Gaming Target - GameCube: Resident Evil Code: Veronica X

Written by D'Marcus Beatty on January 06, 2004

Full Review: A light snack while RE fans wait for the true Resident Evil 4.

Resident Evil fans and owners of Gamecubes have reason to be happy. Not only were Gamecube owners fortunate enough to score an upgraded remake of the original RE, they also were given straight ports of every other RE title and exclusive rights to the long awaited RE4. Code Veronica marks the final RE title before the release of RE4, so it has the privileged duty of setting the stage, whetting appetites, and building anticipation for the latest RE. Although Code Veronica (alongside RE2) has been considered by some to be the series' pinnacle, the title definitely shows its age.

Code Veronica is the latest foray into the Resident Evil mythos, and the only title in the series to forsake prerendered backgrounds for true 3D. Originally released on the Dreamcast, RE:CV was a masterpiece when it was first released, offering beautiful graphics and a storyline that tied together elements of all the games, especially with heavy allusions and references to the first. CV had quite a lot of treats for the RE faithful, and did an excellent job of stimulating fans' eagerness for RE4. Almost nothing has changed in the game's presentation for the Gamecube, which is both a blessing and a curse.

CV follows the story of Claire and Chris Redfield, RE veterans and siblings. Claire is captured by the nefarious Umbrella Corporation, and after her escape she discovers the origins of both Umbrella and the infamous T-virus that creates the series' monsters. Players get to play through the game first as Claire, then later as Chris, who follows in Claire's wake and views first hand the effect that Claire has on the environment, much like the disk-swapping gimmick of RE2. Also, as a special treat, RE fans finally witness the long awaited reunion of the Redfield siblings.

The major gripe that any player will have with this port is that the graphics are extremely dated. The visuals are largely unchanged from the original release and considering that the game debuted on the now-defunct Dreamcast, gamers can imagine how old the graphics look. Though beautiful in its day, CV pales in comparison to today's visuals. However, even as dated as they are, the graphics are in no way bad, just slightly behind the times. The story is still hokey, but is among the best in the series. Players who haven't yet finished the years old title are in for a few surprises, especially if they have played through the remade original and the ports. The music is good, and does an excellent job of setting the mood and scaring players at just the right moment.

The controls are clunky, which has become a staple for the RE series. While by no means unplayable, fans of the series will have no trouble jumping right in, although the uninitiated will stumble with the controls for a while.