Code Vein II is the sequel to Bandai Namco’s attempt at creating their own anime Souls game with a new IP. While Code Vein was an average game, it had some unique elements that helped it stand out. The sequel tries to build on those ideas, but unfortunately, the final product does not live up to the developers’ ambitions.
The story in Code Vein II centers on a time travel premise where the main protagonist, an avatar created by the player, must travel back in time to save the world from impending doom. The main character is a Revenant hunter partnered with Lou, a girl who has the power to manipulate time. Revenants are vampire-like beings created using a parasite, and the world is also populated by humans. Due to the appearance of Luna Rapacis, Revenants are being transformed into monsters, threatening the fate of the world.
The story begins with the main protagonist traveling back in time to alter past events so the post-apocalyptic future can be avoided. The main objective is not only to change the past, but also to save the three heroes who play key roles in later events. The game uses this time travel mechanic in a unique way to tell its story and provide character development, but the lack of proper cutscenes and strong presentation makes the narrative feel hollow. It comes across as a low-budget attempt at telling a grand story. The writing is also bland, lacking the personality and emotion needed to make players feel attached to what is happening.
Since the story is not exactly a strong point for the game, the gameplay could have made up for it, but sadly, it does not. Code Vein II feels deliberately clunky and heavier, which was not the case with its predecessor. The combat feels like a mix of Souls and mechanics from other Bandai Namco games like God Eater. The hit detection is wonky, which makes the controls lose their impact. While there is a lot of variety in customizing the player with weapons, upgrades, and the ability to summon partners, most encounters still feel unexciting.
The game features many weapons with different movesets, along with sub-variants. There are also spells and abilities that use the Ichor (mana) system. The game takes a different approach to level design by moving away from the linear levels of the first game and shifting to a more open world structure. This is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it offers more freedom and room for creativity, but on the other, it adds extra baggage. Open-world games like Elden Ring work well because of their tight gameplay and strong design, but Code Vein II fails to reach that same level.
The dungeons feel repetitive, the visuals, at least on PS5, are bland, and the art style does not feel like much of an upgrade over the first game. On top of that, the game does not run very well on the base PS5. There are two rendering modes: an action mode that prioritizes performance and targets 60 FPS, and a graphics mode that improves visual quality at the cost of frame rate. I stuck with action mode for better performance, but even that struggled to maintain a steady 60 FPS, leading to frame time spikes and uneven controls caused by extra lag.
The open world structure is paired with past and present timelines that switch between each other at key moments. Players can also travel across the world on a motorbike with wings for gliding, but the controls are flimsy at best. Exploration feels dull because there are no major hidden secrets, and most rewards are limited to familiar upgrades like health boosts or crafting materials.
Code Vein II features plenty of boss fights, but their uneven design is another problem. The game does not shy away from repeating certain boss battles or reusing the same enemies multiple times. The camera can be difficult to manage during combat, and enemy hitboxes do not feel satisfying. The game has also removed traditional co-op in favor of the new partner system. This is not a big issue for me personally, but players who enjoyed co-op in the first Code Vein should keep this in mind.
As for overall replay value, I did not feel much motivation to play through the game again. The main story can take up to 40 hours to complete. For players who enjoy experimenting with different builds, the new Blood Code system allows respecing and adjustments at any time. One positive is the expanded character customization, but since it is purely cosmetic, I do not see it as a major selling point.
Overall, I am not sure what to make of this sequel. It feels like it was made on a limited budget, with the main goal being to expand on the first game, yet some features, such as online co-op, were removed for reasons that do not make much sense. I personally never found the world or characters of Code Vein very interesting, but I had hoped the gameplay would see meaningful improvements in the sequel. Sadly, those improvements are not enough to justify the price at the moment, as the game has several issues, especially with performance on a base PS5. If Bandai Namco is taking notes, they should have made a sequel to Scarlet Nexus instead.
Code Vein II Game Information
- Price: $69.99
- Publisher: Bandai Namco
- Developer: Bandai Namco
- Platform: PS5 (Reviewed)
- Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher
