Resident Evil Code: Veronica X

"Pretty and Scary?"

INTRO: Ever since after the success of Resident Evil 2, Capcom has obviously tried to duplicate its success. RE 3 was alright but definitely could have been better. Now Code Veronica is the first to come out on the new generation of systems. And for the most part it does well but it also could have been better. The graphics are remarkable and the gameplay does seem slightly enhanced. The controls are still a little funky though. But overall Resident Evil: Code Veronica X, is one of the better early release games for the PS2.

GRAPHICS: This game probably has the best graphics on the PS2. The jaggies the for which PS2 is so widely known for are not here. Which considering this game's early release, that is pretty impressive. The pre rendered backgrounds are as beautiful as they have ever been. Detail in the backgrounds is good. The frame rate moves very well, and there is no slow down at all. The character models are well done also. Especially the main characters look great. All of the creatures and zombies have a little different design from previous games, which is needed for the series.
Score 10

SOUND: The sound is also very well done. The music plays nicely and is all very suiting helping the theme. The music does not make itself that noticeable, but still it is a nicely done touch. Sound effects are good too. Good sound has been a some what of a mainstay for the franchise. The voice acting is alright, but could have been better. Some of the characters needed more life and less of a generalization.
Score 8

CONTROLS: I have always hated the controls for the RE series. The pre rendered backgrounds can cause havoc with the fixed cameras. The fixed camera idea, personally, I think is a horrible idea. But the RE games have always used this to create “tension”. I don't think it creates tension at all, only frustration. I remember hating the original to the highest extreme because of it. But the action and story has always been good throughout the series. The controls besides having a fixed camera operate well enough. The inventory menu is the only cumbersome part of the game. Looking over an object in the menu can become a chore if you are not careful.
Score 6

STORY: The Code Veronica story is one of the weakest in the series. You are transported out to an island where testing has been done with the virus. The island is now deserted except for the zombies. As you travel along looking for your brother (or something) you unravel a large conspiracy. Convoluted and full of holes, there is much to be desired here.
Score 6

REPLAY: In typical RE fashion, there is no multiplayer or cheats to lengthen the play time. Code Veronica is one of the more longer in the series, and it does have 3 difficulty settings. But the mediocre un-lockable's bring this down. The makers of RE need to come up with some sort of multiplayer or mini games to make this one longer.
Score 5

GAMEPLAY: Code Veronica plays very similar to other the games in the series. The backgrounds are pre rendered, which means the camera is fixed. So basically you walk into a room and explore nooks and crannies, which can be very hard given the camera angle. There is also a large amount of puzzle solving going on here. The puzzles vary from find a key, to move the different objects around in the room to solve the puzzle. Some of the puzzles can be very challenging. But this can also be frustrating because rarely will you acquire all that you need during your first trip through an area. The bulk of the game is the above stated puzzle solving exploring. The action does frequent itself throughout the game, but not as much as one could desire. Aiming can be very tough, with the set camera and rigid degrees of movement while aiming can create problems. But thankfully when you use a shotgun, all you have to do is point in the general direction. Most of the enemies can take a lot of damage, especially the bosses. The action typically takes place as shoot and then retreat. The oncoming onslaught can be overpowering at times, which does the best part of creating tension in the game.
Score 7

BOTTOM LINE: Not the best the series has to offer but you could certainly do worse. If you are a fan of the franchise then you will probably end up buying this game because it does everything of past games, while looking just amazing as it does it. If your a little skeptical of the series, like me, then you will probably be settled with a rent.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 05/09/04