by Danreb VictorioPress invited to Summer Game Fest knew that Bandai Namco would be showing something new at the show, and at least amongst journalists, conjecture was all over the place for whatever this “unannounced action RPG” would be. Once we walked into the theater, a lot of us were convinced it would be the next entry in the Tales of series, and if not that, perhaps a sequel to Scarlet Nexus (which would’ve gotten a pop from me).
We got neither of things. Instead, it was a bigger surprise with Code Vein II.
At SGF Play Days we were invited to a behind closed doors presentation about Code Vein II, and on the walk there, we caught glimpse of a demonic-looking motorcycle displayed in front of the game’s logo. I was afraid to take a picture because cameras weren’t allowed during the presentation, but it looked pretty gnarly. Anyway, during the presentation, representatives from Bandai Namco talked about its focus to really expand upon the foundation laid by the original game to deliver a familiar yet enhanced experience, and it just made me wish I knew more about it.
I don’t know much about Code Vein outside from people calling it “anime Dark Souls.” I do know about it, and I actually own the game as well as a poster for it signed by some of its developers, but it’s a title I just haven’t had the time to jump into and honestly don’t know if I ever will because this genre has never been my cup of tea. For my own sake, that’s unfortunate, because I love RPGs, I love JRPGs, I love action RPGs, and I love anime, so who knows? Maybe it is my cup of tea. Either way you look at it, the game sold three million copies even in a crowded market, and success is what makes sequels happen.
There was a bit of talk about the background of the story, but it was pretty hard to gather. Horrors have taken over the world, disturbing the balance once maintained by the Revenants, which is what the main character is. Early on, the main character dies and is then revived by Lou MagMell, a Revenant girl who gave up half her heart. Eventually, you find yourselves on a crusade 100 years in the past to save the world from what’s about to happen. It’s all pretty dense stuff, but from the footage I walked, the anime vampire vibes are still there. You also get to ride in that motorcycle I talked about earlier.
One thing they really wanted to highlight was the Code Vein II‘s improved customization. The sequel expands upon the original with more details, outfits, color choices, and voice overs to really give you a sense of control and ownership of the protagonist. It doesn’t end with just the characters either. You’ll also be able to equip all kinds of different of gear to suit your play style for combat, which looked pretty visceral and fun.
When the presentation ended, the team let us go with a pretty massive sword pin. I’m surprised TSA let me go home with this. Tangent aside, I do eventually want to give the series a chance, but it’s hard to say this preview left me wanting more. Code Vein II is slated for release next year on PC and consoles, so here’s to hoping it comes out at a window that allows me to give it the focus it deserves.