Code Veronica X has me going in so many different directions I hardly know where to begin.
On the Pro side, you have the great story line, good voice acting (Yes, it's still B-Movie quality, don't worry), good use of cut scenes/FMV, a good variety of weapons and monsters and a nice bit of length for a survivor horror game (I've played the entire series and even Dino Crisis and Silent Hill games and it's longer than all of them by a little - my first time through took me almost 13 hours and I used online FAQs for an area or two).
On the Con side, you've got outdated/barely next generation 3D graphics, fogging effects to hide things in the distance by as little as 10 game feet from your character, the same old stiff control scheme and the tried-and-true running errands puzzles that will have you backtracking several times for some gizmo that will help you get 1/3 of a key you'll need an hour later!
As a fan of the original RE and even more so of the more Hollywood-styled RE2, Code Veronica seems like a lovingly created step back by Capcom. It's as if Veronica was to be a true successor to the original RE's haunted mansion feel (except this time placing you on a whole island rather than just a mansion).
This is by no means a bad or even an average game. It's an outstanding game by 2000 standards - but compared to Devil May Cry the full 3D environments are dull, gray and (forgive the pun) mostly dead. Unfortunately, the included demo of DMC shows how dated Veronica looks.
As a fan of the first 3 RE games, I just missed the great photorealistic prerendered backgrounds - and I found the 3D attempt in Veronica drawing me away from an otherwise great experience.
As for the challenge - the item management and puzzles are much more of an issue this time around, but most opponents can be delt with easily and unfortunately you can skip some bosses with out so much as firing a shot (all I had to do in one place was leave the room - I won't spoil it by telling you where).
When all was said and done, I enjoyed RE:CVX, but it just didn't seem like the near perfect adventure I had hoped for (I'm hoping I'm not looking back on RE2 with too much glossing over - it's my favorite game of all time, but it wasn't perfect either).
The inclusion of the first-person battle mode (which you get once you beat the game) is a neat gimmick, but the quirky movements and control scheme make it a short-lived thrill. I have to admit: Walking through a door and having a zombie a foot from my face did make me jump the first time.
I've seen the game's price drop to as low as $30 in some specialty stores, and that makes it a must have for PS2 fans who likely won't get to play any new RE games such as the RE remake, RE0 or RE4.
At $50 however, you might just want to rent it a time or two until you beat it.
For survivor horror and adventure diehards as a buy and a rental for the rest.
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