CODE VEIN II - Combat & Partner Systems

New details have been revealed about Code Vein II’s combat and partner systems, giving fans a closer look at how the next entry in the Code Vein franchise is taking shape.

The upcoming action RPG is introducing fresh mechanics, improved teamwork dynamics, and deeper character interactions. 

Whether you’re returning to the series or discovering it for the first time, there’s plenty to get excited about.

Ready to dive in?

COMBAT SYSTEMS

Weapon Action

Unleash devastating melee attacks with a wielded weapon.

You can switch between a variety of weapons in combat, each with its own unique reach and moveset.

Attacking enemies will wound their bodies, allowing you to retrieve more Ichor when you perform a Drain Attack.

Revenant Action

Manifest your Revenant powers through the Jail, draining blood from enemies while doing a single, devastating blow.

This drained blood, known as Ichor, is the resource required to activate formae (skills).

Weaving these Drain Attacks into your combat flow is key to gaining the upper hand in battles.

Formae

Revenant special abilities that consume Ichor, blood drained from foes. 

With a diverse range of formulas for offense, defense, and evasion, you can craft a variety of strategies to dominate the battlefield.

Formae can be divided into three categories:

Weapon Formae

Weapon Formae can be equipped to your weapon. You can equip up to four different Formae to a single weapon.

They are divided into Combat Formae for unleashing weapon attacks, Magic Formae for long-distance attacks, and Support Formae that grant various buffs and enhancements.

Bequeathed Forma

A Bequeathed Forma summons a unique weapon for battle.

For example, summon a greatsword that dwarfs your own size and unleash a single, devastating strike. 

While the summon takes time, landing this powerful attack can prove to be the ultimate finishing move.

Defensive Formae

Execute defensive and evasive actions with Defensive Formae.

You can choose to equip one of the following: a Guard, a Counter, or a special Evasive Maneuver.

Partner Systems

A new buddy system where you can seamlessly transition between two combat forms:

Summoning

Unleash your Partner to fight by your side. They'll act independently, launching attacks and providing support. Use this to handle larger groups of enemies or to execute powerful flanking

 attacks.

Assimilation

Store your Partner in the jail on your back to become one with it, granting you increased stats. This is effective when fighting powerful enemies one-on-one.

Key resources: HP (Hit Points) & LP (Link Points)

Players have two key resources: 

• HP (in yellow), representing their health
• LP (in blue), representing their bond with their Buddy.

When you take damage, you will lose LP first; only after your LP is depleted will you begin to lose HP. 

Healing effects prioritize restoring HP, and any overflow beyond your maximum HP will then restore your LP.

Partner Actions

Your Partner fights alongside you, wielding their own unique powers. 

Whether Summoned in battle or Assimilated with you, they act as powerful companions.

Drain Attacks / Formae

Your Partner also performs their own Drain Attacks, using unique Formae for both offense and support. 

The blood they absorb is shared with you, restoring a small amount of your Ichor.

Restorative Offering

Restorative Offering restores your health when your HP drops to zero. 

After Restorative Offering is activated, your Partner will be incapacitated for a short time, during which they cannot perform the action again.

Partner Benefits

Players will gain various additional effects depending on the Partner character accompanying them. 

Give yourself a major advantage in combat by utilizing the synergy between these effects and your own playstyle.

Link Traits

Your Partner grants you special effects known as Link Traits. These traits are unique to each Revenant Partner and are key to gaining an advantage in both combat and exploration.

Link Traits are only active while your bond (LP) with your Buddy is strong. 

If this bond is broken by taking enough damage, these effects are lost until it is restored.

Partner Trait Bonus

Partner Trait Bonuses grant passive bonuses, such as boosting your stats or adding bonus effects to combat. By deepening your relationship with a Partner character, you can unlock additional effects.

These effects are constantly active as long as that character is accompanying you.

Partner Traits

LOU

Weapon: One-Handed Sword
Drain Attack: Bat
Link Trait: Ichor recovery when hit

A powerful supporter specializing in defense. She is versatile, capable of fighting at any distance with a rapier-type sword for melee and Magic Formae for range.

She supports the player with two Support Format: "Prismatic Veil," which boosts resistance to elemental attacks, and "Forma Extension," which extends the duration of your buffs. 

Furthermore, the Bequeathed Forma, "Battle Axe: Idris's Conceit," unleashes a devastating blow that slows down the speed of surrounding enemies.

Her Link Trait restores Ichor whenever you are hit, making it harder to be overwhelmed when surrounded and allowing for safer, more stable exploration.

JOSÉE

Weapon: Two-Handed Sword
Drain Attack: Hound
Link Trait: Increases Defense and Balance while charging an attack.

A devastating attacker who overwhelms foes by trading blows, easily staggering them with her two-handed sword. 

She can annihilate entire groups of foes with "Unquenchable Flame," a devastating skill that combines a flame-wreathed sweep of fire pillars.

Her Support Skill "Precision" makes enemies even easier to break. This allows her to power through enemy attacks to land crushing blows.

Her Link Trait is allowing the player to fight in sync with her in a powerful, coordinated assault.

LYLE

Weapon: One-Handed Sword
Drain Attack: Reaper
Link Trait: Gain Ichor upon a successful dodge

Lyle is an evasion-focused attacker who can fight effectively at multiple ranges. 

He wields "Raikasen," a Skill that unleashes a powerful, lightning-wreathed sword strike, while also making full use of mid-range Magic Formae.

He uses "Overdrive," a buff that increases Attack Power for both himself and the player, lasting until one of you is hit.

His Link Trait enables a powerful playstyle. If you can read your enemy's moves, you can maintain peak offensive performance.

HOLLY

Weapon: Bayonet
Drain Attack: Stinger
Link Trait: Increased activation speed when using formae

Holly excels at dealing consistent damage from long range, using gunfire from her bayonet and powerful Ice Magic Formae. Her Combat Skill, "Glacious Barrage," unleashes a powerful barrage of lasers on her foes.

Her defining feature is the Support Formae "Panacea's Essence," which cures status ailments, making her an invaluable ally for safely clearing areas.

Her Link Trait, which increases Formae activation speed, pairs perfectly with magic-focused builds.

NOAH

Weapon: Twin Blade
Drain Attack: Ogre
Link Trait: Reduced stamina consumption

Noah specializes in close-quarters combat with Twin Blades. 

Alongside rapid flurries from his Combat Formae, Noah uses "Deep Impact" to more easily Stagger foes, creating openings for a Drain Attack.

Noah also supports the player with "Morale Boost," a Support Formae that increases your maximum Stamina. 

The synergy with his Link Trait allows you to dodge entire enemy combos or unleash a relentless flurry of attacks during an opening, greatly expanding your tactical options.

VALENTIN

Weapon: Rune Blade
Drain Attack: Bat
Link Trait: Even if you run out of Ichor, you can activate Formae by sacrificing your own HP.

Valentin is a technical attacker who excels with Formae. 

In addition to attacks with his Rune Blade, he overwhelms foes with Magic Formae, such as "Blast Bolt EX" to fire multiple lightning projectiles at distant enemies, and "Bloody Impact" to knock back surrounding foes.

He also uses "Forma Prowess," a Support skill that increases Formae activation speed for both himself and the player, making him ideal for magic-focused builds and anyone who frequently uses Support Formae.

His Link Trait might be a powerful trump card that can be used for emergency defensive or evasive maneuvers.

Partner Traits : Lycoris

Used Weapon: Rune Blade

Type of Drain Attack: Ivy

Link Traits: Elemental Attack Power Up

Lycoris is a Partner who excels in elemental attacks via magic formae, medium-to-long-range combat using her gigantic arm-shaped Rune Blade, and support.

She fights using Ice elemental magic formae, such as 'Guard of Honor,' which unleashes multiple ice spears, and 'Ice Spikes,' which impales enemies with ice shards erupting from around her.  

She can deploy the support forma 'Bridge of Glory,' which increases the Attack power of both herself and the player based on their Mind stat.

Enhancements provided by her Link Traits and support formae are highly compatible with elemental weapons, magic formae, and attribute-bestowing weapon effects. These enhancements truly shine when exploiting an enemy's elemental weakness. 

Partner Traits : Iris

Used Weapon: Hammer

Type of Drain Attack: Reaper

Link Traits: Defense Up

Iris is an Attacker who charges into enemies with powerful, aggressive assaults using her Hammer.

Her offense capitalizes on the destructive power of the Hammer, featuring moves like ‘Dive Bomb,' a rapid forward-lunging heavy strike, and 'Gaia Impact,' an aerial leap followed by a wide-area shockwave slam.

She can deploy the support formula ‘Perfect Balance,' which makes both herself and the player resistant to Disruption upon taking the next hit.

Furthermore, her Link Trait grants her high sustained combat capability, allowing her to aggressively force an attack against enemies with narrow openings. This makes her highly compatible with styles that prioritize overwhelming the enemy with raw firepower.

Partner Traits : Zenon

Used Weapon: Halberd

Type of Drain Attack: Hound

Link Traits: Successful perfect guards deflect and disrupt enemy. Parries are easier.

Zenon is a front-line partner specializing in close-quarters combat, wielding a halberd and using formae.

Zenon’s formae “Heliosphere” manifests a sphere of concentrated energy that detonates on impact. Beyond the explosive force, it accumulates a unique status ailment, "Sunblight," which inflicts massive damage once the gauge is filled. He also helps by enhancing the player’s regeneration amount with his support formae "Regenerator“.

His link trait powers up perfect guards and parrying, supporting a high-skill, technical playstyle focused on controlling the flow of battle through perfect timing.