“Waifu Souls” and “Anime Souls” - the two other names given to this new Dark Souls-like game. At its core, Code Vein is an old formula with a new skin. Take the standard Dark Souls combat and sprinkle in a few JRPG elements and you have Bandai Namco’s newest release.
When Code Vein begins, the player is greeted with the face of an unknown female promptly introduced to the standard “memory loss” story that seems to flood a lot of the gaming world today. You wake up in a ruined city where Anarchy seems to be the way of life. You play as a Revenant - Code Vein's version of a vampire - in a city where blood has become a precious resource.
As you might have already guessed, the combat feels a lot like the Soulsborne series, which is to say that the most basic of enemies can kill you if you aren’t prepared. That said, Code Vein does seem to be a bit more fluid and smooth with combat compared to Dark Souls. From navigating, to dodging attacks, every form of movement is reactive and easily executed. Much like the Dark Souls series, Code Vein employs the same “I-frame” mechanic where dodging through an enemy attack allows you to avoid all damage. You can also either have a friend or cpu fight with you to ease the pain or choose to go it alone.
Customization and hot-swapping Blood Codes felt like a huge part of the game. Each Blood Code has a selection of abilities you can buy, much like the souls from Dark Souls. I particularly enjoyed the Inherited Skills feature, which allows you to use skills throughout all Blood Codes when stats and usage requirements are met. For example, a Caster could use a fireball and when you use the fireball long enough you can use that same spell as a Hunter.
Code Vein has five categories of weapons: One-handed swords, Two-handed swords, Two-handed hammers, Bayonet Rifles, and Spears. Not only do you get to choose your weapon but you also get to choose your Blood Veil - which is your armor. By stacking the proper Blood Code, Blood Veil, and weapon, you can increase your odds of survival against certain enemies. This is similar to Pokemon where you choose your Pokemon type based on who you’re fighting. I feel the strategy aspect of this game would be enjoyable to those who dig min-maxing.
Overall from the ten or so hours I played, I really enjoyed myself. The game ‘feels’ good and it’s pretty easy to pick up. The most difficult aspect to master are the different combinations of Blood Codes, Blood Veils, and combat styles. I will be continuing my journey with Code Vein and possibly going into new game+ just to see if anything changes and or gets more difficult.