LogFAQs > #976528319

Code Vein (PC)

My final Windows 7 backlog is complete. Code Vein is a spin-off of the God Eater games which does not play like that series at all. I would probably call it more of a mix between Persona and Dark Souls. This was the only game in my backlog that I actually was looking forward to finish and that's why I saved it for last. I quite enjoyed this game and honestly wonder why people don't talk about it more. I suppose it does sit in this weird niche between Anime and Soulsclones.

As amazing as soulsclones are, what always peeves me is every single clone is trying to copy Dark Souls even down to its tone and mood. Refreshingly this game deviates in both mechanics and theme peppering the post-apocalyptic backdrop with some JRPG nakama bullshit. The whole blood coding system makes for some very versatile gameplay indeed. This is probably also the only soulslike I believe apart from Ashen that aspires to get to a proper good ending as far as good endings go.

Story spoilers incoming.

Despite that, I do have some complaints about the tone of this game. I had to redo this game when I found out I wasn't on path for the Best Ending and I was confused at first because realistically I was just following the game but apparently, in order to achieve the game's best ending one would have to pull a Dynasty Warriors 8 What If Mode and make sure that absolutely nobody dies. Nobody. You have to do this 3 times in the story and if you know what to do the tone is just off. You get treated to a 10 minute scene where the death is inevitable but then in the next minute they're all better. It's ridiculous. And I mean I have no complaints about the story as a whole, but there had to be a better way to get a True Good Ending that might also result in acceptable loss.

Spoilers end.

But the writing itself was alright. Usually with these soulsclones things are left as vaguely as possible. And that is the case here as well, but the revelations and worldbuilding blossom slowly in a spiral from who are you to what is this on my face. It's all explained and trickled down without feeling contrived. And it all leads to this stunning reveal in the end.

For all its wonderful offerings, a few game design flaws stop me from enjoying this game sometimes. You can ONLY save by initiating/sitting down in a bonfire. There's no autosave while you use it in between or after actions. That means, if you used the bonfire to level up and didn't exit to use it again, the level up wouldn't register until you found another bonfire later on. Often times I found my progress slowed because I forgot to "rekindle" at the save point.

Getting x2 annoying is the fact that the game crashes at certain fights and scenes. I had to get a cheat device just to bypass I think about 3 scenarios in the game. Mercifully you can essentially skip any cutscene even if its your first time seeing it.

Finally a third gripe is the game doesn't explain to you how to level properly. You get these skills you have to grind to be able to use them in another class. However, this is separate from your actual level. The game doesn't tell you that if you actively level alone, grinding for skill proficiency will be next to impossible. On paper it is a good system so you'll have to rely on skill abilities instead of whacking hard or vice versa but imagine if I wasn't restarting the game to get the good ending, then I would've been royally screwed at around the halfway point of the game.

Finally just a minor issue are the setpieces which are decent but I can't believe you can't showcase a post-apoc earth without using 40% caves into your repertoire. There's even a labyrinthine knock-off of Anor Londo a third into the game that everyone despises, but I absolutely love because its the only zone that's vastly different from the others.

Anyways, this'll be my last for awhile. Now I have to backup my files and upgrade my OS.

The next soulsclone I'm planning to play is Nioh 2 as someone on this board suggested aaaaages ago when I made my writeup post here about Nioh 1 being mediocre.