Latest news with #CodeVein2
Geek Culture
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
'Code Vein 2': Exploring The Past, Present And Human Connection Through Time Travel
This interview has been edited for clarity. What happens when you take the soul-crushing difficulty of a FromSoftware title and imbue it with a healthy dose of anime inspiration and fan service? The folks at Bandai Namco Studios must have had this thought front and centre while developing 2019's Code Vein , a hardcore action RPG Souls -like, which juxtaposed its grim, post-apocalyptic world and vampire themes with charming anime character designs and in-depth customisation features. Six years on and after much fan speculation, the team is ready to unveil the next chapter in the series, aptly titled Code Vein 2 , with lofty ambitions to not only innovate on what made the first so special to begin with, but to also introduce something fresh to the table with a storyline that crosses time itself. 'We are so happy to be able to finally announce this game after six long years, reconnecting with our fans and offering them something that can meet their expectations,' exclaims game producer Keita Iizuka in an interview with Geek Culture and other Southeast Asia media, who also worked on the original Code Vein and the 2021 anime RPG Scarlett Nexus . 'It's also great to be able to work again with the previous staff from Code Vein, like director Hiroshi Yoshimura and some staff from the previous team, to give all of our fans an exciting next chapter.' Game Producer Keita Iizuka To achieve this, the team looked towards two major touchpoints: introducing a new dual world mechanic and improving upon the original game's most innovative and beloved feature, the Buddy System. Following the original title's core narrative foundations, Code Vein 2 once again centres on a world ravaged by a phenomenon known as the Resurgence, which wiped out almost all of humanity if not for the power of immortal beings known as Revenants, who appear after long existing in the shadows of civilisation. Despite enjoying a brief period of relative calm, the world was once again driven to the brink of ruin by the Luna Rapacis, a sudden threat which drove some Revenants to madness, transforming them into mindless Horrors. Featuring an original standalone storyline, players will take on the role of a Revenant Hunter. Mortally wounded while on a mission, the protagonist is saved by a mysterious Revenant girl, who gives them half of her heart and brings them back to life. Together, they form a bond and set out to save the world. It's not just one world the duo has to save, either, as with the Revenant girl's unique power to travel to the past, the pair must now fix two timelines: the present, a land destroyed by the influence of the Luna Rapacis, and 100 years in the past, a world just recovering from the Resurgence and where the Revenants govern human society. 'A key motive for both Code Vein titles was the dramatic stories of the Revenants and their relationships with humans,' explains Iizuka. 'To this end, one of the main points of Code Vein 2 is to bring across the story of the two species' relationship in relation to the Revenant's immortality, and by adding on the time travel mechanic, we can further explore a land where Revenants are in power and how they interact with the humans.' That's where the past comes in, as it occurs at the peak of the Revenant's power after saving the world from the Resurgence. According to Iizuka, the team wanted to explore a different kind of story compared to the original, delving deeper into the background of the Revenants and how they went from being the world's salvation to the cause of its destruction. While the team were understandably tight-lipped about the game's plot points to prevent spoilers, they were eager to point out how they evolved its gameplay mechanics, specifically one of the original's most innovative systems: the Buddy System. Unlike most Souls -like titles, where co-op requires inviting a second player, Code Vein featured an offline offering as well, with the protagonist accompanied by an AI-controlled companion for the vast majority of the game. Players had access to a wide variety of Buddies, each providing their own set of unique skills and combat styles to complement a player's build, balancing out the game's punishing difficulty while providing an additional tactical layer to combat. 'We have taken into consideration the feedback on the Buddy System, and we understood that even though it was very well received in Code Vein , there was still something missing,' notes Iizuka. 'In Code Vein 2 , we've levelled up the Buddy System, including not only more interactions and ways to bond with your Buddy, but also building enemy and level design around the system, giving Buddies a renewed focus in terms of exploration and combat.' With his statement, fans can expect their Buddies to take centre stage in the game, potentially hinting at not only more Buddy options to choose from, but a wider range of support abilities for that added utility to suit more playstyles. As far as exploration is concerned, it's currently unclear how the Buddy System would come into play, although the game could very well take inspiration from Metroidvania titles in this regard, making it so that only certain Buddies can access special areas, encouraging players to plan ahead before embarking on one of the game's many dungeons. 'Also, it's optional, just like last time, and you can turn off the Buddy System to challenge the game solo, but please be warned that it will be very difficult,' Iizuka adds. Besides the improved Buddy System and the new time-travel-based narrative, players can expect more of what was introduced in the first title, now expanded and enhanced. Blood Codes, the game's version of a class system, is set to receive an upgrade that allows players more freedom to create their own character builds, supplemented with new combat tools like Jails, powerful equipment offering both offensive and defensive abilities, Formae, supernatural powers that transform a player's weapon attacks, and Bequeathed Formae, devastating weapons that channels all the powers of a Revenant. Despite all these improvements and additions, Iizuka remains adamant that Code Vein 2 will provide a familiar experience that fans of the original will know and love, just now wrapped up in a fresh new package. 'Underneath the unique setting of Code Vein 2 and its time travel aspect, it still retains the essence of what made the series so great. There might be new things you can discover, but its core elements like character design, combat, and general gameplay will still immediately feel familiar to returning fans.' Code Vein 2 is due out in 2026 for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise 'duds' like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3 . He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying. Bandai Namco Code Vein Code Vein 2 Geek Interview Souls-like
Geek Culture
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Bandai Namco's 'Code Vein 2' Sequel Brings Anime Souls-Like Action Across Space And Time
Bandai Namco Entertainment has unveiled a teaser for Code Vein 2 at Summer Games Fest 2025, the sequel to its 2019 anime vampire souls-like, which brings a gothic twist to the game alongside what seems to be a theme revolving around time. The game will see the return of the Revenants, vampire-like beings who are the sole survivors of a post-apocalyptic world. The trailer also shows off brief snippets of its intense combat, with players facing off against monstrous bosses using a variety of weapons like dual blades, hammers, katanas and unique equipment called Jails, with the trailer also including a tease of a motorcycle which players would seemingly use for traversal. Most interestingly, however, is the game's apparent focus on the concept of time. According to Bandai's official game description, players will 'embark on a journey through a world that spans two eras, where decisions carry weight and every battle tests skill and resolve', alluding to some sort of time-swapping mechanic that might be similar to something seen in another souls-like game, 2023's The Lords of the Fallen . While its predecessor was set in a post-apocalyptic world, Code Vein 2's trailer features a distinct gothic vibe this time around, potentially signalling the ability to shift between this new medieval timeline and the one seen in the first game. Players won't have to embark on their journeys alone either, as the game will bring back its signature partner allies system, which gives players a constant companion to fight alongside them, forging bonds with them along the way and gaining enhanced abilities as a result. According to Bandai, each partner also has 'distinct skills and deep narrative connections that shape the journey', which alludes to multiple companions offering different supporting skills to cater to a player's combat style. Code Vein 2 is set for release sometime in 2026 for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise 'duds' like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3 . He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying. Bandai Namco Code Vein 2 Summer Game Fest 2025
Metro
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Best Summer Game Fest 2025 trailers: Mortal Shell 2, Stranger Than Heaven & more
Watch all the most interesting trailers from the biggest summer preview event of the year, including Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Code Vein 2, and Wu-Tang: Rise Of The Deceiver. You never know what you're going to get with Summer Game Fest, the would-be replacement for E3 hosted by The Games Awards creator Geoff Keighley. Some years there's tons of big name reveals and some years it's mostly just AA and indie titles. This is one of those years. That doesn't mean there was nothing of interest, but the mic drop reveal at the end of the two hour long show was Resident Evil Requiem, and it was by far the biggest game to be featured. Despite being only a day after the Nintendo Switch 2 launch, and Nintendo registered as a partner, the only time the console was even mentioned was a brief ad for Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition. Although that does probably increase the chances of a Nintendo Direct later in the month. There were a few notable trends for the games at this year's Summer Game Fest: a lot of Soulslike titles with dark grey visuals, a lot of anime games, and plenty of live service titles still trying their luck at hitting the big time. So, if the thought of that doesn't appeal you may find the pickings relatively thin. Although there's also Jurassic World Evolution 3 and the Deadpool VR game if you fancy something different. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. The first annoucement was Mortal Shell 2, a sequel to the 2020 Dark Souls clone that is still one of our favourite Soulslikes not made by FromSoftware. Developed by a mere 30-man team (Keighley was keen to highlight that many of the games were by surprisingly small developers) the sequel seems to be going for a more overt horror atmosphere, while there was a lot more gun combat than usual for the genre. It's out sometime in 2026. It's never a surprise to see Hideo Kojima at a Geoff Keighley event but the cut scene he decided to show for Death Stranding 2 was not exactly the most enthralling. It featured Luca Marinelli as Neil and his real-life wife Alyssa Jung as therapist Lucy, arguing about the fact that he's forgotten who she is. Neil is apparently the villain of the piece, and the one dressed up in Solid Snake cosplay in some of the previous images. The game itself is out in just a few weeks, on June 26. Sega had a strange little dig at Mario Kart World during their reveal of Sonic's latest kart racer, pointing out that it has cross-play… even though Mario Kart is obviously only on Nintendo formats. The game looked good, but the focus of the demonstration was crossover characters from other games, including Hatsune Miku, Ichiban Kasuga from Like A Dragon, Joker from Persona 5, and Steve from Minecraft. The game will be released on September 25 for every format imaginable. We're really not sure the art style in this unexpected sequel to the 2019 Soulslike works very well, with its anime characters and realistic backdrops, but at least it's something a bit different. The original didn't seem quite successful enough to justify a follow-up, but the action looks good and at least it's one Soulslike that's not copying FromSoftware's visuals as well as its gameplay. It'll be released for Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and PC sometime next year. It does seem madness that there's never been a console action game based on Game Of Thrones. There still isn't, but at least this real-time strategy game isn't just some seedy mobile title. Unfortunately, the pre-rendered trailer never showed a hint of any gameplay, so there's no clue as to what it's actually like, but apparently it involves 'ruthless free-for-all battles where trust is fleeting and power is everything'. It's out next year and seems to be PC-only, which is a shame as it could have worked as a spiritual sequel to EA's old Lord Of The Rings real-time strategies. It's been a very busy week for Capcom this week, with Pragmata re-unveiled at the State of Play on Wednesday and Resident Evil Requiem being the big reveal at the end of Summer Game Fest. But we also got a new gameplay trailer for the reboot of Onimusha, which looks extremely pretty and continued the series' tradition of not even trying to have anyone sound like they're actually from Japan (like Resident Evil, the originals only had English voiceovers). There's no release date yet, but it's out next year on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC. One of the strangest reveals of the show was what seems to be a Muppet version of Punch-Out!!, with the potty-mouthed puppets taking part in what also probably counts as a homage to Rocky. The gameplay does seem almost identical to Nintendo's old boxing game but hopefully there's a bit more to it than that. The game doesn't have a release date and is currently scheduled only for PC. Expected to be the next big thing in online shooters, the only thing ARC Raiders has been missing is a release date, but it finally got that at Summer Game Fest. It'll be out on October 30 for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC, which is interesting because that's right around the time you'd expect this year's Call Of Duty to come out – and the new Battlefield, if EA launches it this year. ARC Raiders' strong word of mouth gives it a head start though, which could make for an interesting autumn shootout. When we interviewed Jospeh Fares about Split Fiction, we asked him why he thought no one had ever tried to copy his games, despite their huge success. He didn't know but finally another developer seems to have wondered the same thing and Out Of Words does look very reminiscent of It Takes Two in particular. The hand-crafted, stop motion visuals are neat though and it's definitely one to watch, even if it doesn't have a release date yet. Another game taking inspiration from Split Fiction, at least in the sense that it has a friend pass that means only one person has to own a copy of the game to play online co-op. It's by the creators of the very good Lego Builder's Journey and rather than being based on Lego licensed sets, or any other established toy line, it's all about solving puzzles by building Lego structures. If it's as good as Lego Builder's Journey it'll be doing very well indeed, although there's no release date yet. Between South Of Midnight and The Midnight Walk, and Out Of Words, stop motion animation Is suddenly very popular for video games. The art style in this new game from Annapurna was notably different though, and while we're not entirely sure what's going on in terms of the gameplay the 80s soundtrack sounds like it'll be the best thing since GTA: Vice City. Made by just nine people in Indonesia, this very bloody looking beat 'em-up looked extremely impressive, and also very reminiscent of the violence in Oldboy. We didn't quite gather what was going on in terms of the story but we're sure revenge has something to do with it, as you beat down hordes of goons and get a Mortal Kombat style view of an opponent's skeleton, when you manage to put a big enough dent in it. It'll be out on PC next summer. We can't say we've ever been fans of Scott Pilgrim, either the comics or the film, but the 2D graphics for this new scrolling beat 'em-up look gorgeous. It's clearly intended as follow-up to Ubisoft's film tie-in from 2010, which was well received by many, and is by the same team behind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge and Marvel Cosmic Invasion (which was also at Summer Game Fest and announced Rocket Racoon and She-Hulk as characters). It'll be out on current and last gen consoles and PC next year. Although 007 First Light did get a quick name check on stage, developer and publisher IO Interactive instead spent their time talking about Agent 47 in MindsEye and Mads Mikkelsen in Hitman: World of Assassination (aka Hitman 3). He'll be reprising the role of Le Chiffre as the latest elusive target in the game – a special character, usually played by a famous actor, that is only available to assassinate for 30 days, starting from today. That's neat but it's also interesting that it implied IO has a considerable amount of leeway with the Bond licence and what they can do with it. The other Lego game to be unveiled was an outrageously obvious clone of Mario Party, only with 300 different minifigures instead of the Mushroom Kingdom crew. These can be rearranged in trillions of different combinations, in order to compete for stars golden bricks and play 60 different mini-games. We're big fans of Mario Party (and Lego) so if this manages to be as fun as Nintendo's games then we're all for it. It'll be release for both consoles and PC this year. A new game from Drinkbox Studios, makers of Guacamelee! and Nobody Saves The World is immediately of interest but this Diablo-esque role-player looks a bit more serious and horror tinged than their previous games. It also seems to be channelling Hades creator Supergiant Games, none of which is a bad thing. Whether it's a Metroidvania or not isn't clear but at certainly points in the trailer it definitely seems to have co-op. It's not certain which formats it's coming to but it's out on PC next year. A lot of people are probably going to compare this to online survival game Grounded, but the plot makes it sound like a more serious version of Pikmin, with aliens visiting Earth and battling with both insects and some sort of mechanical robot menace, as you search for your lost crew. It's out for consoles and PC next year and while there's very little concrete information on the gameplay the visuals certainly look impressive. Whether you care about the Wu-Tang Clan or not this had some of the nicest visuals of any game at the show. They seemed fairly obviously influenced by the Into The Spider-Verse movies, but that's no bad thing, and we're only surprised that hasn't happened before. The idea of a Wu-Tan action role-playing game was leaked quite a while ago, where it was described as Diablo meets Hi-Fi Rush, which does seem to fit with what you see in the trailer. There's no release date so far. There were a lot of great looking games at the show, but this might have been our favourite, with its 40s style animation reminiscent of a 3D Cuphead. It's a bit hard to tell exactly what's going on with the story but you seem to be playing an alcohol abusing cartoon character who's been tricked by the Devil into… taking part in a third person action roguelite, that also has three-player co-op. There's no release date but if it looks as good as it plays it'll be doing very well indeed. The final reveal before Resident Evil Requiem was what was previously codenamed Project Century and while it looks like a Yakuza spin-off it's not actually part of the franchise, even though it's by the same developer. Sega didn't explain much, but when the game was first introduced it was set in Japan in 1915 and yet this trailer is set in 1943 (i.e. in the middle of the Second World War). More Trending Given the codename that probably implies you're playing in multiple time periods across the whole century. There was no mention of formats or a release date though, so it's probably still quite a while away from release. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Call Of Duty 2026 campaign has a brand new setting for Modern Warfare says leak MORE: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate gets Switch 2 upgrade but there's a problem MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 GameChat feature doesn't censor swear words
