Code Vein II

While Code Vein 2 has flashes of greatness, this soulslike action RPG isn't able to maintain a consistent level of quality, and can be sloppy as often as it is compelling.

But Code Vein 2's shortcomings are too frequent to look past. Combat and exploration are hampered by dull enemies and wearisome environments, while technical issues only exacerbate its flaws. The soulslike genre has evolved since the original Code Vein launched in 2019, yet the forward-thinking shift to an open world hasn't prevented its sequel from suffering the same familiar blemishes.

Weak characters kill loftier ambitions, but a brisk pace keeps the combat lively.

A set of spikes that I can make shoot out of the floor from afar, or a twin-headed wolf whose ferocious jaws rip blood out of bodies? Decisions, decisions…

Code Vein 2 is not the strongest soulslike we've ever encountered. While there is absolutely some fun to be had slaying the myriad horrors that inhabit this post-apocalyptic world and building a powerful Revenant Hunter, repetition inevitably kicks in. Narratively, it's pretty dull, lacking compelling characters or quests to engage with. While not broken or a bad game per se, it is hard to recommend when so many better entries in this well-worn subgenre already exist.

The sequel to Bandai Namco's 2019 Soulslike has a few elements that stand out, but the way it all comes together feels incohesive, and its close release date to Nioh 3 makes Code Vein II's faults feel so much worse when it stands next to its direct competitor.

Code Vein II can be both fun and frustrating in equal measure.

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Code Vein II is a bloody good successor to the original game. While it's not a sequel in the traditional sense, it builds upon the strengths of what Bandai Namco was trying to achieve with combat the first time around

Code Vein 2 is a rock-solid open world Soulslike experience that will keep genre fans busy for dozens of hours.