Code Vein 2: 8 beginner tips to survive the timeline-hopping Soulslike

Polygon lays out eight beginner tips to help players prepare for Code Vein 2’s timeline-hopping, Soulslike combat and exploration. Explore the map freely: chests hide formae, crafting materials, powerful weapons and special items. If you prefer not to scavenge, hunt golden nectars and golden blood beads to upgrade your Restoration — glowing blue dots mark nectars on the map, while each Tower of Regenerations contains a golden blood bead.

Dodging and blocking complement each other: there’s no animation canceling, so you’ll often need to wait for an enemy to finish an attack before striking. Blocking uses stamina but can save health during those “oh-no” moments, while dodging remains useful when you have the timing.

Use the partner system to judge fight difficulty: summon an on-field partner to draw aggro and deal damage, though bosses can sometimes switch targets unexpectedly. Deliberately letting yourself die to absorb your partner can restore part of your health (enough that one Regeneration can refill you), but partners have cooldowns and reduced recovery if used repeatedly.

Always carry a ranged option — bows or projectile formae help with flying bosses and distant foes. And if you’re unsure what to do next, visit a Mistle and choose “Talk to Lou” to be teleported to a room where Lou explains objectives and gives clear instructions.

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