The Soulslike genre -- difficult action games built on the formula established by FromSoftware's Dark Souls series -- is a common sight these days, but back in 2019, when the first Code Vein came out, they were few and far between. Code Vein had the notable descriptor of being the "anime Soulslike" thanks to its unique art style. The sequel, Code Vein 2, expands on the story and gameplay of the original, but like its predecessor, it simply hasn't stepped up to be one of the better Souslike games.
Code Vein 2 is a sequel in name only and doesn't connect directly to its predecessor, save for the return of vampire-like undead Revenants who make up most of the cast -- except for the player. As an unnamed Revenant Hunter, players are ultimately tasked with doing some time traveling to save the world, befriending heroes in the past and then striking them down in the present for the greater good.
While that does make the story more interesting, this sequel still doesn't have enough substance to both satisfy fans of the Soulslike genre and bring non-fans into the mix.
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Did I hit a vein?
Code Vein 2 makes use of the traditional action-RPG formula found in most Soulslikes. You equip weapons such as one-handed swords, giant swords, dual swords, hammers and halberds, and proceed to kill enemies using combos of light and strong attacks. At your disposal are Forma items that can be added to your weapons that act like abilities or spells, which use Ichor, the mana pool for your character. There are also flavorful finishers called Jails that can be used to do some huge damage to enemies when they're staggered, or drain Ichor when deployed any other time.
Combat has the same feel as other Souslikes, relying on tight timing to dodge enemy blows and get in counterattacks, but it's sometimes difficult to tell what kind of attack is coming your way, which is a glaring flaw. Going back to the originator of the genre, Dark Souls made sure enemy animations had telegraphed which style of attack was incoming, giving players ample time to get out of the way.
Where most of these issues become noticeable is with the bosses. As is the case with a Soulslike game, Code Vein 2 has some big bosses with powerful attacks requiring players to approach the fights with some strategy, as simply pressing attack over and over again will not suffice. Yet it almost never fails that in a battle, there will be some attack causing damage without any visual indicator. Also, not every boss is unique, as you'll see weaker versions of them later in the game roaming around the map.
More frustrating is that, seemingly due to the post-apocalyptic sci-fi setting, some enemies have attacks that you just can't see coming. There is one field boss that is built like a four-legged tank and can shoot from double turrets, but the bullets can barely be seen before they hit the player. This means you're stuck blocking the attacks. Other bosses have similar issues where it's tough to tell the reach of an enemy's attack, making it easy to mistime a dodge and get hit anyway.
Code Vein 2's most unique addition is the Partner System, which is a different take on the summoning-a-computer-ally options found in other Soulslike games. Players meet other characters throughout the story who will join them as partners, typically after winning their friendship through tasks and trials. These allies will have a segment of the player's lifebar dedicated to them, and they'll act on their own in battle using their own abilities and attacks. This partner not only helps deal damage and tank hits from the enemy, but they can also revive you when your health is depleted, although they will disappear for a certain amount of time -- a neat last-ditch survival mechanic that gives players just enough time to land a last blow.
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