Before I go too far into this review I must tell you that while I had played this game on past consoles for a period of time, by no means does the game hold much nostalgic value to me. It was furnished with graphical and audio improvements. They didn’t just pull it from the original 2000 Dreamcast game – but instead they polished up its more recent 2001 iteration, Resident Evil CODE: Veronica X (or Complete in Japan) from the PS2. Just dust your old consoles off instead and give them a spin.Capcom has just re-released the fourth Resident Evil title, Resident Evil CODE: Veronica X HD, into the Xbox Live marketplace. If you have a copy on DC/PS2 then don’t bother. If you have no other means of playing it and never got a copy a decade ago, it’s definitely worth picking up as a great survival horror romp. Playing it on 360 made the experience more grating than it needed to be, and the “HD” elements sure as hell didn’t help matters. There are some jagged elements that have arisen from the game after 11 long years, but these seem so much less noticeable when you appreciate the game in its original context on a retro format. Either way your money would be better spent, as this HD remake is the worst way to enjoy an otherwise fun game. Hell, if you were willing to add a tiny bit more dosh, you could probably pick up a Dreamcast with a copy of the original.
The remastering is a poor effort, with the whole game looking shabby and inconsistentįor the cost of this supposedly updated HD remake, you could pick up a copy of the original Code Veronica X on Gamecube or PS2. The best achievements are the kind that make you get the most from your games, and this can’t be said of the achievements in Code Veronica which reward little more than story progression. The achievements for a start are a poor effort, with little ingenuity applied whatsoever.
Despite this though, there are elements that could’ve improved the game further. The game is long enough to justify the price point, and the battle mode and other extras will keep you coming back after the credits roll. It is worth every penny in terms of a great slice of gaming history, but the price doesn’t sit well as an RRP in some respects. The game retails at a price point of £14.99. You remember those classic loading screens where you walk through the door in first person? Well they look like they’ve just come out of a blender and, considering the frequency with which they occur, it really robs the game of its continuity from a visual standpoint. This is a plague that infests all HD remakes, but it is especially prominent in Code Veronica. The biggest crime is how fuzzy the pre-rendered footage looks. The remastering of the game is appalling, with it all generally looking shabby.
The problem with Code Veronica X HD then is the “HD” part. Some gameplay elements feel more grating than they did 11 years ago, but that shouldn’t put survival horror fans off There are a few elements that stick out nowadays like the limited inventory slots and mild backtracking, but Code Veronica remains a classic through and through.
Code Veronica was always the most underrated of the original RE titles, with some of the best puzzles the series had to offer. The claustrophobia generated by the bleak island setting and the clever camera angles set up an adventure that, whilst showing some signs of age, is still as eerie today as it was eleven years ago. I’m sure there are a tonne of whipper-snappers out there who are complaining that the game doesn’t play like Resident Evil 4 or 5, but Code Veronica has a major edge in actually being a part of the Resident Evil franchise back when it was genuinely scary. Gameplay is in the classic Resident Evil mode, with fixed camera angles, a whole tonne of zombies and no ability to move while shooting. It’s classic Resident Evil through and through, with a predictable but engaging gothic story and characters that, while clichéd and whiny, exude a certain B-movie charm.
In typical Resident Evil fashion though, a T-virus outbreak sees our protagonist breaking free and seeking an escape from the contaminated island. Having been arrested whilst raiding an Umbrella HQ, Claire is sent to a mysterious prison on Rockfort island. For those who aren’t familiar with the game, it follows Resi 2 protagonist Claire Redfield as she continues to search for her brother Chris.