Despite a lackluster Metacritic score of 40, the creators of Code Violet are hailing the release as their most significant triumph to date.
Billed as a “spiritual successor to Dino Crisis,” Code Violet launched as a PlayStation 5 exclusive on January 10, immediately sparking intense debate. The project from TeamKill Media faced a scathing reception from the gaming press; while critics categorized the title as one of the weakest recent releases, the developers have publicly declared the launch a resounding success.
At the time of writing, Code Violet sits at a 40 on Metacritic, aggregated from seven professional reviews. These critiques consistently highlight archaic gameplay mechanics, technical instability, and divisive design philosophies.
Noisy Pixel, which awarded the game a meager two stars out of ten, noted:
“This game will make you question why you play video games in the first place. It tests your patience at every turn, forcing you to endure some of the worst gameplay systems and most baffling design choices I’ve seen in years—all for the sake of seeing the protagonist’s rear.”
In response to the wave of criticism, TeamKill Media released a statement via X (formerly Twitter). The developers emphasized that their primary focus is their audience, not media outlets:
“We develop games for our community and the players who invest their hard-earned money to support our vision, not for the critics. Our fans have propelled us to the top and are embracing our ‘old-school’ approach. This represents our most successful launch yet.”
Despite the studio’s optimism, user reception remains lukewarm. In the PlayStation Store, Code Violet currently holds a 2.9 out of 5-star rating based on more than 1,500 player reviews. Nearly 50% of these users have assigned the game only one or two stars. Recurring complaints include the ambitious $50 price tag, technical polish issues, and a design philosophy that many feel is simply dated rather than nostalgic.
Source: iXBT.games