Review | Code Vein 2

A Short Review

I was not really into Code Vein when it was released, and this one was the same. The game looks like PS3-era games, and due to the mediocre first title, I waited a bit to play this one. Luckily, I had a lot of fun - maybe not in the first 8-10 hours, but later everything fell into place and if you can forgive the outdated open-world map, the rest is mostly great, if not awesome.

Story and the Characters

I never had any idea that the story is probably the best part of the game. The whole idea of traveling into the past to change the outcome in this world of depression is not something I like, but due to its characters and great voice acting, I fell in love with the whole idea and narrative. I think the characters have depth, and most of them are really great. I only miss a real protagonist, I dislike mute character creation in games.

Game Design, Exploration

Think of the game as an open-world game where the map is the hub (in which you can ride your motorcycle!), and from that hub you enter dungeons or follow story markers. Markers are somewhat confusing, but the overall design is good (when you forget about that outdated open-world design).

I especially liked the linear dungeons such as the fun park, and a couple more that were interesting to spend time exploring. It's nothing brilliant, just solid linear design I would love seeing more of, instead of the big empty world of millions of unimportant collectibles.

Combat

There are a couple of mechanics you need to understand when it comes to combat - the type of weapon you wield, special attacks, codes (like crests that give certain boosts), and leveling up. Not really complicated stuff, but a lot of flexibility when you start combining things.

Attacking is basic, but using stamina for special attacks is just fun. I love the design of bosses (minus the enemy variety), and the difficulty in the game is just right. There are some challenges, but mostly it's a walk in the park. It's a light souls-like anime game.

Side Content

Side content is mostly quests, and even though they expand the lore a bit (which was interesting for me), they don't offer much more. The music rules, so the combination of these segments was just enough for me to explore the lore in this game.

Conclusion

Code Vein 2 fixes mistakes from the first game, adds some new designs (open world; why?!) and introduces eye-candy art with wonderful music tracks. It also has strong characters and a good story, but it's not challenging nor does the map bring anything new, it's outdated and feels like it's from 2 generations ago. Still, I loved the game, even though it took me a while to get hooked, but anime souls games are something I prefer from time to time.

I was immediatelly hooked on the art and the music.

The strong point are the characters, for sure. Having them help you during fights is a great addition, and they help a lot.

If you get pass the map, there is a lot of beautifull sceneries and characters to explore.

There is one character that feels completely out of the place, but he is the best one you can meet. Zenon rules!