Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. Reviews

Resident Evil 4 & Resident Evil Code: Veronica X HD review

By

Way back in 1996, the first Resident Evil kick-started a franchise that would come to define the “survival horror” genre in gaming. Now, 15 years and countless sequels, prequels, re-releases, and console ports later, we’re getting high-definition versions of two of the most popular installments of the franchise: Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Code: Veronica X.

The two games arrive as downloadable titles for Xbox Live and Playstation Network this month, with RE4 available now and Code: Veronica X available Tuesday, September 27. Given both games’ critical acclaim, it’s no surprise that they’re getting a fresh coat of hi-def paint for the franchise’s 15th anniversary — but are the latest iterations worth the dent in your wallet and space on your hard drive?

Recommended Videos

In short, the answer will likely depend on your history with the Resident Evil franchise, but here’s what we found on our playthrough of both games.

Resident Evil 4 2.0

Related

While most gamers have already played Resident Evil 4 in one of its incarnations, this is the title that clearly benefits the most from the high-def treatment and re-release. Originally released in January of 2005 as a Nintendo GameCube exclusive (then later ported over to the PlayStation 2), the game’s latest iteration is a great reminder why the original RE4 was so far ahead of its time — mainly because the HD version doesn’t feel like a six-year-old game.

At its core, the new RE4 offers all of the same great elements that made the original such a hit, with players on a mission to rescue the President’s daughter from a village populated by a freaky cult, and a mix of exciting action and RPG elements that set it apart from other games of the time. It’s also as likely to make you jump out of your seat today as it was six years ago, which shows how well the game accomplished what it set out to do back in 2005.

In its HD iteration, RE4 gets a nice visual upgrade that does more than just smooth the rough edges — it brings the whole game up to the same level as today’s titles that it’s competing with for gamers’ attention. The graphics get such a boost, in fact, that anyone who’s not aware of the original release would be excused for thinking the game was developed for high-def consoles.

Along with the visual tweaks, the HD re-release also comes with all of the same bonus features and play modes present in the later installments of Resident Evil 4 — including the wild Mercenary Mode — as well as the requisite XBL Achievements and PSN Trophies.

However, therein lies one of the few faults to be found in the new version of the game.

Both Resident Evil 4 and Code: Veronica X each offer 12 achievements/trophies for players. And while it’s nice to have any unlockable goals at all, it feels like Capcom missed a golden opportunity with this element of both games.

Achievement Locked

The bulk of the achievements created for the game are of the checkpoint variety and not the sort that encourage creative play on subsequent playthroughs. You unlock one achievement when you complete a certain chapter or defeat a boss, then another at a later point in the narrative, and so on. The absence of achievements that unlock after killing a certain number of zombies (or infected villagers) or upgrading your weapons to a certain point is definitely conspicuous, given how common these types of achievements are in most games today.

Given the emphasis the game puts on targeted shooting and combining your use of weapons with hand-to-hand combat, the lack of achievements that recognize this aspect of the game is even more noticeable.

Even with that criticism, however, there’s a strong case to be made for Resident Evil 4 as not just a great re-release of a classic game, but as an excellent standalone game altogether. Not only does the HD version of the game hold its own among the available library of downloadable titles, it manages to prove yet again that it’s a great game overall, sans console or format qualifiers.

Resident Evil Code: Veronica X 1.5-ish

Sadly, the case for Code: Veronica X isn’t as strong. Originally released back in 2000 and later released in 2001 with upgraded graphics and additional cut scenes (among other tweaks), Code: Veronica X definitely shows its age in its HD re-release.

While the character control in Resident Evil 4 felt simplified but intuitive, control of the multiple characters you play as in Code: Veronica X is the sort of nostalgia many gamers would be happier not revisiting. For those who haven’t spent much time with the Resident Evil franchise, the clunky, limited mobility of your character (and the very capable movement of the creatures looking to bite out of you) will likely be a harsh — and occasionally frustrating — reminder of how far we’ve come in the last decade.

And though Code: Veronica X has also received a significant upgrade in the graphics department, it’s clear that there’s only so much you can do with a game released more than ten years ago.

One thing that’s interesting to note about the HD version of Code: Veronica X is the way in which the footage added in the later version of the game (when it went from Code: Veronica to Code: Veronica X) appears to play nicer with the high-def upgrade. At times, the game seems to offer two very different styles of cinematic: one filled with sharp edges and errant pixels, and another with a smoother (albeit more blurry) take on the action. This was an issue with the original Code: Veronica X, and the high-def treatment seems to have accentuated the difference between the cut scenes rather than helping them to meet in the middle.

Still, even with these criticisms, there’s a lot for faithful Resident Evil franchise fans to like about the re-release of Code: Veronica X.

Despite its shortcoming by today’s standards, Code: Veronica X was a bona fide hit when it originally hit shelves, thanks to an immersive story that starts you off as a prisoner on a remote island prison complex filled with shambling zombies and other assorted creatures. The game featured a number of innovative (at the time) elements that gamers take for granted today, and the bonus game modes and extra features that accompanied it and are included in the HD re-release remain a great example of how to encourage play well beyond the main narrative arc.

As we mentioned earlier, the achievements/trophies are a nice addition, though they’re just as checkpoint-based in Code Veronica X as they are in Resident Evil 4.

Conclusion

All things considered, the takeaway on Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Code: Veronica X is this: For anyone who hasn’t played Resident Evil 4 or has played it and enjoyed it, the game’s HD re-release is a must-have title for your console’s library. Not only is it one of the best games from one of the industry’s most popular franchises, but it’s a great game on its own, capable of holding its own against the best games available on Xbox Live and the Playstation Network.

As for Resident Evil Code: Veronica X, the real appeal of the HD re-release lies in both its nostalgic value and its place in the greater Resident Evil franchise. Diehard Resident Evil fans will enjoy the touch-up the game received, and both the story and replay elements retain a lot of the fun that made the game such a hit when it was first released. However, it seems unlikely that anyone without that personal attachment to the game will find the same level of enjoyment in revisiting Code: Veronica X.

Resident Evil 4 is available for download on Xbox Live and Playstation Network now, while Resident Evil Code: Veronica X will be available Tuesday, September 27. Both games will cost $19.99 or 1600 Microsoft Points.

 (This game was reviewed on the Xbox 360 on a copy provided by Capcom)

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Rick Marshall
Rick Marshall
Former Digital Trends Contributor
A veteran journalist with more than two decades of experience covering local and national news, arts and entertainment, and…
Resident Evil 4 locked drawers guide: all Small Key locations
Infected villager from Resident Evil 4 remake.

Keys and Resident Evil games are like peanut butter and jelly. If you're not fighting zombies, you're looking for a key to get you to the next room -- where you will fight more zombies. While there are plenty of mandatory keys in the Resident Evil 4 remake, there are also a set of extra keys that you can completely miss. These Small Keys are used to unlock locked drawers you come across, as opposed to doors, and hold some very valuable treasures. Considering how precious money is in this game, the more treasures you can find and sell to your Merchant friend, the better off you'll be. Small keys aren't in your direct path often, and once you leave an area, you can't go back to collect them later in most cases. We'll help you become the master of unlocking by showing you where to snag all the Small Keys in Resident Evil 4, as well as where to use them.
Where to find all Small Keys
Before getting into the locations of Small Keys, note that these keys are not exclusive to a single drawer. Any Small Key can be used to open any drawer, so feel free to spend them as soon as you find a drawer with a key in hand. However, once you leave an area in Resident Evil 4, there's no going back. That means if you left any keys or drawers behind, you won't be able to open them unless you start another playthrough or wait until you begin a new game. There are eight Small Keys to get, and they are all found within the first two zones of the game, but won't show up on your map. Locked drawers won't either by default, but if you buy the Treasure Map from the Merchant, the drawers will be put on your map. Here's how to track all the keys down, and where the nearest locked drawer is in the order you can first encounter them.

The first key you can get is in Chapter 2 in the Valley. After meeting the Merchant, you will be sent into the Valley to find a key to open the gate opposite the Merchant. After clearing out the enemies, drop down to the lowest level on the south end and enter the shack. Inside, take a right and look for a case on the shelf. Loot it, and pick up the first Small Key. The nearest locked drawer is back in the Factory past the Merchant. Go into the room where you retrieved Leon's equipment after it was taken from him and use the key on the desk drawer.

Read more
The best weapons in Resident Evil 4
Leon holding a gun in Resident Evil 4.

Leon clearly wasn't prepared for what he would encounter in the Resident Evil 4 remake or he would have come with more than a middling handgun and a knife. While those basic tools can get you through the opening stages of the game, it won't be long before you will need to call upon some much stronger firepower in order to survive the tougher -- and more grotesque -- monsters that stand in your way. The Resident Evil 4 remake offers a ton of weapons you can collect, such as pistols, SMGs, rifles, and more. However, most will cost a lot of cash -- and even more if you want to invest in their upgrades. You will have to make some tough choices about what weapons you want to stick with, and picking a dud can make your playthrough much more difficult. Instead of investing all your cash in a pea-shooter, check out the best weapons you can get in the Resident Evil 4 remake to blast your way through Ganados and Las Plagas alike.
The best weapons in Resident Evil 4

Red9
Where else could we start but with the Red9? Almost certainly the most popular handgun -- or gun in general -- from the original Resident Evil 4 has returned in the remake and is just as potent as ever. Not only can you grab this gun as early as Chapter 3, making it a great choice for investing your upgrades in, but it can be altered and has essentially no drawbacks. By default, the Red9's recoil is the primary point of criticism you could levy at it, but if you spend a few Spinels to give it the stock, you'll be able to basically snipe with this pistol. By the time you unlock the Exclusive upgrade, which multiplies the gun's power by 1.5x, you'll hardly ever find a situation where this handgun can't do the job.
Bolt Thrower
The Bolt Thrower isn't on this list for its high power, accuracy, or anything that you would traditionally look for in a gun. The reason it has to be here is due to the simple fact that you can recover the bolts it shoots into enemies after they're dead to massively cut down on your ammo expenditure. Ammo for it is also crafted using knives, but it even has a secondary firing method where it launches mines, giving it a lot more utility. The Exclusive upgrade isn't game-changing -- it doubles the ammo capacity -- but the less you have to reload, the less often you'll be caught in a sticky situation.
Stingray
In the rifle category, the Stingray is never going to let you down. This is a semiautomatic rifle, so the firing rate is mostly up to you, plus it has a great clip size by default. If you're hitting those weak points, this baby will also deal 3x damage, and can be outfitted with almost any scope. The Exclusive upgrade boosts your final firing rate by an additional 2x, which shouldn't be too necessary if you're trying to be precise, though can help in a pinch.
LE 5
The LE 5 is a weapon you can easily miss that is kind of like a good version of the Punisher in that it has amazing penetration power. Being an SMG, it also boasts a far greater firing rate and clip size, as well as more power. This is the perfect weapon to rip through any shield-wielding enemies. Again like the Punisher, the Exclusive upgrade allows the LE 5 to pierce up to five targets at once.
Broken Butterfly
Another returning favorite, the Broken Butterfly magnum is not just the best-looking hand cannon in the game, but also the most deadly. If you don't count a special weapon like the Rocket Launcher, the Broken Butterfly (after upgrades) deals the most damage of any gun in the Resident Evil 4 remake. The Exclusive upgrade plays a major part in this by boosting its final damage by 1.5x, again just like the Red9, but magnum upgrades are among the most expensive in the game, so this power won't come easy.
Striker
What's the worst part of a shotgun? The firing rate. Well, that is if you're not using the Striker. This semiautomatic shotgun spits out damage like nobody's business. It has power on par with any other shotgun, but way better firing speed, plus a massive clip size so you don't have to worry about running dry out an enemy in your face. If you get the Exclusive upgrade, you can even double the already huge clip size.
Rocket Launcher
This is a big investment both in terms of cash and space, but the Rocket Launcher is too iconic to the series not to be amazing. Yes, this has a one-hit kill on just about everything and will cost more or less depending on what difficulty level you're playing on. It has no upgrades because, well, what is there to make better? Unless you're playing with the infinite ammo for it enabled, you do only get one shot, so make it count.
Primal Knife
While technically not a gun, the knife is so good in the Resident Evil 4 remake that it has to be mentioned. This tool will save your skin more often than you think thanks to the new ability to parry and finish downed enemies, but the obvious drawback is durability. The Primal Knife has to be unlocked by finding and destroying all 16 of the Clockwork Castellans in the game. What makes it the clear frontrunner of all knives is the Exclusive upgrade that makes it completely unbreakable, no matter how much you use it.

Read more
All Resident Evil 4 remake Wayshrines and how to open them
An open wayshrine with a bracelet inside.

In the opening chapters of the Resident Evil 4 remake, you will come across strange shrines erected by a cult. These can be interacted with, but prompt you to use an item. Unfortunately, you won't even have the chance to open the first couple you find since the item required to open them can't be picked up until a bit later -- and only if you know where to search for it. But it's ro say that the treasures you get from them make it worth your time to backtrack and grab all the goodies inside. Here's how you can open all the Wayshrines in the Resident Evil 4 remake, and what each one holds inside.
How to get the Wayshrine Key

Surprise surprise, but Wayshrines can only be opened once you grab the Wayshrine Key. It will feel like a long time, but you can't even access the key until you reach Chapter 4 and beat Del Lago. Once you can explore the lake, head south to the Mural Cave. Deep in the caves, you will find an ornate cabinet after solving the puzzle in the cave. You can get there by going down the path from the southern dock and through the section with the two large stone hands. Thankfully, unlike Small Keys, the Wayshrine Key is reusable and can open every Wayshrine in the game.
How to 0pen Wayshrines

Read more