Inspired by the great success and impact of the From Software games that Bandai Namco has published, the team at Bandai Namco Studios, responsible for the monster-hunting action RPG series God Eater, released, in 2019, their own take on the “Soulslike” subgenre in the form of Code Vein. Endearingly referred to as “Anime Souls” by fans, Code Vein sold over three million copies and developed a dedicated, if relatively small, following.
During Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest 2025, Bandai Namco announced Code Vein II, a sequel which retains the unique battle system and famed character creator, both now enhanced and fine-tuned, but which introduces a brand new story in which time travel factors in considerably.
“We have added time travel to let players experience different parts of their lives.”
I got the chance to go hands-on with Code Vein II at a closed-door event held at Bandai Namco’s office in London this past December, and I left with the impression that anyone who’s enjoyed the first game has a lot to look forward to here. Further insight is available in a preview by CGMagazine editor-in-chief Brendan Frye, who spent additional time with Code Vein II around last year’s The Game Awards. His preview explores the story, combat systems, open-world design and more.
Beyond playing Code Vein II, I also had the opportunity at the same Bandai Namco event to briefly interview the game’s producer, Keita Iizuka. Iizuka served in the same role on the original Code Vein and on 2021’s Scarlet Nexus. Speaking through an interpreter, I asked how Code Vein II builds on the ideas of the first game, how central time travel is to the sequel’s story and what players can expect from its evolution.
To start things off, broadly speaking, how does Code Vein II push the ideas behind the first game forward?
Keita Iizuka: I would say that there are definitely elements carried forward from the original Code Vein, like the sense of adventure, exploratory nature and also the collaborative element. But, in Code Vein II, we have definitely highlighted the relationship between revenants and humans. And, to showcase that revenants are ever-present figures, we have added time travel to let players experience different parts of their lives.
Seeing as Code Vein II is not a direct sequel to the original, how exactly are the stories of both Code Vein games related to each other?
Keita Iizuka: The storylines are separate and, as I mentioned, there is an added time travel element in Code Vein II, meaning that characters move through different times within their lives, and this means that the protagonist is intervening in and could even change their outcome, as well. If they can do that, if we were to follow on from the story of the first game, they could completely change the outcome that was achieved in the original Code Vein. We didn’t really want to do that to the players, especially fans of the original. Therefore, we have created a different universe for them to enjoy.
What would you say is the underlying message at the heart of Code Vein II? Does it have something to do with “restoring” or “repairing” timelines, especially given the “kintsugi” motif?
Keita Iizuka: I wouldn’t call “restoration” a theme, but the fact that the players have the power to change the future by going back to the past is important. That’s the core: that they have the power to choose to carry forward or go back in time and change the outcome.
Following up on this, to what extent is time-travelling an active choice in Code Vein II? How could it impact the narrative and the potential ending(s) of the game?
Keita Iizuka: Code Vein II is structured in such a way that it is inevitable that the players do experience time travel. They start in the present, and they will always go back to the past and then come back to the present. That definitely happens as a flow. But, when they come to a part of the ending of that structure, they have the option to either go back again to the past and change the outcome for a particular character, or, they can choose to move on to another story. So, the player has that freedom and that flexibility. Choosing to go back to the present or not will greatly impact the larger outcome of the story.
Fans of the first Code Vein have famously greatly appreciated the character creator, so, in what ways has it been improved in Code Vein II? Also, are there any original characters that you’ve been particularly impressed by?
Keita Iizuka: With regards to both Code Vein I and II, we have made it possible for all players to come up with very anime-like and adorable characters, so it’s extremely customizable, but whatever players change, the characters will always retain the very adorable elements of their face and figures, which is something that we wanted to appeal to.
Code Vein II releases on Xbox Series X / S, PlayStation 5, and Steam on January 30, 2026.
