Code Vein 2 evolves its anime soulslike action with time travel and motorbikes

An anime-infused riff on Dark Souls, the original Code Vein didn't command my attention for long. However, a recent hands-off preview at Summer Game Fest immediately got me more invested in its surprise sequel, Code Vein 2. I also had the chance to chat with producer Keita Iizuka about how the team is aiming to offer deeper combat, more character customization options, and the ability to travel through time.

In Code Vein 2, which features an all-new story and lineup of characters, you play as a hunter who's tracking down Revenants - horrifying, corrupted beasts terrorizing an already devastated planet. Getting rid of this threat will take more than just slaying some monsters. Taking place across two versions of the same world, you'll regularly hop back to the past to change the events of the present. Thanks to a nifty time-travel mechanic, "it's relatively free and up to the player when they want to transition from the past to the present and vice versa," according to Iizuka.

Both time periods share a similar layout, being almost equally ravaged by an apocalyptic event,  though the former is a little less doom and gloom than the latter, which shows more signs of decay and features a "mysterious moon" in its "ominous-looking" skybox. I have to say that the backdrops for both worlds look stunning.

When it comes to why Capcom wanted to implement this rewrite-your-present system, Iizuka says the team was inspired by time-traveling adventures like the Tokyo Revengers manga and the Steins Gate anime series. While not a one-to-one comparison by any means, the dual-world approach reminds me of Lords of the Fallen, the soulslike that seamlessly layers a dark dimension beneath the real world.

Code Vein's partner system, which sees a special allied NPC fight alongside you in battle, returns for Code Vein 2, with Lou (and her convenient time-traveling powers) being the first companion revealed. Although Iizuka says he can't say exactly how many companions we'll see, he assures that there will be a bigger lineup than the original's seven characters.

"Because each one of the potential partners you have has their own story and background, I think when you overcome a huge challenge or task in the game, there's going to be an emotional response and connection you have with these characters," Iizuka says, confidently stating that this expanded partner system will be the core pillar that sets Code Vein 2 apart from some of the reigning best soulslike games and a lot of upcoming contenders.

Despite the heavy focus on companions, your character is still the star when it comes to combat. Code Vein 2 enhances its predecessor's action with two new weapon types, fresh Formae abilities, a deep class and skills system, and "Jail moves" - powerful attacks with some stunning and brutal cinematic animations. So called because a Revenant's heart is 'jailed' in a container strapped to your back, it charges up as you "suck the blood" from slain enemies, and once the gauge is full, you can unleash remarkable attacks, such as a huge spear made out of a swarm of bats.

The randomness continues with the addition of a gold, futuristic motorbike that will be your mode of transport for navigating the open areas between dungeons. While it was certainly a… surprise… to see the Revenant hunter zipping around on an ornate Tron bike, it's safe to say that it'll be more fun than walking.

To top off the good news, if you thought the character creator in Code Vein was brilliant, then Code Vein 2 promises to take things to a new level. Letting you customize every last detail of your Revenant hunter, Bandai says it's "doubling down" on character creation for the sequel.

While I think it's a close-run thing with Pearl Abyss' leftfield medieval action game Crimson Desert (check out my hands-on preview here, by the way), I think Code Vein 2 might just edge it as the most eccentric game I got to check out at Summer Game Fest. Putting anime characters in a Dark Souls-esque world is already a head-turner, but the gold motorbike, the lavish Jail moves, and its time-traveling system make for a wild concoction. I'm excited to see how it all comes together.