Code Vein gets release date and new gameplay trailer

Bandai Namco has released a new gameplay trailer for their upcoming action-hack-and-slash game Code Vein today. At the end of the trailer we also finally got the release date which is going to be September 28th on Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

The new gameplay trailer titled Salvation or Destruction delves deeper into the setting and story of what has lovingly become called “anime souls” among fans who can’t wait to get their hands on the game.

Bandai Namco is big Japanese games publisher who also has internal games studios which develop games. Like most publishers, they also commission independent third-party developers to create games for them. After both co-publishers Sony and Atlus failed to see the potential of 2009’s then overlooked cult hit Demon’s Souls, Bandai Namco took the chance and was instrumental in creating the Dark Souls franchise with FromSoftware helming the development.

As such, since the first reveal of Code Vein in early 2017, many people were quick to judge the new project as a souls game coated in thick “anime” aesthetics, just by early gameplay snippets. Bandai Namco was very upfront on what the gameplay was going to be since the very announcement trailer by showing actual gameplay footage. Watchers were greeted by a desolate world in crumbles with only monster-like enemies roaming in it. The player was able to lock on to each enemy while movement became fixed around that locked-on target. Combat was vicious, focused on melee weapons with dodging, and deliberate attack animations and timings. All tent pole elements very much reminiscing of games under the “Souls” moniker.

While not a bad thing inherently on its own at all, Code Vein could just not help being constantly compared to Souls games and had a more challenging time conveying its own strengths. That’s why it is great to finally see not only more gameplay but also more about the story and setting of with this new trailer. With this trailer it’s already clear that Code Vein will offer a more traditional story with chatty characters unlike the rather cryptic world building of a Dark Souls.

An interesting aspect is the focus on blood and vampiric themes but the trailer made sure to only tease and not spoil, so we are looking forward to when Code Vein will release on September 28th later this year.