Code Vein has been high on my wanted list for a while now. 5 months ago I took part in a preview session with an early built of the game and was blown away by what I got presented. Once the session was over, I craved for more action. Finally, the time has come to delve deep into Code Vein.
Hidden society
The world as we know it is gone. Cities lay in ruins and a hidden society of Revenants called Vein are trying to survive. Revenants are humans who have fallen ill to an ever-increasing thirst for blood. To survive and not become one of the Lost, they need to search for blood. Blood Beads were once a common thing in the world of Code Vein but since all the blood springs have more or less dried up, the hunt for beads becomes more and more competitive. Some Revenants have diverged into forcing slaves to go hunt for beads while others try to find a durable solution for the scarcity.
Void-type
In Code Vein, you play as a Revenant with memory loss. Together with Io, who also lost her memory but senses greatness in you, you are forced to go hunt for beads in unexplored ruins. As you progress through this first level, you are introduced to most of the game’s mechanics. At the end of the level, you discover your blood type isn’t fixed like most other Revenants. You are labeled as having a Void-type which could prove to be vital to finding a solution for the scarcity. Together with a group of like-minded Revenants, you embark on a journey to escape this living nightmare and unlock your own past along the way.
Fully customizable and change on the fly
Creating your character in Code Vein is pretty satisfying. It probably took me about an hour to fully tweak my character to my liking. Picking a pre-made character is obviously also available but I want some originality when I’m about to embark on a lengthy campaign with a character. Choosing a class wasn’t necessary since switching between them is kind of the whole stick of this game. The Blood types mentioned before are in essence classes which can be switched on the fly. At first, you start out with the Fighter, Ranger and Caster blood type but as you progress you’ll soon find more to experiment with.
You could stick to just one blood type but that would leave much of the appeal of the game untapped. Not having to stick to one specific role during the whole game is what makes Code Vein refreshing. If I want to be a badass fighter during the first part of a dungeon and change it up to a nimble ranger about halfway through, I can do just that. Experimenting with these blood types to see which fits best is half of the fun of this game. Adapt and learn from past mistakes and try a whole new approach will be your bread and butter during Code Vein.
Vanishing Haze
While Code Vein might look like God Eater, it actually plays more like Bloodborne or Dark Souls. You know the drill… Die a lot and learn from your mistakes. Growing stronger along the way is done by gathering “haze” from defeating enemies. Once you find and activate a mistral, you can spend haze to level up or to acquire gifts. Gifts are passive or active skills linked to a certain blood type. These special moves and how they are combined can make a huge difference during though battles. Getting proficient with certain gifts also allows them to be transferred to previously incompatible blood types. But be aware that haze is fully lost once you die. Like in Dark Souls, if you manage to retrace your steps to where you died, you can recollect your lost loot but dying again will make it disappear forever.
Ichor, stamina, and focus
Collecting haze to improve your character is extremely vital to your success in the world of Code Vein. Another thing to consider are Ichor, stamina, and focus. Ichor is collected when in close combat with enemies. Draining enemies for ichor will prove to be a much-used tactic. Ichor is used to perform the gifts each blood type has. Running out of Ichor could spell disaster for your progress. Another thing to look out for is your stamina. As you run, dodge, block, or swing your weapon, your stamina depletes. Once you run out, you become defenseless. Figuring out how many swings a broadsword takes vs. a big axe to deplete your stamina will alter the way you play the game. Filling up your focus bar by dodging attacks makes you go into overdrive which means everything gets buffed for a while.
You’re not alone
During your quest, you’ll meet a few characters which you can team up with. Each of them has their own strengths and weaknesses. Some of these are more compatible with your chosen playstyle than others. Finding out how to maximise the collaboration could make a huge difference. The AI-controlled companion helps out big time. If you run out of stamina, for instance, you could just leave your companion fighting the boss while you catch your breath, maybe providing some healing from a safe distance. Code Vein can also be played in online co-op mode in case you just can’t beat that epic boss on your own. Mind you, co-op is fun but kind off takes the challenge out of some parts of the game.
Conclusion
Code Vein has the over the top anime esthetics (and matching story) of God Eater but with the gameplay of Dark Souls. If you’re big into customizations and not afraid to try new stuff out, Code Vein will be perfect for you. Following the storyline will take you more than a few tries and going in the “depths” will even test the best players out there.
