It’s time for the Souls-likes to shine once again. FromSoftware’s latest title, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, has been out for nearly two months now, and it has seen its fair share of play. That said, there isn't much in the way of replayability. Of course, you can handicap yourself in various ways, like the Kuro’s Charm and Bell Demon, which should make subsequent playthroughs much harder. But, in doing so, the game is still basically just the same, albeit harder now.
This is where Code Vein, Bandai Namco’s take on the Souls series without developer FromSoftware, stands out. Code Vein plays more like an RPG than Sekiro ever did, and follows the Souls DNA closer. What’s even better is after hearing from the game last back in 2017, console players on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One can now check it out, thanks to a free network test sign-up offered by Bandai Namco. This allows players to play through a section of the game and check out its updated features and mechanics. There's a lot of them, especially compared to Code Vein’s first playable demo build released back in 2017.
The time has come to rise again. CODE VEIN takes you on a dark journey where you’ll search for memories of the past and hopefully escape this living nightmare.
— Bandai Namco US (@BandaiNamcoUS) May 8, 2019
Follow the link for more info on how to join our #CODEVEIN Network Test: https://t.co/sxtfkYK8af pic.twitter.com/e6e0ZQ7NPA
In most cases, the network test focuses more on what kind of performance players will see during multiplayer segments of the game. Code Vein has been confirmed as having both co-operative and PvP multiplayer elements, and it seems very likely that Bandai Namco is holding the test in order to try out the servers for the very first time. In any case, players will also have access to the single-player story campaign, which is looking to be much more expansive and linearly told than its Souls inspirations.
Several gameplay videos from the network test have been released, of course, and here is one of the better ones made by Arrekz Gaming. He details the new features and mechanics in his video below, while highlighting the character creation and customization, something which I missed seeing in Souls-likes.
If you are on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, you can sign up for the network stress test right here. PC players will get to experience the test on a different date, though, so be sure to check in with us regularly for updates regarding Code Vein.
Code Vein is slated to be released this 2019 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
