Two Killer Soulslikes We Saw at Summer Game Fest 2025

Very few Soulslikes land for me, outside of ones developed by FromSoftware themselves. Still, there's always potential for a hit, as was the case with last year's Black Myth: Wukong. For 2025 and beyond, I'm actually optimistic about the future of the genre, especially after seeing a few potential bangers at Summer Game Fest 2025.

I'm talking about Code Vein II and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. In the case of the latter, I had a chance to play through the opening hour, though it didn't feel nearly enough to fully grasp what it had to offer. For Code Vein II, we were given a presentation that left me optimistic about this exciting sequel. 

Code Vein II - Bigger, and With a Motorcycle!

Darn, this is one I really wanted to get my hands on. Unfortunately, I only have words and hands-off gameplay to go off of here, but let me tell you why I'm so excited for Code Vein II. 

The first Code Vein was probably the first Soulslike -- again, outside of FromSoftware's own games -- to click with me. The slick anime aesthetic and faster pace of combat resonated with me, and when I was speculating what game this might be based on my SGF appointment's vague description, I hoped it was Code Vein II.

And here we are, a sequel! Well, kind of. It's a sequel in name, but Bandai Namco also describes it as a reimagining. Expect some familiar elements, but Code Vein II is very much its own game. The lore behind this sequel is actually quite exciting, too.

Essentially, we'll be traveling between past and present timelines with the help of our player's companion, Lou MagMell. Hopping between timelines, 100 years to the past and then back to the present, is a daunting narrative challenge but one I am excited to see the developer tackle. 

Players can befriend various legendary Revenants -- essentially, the vampire-like beings from Code Vein -- in both past and present. You are, of course, the hero of your own story. Code Vein was known for its robust character creator, so you'll be happy to know it's expanded to be better than ever. 

We only got a taste of actual combat in Code Vein II. Footage is fast-paced and more akin to a traditional hack-and-slash action game than a Souls-like, at least at first glance. I doubt it will deviate much from its Soulsy roots, but there's potential for Code Vein II to grow more into its own thing. 

One returning mechanic are blood codes, which essentially dictate the class of the player and the weight of its stats. As this is a sequel, no doubt we'll see new Blood Codes in this one. We have some new mechanics called Jails and Formae, both of which essentially boil down to providing more abilities and techniques to utilize during combat. 

There's also a motorcycle. This seems to be a focal point in Code Vein II, because the Bandai Namco booth at SGF had a prop motorcycle that was very cool. This is used to traverse the world, which will be much bigger this time around. I'm not going to say it's on Elden Ring's scale, but having to use a mount in a Soulslike game has me thinking big. 

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers - Wuxia Souls

I also had an hour to play Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, but darn it all, I wish I had more. One, because it's a mechanically rich Soulslike game, but also because it was quite enjoyable! Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is, no doubt, one of the least clunky games I've played in the genre, which is a pitfall far too many fall into. 

This demo takes place right at the start of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. There's some emphasis on story here, and essentially, you're afflicted with an ailment called Feathering. It looks exactly as it sounds, but Wuchang, the eponymous protagonist of this game, uses it to her advantage. 

Wuchang is extremely capable with all form of weapons, and there were various styles I could try out in this demo. I landed on using the base longsword, as it felt like it catered to my playstyle of slightly heavier, longer weapons wielded with two hands. There are faster and slower styles players can use, of course.

The core mechanic to Wuchang: Fallen Feathers revolves around Skyborn Might. As I understand it, perfectly dodging attacks and other actions grant you more power, so combat puts an emphasis on player skill. If you like to cheese your bosses, it's probably possible, but I feel like it's not quite that simple in this one.

Our character, Wuchang, has plenty of abilities at her disposal. Charging up your heavy attack and hitting the back of certain enemies stuns them and allows you to pull off a powerful attack. We can also cast spells, so if an enemy is pressuring you, take a step back, cast a spell, and do some decent damage on them.

There are plenty of other mechanics that are at play here, but I was still in the midst of getting these explained to me by the time my demo ended. Still, I made it to the first boss of the demo and defeating them in a thrilling battle. Combat left me very satisfied, so I'm eager to see how far Wuchang: Fallen Feathers can go. 

Code Vein II and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers was previewed Summer Game Fest.