Resident Evil Code: Veronica X

"After 3 comes X"

After playing R.E. Code Veronica X two times, I thought it was time to type a review about it. Besides, I never wrote a review before.
Personally, I don't like riding those ''when-does-it-stop'' reviews, so I'll try to keep it simple. 'Cause, you don't wanna know how much fun I've had playing all previous Resident Evils and you don't wanna know I've wasted my clean pants badly more than once while playing them. You don't.

Story: 6/10

There's not exactly a story, just the sister trying to find her brother and vice versa, but that's what they've been doing since Resident Evil 2. The appearance of an old 'friend' and some crossdressin' horse's ass though makes it worth the 6. The Leonardo DiCaprio look-a-like Steve is someone I could do without. But that's not just me.

Graphics 10/10

As usual, Capcom once again surprised me with the great FMV's. That also goes for the game itself. The area's you explore look very smooth and detailed, especially the interiors of mansions and castles. It's almost like an FMV.
Lights swingin' on the ceiling, squeakin' stairs, etc., all make you feel uncomfortable while sitting in your favorite chair with a six pack of cheap, tasteless beer.
Zombies never looked so real since Peter Jackson's Braindead. Now some of them even puke! Okay, it's acid, but it's cool nonetheless.

Gameplay: 8/10

When you've played previous Resident Evils you'll start playing just like that. All the controls have been kept the same and I'm glad they did. Once again, you'll be having good looking weapons to toy with and no R.E. is complete without the herbs. Eat them straight or mixed.
The camera isn't acting annoying. Sometimes, it even swings around a corner with you and that's quite an improvement.
It also provides you with real cinematic angles, like when you're walking down stairs and you see everything from behind it through the eyes of a something...
Things like that suck you into the game, but I think the menu spits you back out. For example, when you're encountering some zombies and you would like to fight them with something else than a lighter, you'll have to open the menu and thus stop the intensity. I know, the menu is there since the first R.E., but I still don't like it.
The famous opening doors when you're entering a room also are back again. In the beginning it'll make you bite each of your nails off, but when you know where you need to go they're only irritating obstacles.
Tip: when a door's opening, it's a good time to take a swallow from your favorite drink. ;)

Audio: 10/10

Nothing wrong with the sounds, the voice acting is according to me one of the most important things of a game and it's okay in Code Veronica X.
The zombies are creating juicy sounds and can be heard moaning from afar and makes you afraid to go any further, but you're not without guns 'n' ammo and they too sound good, so go for it!
The music is only heard when you're doing something that can't do without. It's Resident Evil music.
Like I said, the audio is excellent.

Replayability: 4/10

Code Veronica X isn't one of the easiest games. Maybe I'm just dumb but there were moments I couldn't do without a FAQ. Luckily, some guy came up with gamefaqs.com, know what I mean?
After you've played through Code Veronica X, you're rewarded with a mini game in which you can just go killing undead fellows, but when you're done doing that it's also done with the game. You CAN play it again like I did, but it'll be as exciting as a snail race on a Sunday afternoon.

So...
Buy or Rent?

Fans of the series like myself buy it. It'll be a great addition to your collection and fun to play after you've played R.E.2, because it sort of goes on where R.E.2 stopped.
Other people rent it when they see a boring week off coming up ahead. When you play Code Veronica X with every free minute you won't be needing more time. Maybe 2 weeks. Not more.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/20/01, Updated 12/20/01