Code Vein in the Test
With Demon’s Souls and, above all, of the following Dark Soulsseries developer From Software, an unexpected avalanche started. Apart from their own works, in the same score to beat, have a myriad of large and small Studios trying, to the “Souls-like”train jump: From the Pixel Sidescroller with mechanical bonds to the Co-op Shooter – the genetic material of the bone-hard Action role-playing games can be found in varying degrees in more and more Games. Code Vein, is the latest entry in the series of many imitators, comes from NAMCO BANDAI, the longtime Publisher of the Soulsseries and I’m curious, what there is of the former partners has learned.
A day in the Vampire City
Without any memories of the nameless player character wakes up in the devastated city Vein. At his side only a white rag-dressed girl who seems to remember to nothing. Hardly on the legs, abducted the two, and, as well as other unfortunate Design forced to look in the monster-infested underground to so-called Blood Beads. It’s Louis, not gets them both out of there, but you (the player) also explains what is actually going on here.
The main character, as well as our companion, Louis and his small group of helpers are vampires, here Revenants called. Late awakening in the world of Code Vein-namely, apparently, as a blood-consuming Undead back to life. After that you will, in addition to the actual blood of people, also said Blood Beads live to satisfy your Hunger – and this is urgently needed, because Revenants, no blood, mutate to unscrupulous, highly aggressive beasts, the Lost. For some reason, the strange white trees, on which the Blood Beads grow gradually wither, and thus the power relations and tensions between people, Revenants, and the Lost come to a head more and more. So it sets out to explore the mysterious tree die and to find a solution for the Problem.
How much Souls can fit in a game?
If you ever get a Game in the Soulsseries has played, in the Code Vein quickly find their way around: From a Central Hub explores one after the other, the various areas of the city, always in search of Blood Beads, all sorts of useful Items and, of course, Point out that the solution to the blood crisis can contribute. This companion to the player and his NPC again and again Lost in the way. As in the large model of the battle of the Hand: A light-weight, as well as a hard attack, Block, parry and evasive maneuvers – these are the basic tools to survive in the fight against the Monster.
All the feels known, as is the Stamina bar, you have to constantly keep an eye on, as he empties himself in the battle very quickly and a poor house look to keep defenseless, which can cost the player, in turn, quite quickly, life. The consequences of such a death, are also taken directly from the model: Instead of a camp fire you will be ported here, although to a small, bright shrub tele, but everything remains largely the same. You will lose all of his, by Killing enemies, earned, resources (in this Haze), and it can pick up but in the place of his death – provided you manage to make it there alive to arrive. The “fire”bushes work enabled by the way, also a familiar pattern: Once, here, life, energy, and healing potion refill, but respawn all the already killed enemies. In addition, you may level up his character, learn new skills or improve and, optionally, between the Bearings back and forth teleport.
And what else is in it?
Come we now to the things that the Code Vein differently, because, fortunately, there are some of them. As well as the First, that we are always accompanied by (at least) a NPC character. The initial journeyman in the course of the Story some more, and in addition, you can choose freely who you want to lug around. They all have different personalities and different Strengths and weaknesses, and so is represented by the battle machine to the healer everything. Contrary to my fears, the companion as not really disturbing. The AI works pleasingly well and so the helpers are only a Problem if one is on the pure challenge of fighting out – because one thing cannot be denied: they make things a Lot easier. Not only do you get the right companion additional Heals, they tend to draw the attention of opponents to fight, especially in the boss is a massive advantage.
A further, very positive about the new feature, the so-called Blood Codes. These Items, which one after the other, in-game progress and easily created and freely exchanged, can be replace, so to speak, from Soulstitles, well-known, in the case of the Creations of his character chosen classes. A well-equipped Blood Code provides a number of specific abilities and passive effects, the want to be learned. In addition, each of new Blood Code brings a values – splitting. It may well be that the mighty Hammer swings for hours, can no longer be used to equip the new Caster class, because it is just too hard. All the abilities of a Blood-Code-class can, by the way, after you mastered through use and through the use of Haze and certain Items has improved, permanently used, even in the absence of the respective Blood Code created. Said skills can be applied, in addition to ordinary actions in the fight, if not unlimited, because each Skill has a Cooldown, and it consumes an additional resource (Ichor). How much of it is available depends on the equipped class; fill up very slowly by Killing enemies, but also by a special attack. The latter should be used judiciously, as it is extremely slow and can be interrupted by enemy attacks at any time.
In addition to this, massive Changes in the game mechanics, there are still a few minor Gimmicks, the Code Vein new. Such as various, in the Levels found Items at the NPCs in the Hub can be a kind of “Vanity” currency exchanged. This, in turn, is obtained from the appropriate Person, various Buff potions, or specific materials you will need to Improve his equipment. Furthermore, you can take a bath in a hot spring, half of his lost Haze back, should you make it back to the place of his death.
And otherwise?
Although the men of NAMCO not make can, easy , Dark Souls copied to have, but it is clear that in each area at least inspired by them have. Also the Level Design which is obvious, because the map consists of various more or less complex zones that intersect at various Points and so the impression of a large, contiguous world. Unfortunately, but, in spite of the obvious effort, not the model, because the Wegverzweig are in Code Vein usually only superficially, quickly end in dead ends or back to the main path. In addition, the long, empty corridors between the areas to be unpleasant, and serve seemingly as a hidden load screens.
Also, the enemy placement, it appears that it is not quite as much thinking as in the case of From Software Games. Admittedly, there are hidden enemies, traps unwary players in the back, however, usually come from the same, hard-to-reach niches, which surprised a at the latest after the third Time. There is a new type of trap: to get in a certain area of the map, or to open certain boxes, there is a “Blood Rush”: In rapid succession, a large amount of enemies, which you must avoid in order to earn a reward spawns. This is basically a nice change of pace, acts as a Mechanics but a bit cheap and can be in certain situations, also quite unfair. The overall enemy variety can’t hold a candle to the model of the whole of the water, but is, objectively considered, is absolutely fine. The bosses make the Bank a very good impression, because of the beautiful and varied designs rich. The only difficulty they vary massively, completely independent of their placement in the course of the game. But the Same can also about some Dark Souls-Boss say.
To The Right Of “Anime-Souls”
Ever since the first trailers Is Code Vein rather under the nickname of “Anime-Souls” known as under his real name – and not entirely wrongly, as it turns out. Obviously, especially the characters, which could be sprung without major Changes of an Anime series there are, however, not only the character Design is reflected in this score. A wide variety of clichés from the Genre are supported and even the above-mentioned hot spring is a fixed point, which no one can escape the Anime. Will bother you all but only those who are able to draw a Genre and style, really nothing.
Visually, the Whole is presented very nicely, and the quality of the environment varies massively. Generally speaking, something is not very detailed, some areas are still so pretty, while others spill grey in grey, hardly in glory. Quite different is the characters and their equipment – here is the attention to detail seems to be endless. The power in the character Editor, because what there is to discover as in setting options, looking for in this Genre is definitely going to be the same: the Standards, such as facial features, physique, and hairstyle, and hair and eye color comes in a endless variety of Kleindungs and accessory options, which can also be dyed in any color.
From a technical point of view, there is not too much to suspend. Bugs have shone during the test period with the absence of, and the Performance is consistently satisfactory. Only once in a while a bit sluggish, the textures Load, I noticed a disturbing. This is likely to be a weakness in the PC optimization that can hopefully be quickly fixed via Patch. The ears are consistently well served, whether by the sumptuous Soundtrack, the subtle effects, or the successful language output. The latter suffers only slightly below the definitely not the language of custom lip movements – a shortcoming, the title has to look in a fully price-in the year 2019, nothing more.
CONCLUSION
Code Vein earned the title of “Anime-Souls” in a number of respects. The obvious bonds of the animation would be there, of course, the Genre, both in terms of style as well as the mood and the tone. The other is the game, but also as the “Souls-descendant” is quite worthy – and not only because it is the inherited elements in large part to skillfully implement, but also because it is mainly with the classes Mechanics, and the additional Skills expertly on this basic framework is built, and so the whole concept is refined. The constant companions are definitely not for everyone, because the level of difficulty noticeably, influence, and a few technical quirks muddy the water, who to the fact can see and replenishment for its “Souls-Hunger”, need it, with Code Vein , however, well supported.
What Code Vein is? A strong of the SoulsSeries-inspired Action-RPG in Anime stylePlatforms: PC, PS4, XBox One
Tested: Version 1.03 PC Intel Core i7-4770, 32GB RAM, GeForce GTX 980
Developer / Publisher: NAMCO BANDAI/ NAMCO BANDAI
Release: 27. September 2019
Link: Official Website
