With the ever-rotating library of content on Xbox Game Pass, gamers definitely get their money’s worth when it comes to the vast variety available. Xbox’s subscription service is one of the best on offer and covers almost every genre and niche imaginable. However, with new games coming to the service each month, that means that others will have toleave Xbox Game Pass as well. February will see major titles likeArk: Ultimate Survivor Editionand day-one additions likeEdge of Eternityjoining the subscription service, but as with every new month’s updates, other titles will be facing the chop. These includeControl,Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age,andCode Vein.
While gamers only have a few days left to enjoy these soon-to-disappear titles, they should really make the most of them before they’re gone.Code Veinin particular is a beautifully designed third-person action RPG with seriousDark Soulsvibes that can provide players with a fun few hours. Come February 15, gamers will lose their chance to experience it as part of the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, so they should get a move on if they want to check it out.
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Code Vein – An Enjoyable Dungeon Crawler
Despite its unabashed attempts to style itself after games in theDark Soulsseries,Code Veindoesn’t actually play much like thepunishingly difficult and infamously intricate FromSoftware games. From the baffling complex and detailed character creator to the surprisingly sweet and nuanced relationships and NPC stories,Code Veinisn’t quite what it might first appear. Although there’s still a hefty dose of slightly campy and full-blown anime-style vampiric silliness, the narratives that players encounter can be quite touching and unexpectedly affecting.
The near-future open-world dystopian setting, where players navigate a crumbling society affected by something known as the Great Collapse, is interesting and impressively designed. Gamers must fight Revenants — reanimated human corpses that act like vampires — which can only be killed once their hearts are destroyed. Revenants must consume blood to survive and to stop themselves from transforming into cannibalistic and frenzied monsters called the Lost. The game plays more like a dungeon crawler than anything else, with multiple areas to explore and a whole host ofmemorable bosses featured throughoutCode Vein.
Why Players Should Check Out Code Vein
Frequently hailed asthe anime version ofDark Souls,Code Veincombines the more macabre and intriguing style and features found in that popular series with a lighter, campier aesthetic that will appeal to anime fans. WhileCode Vein’s combat may feel slightly clunky and a little repetitive, it’s also comforting and uncomplicated compared to some of the harder and more complex soulslikes.
Despite its sluggishness, it definitely won’t leave players rage-quitting after they fail to defeat an enemy for the twentieth time.Code Veinalso gives gamers the chance to complete levels with an AI companion or play co-op with a friend. Co-operative play is always a popular mechanic and helps to give something extra to gameplay when players can experience everything with a partner.
Code Veinmay exist in a crowded group of soulslike rip-offsand copies, but its core mechanics and level of freedom when it comes to exploration mean that it’s near the top of the pile. For players waiting patiently for FromSoftware’s latest large release,Elden Ring, to finally drop,Code Veincould help to scratch that itch in the meantime. It has the familiar FromSoftware formula but provides enough differences and interesting takes on the series' staples that it makes for a fun change of pace.
The sheer level of customization on offer in the character creator makes gamers feel like they’ve really been able to put their stamp on the game. With their decisions affecting the storyline and the fates of other NPCs,Code Veincan become a game with a set of charactersand events that players really come to care about, despite its seemingly unserious exterior.Code Veinis not ridiculously complicated or demanding, and it could be a great distraction for a few days if players want to try it out before it disappears from Xbox Game Pass altogether.
Code Veinis available now for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
