Code Vein II Tells A Time-Traveling Story That Will Tug On Your Heartstrings

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The popularity of challenging action RPGs, often called “souls-like” games, has grown significantly since FromSoftware’s Souls series became popular, inspiring many developers to create their own versions. Bandai Namco, the publisher of both the Souls games and Elden Ring, previously released an anime-inspired take on the genre with 2019’s Code Vein, and is now following it up with a sequel, Code Vein II.

We recently had a chance to play the next Code Vein game during The Game Awards, and we were really impressed. The combat feels much smoother, and the new way they handle summoning is a fresh take on a familiar idea. But the biggest surprise was the story – it’s genuinely moving. The first Code Vein was good, but this sequel suggests the series has truly found its footing.

A new code

I’m so hyped for Code Vein II! From what I’ve played of the demo, the world is really falling apart, and it’s cool how humans and these vampire-like beings called Revenants are just trying to survive together. The big threat right now is something called the Resurgence – it’s basically turning Revenants into these crazy, mindless monsters, and it’s causing chaos everywhere.

A hundred years ago, a team of brave warriors attempted to stop a catastrophic event called the Resurgence, but they failed, inadvertently making things worse. Now, those fallen heroes are scattered across the world, trapped by the very thing they tried to contain. Our hero, aided by a friend who can manipulate time, must travel to the past, team up with these warriors, and discover how to break the cycle that binds them. Then, they’ll return to the present to finally defeat them.

It’s understandable if this seems overwhelming, especially if you’re new to the Code Vein series. You might think you’re missing context, but thankfully, Code Vein II tells a completely new story. You don’t need to have played the first game to enjoy this one, making it easier to dive right in and understand everything.

Creating your character is the first step in Code Vein II, and the game offers a lot of customization options. You can choose from many different skin tones, eye colors, hairstyles, and accessories, letting creative players spend a long time designing their character before they even begin playing. Characters have six main stats – strength, dexterity, mind, willpower, vitality, and fortitude – which you can improve by finding special abilities called Blood Codes as you play.

Okay, so after I made my character, there was a quick little tutorial where I got to run around and meet this friend who can travel through time. There was a cutscene that set up the whole story, which was cool. Then I hopped on a seriously awesome motorcycle and drove to this place that lets you go back in time. That’s when things really started – I ended up in this dungeon called the Sunken Pylon and connected with the spirit of this fallen hero named Josee Anjou. That’s where the demo’s main gameplay began!

Form(ae)s of combat

As soon as you enter the dungeon, you’ll have plenty of ways to fight. There are seven different weapons to experiment with, each offering unique abilities and characteristics. Standard one-handed swords function like typical swords in similar games. Twin blades let you attack quickly, while greatswords and hammers pack a powerful punch—sometimes defeating enemies with a single hit—though they’re slower to swing.

I found the Bayonet especially useful because it let me create ammo during fights, as long as I had the necessary resources, giving me a strong long-range option. The Rune Blades looked impressive while slicing through the air alongside my punches, but I realized they’d take a lot of practice to master. Enemies often interfered with the blade swings, leaving me vulnerable to attacks – the demo just wasn’t long enough to get the hang of them.

Weapons work with two special parts called Formae and Jails to give you more options in combat. Formae are unique abilities for each weapon – things like stronger attacks or applying status effects – that you can use during a fight. For instance, the Rune Blades had an ability called Whirling Shredder, which made the blades spin rapidly, hitting any enemies in front of the character multiple times.

Jails work much like Blood Veils did in the original Code Vein. They’re special attacks equipped separately from your regular weapons and are used to collect Ichor from enemies. Ichor is essential for using powerful Formae attacks, so regularly using Jails ensures you’ll have enough energy when you need them. We particularly enjoyed the Hound Jail in the demo – it created two huge hound heads that would bite nearby enemies. However, the massive hand called Ogre and the scythe called Reaper were also really fun to use.

Partner up

Because our main character previously teamed up with Rosee Anjou, she’s now the face of Code Vein II’s new Partner system. Throughout the game, you’ll meet powerful allies from the past and can strengthen your relationships with them by fighting alongside them. The more often you choose a partner, the closer your bond will become, making them even more formidable.

The connection you build with Rosee is clearly shown through Link Points (LP), which appear under your character’s health. These points act as extra health, being used up before your main health bar takes damage. Essentially, a stronger bond with Rosee means more survivability during battles. This is a great way to encourage building relationships with characters, and it’s particularly appreciated in challenging games like the souls-like genre.

There are two ways to connect with Rosee: Summoning and Assimilation. Summoning brings Rosee onto the battlefield to fight alongside you, drawing enemy attention while you recover. Assimilation merges Rosee’s power with your own, leaving you to fight solo but significantly boosting your strength.

I really loved how Code Vein II handled companions. It’s smart because it lets you play how you want. If you like having a buddy to help with tough bosses, you can summon them. But if you’re like me and prefer to solo everything, you can focus on getting power-ups through the Assimilation system instead. I personally went with summoning – Rosee was a lifesaver during those boss fights! But honestly, both options are solid. This Partner system is easily one of the best things they added to the game, because it finally addresses that debate about whether or not to use summons and gives us both choices.

Fixing the future

The demo ended with two challenging boss battles, one set in the past and one in the present. The past boss, called the Metagen Remnant, was a creepy spider-like creature with a human face. It was a difficult fight, but having Rosee as a summoned ally really helped. She skillfully distracted the Remnant, allowing us to land extra attacks, even with the boss covering the ground in nasty, toxic green goo. Typical of games in the ‘souls-like’ genre, we’d often get hit with poison from the goo just when we thought we were dodging its attacks.

Once our character defeats the Remnant, they say farewell to Rosee and return to the present. There, they must break the chains holding the now-transformed Rosee and defeat her. This fight is significantly harder than the one with the Remnant, not just because of her attacks and strength. About halfway through, Rosee suddenly remembers who our character is and pleads with them to end her suffering as she enters a more powerful second phase.

Code Vein II really hits its emotional stride when you start altering the past. The game has you travel back in time to help warriors fight a dangerous threat, but then you return to the present and have to fight those same heroes—now twisted into monstrous forms. It’s heartbreaking to see how they react, especially in the case of Rosee, who expresses deep sorrow over her fate and thanks you for ending her suffering before she disappears. This leaves you questioning whether all the heroes you’ll encounter will be as accepting, and the demo ends on that poignant note.

Code Vein II looks promising as a new addition to the challenging souls-like genre. It offers a unique narrative, a flexible partner system, and diverse combat choices. Players can easily access their strongest moves through the Formae and Jail systems, and they’ll have plenty of weapon options to tackle the ruined world of the Resurgence in their preferred style.

Code Vein II is set to launch January 30 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

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2026-01-05 17:11