26 Years of Resident Evil Code: Veronica: Claire & Chris Face the Apocalypse on Rockfort Island
Exactly 26 years ago, on February 3, 2000, Resident Evil Code: Veronica was released on Dreamcast. Not just a sequel—this title expanded the series' story atmosphere and mechanics, bringing family conflict, biological outbreaks, and the unexpected return of an old enemy: Albert Wesker.
The plot opens with Claire Redfield daringly infiltrating an Umbrella facility to find her brother, Chris. Instead of finding answers, Claire is captured and transferred to a remote prison on Rockfort Island. When a mysterious force attacks the island, a T-virus leak triggers an outbreak that turns everything into chaos. That simple premise evolves into a fast-paced story that places psychological elements and human conflict on par with its biological horror.
One of Code: Veronica’s strengths is its clearly divided narrative structure: the first half follows Claire, the second half follows Chris. This protagonist switch gives players different perspectives on the same events—while also extending the story’s length and depth. The large scale and challenge of the story also make time limits for unlocking secret items (such as the “finish within 5 hours” requirement) feel much more demanding compared to previous entries.
Unlike earlier series titles that still relied heavily on prerendered scenes, Code: Veronica renders the entire background in polygons. Fixed camera angles are still maintained in many scenes, but the game begins to show camera movement freedom that would become more apparent in subsequent main entries. This technical change marks a visual and mechanical turning point for the Resident Evil franchise toward a new era.
One of the most memorable moments for fans is Albert Wesker’s return to the main storyline. In the widely known later version, Code: Veronica X (released March 22, 2001), Wesker appears with abilities that nearly surpass human limits: high speed, nearly inhuman jumps and movements, and the ability to fight B.O.W.s without weapons. This transformation changes him from a mysterious mastermind into a direct threat that would haunt the series in future titles.
Although initially exclusive to Dreamcast and without a clear serial number, Code: Veronica was accepted as a canonical part of the main Resident Evil storyline. The love–hate drama theme, psychological horror atmosphere, dual protagonist story structure, and visual evolution make this title a loyal favorite among many fans—not only because it continues the story, but also because it took stylistic and narrative risks that later inspired titles like Resident Evil Revelations 2.