Code Vein gameplay: Does Anime Dark Souls fill Bloodborne 2 void?
FROM Software's new teaser has made us thirsty for more Bloodborne. Can Code Vein quench our thirst?
BANDAI NAMCO
From Software's new game teaser has given us a thirst for all things Bloodborne.
But even if the mysterious new game is Bloodborne 2 - and there's a good chance it's not - we could be waiting ages for the Sony sequel to hit PS4.
Fortunately, Bandai Namco's Code Vein looks like it could easily fill the void left by the lack of Bloodborne or Dark Souls in 2018.
Jokingly referred to as the "anime Dark Souls", Code Vein ditches the gothic horror of Bloodborne in favour of a futuristic setting where characters battle for blood amid crumbling skyscrapers and ruins.
The game may draw comparisons with the Souls games in terms of how it plays, but there's no denying that the story, setting and gorgeous anime art style is in a world of its own.
You can get a taste for how it looks by checking out the gallery below...
It's only when you starting hacking enemies and desperately dodging their attacks that the Code Vein/Souls comparisons become clear.
The combat is measured and weighty, caution is key and you won't get very far without first mastering the combat roll.
Code Vein's twist on the Dark Souls formula comes via its Gifts system and AI companion.
Gifts are special abilities that can be used at any time, provided you have enough Ichor points. You can use these Gifts to add elemental damage to weapons, draw enemies out with magical projectiles, or simply to bolster your attack or defence.
Opening the door for experimentation, the Gift system should ensure the combat doesn't grow stale.
The AI companion is arguably even more useful, although it's the one thing about Code Vein that I'm not entirely convinced about.
Your companion will distract enemies, heal you when you're down and even chime in with a few crucial hits.
While this is invaluable in boss battles, the whole AI thing feels slightly random, and I would have liked more control.
Ultimately, however, Code Vein delivers the same highs and lows as the Souls games. It's as agonising and infuriating as it is exhilarating, and I can't wait to play more in 2018.
