Code Vein II may just be succeeding for me where the original failed

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It might sound critical, but after playing a couple of hours of Code Vein II, it’s clear the developers have taken inspiration from FromSoftware’s Elden Ring. While the team might not admit it, the similarities are hard to ignore. The game now features an open world with distinct dungeons, a crafting system based on collected materials, and a much bigger emphasis on how you move around. They’ve added a faster sprint, a jump button, and levels designed with more verticality, all of which make getting around feel more dynamic.

We recently got to play a two-hour demo of the game on a standard PlayStation 5, around the same time as The Game Awards. The demo included the beginning of the game, a section later on, and two boss battles, both of which we really liked. A big reason for this was the improved character customization. The game still uses Blood Codes, but they’ve been updated to give you more freedom in how you build your character. Now, you can use any weapon with any Blood Code, though some combinations will naturally be more effective than others based on their stats.

I really liked how the Halberd played in the demo! I managed to find a skill combo that did crazy burst damage on the final boss. Basically, I had a buff that stacked up with each hit, a fast attack to build it up quickly, and then a big single hit to unleash when the buff was maxed. It felt awesome! My friend next to me took a totally different approach with a hammer, focusing on poisoning the boss to create openings between his slower, heavier attacks. It was cool seeing how different builds could work!

Honestly, the character customization is way deeper than I initially thought. It’s not just about meeting stat requirements to use weapons. Each stat actually has a sweet spot – pushing too hard has downsides, but so does not pushing enough! I didn’t really get this while playing, but the preview guide Bandai Namco sent over (sadly, I can’t show it to you guys) explained it all. Now I’m super hyped to try out some crazy builds when the full game drops later this month and really push the limits of what’s possible.

I really liked the new way partners work in battles. If you’re about to be defeated, your partner will briefly sacrifice themselves to heal you, giving you a second chance. They’ll respawn after a short wait and can do this again, but it’s not a guaranteed save. Even in the early parts of the game, the boss fights were challenging. Plus, the more often your partner saves you, the longer they take to respawn, and the less health they restore, so you still need to play carefully.

Essentially, even though the game lets you continue playing as long as you avoid risks while your partner is down, you’ll still need to master the combat eventually. It seems the battles are designed with this system in mind, meaning they won’t be easy for experienced Souls-like players. I was impressed by how much thought the fights required – specifically, considering my positioning and choosing between dodging or jumping to avoid attacks. It reminded me a lot of the challenging and rewarding boss fights in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, and that gives you a good idea of what to expect.

Overall, I had a good experience, but there are a few things to note. I really liked the design of the main dungeon, although a few areas looked like hidden paths but actually led to traps. The game is visually stunning with fantastic art. It also looked very polished on the PlayStation 5 – I specifically checked for visual issues like blurring, and it looked great. However, I’m not entirely sure how well the game’s performance will hold up over time.

It’s important to remember this was based on a preview version of the game, but I did notice some minor framerate drops while exploring the dungeons. These weren’t major issues, and performance seemed generally good in those enclosed areas, especially with VRR enabled. However, a brief look at the open world revealed the framerate was a bit less stable. Also, the game features a large motorcycle for getting around, but it wasn’t really playable in this preview build, which was surprising given how close the game is to release.

I can’t say for sure if the game will run well in the open world, but I wish I’d had a chance to test it and reassure players. I’m a little worried because the gameplay shown at Summer Game Fest had some noticeable framerate issues, and that section is no longer featured in recent demos. Hopefully, my concerns are unfounded, and we’ll be able to share performance details in the next few weeks if possible.

Overall, Code Vein II feels like a much stronger and more assured sequel. Even though I didn’t love the first game, I’m excited to play this one as soon as it comes out, especially considering how many similar games have been released since. It seems capable of being a standout title, now we’ll just have to see if it can fully deliver on its promise.

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2026-01-05 16:56