second phase begins.
Here is where Code Vein II’s emotional weight comes into focus. Each time we go back in time to aid a warrior in their battle with the Resurgence, we will have to return to the present and battle against that very same hero–albeit in a more monstrous form. How will they react? What will they say? In Rosee’s case, she shows immense grief for what she has become, and thanks our character for sending her into the afterlife as she fades away. The scene leaves us wondering if every hero will be so understanding, as the demo comes to a close.
With a separate story, a versatile partner system, and a variety of battle options, Code Vein II is shaping up to be a worthy entry in the crowded souls-like arena. The Formae and Jail system allow players to keep their most powerful attacks handy, while multiple weapon options will let them fight through the Resurgence-ruined world how they see fit.
Code Vein II is set to launch January 30 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
