So here's the thing about Code Vein 2. The gameplay? Pretty solid. The story? Not terrible. But man, the characters are making me want to throw my controller through the screen.
Look, I get it. Anime vampires are supposed to be dramatic. They're supposed to brood and have complicated feelings about drinking blood or whatever. But Code Vein 2's cast takes it to a whole new level of insufferable. Every single cutscene feels like sitting through a high school drama club's interpretation of Twilight meets Dark Souls. And trust me, that's not a compliment.
The worst part? You can't skip most of these interactions. You're stuck listening to protagonist numero uno whine about their tragic backstory for the millionth time while their companions chime in with equally cringe dialogue. I counted at least seventeen times someone said "the burden of our cursed blood" in the first three hours. Seventeen! That's not character development, that's just lazy writing.
What really stings is that underneath all this melodrama, there's actually a decent game trying to break free. The combat feels tighter than the first Code Vein, and they've added some genuinely cool blood abilities. But every time you start getting into a groove, boom, another twenty-minute cutscene about vampire angst.
Honestly? If you can stomach the characters or just really love the soulslike formula, you might still find something to enjoy here. But for me, Code Vein 2's cast sucked all the fun right out of what could've been a great sequel. Sometimes less vampire drama is more, you know?
Diego
Strategy & simulation — 4X, RTS, grand strategy, city builders