Code Vein 2 Is an Ambitious Sequel Carried by Deep CombatCode Vein 2 (Review)

The soulslike genre revolves around challenge and skill mastery, both of which hold true for Code Vein 2. From the opening hours, it is clear that it is designed with mechanical depth in mind. Combat is the heart of Code Vein 2, demanding attention, timing, and learning its various systems. Alongside this central pillar, Bandai Namco confidently presents the game’s core systems up front, setting up a thrilling journey. Players who enjoy challenging combat, mastering varying builds, and exploring a vast world have a lot to look forward to.

While combat is the driving reason for Code Vein 2, it isn’t the only aspect. The game aims to deliver scale, freedom, and flexibility, but these come with tradeoffs. While the world is visually striking and filled with potential, it does not always feel as lively or narratively driven as it could be. The result is an experience that excels mechanically but sometimes struggles to give those mechanics the emotional weight they deserve. Still, soulslike fans do not want to miss this difficult RPG.

Rating: 4/5

Pros	Cons
Tight, responsive combat feels rewarding.	Early information overload can discourage players.
A wide variety of builds support different playstyles.	The story is straightforward and simple.
An impressive world.	The silent protagonist doesn’t fit with the other characters.
The character creator is robust and addicting.	Expansive areas that feel underwhelming.

Code Vein 2 Combat Is Wildly Complex but Worth the Investment

As with any soulslike game, combat is the main draw, and Code Vein 2 does not disappoint. This is absolutely the highlight of the game, and my favorite part despite typically being pretty bad at soulslikes. You play as a Revenant Hunter on a journey through time. Your constant companion, Lou, allows you to travel back and forth between the past and present, where you will meet new companions, fight terrifying bosses, and master your combat skills to save a dying world. This is the beginning of where Code Vein 2 offers so much build experimentation that reflects nearly any kind of playstyle you may want.

When it comes to combat in Code Vein 2, you have flexibility through options like weapons, Forma, Blood Codes, Jails, and so much more. Each of these can be equipped or upgraded, and interchanged throughout the game, offering an incredible array of flexibility in how you approach combat. But my favorite part of the game, and perhaps the most impactful, is the companions.

Lou is your starting companion, but you quickly gain more as you progress. These offer unique Link Trait and Partner Trait Bonuses that can change your combat style, and your companion can revive you if you fall in battle, though they are then put on a cooldown. Not only this, but you can choose to have them in Summoning mode, where they fight alongside you, or in Assimilation, where you and your partner combine to increase your powers and stats. Each has its benefits, and I often found myself preferring Summoning, not just to aggro enemies, but to have company throughout the bleak world.

Where the variety of Code Vein 2’s combat hinders it is the sheer overload of information. The opening of the game bombarded me with tutorial after tutorial, and I struggled to keep track of the different terms, resources, stats, and effects at first, though I gradually got the hang of it. The difficulty ramp was very forgiving early on until a boss fight absolutely tested me and forced me to get good. But don’t think only bosses will test your skills; some lesser enemies can destroy you quickly if you go in unprepared. Regardless of your skill level, Code Vein 2 provides an enjoyable challenge and lets you decide how you want to engage with it.

More Anime Than Interesting

Code Vein 2 and its predecessor are deservingly called “anime Dark Souls,” and you couldn’t give it a truer title. The aesthetics are obviously very anime, which I love. The character models look great, even if some characters wear the most impractical equipment (looking at you, Josee). These do clash with the world, which has a more realistic look, but this is a minor grievance. The anime aesthetic allows for some incredible gameplay, and this is reflected in the cinematic and flashy combat.

However, where the anime theme falls short for me is the story and characters. The world has such an interesting premise, but it feels so “chosen one” that it pulls me out of it. This is further compounded by a silent protagonist and how nearly every character, who are quite interesting, you meet practically considers you their best friend within minutes of meeting you. Soulslikes are rarely known for their story, so I didn’t go in expecting too much, but I did hope for a bit more of a serious vibe from Code Vein 2.

That said, once I got over my feelings and accepted the world for its craziness, it was a lot of fun. Gifting my companions presents, riding around on the motorcycle, and resting in the hot springs were enjoyable side activities that lean into its anime inspirations. I personally loved finding cookbooks and then being able to cook up recipes at base. These little charming and carefree moments nicely break up the darker, more mature overarching narrative that somehow takes itself too seriously and not seriously enough at the same time.

Code Vein 2 Is an Ambitious Sequel and It Mostly Works

As someone who doesn’t play most soulslike games, I really enjoyed my time with Code Vein 2. It feels like one of the most accessible entries in the genre, especially because of the companion and Restorative Offering system. It brings the right amount of challenge and knows when to ramp it up. All of this seems to build off the first Code Vein, though some will be disappointed that it is not a direct sequel but rather a soft reboot or something in the vein of Final Fantasy, where each entry stands alone. That said, the story is set within the same universe and hits many of the same beats.

But the improvements are certainly worth it. Visuals look great, combat is fluid and engaging, and pacing aligns with the difficulty ramp perfectly. Everything about Code Vein 2 aims for bigger and better, and I’d say it largely succeeds. The camera felt good, the environments felt varied, and performance was solid throughout my playthrough. The new weapons add a lot of the versatility that the first game mastered.

But bigger isn’t always better. The world, while visually nice, feels unnecessarily open. Locations are vast and don’t offer enough interests to explore, especially when compared to the dungeons. I wish Code Vein 2 were a tighter experience and ditched the open world altogether. As much as I liked the motorcycle, I would have been fine with less distance between points of interest and story beats. Another area where some fans may be disappointed is the lack of multiplayer. This is replaced with the companions system, which I did prefer, but understand others may feel differently.

Code Vein 2 will likely split fans of the first game, but those looking for a mechanically sound and challenging soulslike will enjoy their time with it. A few missteps and unnecessary changes don’t take away from what is an overall fantastic game. The sheer variety of builds and open-ended story, through player-driven choices and multiple endings, will have players coming back for multiple playthroughs. Even non-soulslike fans can expect to have a good time with Code Vein 2.

Code Vein 2 releases for PC, Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5 on January 30th. It is will cost $69.99. A PS5 code for Code Vein 2 was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!