Code Violet arrived as 2026’s first big PS5 exclusive and immediately became the poster child for everything wrong with modern indie horror games. Billed as a spiritual successor to Dino Crisis, the third-person action horror title instead earned universal condemnation for technical disasters, braindead AI, incoherent writing, and a complete lack of engaging gameplay. Reviewers openly advised anyone who bought it to immediately request refunds.
Universal Critical Throttling
IGN delivered a scathing verdict calling Code Violet ‘not even a successful clone’ of its influences. The review highlighted terrible third-person shooting where dinosaurs behave like braindead conga lines, a convoluted story that puts reviewers to sleep, and technical blunders that make basic navigation a nightmare. Push Square labeled it a complete mess with crummy combat and tedious exploration where even Violet’s sexy cowgirl outfit feels tonally inappropriate next to space dinosaur attacks.
Noisy Pixel’s headline literally reads ‘If You Bought This, Get a Refund,’ citing constant crashes, poor design choices like weapons unequipping when saving, and death animations that sometimes play and sometimes don’t. Game8 called it a Jurassic letdown with unfocused tone, horrendous animations, and gunplay with zero weight. Metacritic scores hover around 40/100, confirming critics found virtually nothing redeemable.
Technical Catastrophe
The bugs alone justify avoiding Code Violet entirely. Weapons disappear from inventory, ammo counters display wrong numbers, skyboxes fail to load breaking puzzles, and sound mixing goes haywire during combat. Safe room storage doesn’t actually consume items, breaking resource management entirely. Dinosaurs possess supernatural omniscience, spotting players through walls despite the game’s laughable stealth systems.
GlassVeil invisibility works so well that even boss monsters give up and wander aimlessly when activated. Combat encounters devolve into scripted door-opening ambushes where dinos stare directly at players before attacks begin. Level design recycles identical corridors endlessly, with clipping issues and camera problems making tight indoor fights completely unintelligible.
Enemy AI That Insults Intelligence
Dinosaurs follow exactly three behaviors: run at player, swipe, pause, repeat. Small raptors form conga lines single-file through doorways. Spitters stand motionless firing projectiles until players approach first. Larger gator creatures ignore players entirely unless provoked, turning boss fights into stationary target practice.
| Enemy Type | AI Behavior | Threat Level |
|---|---|---|
| Small Raptors | Conga line rush + swipe | Trivial |
| Spitters | Stand and shoot | Stationary |
| Gator Bosses | Ignore unless provoked | Easy target |
Stealth proves pointless since dinos already know player locations through walls. The invisibility power comedically breaks encounters completely, with enemies literally forgetting players exist mid-fight.
Story That Nobody Understands
Reviewers universally panned the narrative as convoluted nonsense. Violet Sinclair awakens in a dinosaur-infested space station with zero context, encountering one-note exposition characters who exist only to advance plot dumps. Late-game twists feel rushed and undercooked despite their supposed importance.
Even character motivations confuse. Violet cries dramatically over colleagues who receive zero development time. The ‘mysterious Director’ antagonist follows horror cliche without subversion. Developers TeamKill Media (of Quantum Error infamy) clearly aimed for mind-bending revelations that land with thudding predictability.
Developer Track Record Explains Everything
TeamKill Media’s previous title Quantum Error earned similar derision in 2023. That cosmic horror shooter suffered identical problems: technical instability, boring combat, incoherent writing. Code Violet represents same team doubling down on flaws rather than addressing criticisms.
Both games share hallmarks of amateur execution:
- Stiff, unnatural character animations
- Recycled corridor level design
- Predictable enemy AI patterns
- Technical issues breaking core loops
- Tone-deaf character sexualization
Lessons for 2026 Gaming
Code Violet perfectly illustrates indie horror pitfalls. Trailers featuring attractive protagonists and dinosaur action bait clicks, but execution matters more than marketing. Survival horror demands tight resource management, intelligent AI, atmospheric tension – areas where Code Violet catastrophically fails.
The PS5 exclusive timing proves particularly damning. Launching as 2026’s first major title sets expectations high. Instead players receive reheated Resident Evil/Dino Crisis ideas executed with zero competence. Better to replay actual Dino Crisis via emulation than suffer this modern embarrassment.
FAQs
Should I buy Code Violet?
No. Critics universally score it 4/10 or lower. Technical issues, boring combat, and incoherent story make it unrecommendable even at deep discount.
Is it really that buggy?
Yes. Weapons vanish from inventory, skyboxes fail to load, sound breaks constantly, safe room storage doesn’t consume items. Unplayable levels of instability.
What’s wrong with the combat?
Dinosaurs follow three braindead patterns: rush + swipe, stand and spit, ignore unless provoked. Gunplay lacks weight, enemies bullet-sponge endlessly.
Is the story any good?
No. Convoluted plot dumps through one-note characters. Late twists feel predictable and rushed. Nobody understands character motivations.
Can I get a refund if I bought it?
Yes. All major platforms offer refund windows for games scoring below 50%. Code Violet’s 4/10 reception qualifies everywhere.
Who made Code Violet?
TeamKill Media, same developers behind 2023’s equally terrible Quantum Error. Track record explains execution quality perfectly.
How long is the campaign?
Approximately 6 hours. Too long for bad game, too short to justify $50 price or recommend even free.
Any redeeming qualities?
Occasional pretty landscapes and Violet’s hair physics. Literally everything else fails basic competence standards.
Avoid At All Costs
Code Violet represents everything wrong with cash-grab indie horror. Dino Crisis desperately needs successor, but this amateurish clone isn’t it. Buggy execution, braindead AI, incoherent writing, and technical disasters make every minute painful. Heed critics’ advice: if you bought Code Violet, get refund immediately. Better dinosaur horror games exist via emulation. 2026 deserved far better launch than this embarrassing disaster.