Resident Evil Code: Veronica X

"Cut and dry Resident Evil, but its still fun as ever."

What can be said about this re-release of Code Veronica for the Playstation 2? Its a port of the Dreamcast version of the game with some extra scenes... and its basic Resident Evil.

Gameplay and Design 6/10

The first of the next generation RE titles plays exactly like the PSX games. Standard robotic turning, awkward movement and back tracking back tracking back tracking. The useful quick turn from RE3 comes back, allowing the player to press action and down at the same time to make a 180 degree turn and haul tail.

The control scheme has its problems when the player confronts fast moving monsters. For example the rubber limbed Bandersnatchs, who can stretch their limbs several meters to attack you, are hard to avoid and will almost always hurt you while your trying to kill them. It doesn’t matter if you learn their pattern, the controls are to sluggish to exploit it.

Other RE clichés are back.... typewriters, item boxes, limited item spaces, item fetching, and silly puzzles. All in all, aside from the inclusion for a couple first person weapons, nothing has changed since RE3.

Ammo. At first your limited but by the end of the game you’ll find yourself shooting at walls for fun because you have so much of the dern stuff. Take that wall!

CVX has several added scenes, all which involve Wesker. From what I’m told its now tells why he’s in the game in the first place, while in the original he’s reasons where very vague.

Graphics 8/10

I played Code Veronica after the RE1 remake for Gamecube, and I must say its a step backwards. Its hardly Capcom’s fault however. As a first gen Dreamcast game CV was quite impressive. However today with much better looking games out there, it just looks like a beefed up PSX title, pixley graphics and all.

Bu that’s not entirely true, because CV’s environments are totally 3D. No more pre rendered backgrounds. So saying this looks like a PSX RE is a compliment. Character models are fairly detailed. All in all I would say the game looks a little worse that Eternal Darkness.

One of the first things you’ll notice about CVX is how bright it looks. The games colors looks washed out and pale. I’m fairly sure this is because its a port, but without having played the original I can’t say for sure.

Sound 8/10

Again, standard RE stuff. Some cool organ music here and there.

Voice acting = Meh. Claire sounds much better here than in RE2, Chris’s actor tries to sound like RE1 Chris but seems out of place, and Steve s a goober that must die. Wesker has a deeper voice that other versions. He sounds good though, and the same actor is used in RE Zero. I would comment about Alfred’s voice but I’m pretty sure he actor over exaggerated big time on purpose. (any of you who seen my Resident Evil Flash Cartoon will understand) Overall above decent.

Story: 7/10

CV takes place 3 months after RE3. Claire Redfield is in a Paris Umbrella lab looking for her brother and is captured. She’s brought to a island prison where, surprise surprise, the T virus was released. After meeting another survivor named Steve Burnside, they must somehow get off the island...

CV’s plot is perhaps the best in the series to that date, but its so vague the player must pay close attention to the files to get the full effect. It tells much about the founding of Umbrella and the origin of the T-virus, and has some psychological stuff that’s make its...well... interesting.

However the plot doesn’t some help parts of the gameplay, because it lacks a Birkin or Nemesis character stalking you thoughout the game. Most boss battles turn out to be mutant animals while story important bosses are saved for the end.

Replay 6/10

Call me crazy but just can’t being myself to find secrets in any RE game. I don’t want to memorize the entire game so I can speed though it, because quite frankly that’ll be dull. Rushing though the game without saving, becoming so good I can wiz though the game without a scratch for a secret weapon or whatever isn’t my thing.. at least with RE. The bonus battle game is there if you want it though.

GRIPES

Exactly the same gameplay as past RE. Inferior graphics by today’s RE standards. Washed out graphics.

Overall 8/10

CV won’t shock you gameplay wise or blow you away graphically. It’s cut and paste RE. What makes up for it is the games story, Metroid like exploration, and cool monsters.... and for $20 there’s really no reason to pass it up if your a fan of the series... or your just curious on what all the fuss is about.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/24/02, Updated 11/24/02