Souls-like games tend to be lengthy affairs – not quite Elden Ring levels of commitment, but still offering some dozens of hours of gameplay. The original Code Vein is no exception, with its main story clocking in at about 26 to 27 hours per HowLongToBeat, and thankfully, the sequel isn’t deviating too far from the same.
Speaking to PCGamesN, producer Keita Iizuka estimated that the story length is “about the same as Code Vein 1, perhaps a little bit longer.” Of course, like the original, there’s side content to complete, and Code Vein 2 benefits from having a larger world and more build variety. There are even multiple endings for players to unlock thanks to its time-traveling mechanic.
While “dramatic” and providing more intense action sequences than the original, it’s not a game that Iizuka quantifies as a Souls-like. “We’d like to categorize ourselves as a ‘dramatic exploration action-RPG,’ that is our official title.” When asked about the term and its spread, he acknowledged where the question is coming from because “there are many varieties, even within ‘action’ and ‘RPG.’
“What seems to be common across the board [in Souls-likes] as a genre is providing a sense of accomplishment for the players. By them going into different fields to explore and [having] different experiences, they’ll be able to gain the experience so that they can take on more challenging dungeons or enemies.”
And while that certainly makes for a more challenging experience, the development team hopes that Code Vein can provide “interesting character arcs, dramas, and action all combined to create a very special, unique experience.”
Finally, for those concerned about the spread of GenAI, whether it’s at major publishers or developers like Larian (which have since backed off on it for Divinity), Code Vein 2 has not used it. According to Iizuka, this is “largely because we do value art style and how it looks, the aesthetic elements of it. Especially because we are creating a very original world – we do value the logic behind [that world], but also the cohesiveness of everything, as well as creating the total world-view experience for the players.”
Code Vein 2 launches on January 29th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, with Deluxe and Ultimate Edition owners receiving three days of early access. Check out the latest revealed boss, The Blinded Resurgence Offspring, wielding a massive great katana and caring very little about stabbing itself to power up.
