The year 2026 has barely begun, but the gaming world may already have its frontrunner for the most ill-conceived release. That dubious honour goes to Code Violet, a new title that launched exclusively on the PlayStation platform with a price tag of £39.99.
A Tone-Deaf Premise and Problematic Presentation
From the outset, Code Violet sets a bizarre and juvenile tone. The game's most challenging difficulty setting is not called 'Hard Mode' but is instead labelled 'SexySaurus Rex'—a name that, admittedly, sums up the experience with unfortunate accuracy. Players control Violet, a shapely protagonist, through a camera that persistently follows her from behind at waist height. A significant portion of the game's mechanics appears dedicated to dressing her in increasingly revealing outfits, reflecting what one might charitably call a teenage boy's clumsy idea of sophistication.
Derivative Story and Glitch-Ridden Gameplay
The narrative sees Violet wake up in a futuristic science base overrun by dinosaurs, a premise involving vague experiments and genetics that is executed with staggering unoriginality. The plot is so poorly delivered that players will likely disengage within minutes. However, the core failure lies in the gameplay. Code Violet attempts a 1990s-style survival horror formula but is crippled by pervasive technical issues. Dinosaurs frequently become trapped in the environment, flailing uselessly at nothing, which utterly destroys any sense of tension or fear.
A Baffling PlayStation Exclusive
What makes Code Violet particularly noteworthy—and disappointing—is its status as the first PlayStation-exclusive game of 2026. This distinction is typically reserved for premium titles like Spider-Man, God of War, and The Last of Us, which drive console sales. In this esteemed company, Code Violet stands out for all the wrong reasons, being exclusively awful. Had the core gameplay been compelling, its other flaws might have been forgivable, but the experience is fundamentally broken.
For a game centred on prehistoric creatures, the greatest threat in Code Violet isn't an asteroid but a relentless barrage of glitches and bugs. It's a shocking start to the year for PlayStation owners and a stark reminder that exclusivity does not automatically equate to quality. At the very least, this particular gaming calamity is confined to a single console.
