zCODE VEIN II is getting its first paid DLC, Mask of Idris, and after spending around one and a half hours with it in a hands-on session that included defeating two bosses, a clear picture of what to expect has started to form. The short version is that this expansion leans heavily on what already made the base game work, rather than trying to reinvent it, and that comes with both upsides and downsides depending on what kind of player you are.

The DLC takes players to Forsaken World, a new location tied to the game’s fractured timeline. It comes with its own story and cast of characters to uncover along the way, giving players a reason to explore this forgotten world piece by piece as more of its history comes to light. That said, the area does not look or feel like a huge departure from the base game. The ruins, environments, and general atmosphere all stay close to the CODE VEIN II look players already know. Because of that, anyone who has already finished the main game should have no trouble settling into the DLC right away.

Exploration, working through the environment, fighting enemies, and pushing toward the next section all play out the same way they did before, so there is basically no learning curve involved. This familiarity means players can jump straight into the new content without needing to relearn how the game handles or how its systems work.

New Hazards, Enemy Types, and Boss Fights

One of the first things players will run into is a section filled with acidic water. Simply standing in it slowly drains HP, so paying attention to movement becomes important while exploring that area, adding a small layer of environmental awareness to the usual exploration loop. The enemies encountered early on also differ somewhat from the base game’s lineup. While CODE VEIN II mostly features humanoid opponents, the creatures in this opening stretch of the DLC lean more toward animal and beast-like designs, including some that stand upright and others that crawl along the ground. These enemies bring some visual variety and their own attack patterns, giving the opening section a slightly different feel from the base game’s early areas, but they still operate within the same combat system players are already used to.

The two bosses fought during the preview session followed the same approach the base game uses for its encounters. Neither one felt overwhelming once their attack patterns became clear, and finding openings to deal damage came fairly naturally after a few attempts. The wide range of build options and offensive tools available in CODE VEIN II also carries over here, giving players plenty of ways to handle each fight depending on their preferred playstyle. In short, players already comfortable with the combat system should not find these bosses to be a major new challenge. That is not necessarily a bad thing, since it keeps the fights fair and readable, but it does add to the overall sense that Mask of Idris is expanding on the base game rather than overhauling it.

Story and Partners Are the Real Draw

After the full 90-minute session, the elements that stood out the most were the new story, characters, and partner additions. Liv and Lou are confirmed to appear in the DLC, and finishing its story will unlock alternate-colored versions of all 14 partner characters. These unlocked variants can also be used later when replaying the story on carried-over save data, giving players a tangible reward to work toward once the DLC’s story is complete.

For players who are already attached to the world and cast of CODE VEIN II, this is likely where the DLC will feel most rewarding, since it offers another look at the story and new character interactions that expand on relationships already established in the base game. Gameplay-wise, though, nothing in this portion felt drastically different from what came before.

Final Thoughts

Based on this early look, Mask of Idris comes across as more CODE VEIN II rather than a reinvention of it. The new area, enemies, bosses, story, and characters give returning players a reason to jump back in, but the core combat, exploration, and progression systems remain largely the same as the base game. That makes this DLC best suited for players who already enjoyed CODE VEIN II and want more time with its world and characters. Those hoping for new systems or a major shift in gameplay may find less to get excited about here.