Code Violet: A Disappointing 40 On Metacritic
Hi, my name is Ange77us. You may remember me from films such as “I Also Thought This Was Going to Work”, and “You Really Have to Have Some Serious Guts to Proclaim Yourself the Spiritual Successor to an Iconic Saga”… About a year ago, I talked right here about Code Violet, an action game developed by TeamKill Media that was announced as a “spiritual successor” to none other than Dino Crisis! At the time, I emphasized the studio’s past and the fact that, while they had suffered some failures, nothing suggested they could not redeem themselves this time around… Well, Spoiler Alert!:: they did not.
Code Violet was initially announced for July 2025, but its release was pushed back to January 10, 2026. Less than two days have passed since launch, and the community and critics have not held back: it already has a very unfortunate 40 on Metacritic, which you can see for yourself by clicking the link. Its failure is not the result of a single mistake, but rather a combination of serious issues and terrible design decisions, which on one hand have disappointed many, and on the other have outright angered just as many. On paper, the idea did not sound that bad, but the execution has been dreadful in countless ways. Below you can check out the Announcement Trailer, shared from TeamKill Media’s YouTube channel:
Spiritual Successor, What!?
Yes, I know, TeamKill Media did not have the best track record prior to developing Code Violet, but as you may have noticed in other articles, whenever I can choose, I choose to be optimistic. Unfortunately, in cases like this, I have to be objective, and my previous optimism is forced to step aside. Code Violet is definitely not the Dino Crisis people were expecting, nor has it lived up to most of the expectations it sparked within the community. The list of flaws is enormous, and we are not talking only about technical aspects, but about others that, from my point of view, are far more serious… Keep reading.
While this PS5 exclusive was expected to be one of the first big survival horror titles of 2026, the reality is that it has launched as a mediocre work plagued by countless problems. Code Violet features fairly severe technical issues, most notably a very poor enemy AI and a highly frustrating collision detection system. Bugs during each play session not only affect the game itself, but it has also been reported that it can drain the DualSense battery at an incredible rate. Obviously, some things could be fixed through updates, but the problems do not end here.
The Errors That Updates Cannot Fix
Code Violet is terribly designed and its mechanics simply do not work: level exploration is tedious, environments are completely incoherent with one another, stealth is exasperating, text size is minuscule, and the translation is very poor. And in case there were still any doubts about the final product, some of the harshest criticism accuses the game of being “extremely sexist” in its portrayal of the female protagonist, both in her design and her “outfits”. You understand why this point is so serious, right?
I imagine that at some point we have all consumed products with a heavy dose of fan service. As an example, I could mention Stellar Blade, which, far from aiming to be a cult classic or to pay homage to any iconic saga, is nevertheless achieving success, mega fan service included and all. Perhaps the key difference between it and Code Violet is that it does not pretend to be something it is not, and still manages to stand out not only for what it “shows”, but also for its addictive gameplay. Then we turn back to TeamKill Media’s title, and once again we are left disappointed. Code Violet was supposed to be a spiritual successor to Dino Crisis!
Regina, the protagonist of Dino Crisis, moved through its environments wearing a tight catsuit, and in some versions even fishnet stockings. Did she ever feel sexualized? The answer is no. Regina was a complete protagonist, attractive, strong, brave, and capable of exterminating dinosaurs like no one else! By contrast, Violet Sinclair, the protagonist of Code Violet, feels sexualized from the very beginning, and as if that were not enough, with “realistic physics” included (we all know what that means), everything about her and her customization contributes to that fetishistic vision, and in case you did not know yet, yes, we are talking about her hairstyles and her… ahem… outfits.
For all these reasons and more, it is clear that Code Violet has become one of the first major failures of 2026, not only because of its technical problems, but also due to its very conception of design and ideas. As I have mentioned, these mistakes and terrible decisions have disappointed many and angered just as many others. For those of us who are still waiting for the return of Dino Crisis, all that is left is to keep waiting, and hope that these failed attempts give Capcom a much-needed wake up call so they speed things up.
So…
Not much more to add. Code Violet is a failure, and there are not many alternative words I could use to describe it. After Quantum Error (2023), which was considered one of the worst games of the year, and the mixed reception of Son and Bone (2024), I personally expected the studio to finally get back on the right track, but that did not happen. Now tell me, have you played Code Violet? If so, how do you feel about it? Would you choose a flamethrower or a bazooka for your visit to TeamKill Media’s headquarters? Okay, jokes aside, we do NOT ENCOURAGE any form of violence, and I am obviously kidding. But what is true is that we want to know what you think about all this. You know gamer, we’ll be reading you! 😉
Info & Images Source: TeamKill Media Official YouTube Channel, Code Violet on Metacritic, MLG
