Code Vein II Reviews
Code Vein 2 is a rock-solid open world Soulslike experience that will keep genre fans busy for dozens of hours.
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.
Code Vein 2 isn’t breaking new ground in most of its conventions nor will it become the new face of Soulslikes. But it has its own unique ideas that are fully realised, letting it stand out against its contemporaries in the genre, while surprisingly strong characters help blend the gameplay and narrative together. There’s a banquet of bloody delights to be had here.
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…
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Code Vein II is a haunting, thrilling, and unforgettable action adventure. It's so much more than the sum of its parts or the games that have clearly inspired it. It has a personality of its own that shoots beyond the soulslike genre tag, and never compromises on that unique vision.
Code Vein II could be described as a more accessible Elden Ring, and you wouldn't be wrong. But it would be a shame to stop at the obvious similarities and simplifications, because the game behind it is undoubtedly a great game. A little didactic in some choices, a little fanservice in others, but also capable of often touching the hearts of those on the other side of the screen.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Code Vein II is fine, functional and can be fun-especially if you're able to get the A.I to do the dirty work for you. The Formae system is potent and definitely gives combat encounters a zesty sense of empowerment, and if you're invested you'll want to lap up Code Vein 2 with vigor-just go in expecting a largely safe soulslike and you'll be content with this one.
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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.
Code Vein II is a game I could gush over for a few more pages, but I think it’s better experienced for yourselves. It’s an objective improvement over the first game in almost every aspect. The world is more fleshed out. The characters are more memorable. The weapon and Blood Code combinations are more interesting. As someone who adored the original, Code Vein II more than exceeded my expectations and I highly recommend it to RPG and Souls-like fans.
Code Vein II is a fantastic game and a clear improvement on much of what made the first one great. That said, it also brings back a few lingering frustrations from its predecessor, issues that really should have been addressed and are hard to ignore. Even so, it's a strong addition to this year's lineup of action titles, and one that can keep you entertained for a long time.
Code Vein II builds meaningfully on the original, with stronger companions, more flexible builds, and a story that feels more involved, even when it leans hard into melodrama.
While fun from moment to moment, Code Vein 2 has a cookie-cutter plot, matching dialogue, and combat that isn't polished to the level it needs to be.
Code Vein II is what you love about the original game, with new additions and a new open world to explore. There are some performance and resolution issues that are present that can take some players out. Everything else, though, is beautiful. Especially the cast and character designs. The Character Customization is one of the best the series has to offer. Combat is engaging, and the memorable cast and story are what will make you continue the adventure. It may not be all gold, but it is an aesthetic work of art.
Code Vein 2 is the classic example of a sequel that refuses to settle. It doesn't take shortcuts, nor does it simply refine what already worked; instead, it deliberately tries to expand its scope, even at the risk of overreaching. This choice inevitably creates imbalances, and the game makes no effort to hide them: ambition often exceeds the ability to control it, layering sometimes turns into redundancy, and some solutions struggle to take a fully realized form.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Code Vein II is very, very close to joining From Software’s games and the Nioh series in the upper echelons of soulslikes. A quality narrative, fluid combat and an excellent, Ocarina of Time-like approach to progression combine in a way that makes it very hard to put the controller down. It does feel like it’s in search of an identity of its own at times, and it’s unlikely to develop the reputation that Ocarina of Time has for that reason, but Code Vein II has a lot going for it.
Code Vein 2 is almost exactly the sequel this franchise needed, yet I struggle to understand the decision to adopt such a generic art style, especially when compared to the dark, distinct anime aesthetics that defined the first game.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
The return of CODE VEIN is neither triumphant nor innovative, but it redeems itself somewhat by correcting the fundamental problems that were evident in the first installment. The exploration of a mirror world 100 years apart is interesting, and although cliché, it works to make the story more entertaining and easier to digest. If this is your first time exploring the genre and you like anime, it's a good place to start.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Code Vein II is both an evolution in some aspects and a regression in others. The visual style gets lost amidst a problematic or unrefined engine for the genre. The story relies on good secondary characters, but offers very little beyond that. In the end, the open-world structure doesn't seem to have been the best decision for much of the design, and much of the game's quality lies in the simplified combat, even though there's a tremendous effort to make everything overly complex.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review