Imagine being trapped in a vampire’s castle, desperate to escape but unable to break free—that’s the feeling Code Vein II left me with. But here’s where it gets controversial: despite its ambitious premise and a few standout moments, the game feels like a missed opportunity, sucking the fun out of its own potential. After 42 hours of gameplay, I was more relieved to finish it than sad to see it end.
The journey begins with a promising start: an excellent character creator lets you craft your own Revenant Hunter, but the excitement quickly fades. You’re thrust into a world-ending narrative filled with jargon and proper nouns that feel like a barrier rather than an invitation. And this is the part most people miss: the game’s visual style is a jarring clash of garish designs, making it an eyesore rather than a feast for the eyes. Even the Baroque rock soundtrack, while a highlight, can’t salvage the lackluster soundscape.
The story jumps between the apocalyptic present and 100 years in the past, a concept that initially feels fresh. Learning how former allies became the monstrous creatures you fight today is intriguing, and the time-hopping mechanic adds a unique twist to the genre’s typical exploration. But the novelty wears off fast. Endless loading screens, repetitive cutscenes, and exposition-heavy ghostly hallways turn what could have been a gripping tale into a tedious slog. By the halfway mark, I found myself sprinting through these segments just to get back to the action.
Out of the four narrative arcs, one stands out as a well-crafted, surprising journey—but it’s the exception, not the rule. The others are poorly paced, filled with forgettable dungeons and predictable characters. If I weren’t reviewing this game, I’d have likely quit long before the credits rolled. Here’s the bold truth: Code Vein II feels like it’s feeding on the corpses of better games in the genre, borrowing ideas without adding enough of its own flavor.
The overworld is a prime example of its shortcomings. Confusing map markers and tedious pathing make exploration feel like a chore, whether you’re on foot or on a motorcycle. The dungeons, though bespoke, are equally uninspired—think underground power plants, laboratories, and prisons, all blending into a dull, repetitive mess. Enemies quickly grow stale, and boss fights are either too easy or frustratingly unfair, thanks to poor camera angles and inconsistent hitboxes. Even the UI feels cluttered, reminiscent of an MMO interface that’s been overburdened with features.
Combat, inspired by the Soulslike genre, has moments of flair but fails to entice experimentation. The game offers a wealth of tools—primary and secondary weapons, Ichor-sucking Jail weaponry, Blood Codes that alter your stats, and an AI partner—but the lack of engaging enemies and environments makes it easier to stick to basic strategies. By the final act, I was still fighting the same enemy types as in the opening hours, and the urge to experiment never truly materialized. Here’s a thought-provoking question: does a game with so many mechanics truly succeed if none of them feel essential?
There are glimmers of potential buried beneath Code Vein II’s flaws—a compelling story beat here, a fun boss fight there—but they’re too few and far between to salvage the experience. Without the crutch of its inspirations, what remains is an unremarkable and forgettable journey. What do you think? Is Code Vein II a victim of its own ambition, or does it simply fall short of the mark? Let’s discuss in the comments!
