Code Vein 2 is everything I couldve wanted from a sequel as a fan of the original game except its dismal console performance

Date:
Mon, 26 Jan 2026 23:00:00 +0000

Description:
In spite of some spotty performance on console, Code Vein 2 is a triumphant sequel that fans of the original are likely to love.

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I was unsure about action soulslike Code Vein 2 during my first six hours of play. The game promises a large open world to explore, but its hesitant to hand over the reins while your total playtime is still in the single digits. Review information Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: January 29, 2026

Thats not to say its a slow starter, though. Code Vein 2 does a great job of steadily introducing you to its new and overhauled gameplay systems in those opening hours. And overall, this is a much more confident game than its 2019 prequel.

The original Code Vein, which Im nonetheless a fan of, was painfully linear (outside of one comically labyrinthine level about halfway through) by soulslike standards, had fairly one-note characters, and a difficulty that
was more rollercoaster than curve.

Code Vein 2 comes seven years later and is a vast improvement on almost all fronts. It presents a world, story, and characters I couldnt help but fall in love with. The open world, once it does truly open up, is wonderful to explore; packed with things to find and secrets to uncover without feeling overwhelming. I adore the new Blood Code system, too, which makes it incredibly easy and riskless to try out new weapons, abilities, and builds.

If you generally enjoy soulslikes, including Lies of P or the Nioh series -
or if you were a fan of the original Code Vein - then Code Vein 2 gets an
easy recommendation from me. Some of the original games problems do persist here, though. Namely, a lack of enemy and boss variety, some rather samey dungeon design, and a bit of a difficulty trench that makes much of the mid-game pretty breezy.

However, these issues pale in comparison to my main bugbear with Code Vein 2. Its performance on console needs some serious work, with the game often struggling to meet even 30 frames per second (fps) in the larger outdoor environments. Theres also little difference between the two console performance options; neither offers a particularly stable play experience.

If Bandai Namco is able to rectify this through post-game support, however (and there will likely be a good amount of it with an expansion set to
release this year), then Code Vein 2 has a chance of becoming one of the best soulslike games of recent years. After all, the ingredients are already here. The end of the world as we know it (Image credit: Bandai Namco)

If youre new to the series, fear not. Code Vein 2s story is, by and large, a separate entity from that of the first game. While some terminology and lore tidbits do cross over, the original is certainly not required reading in
order to enjoy this sequel. Best bit (Image credit: Bandai Namco) I love what the team has done with the Blood Code system in Code Vein 2 . Effectively, templates for your desired build make experimenting with a bunch of different weapon types, skills, and boosters a delightfully simple process; no need for tedious stat reallocations here. Though I will say, an option to save
loadouts wouldve been nice.

It does begin in a similar manner, though. The player character, having recently died, is resurrected as a revenant hunter. From your base of operations, MagMell, youre tasked with slaying five heroes of old in order to prevent an imminent calamity.

Its not as simple as just rocking up to their door and demanding a fight, though. Youll first need to procure a key - a resonant object that played an important part in any given heros life - to release them from dormancy. To do so, youll travel back in time to the heros eras not only to explore their regions on the world map, but also to get to know them intimately and help them solve the crises of their time.

Its a brilliant narrative hook. The heroes are all incredibly likable characters. Befriending and forming bonds with them in the past, only to have to put them down in their boss forms in the present, always left me feeling a little saddened. It was enough of a hook to get me to keep playing,
especially as side quests involving the heroes can help them come to terms with past regrets and put a more positive spin on their fates in the future. Full kit (Image credit: Bandai Namco)

Code Vein 2 puts player expression at the forefront. Like the first game, youll start with a fantastic, in-depth character creator, and its even better in the sequel. You can customize your character to a pretty granular degree, from clothing and accessories to hair highlights and even how light bounces off their eyes.

Im not ashamed to admit I spent a whole hour making my hunter, and to some, thats probably no time at all, given the options on offer. You can fully change your appearance at MagMell at any time, too, if you ever want to make adjustments both small and large.

Theres a healthy amount of weapon types, too, from massive axes and hammers
to hit-and-run mid-range options like bayonets and rune blades. In addition
to standard weapons, there are plenty of armaments to supplement your build, also. Formae, for example, come in offensive and defensive varieties. There arent a terrible amount of these in the game, but they do offer you options for ranged attacks, shields, evasion, and more.

Then theres the Jails, supplementary weapons that youll use to drain essence from enemies to restore the Ichor you need to spend on skills. You can assign four skills to a weapon, and they come in the form of offensive maneuvers or support spells. Learning how and when to use skills in battle is essential in Code Vein 2, and using them in tandem with your regular attacks and your Jail offers a pretty satisfying combat loop. Code of conduct (Image credit: Bandai Namco)

The Blood Code system returns in Code Vein 2, and theyve been significantly overhauled here.

Put simply, a Blood Code is essentially a template for your desired build. Individual Blood Codes have their own spread of stats baked in (you can level up your character, but like in the first game, this is a general increase to health, attack power, and the like). This lets you best take advantage of different types of weapons and playstyle-altering boosters.

Its a novel idea, and one I think works well here. Blood Codes mean that you dont have to lock yourself into any one type of playstyle, like you might
have to in the likes of Elden Ring or Lies of P, before having access to stat reallocation in those games.

Not liking the heavy strength-based playstyle? Swap out your Blood Code for something Dexterity or spell-focused. In terms of builds, youre really only limited by weapon upgrade materials, which are plentiful out on the world map and can be found easily via exploration. Youre also actively incentivized to try out several Blood Codes, as maxing out familiarity with them will reward you with unique and powerful boosters, which are similar to Elden Rings talismans (or Dark Souls rings).

Blood Codes also feature the 'Burden' system. Weapons and other equipment
will contribute to this burden, and your Blood Code's stats are effectively the amount of 'weight' that can be applied to them. If you're under the stat burden, you'll gain various benefits, while going over will incur penalties. Overburdened Vitality, for example, will lower your dodge efficiency under a certain health threshold. With friends like these (Image credit: Bandai
Namco)

Rounding out combat in Code Vein 2 are your partners, with whom you can explore the open world. You can choose which partner to take with you at any Mistle (thats Code Veins version of checkpoints/bonfires), and they offer varying stats and perks based on their own playstyles and personality.

Partners are a fantastic system, too, and offer something of a stealth difficulty option, of sorts. Your partner can fight alongside you, for one, handy when you need a distraction when facing multiple enemies.
Alternatively, you can assimilate your partner, absorbing them into your
Jail, giving you noticeable stat boosts and increased power. This is incredibly useful during boss fights, especially if youre confident going one-on-one with Code Vein 2s most challenging foes.

Speaking of challenge, one complaint I have is that, like the first game, difficulty is a bit all over the place. I greatly struggled in the first 10
or so hours of play. Enemies have incredibly high poise, rarely staggering from even heavier-hitting attacks. Most can hit like a truck, too, leading to some growing pains as youre finding your feet in the early game.

However, once youve got some solid upgrades behind you - be that a powerful new weapon or Blood Code - things start to become significantly easier. The first major boss was quite the gatekeeper for me, and certainly the one I struggled most with in the entire playthrough.

After this, while the game wasnt necessarily any easier on paper, Id earned enough upgrades through thorough exploration that few areas, enemies, and
even bosses gave me any trouble whatsoever. In fact, it wasnt until the last couple of late-game dungeons that difficulty shot right back up, honestly feeling a little over-tuned.

Code Vein 2 has a bit of a difficulty trough, then. The game is bookended on either side by significant challenges, but youll likely breeze through a good three-quarters of the games overall content. Enemy and boss variety is pretty lacking, too, meaning youll quickly learn the ins and outs of most enemy
types before the halfway mark. Thats definitely a shame, especially as the world presented in Code Vein 2 is otherwise incredibly creative, with some truly astounding boss designs. The frontier wasn't built in a day (Image credit: Bandai Namco)

Overall, I love Code Vein 2, but there was one major aspect of the game that often prevented me from enjoying it fully. Performance on console (at least
on PS5, where I reviewed the game) is frankly abysmal.

While interior locations run well enough, often maintaining the 60fps target, things plummet in the larger outdoor environments. There is a ton of environmental clutter, from rubble and foliage to abundant particle effects, which certainly doesnt help. But even the act of swinging the camera around can cause the frame rate to chug uncomfortably. It can be a nightmare against bosses, too, with some of the flashier attacks resulting in a notable
decrease in overall performance.

In short, its a mess. Its something that I hope Bandai Namco can address post-launch, as Code Vein 2 is an otherwise brilliant game, unfortunately hampered all too often by poor performance. Should I play Code Vein 2? Play
it if...

You saw the first games potential
If you liked the original Code Vein, then I simply cant recommend the sequel enough. Code Vein 2 refines many systems found in that first game, and (performance hitches aside) offers a successful shift to an open-world
format.

You struggle with character builds
The Blood Code system in Code Vein 2 is excellent. It lets players instantaneously change playstyles with no penalty whatsoever. This is a game that strongly encourages experimentation and never punishes you for playing around with certain stats.

You love character creation
I have a real soft spot for character creators in games, and Code Vein 2 offers one of the best Ive seen in years. Clothing, markings, hair length, highlights, accessories (and even granular placement of said accessories),
and so much more mean you could potentially spend hours crafting your perfect hunter. Don't play it if...

You were expecting a massive challenge
Theres some friction in the early and late game, but by and large, Code Vein
2 isnt particularly challenging. I managed to beat most bosses in a handful
of attempts at most. New Game Plus does exist for those seeking greater challenges on repeat playthroughs, but I think the game could do with more challenging options in general. Maybe post-release?

Performance is paramount to you
At launch, Code Vein 2 is poorly optimized, at least for console players.
Poor framerates and soupy visuals often brought on by overworked dynamic resolution, lead to a pretty uncomfortable and unenjoyable experience at times. Accessibility

There arent many dedicated accessibility options in Code Vein 2 at launch.
The game does feature fully remappable controls, though, and decent subtitles support that lets you adjust size, background opacity, and speaker identity. How I reviewed Code Vein 2

My playthrough of Code Vein 2 lasted around 42 hours. This was near enough a 100% completion run, tackling all main and side quest content. In that time,
I fully upgraded several weapons, Blood Codes, and Jails, and was able to craft some seriously powerful builds.

Ill definitely be looking at a New Game Plus run close to when the planned
DLC drops later this year. I played the game on PlayStation 5 with the DualSense Wireless Controller , on an LG CX OLED TV .

First reviewed January 2026



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