3.78 from 950 ratings
2370 members have it in their collection · 75 playing now · 718 backlogged · 447 wish listed
How long? Main story 14h · with extras 12h (from 22 logged playthroughs)
Status vodsel Oct 22, 2019
Haven't seen it mentioned anywhere after a google search, but RE Code Veronica seems to have picked up some inspiration, maybe, from the 1961 film The Innocents, what with the castle, fraternal twins, animals hurting and a music box motif. Just thought this was an interesting possibility after watching that film tonight.
Status dazed Apr 15, 2016
This afternoon I had the satisfaction of finishing what was originally intended to be the third installment in the Resident Evil franchise: Code: Veronica. While there are a couple of problems I have with it, I for sure think it is worthier of being considered a main title than the transient Nemesis, which felt to me like a cheap, quickly …
This afternoon I had the satisfaction of finishing what was originally intended to be the third installment in the Resident Evil franchise: Code: Veronica. While there are a couple of problems I have with it, I for sure think it is worthier of being considered a main title than the transient Nemesis, which felt to me like a cheap, quickly made divertissement that wanted to milk whatever was left of the second game. For one, the meaty story is much more thought out and feels more significant in the canon than Jill's "last escape." In terms of gameplay, CV finds itself in a transitional state, between its predecessors and the mechanically transformed Resident Evil 4, but is very much the last cry gasp of the old-school style RE games.
I might find it easier to talk about the story by splitting it into Part 1 and Part 2. I thought part 1 was fantastic. While not initially all that scary, the slow immersion into the villain's sadistic psyche and dark subject matter was a gradual burn that worked really well for me. The recurring music box theme shed light on a tenderer side to Alfred and Alexia (and giving it lyrics in part 2 definitely ruined the mystique that it set up). Steve was definitely a likable presence, if only for laughing at his persona and "sorey!"s. Part 2 was rough at first, as it feels like you just finished a whole Resident Evil game with Part 1 and now you're starting another one. Once it got back on its feet, however, it felt quite all right, if a bit bloated.
The puzzles are some of the best that the pre-RE4 games have to offer, and clearly a lot of effort was put into them. Elaborately set up and often thematically perturbing (i.e. the dragonfly keys), I found them a joy to complete.
The bosses. Ugh. For me, the boss fights have always been the least fun parts of Resident Evil, as they are neither scary nor are they entertaining, as the RE game engine is not suited for boss fight combat. And in this game you get some ridiculously annoying fights; the tyrant on the plane being a potently irritating example. On the upside, I did enjoy the Nosferatu fight, which was set up very well and actually had some suspense and atmosphere to it.
The music! I loved the music in this one. For me, a soundtrack can really make or break a horror game, and Code: Veronica has some of the strongest up till this point in the franchise. The music box/piano roll theme I mentioned, the save room theme, "putrid smell", and the suspended doll theme are some of the ones I found to be the most effective.
Pros:
-Story
-Characters, including villain
-Puzzles
-Atmosphere/dark subject matter (one of the more atmospheric Resident Evils)
Cons:
-Too long
-Some annoying boss fights
Overall: A must if you like old-school Resident Evil titles!
