If you're a Resi fan and don't enjoy this game, I'm sorry to say, you have been filtered.

Arguably the most difficult, and definitely the longest of the classic entries, with enemies and obstacles that pose an actual challenge (the zombies rule in this game), Code Veronica is the perfect culmination of the series formulae.

Whereas 2 and 3 slowly began to shift more towards action, Code Veronica shuns this notion and returns the series to its true survival horror roots, with its maze-like level design, head scratching puzzles, gothic European architecture and a shit load of backtracking. Sure, it doesn't have the gorgeous pre-rendered backgrounds from the previous titles, but it more than makes up for this with its stylised early Y2K era graphics (which I'm a huge sucker for) and creative use of its new dynamic, moving camera system, allowing the devs to frame the environments using more interesting and creative angles to help fuel and drive the tension.

It also features the best cast of characters yet seen in a Resi title, with the mad Nazi crossdresser Alfred, the return of Wesker and (the adorable) Steve Burnside.

I don't fuck with people who don't like Steve btw.

It's like they looked at the best parts of the previous game and decided to do the opposite while doubling down on the worst?

The fantastic level design/exploration loop is thrown out the window for a linear funneling through the butchered locales. The recycling of areas from the previous game while the clock tower, park, and other areas were missing was especially disappointing.

The horror/action balance is thrown off with a heavy focus on action without many gameplay shifts to account for it. The dodge mechanic was a start but it feels half baked and clearly isn't enough to carry things on its own.

Meanwhile they gave us more scripted chase sequences because everybody's favorite part of REmake 2 was totally the crocodile sewer bit. Nemesis roams around/messes with you in a non-scripted way for all but 10 minutes and he's less of a threat than the zombie mobs that are all over the place. What happened?

It isn't all bad, still. The character designs (Jill looks great and Carlos is really hot lmao), the characters themselves, and the soundtrack were all nice. Those can only go so far when the rest of the game was so rancid.


Generally the mangling of the source content you're remaking would go over better if the new content you have to show for it was worth a shit. I would've been totally here for a nice reimagined REmake 3 but this isn't great as a fresh or nostalgic experience.

I feel like this is the breaking point of my heavy investment in the series. It feels really bad tbh.

When you sit back and really take in the ambience of Raccoon City, you can really sense the true depression and misery this city is suffering from. The unrelenting cries from the undead, the strong winds, the crows (likely infected) restless calls. The chaos and destruction that this awful virus has caused is unbelievable. This ambience amalgamated with the detailed scenery really kept you as the player constantly unnerved with fear and paranoia of what could occur at any moment. A true horror masterpiece and my personal favourite.

THE REMAKE COULD NEVER.

Stray is a very respectable game. For a game who's credits arent rolling long enough to demand multiple credits songs and 3 point font, it is astounding in terms of visuals, technical design, and to an extent game direction. It achieves seemingly everything it goes for with only minor "objective" issues. You could have told me that this game was made by naughty dog as a little side project and i'd only need two drinks in me to believe you.

And it really is a very ND-style game, down to the straight up game flow. Linear platforming where you snap from location to location, chase sequences, extremely light puzzling, general level-to-level structure and the occasional quiet bit where you just get to explore a very small area - it's like Uncharted 4 but drake is small and there's no ludonarrative dissonance trophy. Even has the very naughty dog thing of having a conspicous landmark in the horizon you always work towards in the levels. I swear im not crazy, it's really noticeable when you catch onto it.

The problem with Stray is that, for my money, you don't feel like a cat. Which is a pretty big issue for a game where that's the hook. There's a few good gags, the animation passes muster for the most part, but the behaiour of the cat and in particular the interactions it has with others don't. You could practically replace the cat with a small dog, hell, it would probably make more sense for the things the characters demand and how they treat you.

My favourite moment in the game, is, when in what is ostensibly a tense, high-stakes situation where you're meant to solve a puzzle, the cat can simply lie down by a record player in a comfy alcove, as long as you and they want. It's lovely. And there's just not enough of it. The adventures of cats are crescendos to lives spent revelling in comfort and warmth - even in wild and big cats - and you can let me meow as much as you like but the pure action adventure betrays the nature of cats. I feel like small creature. I don't feel like cat.

On top of that the sci fi narrative is very bland. Fortunately the environments are excellent and carry the game pretty hard. Again, the naughty dog influence is well integrated, with fantastic subtle signposting of areas that feels naturalistic whilst ensuring you're never really lost.

Again, the game is very competent, and a frankly remarkable facsimile of games with hundreds of times the budget. It's well paced and i appreciate it's brevity, and i would be remiss not to touch on it's excellent soundtrack. And it's that extreme competence that makes it dissapointing for me that it doesnt actually get it's hook. And without it, it's ultimately forgettable, as good as it is.