| Monster/Mutant | |
|---|---|
| V.E.R.N. the Abomination | |
| Species | Abomination / Human / Gorilla / Lizard / Wolf |
| Gender | Variable |
| Skin Color | Purple |
| Eye Color | Red |
| Speed | Basic |
| Jumping | Basic |
| Crushing | Strong |
| First Appearance | Rampage: World Tour (1997) |
| Last Appearance | Rampage: Total Destruction (2006) (Wii only) |
V.E.R.N. (or Vern) is an Abomination monster.
In Rampage: World Tour, any monster can transform into V.E.R.N., while in the Nintendo Wii version of Rampage: Total Destruction, Vern is an unlockable monster.
Abilities[]
Rampage: World Tour[]
V.E.R.N. behaves differently than the other three playable monsters. Instead of being selectable, any monster transforms into V.E.R.N. by eating purple toxic waste found in some cities. They fly in eight directions, have far more damaging melee attacks, can shoot fireballs, and cannot completely run out of health. V.E.R.N. will revert back into whichever monster transformed into them upon moving on to the next city.
Rampage: Total Destruction[]
Vern's special ability is radiation immunity. It recovers his health and gives a 500 point bonus Cryo-Tube in Dallas.
Trivia[]
- Unlike most of the monsters in the Rampage series, Vern's name is a not a pun on his mutation.
- Vern's name in World Tour is an acronym, standing for "Violently Enraged Radioactive Nemesis". This was retconned in Rampage: Total Destruction so that his birth given was actually "Vern".
- The reason Vern's mutation is listed as "Abomination" is that Midway never designed him to resemble any known animal. Rather, they were referencing the popular trend of monster movies where toxic waste would mutate creatures to have an unnatural appearance, not truly comparable to anything but a "Monster".
- Vern's updated appearance in Rampage: Total Destruction is notably scrawnier than his previous design, his former wings have been removed and he can no longer breathe fire.
- Since the original concept of Vern was a further mutation of George, Lizzie, or Ralph, Midway originally left Vern's gender ambiguous. Therefore, it was argued that Vern could be either gender. However, in the Total Destruction continuity, the implication that all the monsters are mutated humans, along with the fact that "Vern" is a masculine name, would suggest that Vern is male.
- Vern has only ever appeared in two games in the entire series: Rampage: World Tour and Rampage: Total Destruction.
- Vern, Cyril, Fifi, Plucky, Sarah, Squirmy, Fabio, Boris, Ruby and Brian are the only monsters in Rampage: Total Destruction to not be given descriptions on the official website.
- In Rampage: Total Destruction, he is wearing a loincloth for an unknown reasons. This could be anthropomorphism; human elements being retained even as a monster. This could also be an attempt by the developers to tease the concept of censoring anatomical correctness in video games.
- Vern's radiation immunity in Total Destruction is likely a nod to how a monster can transform into that form after consuming radioactive waste in World Tour.
- Vern bears a strong resemblance to the titular monsters in Joe Dante’s Gremlins films.
Gallery[]
V.E.R.N. as they appear in Rampage: World Tour (1997).
World Tour
Vern's appearance
Vern in the game