Spider-Woman {Jessica Drew} ❌

I just beat Resident Evil: Code Veronica for the first time. Talking points: - This was worth buying a Dreamcast for when it was exclusive - Code Veronica is vital to the franchise - CV is full of poor design decisions - This is one of the most engaging narratives in the franchise - Best versions of Claire, Chris & Wesker - CV truly feels like the first next gen RE It wasn’t until much later that I discovered how important Code Veronica was to the ongoing narrative of the series, a sentiment that I fear is rather common with the general public. Its history as a Dreamcast exclusive that featured no number in the title at a time when Sega was exiting the hardware business surely didn’t do it any favors. Make no mistake, this is the first time since the series beginning that it felt like the franchise truly took a leap forward into the next generation. To accompany that is a story that’s just as important if not more so than the titles that preceded it. Fully rendered 3D environments, a new style of camera work, increased fidelity and a greater focus on presentation really sets Code Veronica apart. There’s also this zany early 2000’s feel over the entire game that will surely send you back to the days of The Matrix and Nu metal if you were there to remember it. Personally, I can’t get enough of it. As for Code Veronica’s faults, they are many. If you choose to play this game with zero advice and no guide you are most certainly going to struggle in the best case scenario and have to restart multiple times or give up in the worst. Code Veronica makes no effort to warn you before you leave an important item behind or when you’re about to switch characters and lose all that’s in your inventory for hours, if not forever. That’s compounded by the fact that levels are filled with needless backtracking that’s likely to diminish your supplies for no reason because things are less clear than they have ever been. While prior Resident Evil games have ideal ways to play, Code Veronica often feels like it’s expecting you to go about things very specifically, even though there’s no way you could know that’s what’s being asked of you. I couldn’t recommend Claire’s adventure to any random person looking for something to play. You either need be a veteran or more than likely have a guide prepared. Playing these titles in release order makes it clear that after establishing the first game and improving in nearly every aspect in RE2 the team looked for new ways to change up the formula that didn’t always benefit the overall experience. I personally would describe both Resident Evil 3 and Code Veronica as “messy” by comparison to the first two games, even if they potentially have higher highs. It’s amazing then, that for all of my critiques Code Veronica was one of my favorite experiences in the franchise. It pushed the story forward in big and interesting ways while furthering the development of some of its most iconic characters. Everything from the music and aesthetic down to the enemy design and setting gave off a vibe I just couldn’t let go of. I think with more time and some tweaks to the design this could have been the clear best of the classic RE titles. As it stands, it falls just a bit too short. Code Veronica was one hell of an experience.

Soooo the live action RE9 trailer’s family might be the same mother and daughter we see in outbreak. My day is ruined. 🥲