Code Vein II Brings a Richer “Anime Soulslike” Experience to Xbox Series X|S on January 29
Dave W. Shanahan 3 minutes read
Code Vein II is Bandai Namco’s return to the stylish “anime soulslike” formula, and on Xbox Series X|S it looks like a bigger, more ambitious sequel built around time travel, shifting alliances, and a much more involved partner system. Launching January 29 and highlighted in this week’s Next Week on Xbox lineup, the sequel aims to stand on its own rather than just iterate on the 2019 original.
Code Vein II Comes to Xbox Series X|S on January 29
The story picks up in a future where humans and Revenants coexist under the shadow of the Luna Rapacis, a celestial body born from a desperate sealing ritual that suppresses Revenant power and fuels outbreaks of monstrous Horrors. Players step into the role of a Revenant hunter who travels back through history alongside a girl named Lou, whose power to manipulate time is central to both the narrative and the structure of the campaign. Bandai Namco’s overview trailer frames this as a world on the brink, where deteriorating seals and returning Resurgence events force you to revisit the sacrifices of past heroes and decide what kind of future to fight for.
On Xbox, the big mechanical headline is the all‑new Partner System. While the first Code Vein already let you bring AI companions into battle, Code Vein II turns partners into deep, progression‑driven relationships with unique Link Traits and Partner Trait Bonuses that can dramatically change your build. Link Traits are active effects that depend on the strength of your bond; take too much damage and your bond breaks temporarily, turning those bonuses off until you repair it. Partner Trait Bonuses, meanwhile, provide more passive boosts and combat perks that grow as you invest in a specific ally.
Bandai Namco has outlined two main ways to fight with a partner: Summoning and Assimilation. Summoning plays closer to the original game, calling your partner into the field to act independently—attacking, drawing aggro, and supporting you while you manage groups or reposition during boss fights. Assimilation is the more dramatic option, fusing you and your partner into a single entity that gains amplified stats and abilities at the cost of fighting alone, making it ideal for duels against powerful enemies where raw focus and burst damage matter more than crowd control.
The most intriguing wrinkle is Restorative Offering, a mechanic that lets your partner save you from death once by restoring your HP when it hits zero, at the cost of incapacitating them for a time. It is a safety net that stops short of trivializing difficulty: you get a second chance, but lose your partner’s support for a stretch, forcing you to decide whether to lean on that crutch or master their full toolkit.
Visually and structurally, Code Vein II stays close to the “post‑apocalyptic anime Gothic” identity of the original but looks sharper, with more elaborate environments and enemy designs shown across previews and platform blogs. For Xbox players who bounced off the first game’s pacing or level layouts, the promise here is a more cohesive story, stronger character‑driven arcs, and combat systems that reward long‑term experimentation with partners rather than just stat‑stick builds. Sitting alongside Highguard and Front Mission 3: Remake in the January 26–30 window, Code Vein II gives Xbox Series X|S owners a distinctive, character‑driven action RPG to anchor the end of the month.
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