Although it’s become trite to compare video games to Dark Souls - there’s even a Twitter account dedicated to reductive Dark Souls comparisons - Bandai Namco’s Code Vein has modelled itself so closely and purposefully on From Software’s series there’s no avoiding it. Dark Souls beats strongly in Code Vein’s chest, but from what I’ve seen there are more than enough new twists on the formula to elevate it beyond a copy into what promises to be a new and refreshingly bizarre anime-kissed action-RPG.
Code Vein’s set-up is a little more transparent than one you might find in a Souls game. In the very near future, mysterious “Thorns of Judgement” have spiked through the world, causing mass destruction. In order to survive, the dwindling members of the human race – including your custom player character – have turned themselves into youthful vampires, feeding on blood in order to survive. A wall keeps the vampires enclosed, enveloping the ruined architecture from our century, crushed skyscrapers, broken cars, battered jukeboxes.
It’s all very obviously influenced by anime, but shaken up and blended with the real world.
It’s all very obviously influenced by anime, but shaken up and blended with the real world. The goal for character design in Code Vein was to not make it too cartoony, says character design lead Kurumi Kobayashi, but still removed from reality. Vibrant, idealized characters wield giant swords and wear swooping Victorian jackets (known as ‘Blood Veils’; more on that later) occupy grand landscapes that would look at home in any modern-day post-apocalyptic action game. “We wanted to hit the middle ground,” explains Kobayashi.
A little different from the grim medieval aesthetic of the Souls games, then, but there’s no mistaking the immediate influence behind Code Vein’s basic mechanics. All the greatest Souls hits are played: when your player character is defeated, the experience you’ve gained will be lost, though you can get it back at the site of your death (“we can't reveal it just yet, but we are planning another method of collecting that experience, unique to our game” says director Hiroshi Yoshimura). Short-cuts through the world must be hunted down in order to deal with the scarcity of checkpoints, and large, shambling enemies can cut you down to half health with one swipe.
The man behind the God Eater series, Yoshimura is well-versed in tough and stylish games.
These monsters are known as ‘The Lost,’ creatures who used to be vampires but grew blood-starved and insane. “Some monsters look like humans whereas others look like completely different creatures,” says Yoshimura. “The monsters could also have a varying number of limbs, limbs growing from unusual places, or even wings.” Just like Dark Souls, big brawling bosses will serve as gatekeepers to new areas, and each area will have a different theme.
The man behind the God Eater series, Yoshimura is well-versed in tough and stylish games, and saw Souls as a palette on which he could experiment further. “I've been working on the God Eater series for a long time. It pits you against powerful enemies and obstacles that you have to overcome with multiple people. For my next project, I wanted to see how I could express the challenging aspects of Dark Souls in my own way and try to take it to the next level.”
That ‘next level’ becomes more apparent in the intricacies of combat and character building. As a vampire, your personally-customized avatar must drain the blood of enemies in order to use special skills. There are three different types of drain attacks: one is a relatively simple charge, another lifts the enemy off the ground with an uppercut, and the third relies on a maxed out ‘concentration bar’ – which builds up when you’re low on health – to unlock a flashy kill animation.
These drain attacks are performative, designed with bloody excess in mind. The charge attack gets a twist depending on what garment you’re wearing; in Code Vein these unique coats and masks are called “Blood Veils”. There are initially three types: Ogre, Hound, and Stinger. The Hound’s charge sees the shoulders of your coat transform into two rabid dogs, the Stinger briefly equips you with a scorpion-like tail, while the Ogre fits you with a huge smashing claw. Each form will have different speeds and range, and you can swap your Blood Veil at any time through the menu screen.
These drain attacks are performative, designed with bloody excess in mind.
But drain attacks aren’t going to be your go-to offence in Code Vein. They’re difficult to execute, and the player needs to control the fight to create a one-on-one situation in order to set one up, difficult when you’re swarmed. “If you are surrounded by enemies,” says Yoshimura, “you will most likely not be able to land one. In that sense, you will need to carefully navigate through the dungeon and manage your resources.” Mostly, you’ll be using a combination of heavy and light melee attacks, blocks, parries, a roll and sprint, all while watching your stamina bar. Y’know, Dark Souls.
Code Vein mixes up its basic combat with the aforementioned special skills, called ‘Gifts’. Drain enough blood and you can activate one of a variety of game-changing effects that can completely change a situation. “As you continue your exploration, for example, you will be moving through dungeons where you don't know where the exit is,” says Yoshimura. “In those situations, you will have to decide how to use your Gifts.”
Some Gifts are temporary, like an evasion ability, or a barrier, or a major buff to your next attack. Some are passive, such as long-last minor buffs to attack or armour. They’re a vital strategic element in Code Vein, and each one is class-contextual. Classes in Code Vein are called ‘Blood Codes,’ and there are currently several: heavy, technical, overall balance, long distance, a buff type, and magic. “By leveling up Blood Codes via defeating enemies, you can increase the parameters of your character and learn new Gifts,” says Yoshimura.
Going against common RPG wisdom, you choose an initial Blood Code, but can swap it out with another throughout your playthrough. Began as a warrior and want to change it up? You can switch to a magic-caster, while retaining all the progress you made building up your initial Blood Code. “In traditional RPGs, if you level up your character as a warrior, you are stuck as a warrior,” explains Yoshimura. “In Code Vein, you can level up both the warrior Blood Code and the caster Blood Code and swap them to customize your character depending on the situation.
“That is a unique point of Code Vein.”
Code Vein’s biggest departure from the Souls series, and one that offers players some relief in the face of the difficulty curve, is the option to add a companion to your adventure. They can’t do all the fighting for you – leave them to fight on their own and they’ll likely die – but they’ll certainly take some of the heat off.
They’ll also have their own specific storyline and episodes, which Yoshimura hopes will draw you to them emotionally. “There may be times where your spirit would be broken if you were alone,” he says, “but your companion will allow you to muster up the extra courage because you want to overcome whatever you're facing for their sake. Dramatic elements like these make overcoming challenges more touching and help separate this game from Dark Souls.”
Each companion has their own fighting style.
Each companion has their own fighting style. One could be good at attacking while another could play support, aiding you from the back. So based on your circumstances, you can swap out your companion to fit your needs, which you can do at your home base, accessible via Checkpoints a la Souls. If your companion dies, you’ll have to decide whether to continue exploring alone or double back to the last checkpoint and revive your companion. “This creates a dramatic scenario each time,” says Yoshimura.
I finish my time with Code Vein by asking Yoshimura just what it is that attracts us to challenging games, which have gone through a resurgence of late thanks to the success of the Souls series. After all, “it’s really hard” isn’t a selling point for everyone.
“I think the biggest factor is the feeling of accomplishment you get from overcoming a challenge by yourself,” answers Yoshimura. “I think everyone wants to enjoy that feeling.
“And people want look away from challenges in the real world. Like things they are scared of, or things they don't like.These games give players the opportunity to face adversity and overcome it; something they are lacking in the real world.
“We structured Code Vein so that many people will be able to face and overcome the challenges. This is a game where you can enjoy that fulfillment without having your spirits crushed, so I hope people will have fun playing it.”
Lucy O'Brien is Games & Entertainment Editor at IGN’s Sydney office. Follow her on Twitter.
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