Resident Evil Code: Veronica

Resident Evil Code: Veronica is a survival-horror game developed and published by Capcom. It debuted for Sega Dreamcast in Japan in February 2000, followed by releases in North America and Europe later that year. Unlike the pre-rendered backgrounds used by earlier numbered Resident Evil games, Code: Veronica uses real-time 3D environments and moving camera angles. It was directed by Hiroki Kato and produced by Shinji Mikami, with scenario work credited to Noboru Sugimura. The game was later revised as Resident Evil Code: Veronica X, first released for PlayStation 2 in 2001. The story begins three months after the destruction of Raccoon City. Claire Redfield, searching for her brother Chris, infiltrates Umbrella's Paris laboratory, is captured, and is sent to Rockfort Island, an Umbrella prison complex. A raid destroys much of the island and releases t-Virus contamination. Claire escapes with Steve Burnside, a teenage prisoner whose father had sold Umbrella information. Their route through the island brings them into conflict with Alfred Ashford, the unstable heir of one of Umbrella's founding families, and with the infected Ashford patriarch, Alexander. Alfred's sister Alexia is central to the conspiracy. Years earlier, Alexia had created the t-Veronica virus, named for the Ashford ancestor Veronica, and injected herself before entering cryogenic sleep. Fifteen years later she awakens with control over the virus and transforms into its most dangerous host. Claire and Steve leave Rockfort aboard a transport aircraft, but Alfred diverts it to Umbrella's Antarctic base. There, Steve is infected by Alexia; although he briefly regains himself, he dies after helping Claire. Chris Redfield reaches Rockfort after receiving Leon S. Kennedy's message and follows Claire to Antarctica. At the base, Chris confronts Albert Wesker, who has survived the original mansion incident and now works for a rival organization seeking a sample of t-Veronica. Wesker encounters Alexia but leaves after being overwhelmed by her power. Chris battles Alexia through several forms, rescues Claire, and uses the facility's linear launcher to destroy her final mutation. The Redfields escape Antarctica in a Harrier jet as the base explodes. Code: Veronica X added expanded scenes featuring Wesker and was later issued in high-definition versions for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011. It was the first series entry designed for a sixth-generation console, though its Dreamcast launch preceded the PlayStation 2. Its 2001 X edition also appeared on Dreamcast in Japan and on GameCube in 2003 for that platform.