REVIEW: ‘Code Vein II’ Has Fun And Challenge In Its DNA

When you’re presented with a chance to right the wrongs of the past, how much do you fix? Whether you would simply solve the surface-level issues or dig deep to find the root of the problem, you’ll have the opportunity to answer that question in the latest action-RPG, Code Vein 2.

Developed and published by Bandai Namco, this sequel to the 2019 title gives players the tools to craft their own combat style as they travel through time. With a beautifully haunted world, a fantastic soundtrack, and memorable boss battles, Code Vein 2 delivers an epic journey that is equal parts harrowing, exhilarating, and bizarre.

In Code Vein 2, players will take on the role of a recently deceased and revived Revenant Hunter, one who battles monsters. Together with your savior, the vampiric Lou MagMell, you’re tasked with preventing the end of the world. This simple task is accomplished by traveling through time and defeating heroes of the past who were tragically lost in an ill-fated attempt to save the world. This premise is all you need to set out into the open world and start changing the past.

Code Vein 2 takes you on journeys to explore fallen heroes’ pasts.

Code Vein 2 initially follows the simple gameplay loop: Players explore a new region, find a fallen hero in a cocoon, and then travel into the past to learn about them and their plight. This new insight into the hero’s life allows players to open the cocoon, defeating the hero and taking a major step toward saving the world.

Delving into the past and witnessing firsthand the events that they’d only previously heard about is always exciting because it highlights how history is told and revised by those in control. It also gives players the opportunity to correct potential injustices, letting them dig deeper until they’re satisfied with their work. Further, while the story does plenty to draw you in early on, the latter half excels in elevating the narrative.

Despite being set in an open world, Code Vein 2’s quest system does a good job of guiding players through the world, giving them objectives both on the critical path and for side quests involving supporting characters. Additionally, the map is dotted with landmarks and dungeons, promising rewards for players who take the time to explore. Despite the freedom to explore the world’s three distinct zones in any order, the enemies and bosses do scale up in a particular order, so the overwhelmed player will find the quest log particularly helpful.

Code Vein 2 offers ample post-apocalyptic exploration.

One especially helpful tool for exploration is the motorcycle, which can be summoned in most open-world areas. After conjuring it out of thin air, it can ferry the player and their companion through the broken-down world, though too many collisions or attacks will destroy the bike.

The motorcycle also features a handy pair of wings, which allows the player to ride off of ramps or cliffs and safely land nearby, unless your landing zone is a no-bike zone, causing the bike to vanish from under you and sending you to an early death. It’s not suited for all terrain, though. The post-apocalyptic debris makes it hard to ride anywhere there isn’t a road, in which case, it’s best to explore on foot.

Once you’ve located a dungeon, it’s time to fight your way through various creatures, ranging from standard monstrous entities to spirits, robotic abominations, and more. This is where Code Vein 2’s extensive combat options come into play.

Mastering different Blood Codes leads to different playstyles.

Two of the most important combat decisions are your Blood Code and your Weapon of choice. When leveling up, you’ll receive a few level stat upgrades across your health, damage, and other attributes. Your major stats, like strength, dexterity, and vitality, are determined by your Blood Code.

Granted to you by other characters, Blood Codes allow you to pursue a certain playstyle, affecting the damage you deal with each weapon and giving you passive bonuses as well. My favored Blood Code gave me extra strength, but caused me to take damage if my Ichor—a resource for casting abilities—was at capacity. Mastering a Blood Code, which simply requires defeating enemies while it’s equipped, typically grants access to a stronger version of it, granting an upgrade path when you find a style that works for you.

The other major decision in combat is your weapon. There are a variety of weapon types, each with its optimal range and attack speed. Perhaps you like to stay back and stab at an enemy with a halberd, or you want to deliver lightning-quick attacks with dual blades. Code Vein 2 has something for everyone, including the glacially slow but obscenely powerful hammer-type weapon. While some action RPGs are content to give each weapon a single ability, Code Vein 2 allows you to equip four.

These abilities use Ichor, and you can equip any four as long as they don’t exceed the weapon’s capabilities. Some unleash devastating attacks, others provide temporary stat buffs, and some even grant special buffs that can’t be found anywhere else. Eventually, you’ll find a combination that works for you, making your moveset feel like it’s uniquely yours.

Interchange weapons, formae, jails, and other tools to prepare for varied combat.

There are other tools you can choose from when preparing for combat. Defensive formae allow you to exchange a block for a dodge or parry, sometimes granting additional effects to you or the enemy you’re blocking. Offensive formae summon a unique weapon for a singular, powerful attack, such as a bow for long-range attacks, or a scythe that can slow enemies. Jails are used for regaining Ichor with drain attacks, but they’re also used for hyperstylish finishers, with their own unique animations.

These tools are all interchangeable as you discover your favored playstyle, but Code Vein 2 works so well because of how easy it is to experiment. Each of the options (weapons, offensive formae, and jails) can be upgraded, but they use different resources.

Your Blood Code can be exchanged anytime, preventing players from sinking hours and hours of levels into a bad stat layout. If you’ve learned a boss’s openings while fighting with a slower weapon like the Hammer, switching to a faster weapon is a viable option for finishing the fight.

Boss battles are punishing, but mini-bosses bring fun challenges too, along the way.

Action RPGs are known for their tough, punishing boss battles, and, for the most part, Code Vein 2 is no different. There are dozens of mini-bosses, semi-generic powerhouses that you might see a couple of times throughout the story. Plenty of these enemies are notable, providing a fun challenge on the way to the real boss fights.

These ‘real’ boss fights are rarer, but they are the cornerstone of the narrative. Each boss you fight is built up extensively in the narrative and features their own battle theme, making them feel like a true spectacle when you do come face-to-face with them.

Code Vein 2’s soundtrack contains some of the most energizing and triumphant-sounding music I’ve heard in an action RPG. Some of those boss battles will have you listening to the same theme for hours until you finally defeat the enemy, so you’ll be grateful for such uplifting music.

Code Vein 2 is a deeply entertaining adventure of hope.

Unfortunately, while the music is stellar, the same can’t be said for the sound design in general. There are numerous instances where sounds were either underwhelming or just didn’t play at all. The motorcycle, for instance, is strangely quiet, and some enemy attacks—massive slam attacks especially—seem like they are being pantomimed. When it’s done right, you shouldn’t notice it, but there’s definitely something to notice in this case.

Still, though, it’s just about the only gripe with Code Vein 2. The rest is a deeply entertaining adventure that brings hope and life back to a ruined world, tears down massive beasts, and witnesses the most audacious segment I’ve seen in any action RPG.

Code Vein II releases January 29th on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S