Vision of an RE-vision: What fans hope for with the return of Code Veronica
- Jack Walters
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
Announced with a teaser trailer showcasing four tantalizing moments of gameplay, Resident Evil: Veronica has been on most RE fans’ wish lists since RE 2 Remake wowed players in 2019. Now that we’ve seen remakes of the second-through-fourth entries, the latest remake might very well be one for the history books, as Code Veronica isn’t like other RE Games. Easily one of the best RE games, in many ways Code Veronica and its expanded version Code Veronica X are easily the equal of the OG trilogy. In fact, series creator Shinji Mikami even states he believes CV deserved a number more than the original RE 3. The little sister of the OG trilogy certainly has its supporters, so now that a new take is on the way, what might fans hope to see, and what might they not?
For those still finding their feet in the world of Survival Horror, Resident Evil: Code Veronica (CV) is arguably the first full spin-off of the series, releasing for the Sega Dreamcast in February of 2000. While Resident Evil: Survivor, a light-gun game in the same vein as House of the Dead, beat CV to release by just a few days due to developmental delays, CV stays true to the mainline game style, where in players guide varyingly hapless heroes through isolated, puzzle-filled locales and fight deadly monsters while trying to manage a limited inventory. Developed for the Dreamcast after a port of RE 2 for the Sega Saturn was deemed unfeasible, CV took the series beyond the PlayStation and into a new phase for the franchise’s setting, taking place three months after the destruction of Raccoon City. In 2001, a revised and expanded version, Code Veronica X released for the PlayStation 2 and Dreamcast. With a more Gothic tone and setting somewhat more akin to the first game and real-time 3D environments, CV brought in some much-needed changes, although the struggling Dreamcast made sales poorer compared to other games.
Based on the trailer, Veronica already seems to showcase solid changes to the plot and pacing, as instead of being captured after a hellaciously-explosive action sequence worthy of the best 2000s action flicks, we instead see Claire captured after talking with a sweet old lady (who probably suffers a dark fate herself) in a safehouse used by Chris Redfield. While we don’t have confirmation that the scene from the trailer is in fact the opening, the more intense, almost intimate capture suggests that some of the changes to the classic story might very well make Veronica a captivating dive into RE’s most underdeveloped character, especially with the game’s gothic atmosphere. But with hope comes a touch of fear. Sometimes refurbishment comes at a cost, as RE 3R’s missing clock tower sequence attests.
Primary among any changes fans of RE will want to see would be more development for Claire Redfield. Claire has long been the darling of the franchise, bringing a stubborn, humane perspective to the series since her inception. Jill Valentine brings competent, stylish empowerment, and Ada Wong brings a sinisterly mysterious flair of her own, but Claire, being only a college student in RE 2 and Veronica, brings a vulnerability and endurance which helps to define the series’ leading characters, much like her fellow lead from RE 2, Leon S. Kennedy. Unlike Claire, however, Leon has had his moments to shine in RE 4, 6, and more recently, Resident Evil Requiem, the ninth entry in the series. RE Fans have seen Leon fight his demons, both real and metaphorical, from Racoon City and beyond. Claire, however, hasn’t had nearly as many chances to shine in recent days. Her last appearance was in Revelations 2, another spin-off; truthfully, Claire mostly has appeared in spin-off media, from games to manga and film. But CV has always been where Claire has enjoyed the spotlight. There’s never been a better chance to give our girl some major development, as in Veronica, we can see her in the aftermath of the Raccoon City Incident. She’s just survived a deeply horrifying experience, and now she’s thrown into it again, without help (at first) but also with experience and hardening.
Left to her own devices amidst the sinister secrets and deadly desecration of Rockfort island, Claire will be alone for a good chunk of the game, as the only other help she receives is from an immature but good-hearted survivor, Steve Burnside. A love interest for Claire in the original Code Veronica (one with a tragic ending), Burnside has occasionally been hit-or-miss with fans, but depending on how he’s used, he could be an even greater source of drama and conflict for Claire, as any good Gothic story needs some romance. And make no mistake, Veronica is a gothic horror story in any adaptation, but fans would love even further doubling down on the sweet gothic goodness. An emphasis on the Gothic Horror of the setting- an isolated, gloomy natural beauty, a decaying and dismal manor, and dark, dreadful dungeons, lends itself perfectly to an introspective, intimate dread, which would heighten both Claire’s development and ram home the horrors in a way other games haven’t. Claire makes for a perfect Gothic heroine, with her softer, more human vulnerability and her iron will to survive fitting in naturally with the gothic aesthetic.
Claire (and possibly Steve) aren’t the only characters who fans could see more of. Serving as the second protagonist for the latter half of the game, Chris Redfield could see some of his own development. While Chris definitely has had more of Leon’s luck in showing up than his younger sister, having been a protagonist in in the first, fifth, sixth, and eight mainline entries, the gap between RE 1 and RE 5 is still murky, as Chris went from a Hapless STARS point-man to a boulder-punching, world-weary soldier. Seeing him deep in the fight against Umbrella and perhaps having his own reactions to Raccoon City’s destruction could be fascinating.  And Chris isn’t the only character who made his reappearance in CV. Albert Wesker, the longest-serving villain of the series whose shadow still hangs over the world, was revealed to have (somewhat) survived his supposed death in RE 1, serving as a secondary antagonist in the game. While he has been shown in DLC for the RE 4 Remake, fans would love to see their favorite bad guy get even more appearances in a modern take.
With so much potential, fans’ excitement for Veronica is growing like a zombie horde around a crumbling barrier, but alongside that excitement, there’s pressure building as well. As badly as fans are itching to sink their teeth into Veronica, some changes could leave a bad taste if they pop up. While the RE 2 and RE 4 Remake had fans screaming, RE 3, somewhat like the original, had a few flaws fans felt mixed about. The chief complaint from fans was that a sizeable section of the original, centered around the Raccoon City Clock Tower, didn’t make it into the remake. Many fans also felt the game felt rushed or abbreviated compared to RE 2 Remake, so hopes ride on Veronica keeping its pacing steady and slow. However, the opposite side of that coin, especially with a Gothic vibe, is having too slow of a pace or having additional content added which bloats the game. 2024’s Silent Hill 2 remake from developers Bloober struggled with its pacing, unlike the more recent Return to Silent Hill (LINK). Many fans complained that the 2024 remake felt bloated. While many praised the remake’s faithfulness to the original, it had perhaps a bit more padding than necessary, something RE fans hope Veronica avoids.
There’s always a risk with remakes, especially long-awaited ones like Veronica. Fans create incredible expectations without considering if it’s possible or feasible, or developers try to create an experience to match those expectations and still have something that meets modern standards and themes. The lifeblood of any game is the players’ love of a story; not enough change causes the coagulated blood to crumble, but too much makes the blood too thin. Be it the remake of a game series, a film, or even a tv show, a remake needs to walk the thin line between modern freshness and classic heart. Whether the remake is of a game or a new film adaptation, the love for the franchise draws fans in. By and large, Capcom has proven itself capable of taking its beloved classics and modernizing them without losing the original feel, so hopefully they’ll pull off one last escape.