Katarzyna Petru
It looks like the first exclusive title for PlayStation 5 in 2026 completely disappointed critics. We're talking about the game Code Violet, which just debuted and is already under fire from reviewers. This is bad news for Sony, as 2026 is shaping up to be exceptionally intense for PlayStation. There are plans for the releases of titles such as Saros, Marvel’s Wolverine, Phantom Blade Zero, and Marathon. This makes the weak start of the first exclusive of the year stand out even more.
ChooseTV – an ambitious idea, poor implementation
If the name ChooseTV means nothing to you, it's hard to blame you. The game has remained rather in the shadow of larger productions since its announcement.
The action of the title takes place in the 25th century, after a global catastrophe that rendered Earth uninhabitable. The player takes on the role of Violet Sinclair, a time traveler who wakes up in the Aion Bioengineering complex, overrun by prehistoric dinosaurs and hostile forces. On paper, it sounds like a spiritual successor to Dino Crisis, but – according to reviewers – the similarities end very quickly.
Critics Leave No Stone Unturned on the Game
On Metacritic, Code Violet currently has a score of only 40/100, indicating "generally unfavorable" reception from critics.
IGN describes the game simply as "bad," pointing out its formulaic science fiction plot, blurry textures, and numerous technical issues that can block further gameplay.
Push Square calls Code Violet "chaotic," highlighting its clunky combat, tedious exploration, and serious technical problems.
Game8 summarizes it succinctly: "definitely not worth its price."
Creators Strike Back at Critics
In response to a wave of negative reviews, the studio TeamKill Media published a statement on X, in which they openly attacked the reviewers:
“We create games for our fans and players who actually spend their hard-earned money on our productions, not for critics.”
The creators added that it was the fans who elevated the studio to the top and are having a great time with the “old-fashioned, old-school gameplay,” and Code Violet is meant to be their biggest success to date – even though there was still one day to the full release.
The problem is that players are not thrilled either
The narrative of "satisfied fans" does not entirely align with reality. On PlayStation Store, the game currently has an average rating of 3/5, with 46% of reviews being 1- and 2-star ratings. This suggests that not only critics but also players have serious reservations about the quality of the game.
Code Violet was supposed to be a strong start to the year for PS5, yet all signs point to the title going down in history as one of the lowest-rated exclusives from Sony in recent years. One can only hope that the upcoming releases scheduled for 2026 will perform significantly better both with critics and among players.
