dev, computing and games

Finished Code Vein (PS4)

Visual style: modern JRPG
Gameplay: Souls-like

The game takes place in a dystopic future where vampires were created to fight in a war against an evil force. Bad news #1 The government is trying to get ways to harvest blood to sustain the vampires, but it's not going as smoothly as they hoped. Bad news #2 the evil force is not really gone.

One innovation they added is a 'companion' system where an AI-controlled NPC accompanies you basically at all times. The AI is competent and not a liability like in some games.

The game improves on Souls in some areas.
- Online matching system. Match with anyone! Your and their levels are scaled to match so it's fair.
- The class system makes it so you can't irreparably screw yourself through uninformed decisions.
- A map
- Healing item cooldown makes it harder to accidentally waste heals
- AI is 'smart', doesn't randomly jump off ledges.

I was nervous they might have strategically put the best environment in the demo I played. But, no, the demo was representative. The environments were consistently good. Big complicated areas, detailed rooms without copypaste, interesting stuff to look at far into the horizon.

Although the game is not perfect (nothing is, right?), no one in the art team seems to care about CLIPPING, as far as I'm concerned it's a 'perfect score' game. It doesn't happen every day there something which takes so many interesting risks, turns, stylistic decisions.

Although I did 4 playthroughs I still want to do some more things. A bunch of the replay-ability comes from the multitude of classes ('blood codes') and multiple endings, which range from 'uplifting' to 'stomp your heart into a zillion pieces'.

The game is a bit violent and sleazy so maybe not appropriate for all audiences. But it is really good. I hope there will be a sequel or DLC.

December 8th, 2019 at 10:15 pm | Comments & Trackbacks (0) | Permalink

A cool (and hot!) boss fight in Code Vein. Guest appearances from Louis and random internet person.

November 4th, 2019 at 10:40 pm | Comments & Trackbacks (0) | Permalink