Code Vein II, launching for PlayStation 5 on January 30, is the newest entry in the dramatic exploration action RPG series, Code Vein. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, it depicts the drama of Revenants and humans who fight to defy their doomed fate. Players confront relentless foes and treacherous locations alongside a trusted partner, while their choices rewrite history and shape the destinies of both the world and its characters.
We recently got a chance to go hands-on with the upcoming title and have a chat with the game’s producer, Keita Iizuka, and the director, Hiroshi Yoshimura.
Follow a hero’s journey that transcends time to rewrite fate and history
PixelArena.io: Your studio has worked on action RPGs like the God Eater series, the Tales series, and Scarlet Nexus. What aspects did you focus on to set this title apart from those games?
Yoshimura: I think one of Code Vein’s defining features is its challenging difficulty.
Iizuka: Another crucial aspect of Code Vein is that you can only bring one companion on your journey. Even when facing deadly environments or powerful enemies where a single mistake could mean death, it’s just the two of you. That may feel isolating at times, but the unique bond and trust that form between you and your partner is unique to Code Vein.
Yoshimura: Code Vein also places a strong emphasis on creating a world grounded in realistic backgrounds. The team made thoughtful design choices to blend anime-style characters naturally into these detailed environments. This commitment to a distinctive visual style is another hallmark of the game.
Yoshimura-san, back when you were developing God Eater 2, you talked about how you organized your ideas by carefully putting them into words. Did that approach carry over or influence your work on this project?
Yoshimura: The “verbalization method” I used during God Eater 2 has been applied not only to this title, but also to the previous Code Vein. It involves the enormous task of writing out every game element and clarifying how they connect to one another. We repeatedly iterated on the core action systems from the prototype stage. As projects grow in scope and development periods stretch, the market and player expectations keep evolving. If the team does not continually update its mindset during development, the game risks feeling outdated by the time it launches. The action in this title is the result of extensive iteration; while respecting and carrying forward the sense of camaraderie with your buddy that was so well received in the previous game, we rebuilt the system around two new strategic concepts – “Summoning,” where you fight alongside your partner, and “Assimilation,” where you become one with them. We hope players will enjoy this new approach.
When it comes to the game’s worldbuilding, were there any elements you carried over from the previous title or specific aspects you chose to emphasize?
Yoshimura: Code Vein II establishes a new setting while still retaining core elements from the previous game. Because this title is built around the idea of rewriting history, directly linking it to the previous game’s world would risk overturning the established history and player experiences. That said, it’s not an entirely separate world either; fans will notice familiar items, weapons, gifts, and other small callbacks scattered throughout the game.
During the hands-on demo, the design differences between Josée as your Revenant buddy and as a boss really stood out. What’s the concept behind the Revenant’s boss transformations?
Yoshimura: Those design differences are intended to make players wonder what happened to the character. While their appearance changes drastically, there are still subtle elements shared between the two forms. You might miss them during battle, but as the story unfolds, you’ll begin to understand the reasoning behind the transformations. We’d love for players to look back at the character designs after those revelations.
Ensuring narrative integrity amid history-altering changes
Player choices play a big role in this game. Does altering history result in multiple endings?
Iizuka: The core gameplay revolves around traveling between the present and past to progress the story. When you intervene in the past and return to the present, relationships with characters or the world itself will change. The game has multiple endings, so even after reaching one ending, you can go back in time to alter it.
Yoshimura: It’s a pretty unique structure. There are multiple endings, but the way players approach them is different. What really defines this game is how players actively shape the story through their own choices.
Iizuka: There’s also New Game+ that lets you carry over your levels and certain progress for those who want to revisit the story from the beginning.
The history-altering system must be challenging to maintain story consistency. What were your key focuses or struggles when crafting the narrative for this title?
Yoshimura: I took it on myself, but it was far more challenging than expected. As I built out the narrative, I found myself wanting to push the boundaries further. I want to create living, breathing characters, so I refused to make them act like puppets that were convenient to the game’s system. Maintaining narrative consistency was tough, but character integrity mattered even more. My core rule was ensuring that player experiences were reflected without any contradictions. The complexity made it difficult to convey my vision clearly to the team, so I just powered through it myself (laughs).
Iizuka: The story went through extensive rewrites. However, the final version achieves solid consistency and a smooth flow, making the history alterations feel seamless without any sense of disconnect.
What are the standout features of the new Rune Blade and Twin Blades? Are there any changes to weapons carried over from the previous game?
Yoshimura: The Rune Blade is a tricky weapon that leverages formae power to levitate swords. With specific formae, you and the blade can move independently to attack, pulling off solo coordinated assaults. Twin Blades, held in both hands, prioritize speed and spin. It was highly requested by fans of the previous game, so we’re excited for the new addition. In Code Vein II, you can stack wounds with every hit to maximize Ichor from blood drains, so hit count is key.
It’s difficult to pinpoint changes to the five returning weapon types, but the animations have seen a major quality upgrade, so nothing feels exactly like the previous game. Every move, from weighted swings to combos, has been fully rebuilt to match the elevated animation standards.
Iizuka: This game now lets you equip formae directly onto weapons, with many more type-specific options. This makes tailoring builds to each weapon’s strengths far more intuitive than in the previous title.