Code Vein II (2026): The Review

Overview

At launch, Code Vein II ends up feeling like a great game stuck in its most frustrating state. The core is absolutely there: satisfying gameplay and a genuinely compelling story keep things moving. But those highs are constantly undercut by baffling enemy AI and rough performance problems that drag the experience down. Even if an 8/10 sounds like a pretty strong score, and it is, it still feels lower than this game could’ve landed with just a bit more polish.

Score: 8 out of 10

The Positives ✅

Code Vein 2 surprised me in the best way possible. What initially feels like a predictable, episodic anime drama slowly reveals a web of intersecting character arcs that tie together far more cleverly than expected. Each companion’s story overlaps with another’s down the line, and that slow-burn structure gives the narrative a sense of cohesion that sneaks up on you.

Gameplay is where it really flexes. This is easily one of the most build-friendly Soulslikes out there. Instead of obsessively min-maxing stats, you swap Blood Codes and gear to instantly pivot playstyles. It keeps experimentation painless and fun, which means you’re constantly trying new weapons and setups instead of being locked into one “correct” build.

Combat feels tight and deliberate, too. Stamina management, dodge timing, and ability usage hit that sweet spot between challenging and empowering. Boss fights are memorable, companions are actually useful instead of dead weight, and the overall flow of battle feels cleaner and more responsive than the first game.

The Companion System in particular is a huge improvement. Partners can draw aggro, save you from death, and add personality to exploration, but now there are actual trade-offs and cooldowns so they don’t trivialize encounters. And the new assimilation mode for solo players smartly compensates with buffs instead of just abandoning you to suffer alone. It’s a thoughtful middle ground.

Even the open world, which looks sparse at first glance, works thematically. The emptiness sells the post-apocalyptic desolation. Long stretches of quiet travel on your bike or on foot give the world a lonely, haunted vibe that fits Code Vein’s melancholic tone perfectly.

The Negatives ⚠️

Unfortunately, the story stumbles in execution. While the ideas are solid, the pacing is bizarre. Big emotional payoffs often arrive way too early or in awkward spots, which makes entire arcs feel rushed or unearned. Important character sacrifices happen so fast they barely have time to breathe.

Enemy design is another weak link. Regular mobs can be laughably dumb. Outside of bosses, you can cheese encounters with basic tricks like pulling aggro and bonking enemies one by one. It undercuts the tension a Soulslike usually thrives on.

Visually, it’s inconsistent. Character models and environments look good enough, but terrible anti-aliasing, stiff cutscene animations, and oddly low-framerate cinematics make everything feel cheaper than it should. It’s one of those games that looks great in screenshots but awkward in motion.

Audio’s a mixed bag, too. The soundtrack is solid but forgettable, and there’s a bizarre bug where sound randomly cuts out during cutscenes. Thankfully the voice acting and combat sound design carry a lot of weight, but the presentation still feels half-baked.

And then there’s the elephant in the room: optimization. Frame drops, stutters, and performance issues pop up everywhere, cutscenes, weather effects, riding the bike. For a reaction-heavy genre, that’s not just annoying; it’s actively disruptive.

The Experience 🎮

Going in, I was ridiculously hyped. The first Code Vein got me into Soulslikes in the first place, so this sequel felt like a must-play. Deluxe edition, day one, zero hesitation. I wanted to live in this world again.

That excitement faded fast when the stuttering hit. Early hours were a technical mess, constant dips, hitching, and jank that made even simple traversal frustrating. Nothing kills immersion quicker than your game turning into a slideshow mid-fight.

But once things stabilized enough to actually play, the magic came back. Swapping builds on the fly, experimenting with weapons, and tackling bosses with a companion at my side felt just as addictive as I’d hoped. When the systems click, Code Vein 2 absolutely sings.

Exploring the open world at my own pace helped, too. Being able to choose objectives freely and roam instead of being funneled through tight corridors gives the game a refreshing sense of agency. It feels closer to Elden Ring’s structure, and that freedom suits the formula surprisingly well.

Still, it’s hard to fully recommend. Underneath the technical mess is a genuinely great Soulslike with smart systems and tons of replay value, but the performance issues constantly trip it up. If Bandai Namco patches and polishes it, this could be something special. Right now, it’s more of a “wait for fixes or a sale” kind of love.