14 DAY TRIAL // Code Vein, Bandai Namco's next action RPG project is shaping up to be a worthy Dark Souls successor. I've had the chance to play the game at a press event in Paris in mid-December, and I feel Code Vein is a Dark Souls game on steroids.
The action is a bit more frantic, something in between Dark Souls and Nioh, but with some unique elements. The similarities between Code Vein and Dark Souls series are striking, but there are some things that sets it apart.
One these things is the so-called “buddy system,” which means that you'll be accompanied by a companion throughout your adventures in this post-apocalyptic universe with a dark anime Japanese aesthetic.
The companion is meant to make your life easier and encourage you to keep playing, so Code Vein is definitely much more forgiving than Dark Souls. Another aspect that differentiate it from From Software's game is the dramatic story that unfolds as you play Code Vein.
Instead of the cryptic messages and complex world that Dark Souls offers, Code Vein developers have another approach, as they try to keep the player entertained and engaged through throwbacks in time that reveal parts of the story.
Aside from that, Code Vein is the same game as Dark Souls in almost all aspects. If you're familiar with the latter, you'll immediately recognize the combat mechanics, equipment management, save points and progression system.
The vampire-themed ARPG features a more cartoonish look
However, unlike Dark Souls, Code Vein has a more cartoonish look reminiscent of God Eater, the game that's been developed and released by the same team working on Bandai Namco's vampire-themed action RPG.
Another thing that's missing from Code Vein is the online component, or at least the developers haven't announced anything in regards with this aspect. So, for the time being, let's just say that you won't be able to play co-op with another friend to invade another player's world.
The demo I've played contains only a fraction of what the game has to offer, but I got to see some of the monsters roaming the world of Code Vein and one of the first bosses – Queen's Knight. It's not really a hard boss once you get to learn his moves, so a Dark Souls veteran might not need more than one or two attempts to defeat him.
I also noticed that camping sites where you get to replenish your healing items and level-up are positioned rather close to each other, so if you die you won't have to backtrack a lot.
Overall, just about everything is made easier in comparison with Dark Souls, which might make Code Vein more mainstream. I just hope the story will be as good as the developers promised us.
Code Vein doesn't have an exact release date yet, but we do know it will be launched in 2018 (probably in the second half) on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
