CODE VEIN

Xd nice bosses and coping from dark souls

snooze fest

This game looked cool but when I just try to open the game it takes it's sweet time running in the background before it actually wants to open. I had to wait roughly 10 minutes just to get to the main menu just to play a game with anoying allies that don't shut up no matter what. This game feels more like final fantasy than it does a soulslike with similar guarding and parrying but it follows more of a hack, slash and roll than playing defensive.

essentially what it looks like, anime dark souls. though, this is developed by bandai namco rather than fromsoft, and it shows, seeing as it clearly tries to replicate a lot of what dark souls likes to do without quite perfecting anything (maps and puzzles that often feel like a bother to traverse, reptitive fighting/reused enemies, EXTREMELY corny characters/dialogue (they must've pulled some of these voice acters from funimation), bosses often being either really hard or really easy, and rarely finding armour or weapons better than what you already have, etc). the parry mechanic (mostly the animations), blood codes and abilities and all that are cool and unique, i'll give them that. i haven't played code vein 2 (yet), but i'm having fun so far. if you're a big fan of dark souls or elden ring, don't let this thing rot in your library for too long like i did.

КАЛЛ

[i]Code Vein is what I would call Japslop. A 3D action RPG with light visual novel elements, using a bunch of cliches held together by all the straps its teenage-looking characters wear as a story.[/i] [h1]Flows[/h1][list] [*]Very detailed character creation screen, with unlockable cosmetics as you progress the story. [*]Nice soundtrack. [*]Theoretically a lot of potential builds for your character. [*]I like the various bonus rewards you can earn in the DLC for completing extra challenges. [*]Some tame fanservice here and there, the best of which is the occasional female boss design...[/list] [h1]Flaws[/h1][list] [*]...But in general the fanservice is terribly exaggerated by the fans. The hot springs is one of the most advertised features in the community, and it's a big nothingburger. No dialogues regarding it, no fun interactions, nothing, just an alternative outfit for your characters (the bath towel), which, honestly, does not appeal to me for fanservice at all. [*]The design inspiration from Dark Souls is obvious. And god I hate Dark Souls design... [*]Before a status effect can activate, its meter must surpass a resistance bar. In bosses, said resistance is absurd, and the impact of the effect itself (for example poison or burn) is so small that it's genuinely not worth it. That invalidates more than half the builds in the game instantly. [*]On that note, it's the kind of game where you need a spreadsheet to optimize your playthrough. Have I mentioned how much I hate Dark Souls design? [*]Certain maps are a pain to navigate, like the inexplicable white castle towards the end-game. [*]You get showered with consumable items. Sell all of them. Always. They are completely useless. [*]The counter animations last WAY longer than they should. You will be button mashing, then put the controller down to casually sip some tea while you wait for the bloody thing to end. [*]Combat skills are useless. They are very likely to miss as time continues normally while you perform them and your enemies move, their damage is negligible even if you build your character around them, and you can still get slapped around (including getting stunlocked) while performing them. Only the buff abilities that you can use prefight are practical. [*]Your partners' AI is terrible. You will realize this in the higher difficulty bosses, like the DLC ones. Their primary use is drawing aggro from you and potentially exchanging quick-revives with you. [*]Wave challenges are cancer. Enemy attacks cleave through each other, and they usually happen in tight places where the camera works against you. [*]All of Code Vein's cast use blood to do their magic, recover it by hitting from behind or killing enemies, they dress like goths and have red eyes. But they're not vampires, we don't use that word here. [*]The flashback mechanic of slowly walking through a corridor to have exposition shoved in your face, needed to unlock new skills is @SS. I was skipping them from the 2nd skill unlock. The skills you unlock aren't even useful, it's just your OCD demanding you do. [*]Speaking of skipping, I suggest you start doing it for the main story too, because Code Vein is really fond of chaining cutscenes likes it's combo-ing off (we're talking 5-6 cutscenes one after the other at some point), and the writing is just terrible. Cliches are stringed together, forming a laughable imitation of a narrative. The game places a heavy emphasis on forming friendships with your party, but it all feels incredibly hollow.[/list] [b]Thanks, I hate it. Thumbs down for purchase, even at a discount.[/b]

Это, пожалуй, худший соулслайк в который я играл. Не плохая игра сама по себе, но все же. Если протерпеть довольно неприветливое для любого (адекватного эмоционально устойчивого и морально зрелого человека) "анимешное" начало, то игра раскрывается как весьма хороший, простой в своей сути соулс, переусложненный цифрами, делающий вид будто он глубокий и сложный (прямо как сюжет в вышеупомянутых японских мультиках), будто бы кто-то реально будет в бою разбираться каким уроном колющим дробящим или рубящим атакует босс, но зато с присутствующим сюжетом (что уже невероятно для этого жанра) и очень удобной мини-картой (что невероятнее выбирайте сами).