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Code Vein II – Bloodlines reborn, bonds reforged: a strikingly emotional and stylish evolution that fully realizes its anime-souls identity. (Game Review)

Code Vein II is a confident, refined sequel that understands exactly what fans loved about the original and pushes those strengths further while smoothing out past limitations. Developed and published by Bandai Namco, this follow-up doesn’t reinvent the formula so much as perfect it, delivering a deeply personal action RPG where customization, atmosphere, and character-driven storytelling stand shoulder to shoulder with challenging combat.

From its opening moments, Code Vein II establishes a heavier emotional tone and a more visually ambitious world. It’s darker, more cinematic, and more deliberate, inviting players not just to survive its ruined landscapes, but to belong within them. This sequel feels less like a continuation and more like a statement: Code Vein has found its voice.

Character customization: unmatched freedom and identity

If there’s one area where Code Vein II truly stands above its peers, it’s character customization. The system returns expanded and refined, offering one of the most robust and expressive character creators in modern gaming. Facial sculpting is precise and intuitive, hairstyles are plentiful and stylish, and cosmetic layering allows for an enormous range of looks, from subtle realism to full anime extravagance.

What makes this system special isn’t just its depth, but how seamlessly it integrates into the experience. Your character feels like your protagonist, not a placeholder hero. Clothing, accessories, scars, makeup, and color palettes all work together to support player expression without locking you into rigid classes or aesthetics.

Even better, customization doesn’t stop after creation. As you progress, new visual options continue to unlock, encouraging experimentation and reinvention. It reinforces the game’s central themes of rebirth, identity, and transformation, turning personalization into a narrative tool rather than a menu feature.

Visuals and world design: haunting beauty in every frame

Visually, Code Vein II is a major leap forward. Environments are richly detailed and drenched in atmosphere, blending gothic decay with futuristic melancholy. Collapsing cities, corrupted sanctuaries, and vast, desolate zones feel handcrafted and intentional, each space telling a quiet story through environmental design.

Lighting plays a huge role in shaping mood. Soft glows pierce through darkness, reflections shimmer across ruined metal and stone, and distant silhouettes hint at dangers ahead. It’s a world that rewards slow exploration, inviting players to pause and absorb its beauty even as tension lingers.

Cinematics are frequent but well-paced, unfolding with fluid animation and dramatic framing. These scenes elevate emotional beats, giving characters room to breathe and stories time to land. Rather than feeling intrusive, cinematics feel earned, reinforcing the weight of player decisions and deepening attachment to companions.

Voice acting and sound: emotion with impact

The voice acting in Code Vein II is outstanding across the board. Performances are expressive, emotionally grounded, and consistent, giving life to a cast that feels genuinely human despite the supernatural setting. Companions convey fear, loyalty, grief, and resolve with subtlety, making their arcs resonate long after scenes end.

Dialogue delivery is natural and well-directed, avoiding melodrama while still embracing the heightened tone of anime storytelling. Antagonists, in particular, benefit from nuanced performances that lend credibility to their motivations, making conflicts feel personal rather than purely mechanical.

Sound design and music further elevate the experience. Combat audio is punchy and satisfying, environmental sounds deepen immersion, and the soundtrack balances melancholic piano themes with swelling orchestral tracks. Music rises and falls perfectly with narrative moments, reinforcing emotion without overwhelming gameplay.

Gameplay and progression: refined soulslike structure

Mechanically, Code Vein II refines rather than redefines its combat. Battles are deliberate and methodical, rewarding patience, positioning, and mastery of timing. The Blood Code system returns with greater flexibility, allowing players to switch builds and abilities freely, encouraging experimentation without punishment.

Progression feels smoother and more generous, with a steady drip of new skills, upgrades, and tactical options. Companions are better integrated into both combat and story, offering meaningful support without trivializing difficulty. Their presence reinforces the game’s core message: survival is stronger when shared.

Boss encounters are cinematic and demanding, blending spectacle with strategy. While some enemy types repeat, encounters are staged creatively enough to keep combat engaging throughout the campaign.

Rough edges and balance notes

Code Vein II isn’t without flaws. Certain difficulty spikes can feel abrupt, especially for newcomers to soulslike systems. Some environments lean heavily on familiar visual motifs, and long stretches between major story beats may test players seeking constant narrative momentum.

Still, these are relatively minor issues in a game that otherwise feels confident, polished, and thoughtfully constructed.

Final Verdict

Code Vein II is a beautifully realized sequel that fully embraces its identity. With industry-leading character customization, striking visuals, emotionally resonant voice acting, and refined combat systems, it delivers an experience that feels both challenging and deeply personal.

This is a game that wants you to care: about your character, your companions, and the broken world you inhabit together. For fans of anime-inspired action RPGs and soulslike combat, Code Vein II stands as one of the genre’s strongest modern entries.

Game Information

Developer: Bandai Namco Studios

Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S (reviewed)

Original Release Date: January 30, 2026

Reviewed on: February 4, 2026 

Reviewed by: Mandy Valentine

Score: 9.0 / 10 👍

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆


“9 out of 10 - A hauntingly beautiful, emotionally grounded sequel that perfects Code Vein’s vision through style, sound, and self-expression.”



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