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Platform: PlayStation 2, Dreamcast, GameCube

Genre: Survival Horror

Number of Players: 1

Remember how Code Veronica was a Dreamcast exclusive? Well, those days are done. First off, exclusives only last for so long. Sony had one with Resident Evil 2, and once that ran out, it crept its way onto the Nintendo 64. Playstation owners who had no interest in picking up a DC drooled and salivated over the RE title, longing and dreaming of the day it would come back home to the Playstation. Finally, that wait is over.

Code Veronica continues the story began so long ago in the first Resident Evil. This time around, the game initially follows the adventures of Claire Redfield. Players who have been following the series may remember that Claire made her appearance in Resident Evil 2 while searching the zombie infested Raccoon City for her brother, Chris. Little did Claire know of the horror that awaited her in the devastated city, and nor did she have any idea that her brother had left Raccoon City and headed for Europe in hopes of discovering more about the enigmatic Umbrella Corporation. Claire followed hot on her brothers trail after escaping the city with help from RAPD office Leon just shortly before the city was destroyed (as seen in RE 3: Nemesis.) It’s two months later now, and Claire has been captured after breaking into an Umbrella installation. After being knocked unconscious, Claire awakens locked in a dank jail-cell on a remote island. Of course, this is just another one of Umbrellas testing grounds filled with zombies, rotting dogs, and all the other creatures of the RE series, as well as a transvestite adversary.

The first problem with Veronica is that it’s more or less a direct port with no graphic updates at all, and this definitely shows. The CG cut scenes tend to look at bit grainy at times, apparently showing the true lack of power that the Dreamcast had. The release of Code Veronica on the PS2 seems to be more about marketing and overall cash flow as opposed to improvements. The game play is the same as always and long time followers of the series will find no problem jumping back into the trick of things. In some cases, this may seem like the best thing, but it’s a wonder that Capcom hasn’t added something. It’s been five years, and the game engine hasn’t been adjusted in the least. Another thing is that for the most part, the fear factor of the RE series has started to wear a little thin, but that happens with over exposure of any horror series. Even the use of the dual shock vibration doesn’t do too much in the way of shock value.

The puzzles are also as easy as ever. The reason as to why guides are written for this series, aside for profit, is a great enigma. None of these puzzles are too terribly difficult, and it definitely doesn’t take a rocket scientist to solve them. I suppose if you’re one of those lamers that can’t finish any game without having someone take your hand and walk you thorough it, then guides are a great thing. Really though, the RE series is quite easy to make it thought.

One huge disappointment is the Japanese release of the game. The lucky Japanese were treated to a bonus disc, or DVD really, which provided information on the entire back-story of the game. This DVD, Wesker’s Files, chronicles the events from the original game up to the end of the third. This little goody was only available to those that pre-booked the game, but it should be obvious by now that Americans can just as easily be sucked into reserving a game for the promise of a treat as much as any other country.

However, there are some improvements. When the original RE was released, US gamers were tortured with horrendous dialog and cheesy voice acting. If Capcom has managed to instill one constant fear, it’s that they will return to this dreaded dubbing once again. The excuse was that it was an attempt to mock bad horror films. You have to wonder though if it was just easier to bring in bad voice actors that you had to pay little or no money to. Players also have a few chances to play as some other characters such as Steve, the whining teen who’s trying to escape from the island with Claire, and later as Chris, who’s come in search of his sister. It’s also a bit refreshing that the game takes us outside of the Raccoon City area for a change. Aside from the remote island players’ start on, they also end up in the wastes of Antarctica.

The music for the game remains the same, and this definitely isn’t a bad thing. The one thing about the music for the RE series is that at times, it become some macabre or ambient that it tends to just blend in with everything else that’s going on. Of course, there are moments when the music becomes a bit more over dramatic, but that’s been typical with each entry into the series.

Overall, RE could have definitely benefited from some graphical makeover as well some changes to the game engine itself. Sure, we may have gotten some additional cut scenes added into the game, but is it really worth it. Long time fans of the series will pick it up simply because it’s the latest installment of the series. Newcomers however may be lost because of the story, since it does pick up from previous events (another reason the DVD would have been a nice touch.) Regardless of your opinion, or mine for that matter, like any good (or even bad) horror film, it seems that Resident Evil will never die.

-mike-