Details for the previously teased multiplayer features forCode Veinhave finally come to light. The vampire game’s creatorsstated in earlier announcementsthat the game focuses heavily on its buddy system, a setup wherein a player works closely with an NPC teammate. With these new details now on the table, the new understanding is that this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case.
Code Veinis a dungeon-crawling action-RPG in a vein similar to that ofDark Souls. The game’s initial announcement was made via a trailer released by publisher Bandai Namco that ended by asking viewers to “prepare to dine." That trailer and all subsequent reveals about the game have revealed that it is a vampire-themed game in which players will assume the role of a Revenant, a vampire that has lost most of their memories and must drink blood to avoid regressing into a creature known as a “Lost.”
TheDark Soulscomparison isn’t a frivolous marketing move on the part of Bandai Namco either. As shown in one of its earliergameplay trailers, combat inCode Veinrequires precision hits and deft dodges in order to effectively engage the various mindless and not-so-mindless creatures that inhabit the game’s world.
There is still much that is unknown in regard to exactly how multiplayer will work inCode Veinbut the details that have filtered out see the game employing a system similar to one used by theMonster Huntergames. As reported inWeekly Famitsuby way of Gematsu, the game will allow players to complete dungeons with other players and their NPC party member. If a player finds themselves in trouble, then they can send out a distress signal and summon another player to come to their aid. The summoned player can then stay with their host and will enjoy bonuses based on the “gifts” attributed to the summoner’s NPC. In-game communication between players is possible, but at the moment it appears to be limited to an emote and gesture system. This system will allow players to build emotes out of gestures, stamps and voices. These custom emotes can then be saved for later use.
Two new characters were also introduced in the magazine. The first, “Karen,” is a collaborator on the Q.U.E.E.N. Project and is the older sister of a character by the name of Louis. The second is named “Chris Silva” and their backstory is that of being a Q.U.E.E.N. test subject and Gregorio Silva’s daughter.
Since it’s already beingheavily compared toDark Souls, the addition of a cooperative multiplayer function will likely be heavily appreciated by those who are already fans ofSouls-like games.Code Veinappears to have enough of a solid foundation between its attractive artwork and anime-style take on theSoulsformula to become one of 2018’s sleeper hits. Hopefully it’ll be able to live up to the hype being drummed up by its publisher.
Code Veinis scheduled to release sometime in early 2018 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
