The lonely hero returns, and she’s carrying the weight of an entire civilization on her shoulders. Bandai Namco just released a character trailer for Josée Anjou in Code Vein II, revealing the Revenant queen who rules Sunken City and protects humanity’s last survivors while being haunted by a catastrophic failure from her past. As long as she has two legs to walk and two arms to fight, she’ll give everything to keep the city’s hopes alive. That determination comes with a massive two-handed sword and combat abilities designed to overwhelm enemies through sheer force and resilience.
The trailer positions Josée as one of the key partners players can recruit in their time-traveling mission to prevent the world’s collapse. Code Vein II launches January 30, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam, giving players less than three months to prepare for Bandai Namco Studios’ ambitious sequel to the 2019 action RPG that sold over 3 million copies worldwide.
The Queen of Solitude
Josée Anjou is described as the lonely hero burdened by guilt, a powerful Revenant who rules Sunken City after building shelters to protect the last surviving humans. Her backstory reveals a tragic past where she failed to stop a catastrophic Resurgence outbreak that caused unimaginable destruction. Carrying that weight, she now fights relentlessly on the front lines as a constant guardian for the living, refusing to let another disaster happen on her watch.
The trailer shows her bestowing her blood upon the protagonist as proof of their engagement, making her one of the destined partners who can join your quest to rewrite history. In Code Vein II’s narrative, players travel to the past alongside Lou MagMell, a Revenant girl with time manipulation powers, intervening in key historical moments to alter the destinies of important Revenants and prevent the world’s inevitable collapse.
Josée’s character design emphasizes both strength and vulnerability. She presents as a warrior queen who refuses to show weakness despite being haunted by failures that destroyed countless lives. Her determination to protect what remains of humanity drives her to push through any attack to deliver crushing blows, making her a perfect representation of the game’s darker, more mature tone compared to typical anime-styled action RPGs.
Combat Style and Abilities
Josée is a powerful front-line attacker who overwhelms enemies through force and resilience. She wields a two-handed sword capable of easily staggering foes, supported by her Hound trait which grants high resistance to being disrupted while attacking. This lets her push through incoming enemy attacks without being knocked out of her animation, maintaining offensive pressure even when taking hits.
Her Support Skill called Precision makes enemies even easier to break, enabling her to push through incoming attacks to deliver crushing blows. Combined with her natural resistance to disruption, this creates a combat style focused on relentless aggression rather than careful timing or defensive play. Players who prefer aggressive melee combat over careful positioning will find Josée’s playstyle extremely satisfying.
The trailer showcases her devastating skill Unquenchable Flame, which summons sweeping pillars of fire that can annihilate entire groups of enemies. This area-of-effect attack demonstrates how Code Vein II partners bring unique abilities that complement different playstyles and tactical situations. Whether facing single powerful enemies or large groups, Josée provides tools to handle both scenarios effectively.
The Partner System
Josée represents just one option in Code Vein II’s new Partner System, which lets players seamlessly switch between two combat forms. In Summoning mode, Partners fight independently to support in battle, launching their own attacks and providing battlefield assistance. This mode works well for handling larger groups of enemies or executing powerful flanking attacks with coordinated assault strategies.
Assimilation mode merges Partners with the Hunter for enhanced stats and devastating power. You literally store your Partner in the jail on your back to become one with them, gaining increased statistics that make you significantly stronger. This mode is particularly effective when fighting powerful enemies one-on-one where you need maximum personal combat capability rather than additional battlefield presence.
The system introduces two key resources. HP represents your health while LP represents your bond with your Buddy. When you take damage, you lose LP first, and only after LP is depleted do you begin losing HP. This creates an interesting risk-reward calculation where maintaining your bond provides an extra layer of protection, but breaking that bond removes beneficial Link Traits your Partner provides until the bond is restored.
Link Traits and Synergies
Each Partner grants special effects called Link Traits that are unique to that character and key to gaining advantages in combat and exploration. These traits are only active while your bond LP with your Buddy is strong. If the bond breaks by taking enough damage, the effects are lost until restored. This encourages players to balance aggressive play with defensive awareness to maintain beneficial effects.
Partners also perform their own Drain Attacks using unique Formae for offense and support. The blood they absorb is shared with you, restoring small amounts of your Ichor, the resource used to activate special abilities. This creates natural synergies where your Partner’s actions directly support your combat capabilities, making the choice of which Partner to bring into specific encounters a meaningful strategic decision.
Time Travel Story
Code Vein II takes place in a future where humans and Revenants coexist until the sudden appearance of Luna Rapacis transforms Revenants into mindless monsters called Horrors. As a Revenant Hunter who dies during a mission, you’re revived by Lou MagMell, a Revenant girl who gives you her own heart and possesses the special power to follow someone’s Pathos and leap into the past.
Together, you embark on a journey spanning both present and past as you search for clues to prevent the world’s destruction. You’ll alter the fates of key Revenant characters encountered in the past, uncovering lost histories and hidden truths about the world. This time manipulation premise allows Bandai Namco to explore different historical periods while maintaining narrative continuity, creating a story that transcends traditional linear storytelling.
The game emphasizes that your actions in the past directly impact the timeline, with Lou occasionally expressing uncertainty about what’s causing timeline alterations. This suggests player choices matter and create branching consequences rather than following a completely predetermined path. The ability to intervene at key moments in history creates dramatic narrative potential as you try to prevent catastrophes while potentially creating new complications through timeline interference.
Returning Systems and New Features
Code Vein’s signature blood-draining attacks return as the Jail equipment system. With the addition of new blood actions like Reaper and Bat, combat is more versatile than ever. Players analyze the battlefield, enemy movements, and positioning to discover the perfect weapon for every encounter. The Hound Jail returns from the original game, summoning vicious wolves that drain enemies of Ichor, while the newly introduced Reaper Jail equips the Hunter with a scythe for sweeping attacks and counters.
Formae expands combat options with a range of offensive and defensive abilities. Bequeathed Formae summons unique weapons such as the Absolute Executioner, a colossal greatsword capable of delivering a single devastating finishing blow. The supernatural powers that Revenants have possessed since ancient times can transform weapon attacks into powerful techniques, grant long-range attacks or status ailments, and expand the range of combat possibilities.
The progression system features deep customization for character, weapon, and ability upgrades. Build strategy for combat with Blood Codes while using unique weapons and equipment called Jails to overcome challenging foes and epic bosses. The original Code Vein offered substantial build variety, and the sequel appears to expand those options with more systems layered on top of the foundation.
Building on Success
The original Code Vein launched in September 2019 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, eventually selling over 3 million copies worldwide. The game hit 1 million sales by February 2020, then reached 2 million by September 2021 before crossing 3 million in March 2023. That steady catalog performance demonstrated sustained interest in Bandai Namco’s anime-styled take on the Soulslike genre, justifying development of an ambitious sequel.
Code Vein differentiated itself from Dark Souls and Bloodborne through its distinctive anime aesthetic, more accessible difficulty curve, and emphasis on character customization and narrative. The blood mechanic that lets you drain enemies to power special abilities created a unique combat rhythm distinct from typical stamina-focused Soulslikes. The addition of AI companions provided support options that made the experience less punishing for players intimidated by FromSoftware’s uncompromising difficulty.
Code Vein II appears to build on those strengths while adding time travel mechanics, an expanded Partner System, and what looks like significantly improved production values. The question is whether these additions create meaningful improvements or unnecessary complexity that dilutes what made the original work. Early previews suggest the time travel premise provides strong narrative hooks while the Partner System adds strategic depth without overwhelming core combat.
Pre-Orders and Editions
Code Vein II is available now for pre-order on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam in Standard, Deluxe, Ultimate, and Collector Editions. Pricier options include advanced access, letting players hop into the game on January 26 rather than waiting for the January 30 public release. The four-day early access window gives dedicated fans extra time to dive into the time-traveling adventure before the wider launch.
The January 30 release positions Code Vein II early in 2026’s lineup, competing for attention with other major releases during the typically busy first quarter. Coming just weeks after the holiday season gives the game breathing room to establish its audience before spring’s heavier release schedule. For fans of action RPGs and Soulslike combat, it represents one of the first major releases of the year worth watching.
FAQs
When does Code Vein 2 release?
Code Vein II launches January 30, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam. Players who purchase premium editions with early access can start playing on January 26, 2026.
Who is Josée Anjou in Code Vein 2?
Josée Anjou is a powerful Revenant who rules Sunken City and protects humanity’s last survivors. She’s described as the lonely hero burdened by guilt after failing to stop a catastrophic Resurgence outbreak. She fights as a front-line attacker wielding a two-handed sword with abilities focused on overwhelming enemies through force and resilience.
What is the Partner System in Code Vein 2?
The Partner System lets players seamlessly switch between Summoning mode, where Partners fight independently alongside you, and Assimilation mode, where you merge with your Partner for enhanced stats and devastating power. Each Partner provides unique Link Traits and abilities that create different strategic options.
What is the story of Code Vein 2?
Code Vein II follows a Revenant Hunter who dies during a mission but is revived by Lou MagMell, a girl with time manipulation powers. Together, they travel to the past to prevent the world’s collapse by altering the fates of key Revenant characters and uncovering hidden truths that could save the future.
How successful was the original Code Vein?
The original Code Vein launched in September 2019 and sold over 3 million copies worldwide. It hit 1 million sales by February 2020 and continued selling steadily through catalog performance over subsequent years.
What combat abilities does Josée Anjou have?
Josée wields a two-handed sword with the Hound trait that grants high resistance to being disrupted while attacking. Her Support Skill Precision makes enemies easier to break, and her devastating skill Unquenchable Flame summons sweeping pillars of fire that can annihilate entire groups of enemies.
What platforms will Code Vein 2 be available on?
Code Vein II will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam. There are no announced plans for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One versions.
Can you play Code Vein 2 cooperatively?
The game features the Partner System where AI-controlled Partners fight alongside you. Multiplayer details have not been extensively detailed yet, but the original Code Vein included cooperative multiplayer options.
Conclusion
Josée Anjou represents everything Code Vein II is aiming to deliver. She’s a tragic character with meaningful backstory who provides powerful combat capabilities through the new Partner System while contributing to the time-traveling narrative about preventing catastrophic failures. The guilt-ridden queen protecting humanity’s last survivors embodies the game’s darker, more mature tone while offering aggressive melee combat that rewards players who prefer overwhelming offense over careful defense. With less than three months until the January 30, 2026 release, Bandai Namco is steadily revealing the Partners players can recruit for their mission to rewrite history. Josée joins Lou MagMell and other revealed characters in what’s shaping up to be a substantially expanded sequel to the 2019 cult hit. Whether Code Vein II successfully builds on the original’s 3 million unit success depends on execution, but the character trailers and gameplay presentations suggest Bandai Namco Studios learned from the first game while adding meaningful improvements rather than unnecessary complications. For fans of anime-styled action RPGs with Soulslike combat, time travel narratives, and tragic heroes wielding massive swords, Code Vein II is positioning itself as one of early 2026’s most interesting releases.