Code Vein II: The Kotaku Review

I’m a Japanese RPG fan first, and a Soulslike fan second. Maybe third? Anyway, despite thoroughly enjoying games like Dark Souls and the countless other similar games inspired by it, the Souslike genre isn’t one I’ve always gravitated toward. Imagine my surprise when Bandai Namco decided to combine the anime aesthetics of a JRPG with the demanding gameplay of Dark Souls. Code Vein was born. Finally something for me specifically.

There aren’t many hybrids like this. Most games in the genre still go for a more realistic art style, like that seen in Nioh, The Surge, and Lies of P. Last year’s AI Limit and, to a lesser extent, the cel-shaded Khazan: the Last Berserker, remain isolated examples of the hybrid approach. In this context, Code Vein stands out.

Its sequel, Code Vein II, expands on its predecessor by offering more flexible combat options, as well as a new open world to explore. It also oozes classic JRPG tropes about heroes forging bonds and the strength of friendship. Its enticing time-traveling story takes a bit to get going, but its characters are a highlight. Less brutal than its genre contemporaries, Code Vein II emerges as a comfy mix between a Soulslike and a JRPG that makes for a satisfying entry point for folks who want to dip their toes into both genres.

Code Vein II is set in a post-apocalyptic future caused by the Resurgence a century before the events of the game. In order to stop the Resurgence, five heroes gave up their lives to seal away this mysterious force. But in the present, those seals are weakening, leading to the sudden emergence of the Luna Rapacis, a moon-like entity hovering in the middle of the city. This has turned human-like vampiric beings called Revenants into monsters called Horrors. And it’s up to you to travel back in time to change the fates of those original five heroes.

The here story isn’t cryptic as one might expect from a game in the Soulslike genre. It’s standalone too, so you don’t have to play the first game to understand this one. With your time-traveling partner, Lou, you travel through the open world to search for each of the heroes’ cocoons, where they’ve been slumbering away for the past century. Lou sends you back in time to fight alongside each hero and at the end of their respective arcs, they hand you a sentimental item that you take back to the present to break the cocoon. This then culminates in a big boss fight against the hero themself, which weaves in a satisfying narrative finish to each hero’s storyline. Unlike with games like Elden Ring, I didn’t need to consult an hour-long YouTube lore essay to figure out what the hell was going on. 

I also really enjoyed spending time with Code Vein II’s characters. Lou starts off as little more than a tool used for her time travel powers. However, as you and she begin changing the heroes’ fates step by step, she begins to wonder if meddling more in the past might ultimately lead to a better future. Tension arises as the towering and voluptuous Lady Dimetescu-like mother figure and group leader Lavinia Voda warns her not to do so, as it could lead to unintended consequences. But by the end of the story, Lou begins to stand up for herself, and it’s exciting to see her come into her own. Many of the heroes and supporting characters go through similar redemption arcs, adding real emotional weight to the story.

©Bandai Namco

My favorite character has to be Zenon Gryfgote. At first, he’s depicted as some sort of immoral mad scientist. However, when you meet him, you quickly realize he’s just a goofball wife guy. You can even see it in his elaborate gold-plated costume, which is adorned with representations of his deceased wife. His helmet also looks like something you’d wear to an EDM concert, and his cape is layered with lights that help convey his emotions. Despite his hulking frame, his flashy design makes him relatable, funny, and down to earth. Code Vein II’s larger-than-life cast brings vibrancy to a post-apocalyptic world.

Code Vein II is noticeably easier than most Soulslike games I’ve played. A large part of that is due to its NPC companion system. Basically, you can bring one character to fight alongside you at all times. Other Soulslike games usually require some sort of consumable to summon an ally, but there’s absolutely no cost here. They’re impervious to all damage, can draw aggro from bosses, and can even deal the killing blow on enemies. When you die, you even get a sort of Sekiro-like second wind. Code Vein II is practically a Fisher-Price toy compared to a game like Nioh 2, but that’s what makes it an entry-level and more approachable Soulslike.

Easy mode

Don’t get too comfortable, though, as you can’t just run away and let your ally handle bosses all by themselves. Bosses usually have an attack or two that easily closes the distance, so you’ll end up having to confront them directly anyway.

Another way the game forces you to engage with bosses is through its Weapon Formae system. In order to use these flashy special attacks, you expend Ichor, which functions like MP in a JRPG. To recover Ichor, you’ll need to execute Drain Attacks via your equipped Jail. These come in the form of a giant claw, bat wings, and even a scorpion tail. They’re slow to start up, but vital if you want to continue inflicting huge damage. So you also have to strategically pick when to restore Ichor, like when a boss is recovering from finishing a powerful attack. You’re in this rhythmic cycle of attacking, draining, and attacking again, and you need to be up in the enemy’s face in order to do so, making Code Vein 2 a surprisingly aggressive Soulslike.

Unfortunately, sometimes the camera is a pain to deal with in the midst of the game’s bigger boss fights. There were many instances in which my back would be against the wall, and the camera would zoom in so close that I couldn’t decipher the boss’s next attack, leading to a death.

During my playthrough, I switched between my one-handed sword and hammer weapons. For the former, my go-to Forma was Phantom Ambush, which was super helpful for boss fights since I would disappear in a puff of smoke for a second, then slash the enemy twice. When timed right, I could avoid incoming attacks completely while being able to immediately strike back. My favorite hammer Forma was Gaia Impact, which activated a huge AOE shockwave when I slammed my weapon to the ground, perfect for crowd control. The Formae system makes the game feel a lot more like a typical action RPG, something like an Ys game but with Soulslike core mechanics. These attacks added a degree of cinematic flair that’s often missing from Soulslike games.

• Back-of-the-box quote:

  "Dark Souls for weebs."

• Developer:

  Bandai Namco

• Type of game:

  Soulslike

• Liked:

  Charming cast of characters, plenty of customization, fun combat, great boss design.

• Disliked:

  Performance issues, funky camera, boring normal enemies, repetitive dungeons.

• Platforms:

  PC, PS5 (played), Xbox Series X|S.

• Release date:

  January 29, 2026

• played:

  45 hours. All characters arcs and most sidequests completed. Unlocked all three endings: normal, good, and true. Still have to find all hot springs and healing upgrades in the open world.

Central to the game’s customization systems are Blood Codes, which act kind of like character classes that you can equip to fit your playstyle. For example, if you like parrying, Lyle’s Blood Code is ideal since its traits include powering up its parry staggering capabilities. If you’re a more careful player, Holly’s Blood Code might suit you, as it restores some HP upon defeating an enemy. What makes Blood Codes flexible is that even though they have specific traits and boost certain stats, you’re free to use whatever weapons you like the most regardless of which one you have equipped.

After mastering a Blood Code, you can extract a Booster from it, which are passive skills that you can equip. For example, mastering Zenon’s Blood Code rewards you with Halberd Mastery, which of course increases your attack strength when wielding Halberds. Between Blood Codes, Formae, and Boosters, there’s a large variety of customization options that make fights feel both extravagant and exhilarating.

The open road

Like many sequels before it, Code Vein II takes the predictable route in becoming an open-world game. The freedom this shift allows reminded me of Elden Ring in which, if I was stuck on a boss, I’d explore more, get stronger, and come back to tackle the boss again. This allowed me to still make progress somewhere else even if my attempts to advance in one direction had hit a wall. And that’s pretty much what I did throughout. Interestingly, this freedom meant that I accidentally skipped over what was intended to be the game’s first hero story, Josee’s, in the Sunken City area. Instead, I veered off a little too far into the northeast towards the Corroded Scar region and started Lyle’s first.

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After breaking Lyle’s cocoon, I couldn’t beat his corrupted form to continue the story. So instead, I went back to Josee’s location and finished her story arc. Since I was almost done with Lyle’s arc anyway, I was overpowered for Josee’s, defeating her corrupted form handily. This looser approach of story progression works in the open world’s favor. With side dungeons and mini-bosses to boot, exploration never felt like a waste of time. Every little thing I did made me stronger, which would eventually help me beat the bosses I’d initially had trouble with. Unfortunately, the dungeons grow a bit repetitive, and enemy variety is lacking compared to the extravagantly designed bosses.

That said, you get a cool bike to speed exploration up, along with a generous amount of fast-travel points. On the downside, the joys of exploration are marred a bit by performance issues as you speed around the world with foliage constantly popping in and out, at least on PS5 Pro where I played the game.  There was also one point at which I made the classic Soulslike runback from a save point to the boss and I skipped so many enemies that when they all started chasing me on the screen, the framerate slowed to a crawl.

Code Vein II doesn’t just take a superficial anime aesthetic and use it as window dressing on a popular genre. Its story and charming cast elevate it to create a unique middle ground that will appeal to JRPG and Soulslike fans alike. It’s got its fair share of issues, such as the performance woes and boring enemy fodder design. Still, if you’re looking to ease into the Soulslike genre before hitting the big leagues, Code Vein II is worth spilling blood over.