Bandai Namco grow their own Soulslike with Code Vein
V-v-v-vampires?!
Bandai Namco published From Software's splendid Dark Souls games but, as that series ends, it seems Bamco want to make a Soulslike of their very own - one raised on anime and fizzy pop. They've recently announced Code Vein [official site], an action-RPG which looks Soulslike in the ways imitators often do. This one, though, is set in the not-too-distant future of our own world, where something apocalyptic has left the remains of humanity as empty monsters lusting for blood. Bamco haven't confirmed release platforms for Code Vein yet but nearly all their big games hit PC nowadays so let's go ahead and watch this trailer:
Talk of folks losing themselves in bloodlust and becoming "the Lost" is all very Soulslike and yup, the brief snippets of action looks Souls-ish (not that Dark Souls invented all this, of course). But imitators and admirers do struggle to capture the magic. Our Brendan will tell you that level design is what really makes Dark Souls sing.
Anyway, what's going on in that trailer? Bamco say:
"In the not too distant future, a mysterious disaster has brought collapse to the world, as we know it. Towering skyscrapers, once symbols of prosperity, are now lifeless graves of humanity’s past pierced by the Thorns of Judgment. At the centre of the destruction lies a hidden society of Revenants called Vein. This final stronghold is where the remaining few fight to survive, blessed with Gifts of power in exchange for their memories and a thirst for blood. Give into the bloodlust fully and risk becoming one of the Lost, fiendish ghouls devoid of any remaining humanity.
"In this challenging action-RPG, Code Vein finds players assuming the role of a Revenant. After stumbling into Vein, players are tasked to embark into the world with a companion picked from the various residents of Vein to uncover lost memories and an exit out of this new demented reality. The world of Code Vein is dangerous, full of vicious enemies and monstrous bosses to put players’ combat skills to the test."
Me, I'm in this for the lore. I'm already salivating, a puddle forming in the well of my keyboard, imagining that Code Vein is full of rich and deep lore in item descriptions. Swords and hats will surely tell tales of lost heroes known by such grand titles as Steph From Accounting, Morag Next Door, Muhammad Upstairs, Ian Video Games, and Michael Winner. Who where these people, how were they undone, and what can we learn from them?
We'll find out when Code Vein arrives in 2018, presumably on PC.