"Souls-like" fans should steel themselves for another trial of perseverance as "Code Vein" developer Shift and publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment unveil more gameplay details and screenshots of their new "souls-like" game.

"Code Vein" is an action role-playing game (aRPG) which, according to Bandai Namco, is set in the not-too-distant future where a cataclysm called the "Thorns of Judgment" has rendered the game world apocalyptic and dangerous. A hidden pocket of survivors has formed a society of "Revenants" called "Vein," and they now fight for what is left of the world and its humanity against monstrous creatures who seek to wipe out the living.

IGN showcases its interview with "Code Vein" director Hiroshi Yoshimura and shares its impressions of the game in their screenshots and gameplay video. The game will feature a vampire protagonist that players can control through a third-person perspective and will take place in an explorable open-world with non-linear branching paths. Since the player character is a vampire, players will have a multitude of otherworldly powers. They also come with companions, which may or may not be mandatory, something that sets "Code Vein" apart from other games of its sub-genre.

Customization will also have several layers present in the game. As in any decent RPG, players will be able to change their character's clothing or armor, as well as their weapons and their abilities.

Gameplay is also somewhat more offensive than other RPGs since the vampire player character will need to perform a drain move toward an enemy in order to use special attacks.

"Code Vein" takes its gameplay cue from another of Bandai Namco's published games called "Dark Souls" where a lone and weak player character is pitted against creatures of godly power, earning the game its signature brand of difficulty that a lot of players never overcome. This began a sub-genre of RPGs aptly called "souls-like," to which "Code Vein" is no exception and will probably feature stressful and herculean levels of difficulty.

As such, the game will likely be unforgiving and might be rage-inducing; it is certainly not made for the impatient or the faint-hearted. "Code Vein" has no exact release day yet but is set for a 2018 release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows.