Box Art
Game: Resident Evil CODE: Veronica
First Released: February 3, 2000, Dreamcast
Developers: Capcom, Nextech, Sega
Platforms: Dreamcast, Playstation 2, Gamecube, Playstation 3, Xbox 360
Rated: M, for Blood, Gore, and Violence
First Released: February 3, 2000, Dreamcast
Developers: Capcom, Nextech, Sega
Platforms: Dreamcast, Playstation 2, Gamecube, Playstation 3, Xbox 360
Rated: M, for Blood, Gore, and Violence
How I Came To Play This Game
Inside the prison cell
I remember reading about Resident Evil CODE: Veronica on Wikipedia, and how it was released for the Gamecube. I also read on Resident Evil Wiki that the Gamecube version of the game was the third rarest game on the console, so I figured the chances that I would get it were pretty slim. Then, one birthday, I bought Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4. I also read on the GameStop website that there was a copy of the game at a nearby store. So I decided to get it, because I believed I would never be able to get it again. Resident Evil CODE: Veronica is one of a kind. You won't find a game like it anywhere else.
Story
Fight With Alexia
It has been three months since the total destruction of Raccoon City, and Claire Redfield is still searching for her missing brother, Chris. Claire's search takes her to an Umbrella owned facility in Paris where she is discovered and met with fierce resistance. Claire attempts an impressive escape from the clutches of the hired soldiers, but it proves to be just not enough. She is captured by Rodrigo Juan Raval, an Umbrella military commander, and is shipped to the remote Rockfort Island facility. Claire finds herself interrogated and then imprisoned. She is knocked unconscious by a guard and hours later she awakens to the sound of explosions. Facing imminent death, Claire receives opportunity once more when an inexplicable air raid on the island wipes out most of island inhabitants and damages the majority of its structures. Unfortunately, the air raid also causes the accidental release of t-virus samples and B.O.W.s, which spread quickly and wipe out the remaining survivors. Claire is thrust back into the world of survival horror once again, with the odds seemingly stacked against her. Claire finds support in fellow inmate Steve Burnside but encounters untold hardships when the insane island commander, Alfred Ashford, and his equally evil twin sister, Alexia Ashford, set their sights on causing the end of the duo in their own sick, twisted, and demented games. Claire and Steve managed to escape the island, only to have been forcibly directed to Antarctica. When attempting to escape the Antarctic Umbrella base, Steve manages to mortally wound Alfred, while Claire successfully dispatches a mutated Alexander Ashford. As Claire and Steve attempt to leave for Australia in a snowmobile, Claire and Steve get attacked by tentacles deployed by a revived Alexia. Meanwhile, Chris Redfield has been in hiding with the surviving S.T.A.R.S. members following their harrowing survival story at the Spencer Mansion in Raccoon City. When word from Leon S. Kennedy reaches him that his sister Claire has been captured by Umbrella, he races against time to reach Rockfort and rescue her from danger. However, what Chris discovers on the island is something he never expected - a man from his past who should, by all rights, be dead - his former Captain, Albert Wesker. Wesker has his own agenda that he is relentlessly executing - he is working for a new enemy, pursuing an unknown interest. As Chris soon finds out, this is not the Wesker he remembers, as Wesker possessed super-human speed and strength. Chris learns from Wesker that Claire was already in Antarctica and attempts to rescue her. Chris gets reunited with Claire, with the pair attempting to rescue Steve, only to get separated again. Claire manages to reach Steve, only for him to die a heroic death after saving her from a tentacle. Chris on the other hand gets into a skirmish with Alexia and arms the self-destruct system to regroup with Claire. Chris successfully kills Alexia with a prototype weapon and successfully evacuates the base with Claire.
Pros And Cons
Story
Chris finds Claire
The story in this game is very odd compared to the other games. It has a more comical feel because of Alfred Ashford. The story also is one of those where you ask, "how could a human being come up with this?" It was weird seeing Alfred pretending to be his own sister. It was also nice to see Claire finally reunited with her brother, Chris.
Characters
Main Characters
The playable characters for this game include Chris and from Resident Evil, Claire from Resident Evil 2, and a new character name Steve. Wesker is only playable in the Battle Game minigame. The bad guys include Wesker, Alexia, and Alfred. Alexia and Alfred are both completely insane and make the perfect villains.
Gameplay
Nosferatu
The gameplay remains largely unchanged from previous installments. However, there are some slight changes. The game uses true 3D backgrounds instead of the pre-rendered ones. The camera angle swings around following the player. since this game was intended to be a sequel to Resident Evil 2, the old fashion way of climbing stairs is back. You have to press a button to climb stairs. When you aim a weapon, you can shoot in between aiming directions, making a more variety of directions you can aim. One thing I've noticed about this game, is that it is too easy that it's hard. The game gives you plenty of ammo for your weapons. I always end the game with a couple hundred Handgun Rounds, lots of arrows in the Bowgun, many grenades, a full Magnum. The game also gives you plenty of healing items. I always end the game with a whole line of First Aide Sprays and tons of herbs of every kind. However, if you are not careful, you could get yourself killed quite quickly. The Bandersnatch enemies are very successful when they attack in groups. Hunters are the most dangerous they have ever been. You can't even run from a Hunter in this game. They will always be right behind you and slash you while you're running. One annoying boss is the Nosferatu. I he uses poison attacks that if you get poisoned from, the poison can only be cured by a serum you find later in the game. However, the poison status blocks you from seeing the your health level, making you have to guess when to use a healing item. Also, the Nosferatu is nearly invincible except for his open exposed heart. You have the option of using a Sniper Rifle to beat him, but the scope controls are not inverted. Inverted should be the standard for video game aiming and flying, but some people can't follow that well so they should still have the option to use normal. Also, it doesn't matter if you shoot his heart with the rifle, you need to hit a very specific part of the heart. This one little pixel that triggers the instant death of the Nosferatu. Most of the time I'm unsuccessful at killing him with the rifle. The best strategy is to equip the Assault Rifle, run up to him and aim it upward at his heart, continuously fire, and hope that he dies before you do.
Graphics
Bandersnatch Attack
The graphics of the Dreamcast are labeled as 128-bit, but they still have the rough edges like the Nintendo 64 and Playstation consoles. However, the graphics of the Dreamcast were more smoothed out. You really don't mind them at all, they just look so good and execute so fluently. It's something that I can't really describe and that you can't find on any modern consoles of today. The video cutscenes were also much better, but they still used the old fashioned recording where everything looks shiny.
Music
I know this is the third time I've included a music section, but I swear this will be the last one. The song that Alexia sings and plays from various music devices throughout the game is very haunting and unforgettable. Also, the heroic music that plays near the end when Chris is starting the
self destruct system is great.
Releases
Dreamcast Box Art
Development began in 1998, and it was released on the Dreamcast in 2000. Then in 2001, an enhanced version called Resident Evil CODE: Veronica X was released for the Playstation 2. This enhanced version was ported to the Gamecube in 2003, and then an HD port of it was released for the Xbox 360
and Playstation 3 in 2011.
My Version's Extras
I have the Gamecube version of Resident Evil CODE: Veronica X, so my version is a bit different from the original. This enhanced version had minor graphical updates throughout the game. The most notable change was Steve's hair style, they changed it because people complained that he looked too much like Leonardo Dicaprio. They also added nine minutes of extra cutscenes to the game to make the story more emphasized.
My Rating
I give this game a 10/10. This is clearly a Resident Evil game of a different color. It stands out from all the rest because it was made on the Dreamcast.
The Dreamcast is a console that not too many people know about. So this game will always be remembered.