With the Dark Souls series seemingly come to its end and Bloodborne 2 nowhere to be seen, fans of such games (which have become something of a genre unto themselves) may be feeling a little restless as they seek out their next thrill. Might I suggest taking a look at Code Vein, which debuted a new trailer today as part of the 2017 Golden Joystick Awards?
If you haven't heard of Code Vein yet, the trailer should give you an idea of what you're in for: a post-apocalyptic world full of monsters, with you playing as a vampire who kills them. It's all glossed over with an anime-inspired aesthetic, but there's no mistaking that slow, deliberate combat against extremely deadly foes; this game wears its Dark Souls inspiration on its cel-shaded sleeve.
This makes sense: Bandai Namco published the Souls series, after all. But unlike those games, Code Vein is being developed in-house at Bandai Namco, with Hiroshi Yoshimura at the helm as director. Yoshimura previously worked on the God Eater games, as did several other staff currently assigned to Code Vein.
The stylized look isn't all that makes Code Vein unique, mind you. You'll also be able to travel with an NPC companion, and with each possessing their own unique suite of abilities. There are also vampiric powers to unlock and a Focus gauge that lets you modify your attacks and encourages you to find a rhythm instead of swinging wildly.
Code Vein is scheduled for a 2018 release, so it hopefully won't be long before we get to experience the whole game.
