Resident Evil Code: Veronica X HD

One of the last RE games loyal to the classic formula of the series, that still offers a great and thrilling story despite its aged controls.

Code: Veronica X offers a compelling dose of classic survival horror zombie-blasting, though the game's archaic controls will undoubtedly be a major turn-off for some.

It's going to be off-putting for newcomers because it's an awkward mess in the context of modern gaming's drive for slick controls but regardless, it's strangely familiar and reminiscent of a different era for everyone else. [Issue#211, p.99]

It's still enjoyable once you get over all the frustrations.

Code Veronica was an incredible game with stellar visuals, a tense atmosphere, and meaty campaign to keep you busy for a very long time. But now that it's been reanimated for the Xbox 360 and PS3, it's obvious how poorly the last eleven years have treated it.

The same game with a new definition. There aren't news or extras in a videogame from 2001 that does not display much improvement and costs 20 dollars/euros. It is essential for those who did not play at the time, ten years ago.

When Code Veronica was released on the Dreamcast in 2000, it was an amazing game. Today it feels outdated, especially after the changes Resident Evil 4 brought to the series. [Nov 2011, p.97]

Code Veronica is NOT for everyone, but longtime fans of the series will appreciate Capcom completing the collection digitally. The last of the old-school Resident Evils won't appeal to modern gamers, unfortunately.

Moments of horror glimmer among the frustration. [Dec 2011, p.108]

One of the more understated games in the Resident Evil franchise gets a facepaint and a new release for the current generation platforms, but without fixing any of the archaic gameplay problems existing in the earlier games. New players beware, this is a harsh, unforgiving game compared to the newer entries. Nostalgics will likely already own this in one or more format, and have little reason to repurchase it in this upgraded version. A little more love and polish could have gone a long way to make this more appealing.

If you didn't play this on the Dreamcast or the PS2 you should try Code Veronica HD, as it's one of the best entries in the franchise. It's just a shame they didn't update it enough to make it look like a modern game.

While Resident Evil Code: Veronica X remains an interesting (and difficult) side-story in the Resident Evil franchise, an impressive coat of HD polish just can't make up for terrible controls and archaic game design.

Today this game acts as a historical piece. It lets you see where the franchise came from, and why the revision that Resident Evil 4 brought to the series was so necessary.

A basic port disguised as a major overhaul. Capcom included online leaderboards for the main game as well as paltry trophy and achievement support, but the most earnestly competitive component--the battle mode--is neglected without any leaderboards.

Apart from the look in high definition, this is basically the same game released for the PlayStation 2 and Dreamcast. Capcom made sure to change as little as possible, which may be good for some but bad for others.

In many ways, the only reason to play through Code Veronica is to truly appreciate what RE 4 and RE 5 managed to do. Unfortunately not all titles age equally.