Before heading to Summer Game Fest 2025 Play Days, we were asked if we wanted to check out two yet-to-be-revealed Bandai Namco games, and I’m pretty sure I replied “yes” before finishing reading the rest of the email. It’s a good thing there wasn’t anything in there about signing my life away. Once we arrived at the event, we found out that one of those unannounced games was Code Vein II, and we were about to get the first details on what to expect from this long-awaited follow-up.
For those who played the original Code Vein, it’s often referred to as the “Anime Soulslike,” thanks to its deep customization and stylish combat, which helped it gain cult-favorite status. Based on what we’ve seen so far, Bandai Namco and Shift (the team behind God Eater and Code Vein) are doubling down on everything that made the original stand out.
While Code Vein focused on Revenants and the loss of humanity in a collapsing world, Code Vein II picks up with Revenants and Humans co-existing, though the world is still in terrible shape. As if things weren’t bad enough, a new threat known as the Luna Rapacis has emerged, turning Revenants into monstrous creatures called Horrors that are killing everything in sight. Yep, things couldn’t be worse.
Enter the Revenant Hunter—an unnamed character imbued with powerful abilities thanks to a unique golden Blood Veil. Your mission? Try to save what’s left of the world. No pressure.
The Revenant Hunter won’t be alone. You’ll be joined by Lou MagMell, a mysterious companion with the ability to travel into the past. This mechanic will play a central role in both the story and gameplay. By jumping back in time to alter events, you’ll directly affect the present. It’s a clever twist on the Soulslike formula, reminiscent of how Lords of the Fallen (2023) used dual-world traversal to impact progression.
That’s not all. The Revenant Hunter will be able to team up with other characters throughout the game and will have access to a base of operations, a headquarters, of sorts. This space will serve as a hub to coordinate with allies and will be crucial to your progression.
Customization is also getting a major upgrade. Bandai Namco and Shift are fully aware of how much fans loved the original game’s character creator, and they’re leaning into it even harder this time. While we didn’t get to see the full extent of it, we were told to expect more outfits, color palettes, facial and body customization, and a wider range of voice options. I know folks who went all out customizing their characters in the first game. I’ve seen characters from other games and Anime being recreated, including Ichigo (Bleach), a female M. Bison (Street Fighter), and even Cloud and Tifa (Final Fantasy). I can only imagine what they’ll create with this one.
Visually, the follow-up is looking much better than the original game, in both the environmental and character details. We even got to see a bit of the game in action, mostly via a battle that didn’t go the way we expected it to. If you thought Code Vein was Anime, then this game is going to be Anime X2.
Oh, and there’s a sweet assed motorcycle, the Motorcycle Forma, that will be used to traverse around the world. While we got to see this in action in the game, the real surprise was a real-life version of it greeting us as we headed to the Code Vein 2 preview. Check it out in the image below.
It’s clear Code Vein II is still a ways off, and we didn’t get to see a ton during the preview, but even the announcement is exciting. Honestly, while I always knew the original had a fanbase, I wasn’t sure how well it performed, especially with its 2019 release sandwiched between Control, Link’s Awakening, and Death Stranding. Still, it held its own, sold well for its niche, and here we are with a full-fledged sequel. That’s great news for fans who prefer their Soulslikes with a heavy anime flair, rather than dark fantasy vibes.
Code Vein II is slated for 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam). If you haven’t played the first game, you’ve got plenty of time to dive in before this one drops.
For more of our Summer Game Fest 2025 coverage, be sure to check out the rest of our content, including Dying Light: The Beast, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, Resident Evil 9: Requiem, and much more.
