CODE VEIN II returns to Bandai Namco’s anime-inspired action RPG formula with bigger ambitions, a broader world, and a new story built around time travel. Released on January 30, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, the sequel expands almost every major system from the original while attempting to make exploration feel closer to a modern open-world action RPG.
The result is an entertaining but uneven adventure. Combat customization remains its strongest weapon, while technical performance, repetitive exploration, and inconsistent pacing prevent the sequel from reaching the same level as the genre’s best.
A New Story Across Two Timelines
Rather than requiring players to remember every detail from the first CODE VEIN, the sequel tells a largely standalone story.
Players become a Revenant Hunter tasked with preventing the Resurgence, a catastrophe threatening what remains of civilization. The journey introduces Lou MagMell, a Revenant capable of manipulating time. Together, they travel roughly 100 years into the past in an attempt to alter events that eventually lead to destruction in the present.
The time-travel concept gives the narrative an interesting hook. Meeting characters in the past before discovering their fate in the present creates several emotional moments, particularly when the game focuses on individual companions.
Unfortunately, the storytelling can become overloaded with terminology and exposition. There are plenty of names, factions, powers, and historical events to remember, making some conversations harder to follow than they need to be.
Combat Remains CODE VEIN II’s Greatest Strength
Combat is where CODE VEIN II feels most confident.
The familiar Blood Code concept returns alongside weapons, Formae abilities, and Revenant Jails. Players can experiment with different combinations rather than being permanently locked into one traditional RPG class. This freedom encourages switching builds depending on the enemies or bosses ahead.
The Partner System adds another layer. Allies can fight alongside the player or provide different combat bonuses, while mechanics such as Link Points, Partner Traits, and Restorative Offering make companions more meaningful than simple AI assistants.
Boss fights are generally the highlights. Learning attack patterns, managing stamina, dodging at the right moment, and unleashing powerful abilities can create genuinely satisfying encounters.
Difficulty, however, is inconsistent. Some sections offer demanding battles, while others become noticeably easier with a strong companion and optimized build.
Bigger World Does Not Always Mean Better
One of the sequel’s biggest changes is its expanded approach to exploration.
Large environments provide more freedom than the tightly connected areas of the original game. There are optional encounters, resources, side objectives, and locations waiting away from the main path.
Yet size frequently works against the experience. Several areas lack enough memorable discoveries to justify the travel between objectives. Critics have similarly highlighted repetitive environments and an open-world structure that does not always make effective use of its scale.
The result can feel caught between two designs: a focused Soulslike adventure and a much larger open-world RPG.
Excellent Customization, Uneven Technical Performance
Character creation remains impressive. Players can adjust body type, hairstyles, facial details, makeup, expressions, and accessories, making the protagonist remarkably customizable.
Visually, the anime character designs remain attractive, and some environments deliver striking post-apocalyptic scenery. The soundtrack also works well during emotional scenes and major battles.
Performance has been a more significant concern. Bandai Namco acknowledged frame-rate and stability problems following launch and committed to continued performance updates. Support continued through patches including version 1.0.9 in April 2026.
Player reception remains divided. Steam currently categorizes English-language reviews as Mixed, with roughly 65 percent of more than 2,500 reviews being positive in recently indexed data.
CODE VEIN II Review Scores
| Category | Weight | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Combat & Builds | 30% | 8.7/10 |
| Story & Characters | 20% | 7.8/10 |
| World & Exploration | 20% | 6.8/10 |
| Visuals & Audio | 15% | 8.0/10 |
| Performance & Polish | 15% | 6.4/10 |
How the Final Score Is Calculated
Rather than simply averaging every category equally, the score gives combat and build variety the greatest weight, because those systems form the core of the experience.
Weighted Score: 7.7/10
Combat Grade: A-
Exploration Grade: C+
Story Grade: B
Technical Grade: C
Overall Grade: B
Final Verdict: 7.7/10 — Good
CODE VEIN II is an ambitious sequel with excellent combat flexibility, strong character customization, and an engaging time-travel premise. Its partner mechanics and build system provide plenty of reasons to experiment.
The larger world is less convincing, while inconsistent performance and repetitive exploration keep the game from becoming an essential Soulslike. Still, players who enjoyed the original—or simply want an anime-styled action RPG with deep build customization—will find plenty worth sinking their teeth into.
Sources: Bandai Namco Entertainment, Steam, PC Gamer, GameSpot, TechRadar, and Metacritic.
