Sequels carry certain expectations with them, like the promise of building on the promise of what came before and correcting past mistakes. Bandai Namco’s Code Vein 2 is exceptional in that it manages ...

With more of an Elden Ring approach with its open world and (somewhat) non-linearity, Code Vein 2 tries to tap into that formula but just doesn't quite nail its execution, which is a crying shame ...

The first Code Vein was a moderately well-received soulslike with a lot of anime overtones. I appreciated its willingness to embrace the soulslike subgenre, and the twist on vampires was fun enough.