If the original Code Vein was "anime Dark Souls," then Code Vein 2 is "anime Elden Ring." The original Code Vein launched in 2019 to a mixed reception. Code Vein 2, developed and published by Bandai Namco, is a bigger, better, and bolder take on its predecessor, and while it falls quite short of the FromSoftware open world epic it is clearly trying to emulate, it still delivers a rock-solid Soulslike experience that is hard to put down.
The post-apocalyptic world of Code Vein 2 has been ravaged by the deadly Resurgence, and players are tasked with taking their vampiric custom character back in time to save it. The plot itself is nothing to write home about, but there are character moments in the game that really shine and leave a lasting impression.
Soulslike games often live and die by their boss fights, and while I found the boss designs in Code Vein 2 to be fairly underwhelming compared to other games in the genre, they are elevated by the emotional weight attached to them. One of the main goals in Code Vein 2 is traveling back to the past to meet and adventure with legendary heroes to acquire the key necessary to open up their cocoon in the present, where they have been transformed into horrible creatures. Thanks to the time-travel shenanigans, the bosses slowly recognize the player character and remember the time spent with them as the fight wears on, and it gets to the point where they are literally begging to be put down by their former partner.
Code Vein 2 Makes Great Use of Time Travel
Each hero has a distinct personality and an interesting story that, combined with the time spent exploring with them, makes it so you get attached to these companions, and it is genuinely heartbreaking to see what they have become in the future. I wish the overarching story was more engaging, but Bandai Namco does a good job of making the boss battles have more meaning than is typical of the genre thanks to how appealing the characters are.
Code Vein 2's time travel gimmick is used to great effect beyond meeting and fighting the heroes. Early in the game, players travel back in time and meet a companion named Noah who they know is doomed to die. Players can choose to intervene in Noah's fate and save his life. Doing so secures a new companion for the present, and also results in major changes to the map, like a massive bridge that suddenly appears and connects the starting island to the mainland where the bulk of the game takes place.
Having past and present versions of the world map is interesting, but the map itself leaves a lot to be desired. Code Vein 2's open world is boring and annoying to navigate, with lots of cliffs and dead-ends that can make early game exploration needlessly confusing. Still, I do find the grind in open world Soulslikes a little less tedious than in the genre's more linear entries, and that holds true for Code Vein 2. Whenever I got stuck on a particularly challenging boss, there was always something else worthwhile to go do, like completing side quests, opening up the world map, or simply exploring. Plenty of enemies were killed along the way, allowing me to level up and become better-equipped to fight whatever boss I was stuck on, and continue the adventure without resorting to monotonous grind sessions.
Code Vein 2 is Like an Anime Take on Elden Ring
While it has its advantages, the open world is mostly a drag that serves little purpose beyond making it take longer for players to dive into the game's well-designed dungeons and challenging boss fights. It may have been directly inspired by Elden Ring's open world, but Code Vein 2's open world doesn't come anywhere close to matching it in scope or quality.
Code Vein 2 gives players a motorcycle to make traveling across the map a little faster. The companion characters ride on the back, letting players fulfill their fantasy of exploring bland countrysides with their waifus and husbandos.
Where Code Vein 2 gets a little closer to Elden Ring is in the sheer number of ways players can build their character. Stat increases upon level up are predetermined, but players are able to choose between a wide variety of weapon types, companions that offer different boosts and passives, special weapons called Formae that include things like a powerful crossbow, Jails that offer special abilities like beating all-important mana out of enemies, and Blood Codes that can be upgraded and have their own quirks. I primarily played with a longsword build that included an awesome special attack where my character would briefly disappear, effectively avoiding incoming hits, and then reappear to deliver a flurry of devastating blows. Whether fighting standard enemies or bosses, Code Vein 2 combat is a blast and provides a ton of options for players to mold it to their taste.
The over-the-top anime-style attacks make Code Vein 2 combat extra flashy and exciting, but that same influence drags down the overall art style. Code Vein 2 characters all look like generic anime characters and that holds them back from being more memorable, regardless of how well-written their stories are. This problem is also apparent in the enemy and boss designs, as well as the world, which consists of a lot of canyons, fields, caves, and samey-looking industrial areas. There are occasional glimpses of beauty here and there, and a few of the character designs do manage to stand out, but I think a more distinct art style would have gone a long way.
Despite my disappointment with it, I acknowledge that others may fully embrace Code Vein 2's art style, and really, my biggest issue with the game is its lackluster open world. Everything else is quite good, with Code Vein 2 offering a fun, well-rounded Soulslike experience that should appeal to genre fans. Even though it may not reach the same highs as some of the heavy-hitters that inspired it, Code Vein 2 is still a great time from start to finish and an easy recommendation.
Code Vein II
OpenCritic Reviews
- Released
- January 29, 2026
- ESRB
- Teen / Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, Violence, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Bandai Namco Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action, RPG, Soulslike, Dating Sim, Open-World
- Flashy combat with tons of options to play with
- Boss fights have more emotional weight than most Soulslike games
- Well-designed dungeons that are rewarding to explore
- Makes great use of its time travel gimmick
- Generic anime art style
- Boring open world
Code Vein 2 launches January 29 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. The Best War Games was provided with a PS5 code for this review.