Code Vein II Review: A Better Sequel Still Struggling to Stand Out Among Soulslikes

The Soulslike genre -- difficult action games built on the formula established by FromSoftware's Dark Souls series -- is a common sight these days, but back in 2019, when the first Code Vein came out, they were few and far between. Code Vein had the notable descriptor of being the "anime Soulslike" thanks to its unique art style. The sequel, Code Vein II, expands on the story and gameplay of the original, but like its predecessor, it simply hasn't stepped up to be one of the better Souslike games. 

Code Vein II is a sequel in name only and doesn't connect directly to its predecessor, save for the return of vampire-like undead Revenants who make up most of the cast -- except for the player. As an unnamed Revenant Hunter, players are ultimately tasked with doing some time traveling to save the world, befriending heroes in the past ...