When the original Code Vein launched in 2019, I ended up sinking dozens of hours into it. Perhaps it was the scarcity of good Soulslike games back then – unlike the endless supply of Souls flavours we have today – that made me appreciate Bandai Namco’s more anime-esque approach to the formula, but its sequel couldn’t have arrived at a worse time. When all is said and done, Code Vein 2 ends up being a decent evolution of the first game with an open-world experience now at the forefront, but it also fails to be as innovative as its peers in a subgenre that has become increasingly competitive and crowded.



Code Vein 2 is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans were almost completely wiped out by a cataclysmic event called the Resurgence, sending waves of energy that mutated nearly all living beings into abominations called Horrors. Players take on the role of an amnesiac Revenant Hunter who awakens in the company of the Revenants. Unsure of their past, they’re sent back in time with a girl named Lou to stop the Resurgence from claiming the lives of five heroes.



The narrative isn’t Code Vein 2’s strongest aspect but it’s not its weakest either. In fact, at some point, I actually began to invest myself in what was happening, especially with how it uses its time-travel shenanigans to alter the future and subsequently shape certain characters’ decisions in the story. Before you jump into the shoes of your confused protagonist, you can customise their appearance with a pretty extensive and awesome character creator that I had way too much fun playing around with. After an hour or so of tinkering with its boatload of customisable options, I leapt into Bandai Namco’s open-world vision for the Code Vein series – and immediately got a sense of déjà vu.

Before you jump into the shoes of your confused protagonist, you can customise their appearance with a pretty extensive and awesome character creator that I had way too much fun playing around with.

It’s apparent that Code Vein 2 borrows a lot of open-world elements from another Bandai Namco-published title, Elden Ring. However, where From Software’s masterful action-RPG felt like a cohesive, well-designed sandbox incentivising exploration, Code Vein 2’s world veers in the opposite direction by presenting a mostly bland and empty world with a lot of underwhelming design choices. It’s also not very pleasant to explore as most areas and environments can be on the repetitive, dull and visually unpleasant side. There’s an attempt to diversify its biomes in order to make each area feel distinct, but it never aspires to reach the same heights of the game it borrows so heavily from. It honestly comes across as a bit lazy, which is a bit disappointing.



Where Code Vein 2 thankfully doesn’t disappoint is in its combat. Taking everything that made the first game so entertaining to play, the sequel ramps up the gameplay with more fluid, engaging combat mechanics that makes each battle burst to life with energy and visual flare. A lot of effort went into creating detailed, stylish animations that made the moment-to-moment action flow smoothly. The core gameplay in Code Vein 2 remains mostly unchanged from its predecessor, but it feels so much better to control and play. New weapons, skills and abilities mix things up enough to keep your attention locked in, even when the world around you seems less interesting.

A lot of effort went into creating detailed, stylish animations that made the moment-to-moment action flow smoothly.

You’re once again joined by an AI companion (alongside Lou) who can assist you during exploration and battles. Like the first game, they’re very reliable and smartly programmed – it often feels like you’re playing with another real player. They can dish and take damage in equal measures, alleviating some of the stress of the combat when it gets challenging. And trust me, Code Vein 2 is no walk in the park. Maybe more than the first game, the sequel escalates the difficulty to some absurd degrees but it’s nothing that can’t be overcome with the right build and strategy. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, for example, had inconsistent difficulty spikes but thankfully, Code Vein 2 doesn’t have that same problem, at least for me. The difficulty is tuned just right and you get a satisfying sense of progression as you learn to master its systems and utilise everything at your disposal.



Combat is a dance of parrying, dodging, and waiting for openings to attack enemies, but the fluidity of Code Vein 2’s action keeps you on your toes. As fast and dangerous as you play, some Horrors can also be just as deadly, requiring you to lock in and stay on high alert. This is evident with the game’s signature boss battles. Each boss encounter is well-designed, for the most part, and each has a specific pattern that must be studied. It’s a shame that a handful of boss fights drop the ball. Some can feel a bit flat and mediocre, taking either no effort or too much effort to defeat for what they are. I’d say the boss fights are a mixed bag in Code Vein 2. Some stand out in moments of excellent game design, while others tend to feel uninspired and tedious to fight. Generally, they make up some of the best and unfortunately lowest moments of the game.

It relies too heavily on lifting inspiration from Elden Ring that it forgets to craft its own style or stand on its own feet.

The biggest problem with Code Vein 2 is its lack of identity. By all accounts, it pretty much plays to the strengths of the first game, but it struggles to find its own unique aesthetic and voice. It relies too heavily on lifting inspiration from Elden Ring that it forgets to craft its own style or stand on its own feet. There are sections where it feels like the game is finally doing something to stand out – be it the story taking sharp turns or the gameplay introducing a switch-up at the last minute – but it never commits to creatively pushing itself any further than its comfort zone.



On the technical side, I played Code Vein 2 on PS5 Pro with some inconsistent performance. On a couple of occasions, I experienced game crashes while texture pop-ins and framerate stutters almost ruined busy combat situations. The game’s anime-inspired visuals and character models are fine but it’s not something you haven’t seen before a million times, especially from repeat offender Bandai Namco. I will say that the particle effects and the way action explodes on-screen are awesome, for the most part maintaining rock-solid framerates under stress (assuming you’re not juggling mobs of enemies at a time).

Code Vein 2 is a worthy follow-up to the first game but it doesn’t attempt to do enough to stand out in the crowded Soulslike subgenre. The combat is undoubtedly the highlight and big draw of the experience, and some of its story ideas are far more compelling than I expected. While I admire Bandai Namco for being transparent about its strong Elden Ring influence, it borrows without understanding far too often. It’s a decent sequel that will entertain die-hard fans but I can only recommend you seek it out when it’s discounted.

Code Vein 2 is available to purchase at Nexus Hub for R1,299