Resident Evil Survivor 2 Code: Veronica update

Resident Evil Survivor 2: Code Veronica was unveiled in October by Capcom's European division, Capcom Eurosoft, and today the company released the first screenshots from the PlayStation 2 version of the game. The game follows the story of Resident Evil Code: Veronica, but from a first-person view and in the shooter genre. In the game, players assume control of either Claire Redfield or Steve Burnside in two distinct gameplay modes: dungeon and arcade. Both modes offer light-gun support, including the GunCon 2 from Namco, although the game can be played using the standard Dual Shock 2 controller as well.

In arcade mode, the aim is simply to escape from Rockfort Island. The route is split into several stages, with completion of each sector dependent on finding a key and defeating the boss character lurking in the area. In addition to the bosses, players must face an assortment of mutants, ranging from zombies to the deadly Bandersnatch and Nemesis. If players find things too tricky, the arcade mode also offers assistance via the partner system. This allows players to team up with a computer-controlled character to provide cover. If players choose to play as Claire, for example, their partner will be Steve.

Without the assistance of a partner, the dungeon mode pits players against successive waves of enemies, comparable to a survival mode. Completion of a mission is once again determined by defeating a boss, but the more zombies and mutants defeated, the greater the overall mission score. Time is also crucial in this mode, because each time an enemy is defeated, a combo gauge appears and the player must defeat another enemy before the gauge runs out to receive an additional combo score. If players are quick enough and accurate enough, then the combo will keep multiplying, resulting in bigger scores. In this mode, the player's character can select three weapons to take on the quest. Some weapons can be used by both Claire and Steve, while others such as the magnum and the grenade launcher are restricted to an individual character.

Resident Evil Survivor 2 Code: Veronica is currently in development for the PlayStation 2, and it's scheduled for release in Europe in February 2002. Capcom has not made an announcement regarding the US market yet. We'll keep you posted.