Video Game Review #547: Parasite Eve

Parasite Eve

PlayStation

Nostalgia Factor:

I first played Parasite Eve after it was initially released in the late 1990s. I was a big Resident Evil and Final Fantasy fan, and everything I had read about the game indicated that Parasite Eve was the perfect mix between the two. I'm not quite sure why I didn't buy the game. Monetary reasons? Maybe. But I ended up renting it from Blockbuster Video. I remember making it about halfway through the game before getting stuck and having to return it to the video store.

I rented it again a few weeks later, and made it all the way to the museum area, which is located near the end of the game. Again, I got stuck and was not able to beat the game. I returned it to Blockbuster and never picked it up again. After renting it twice, my initial impression was that the game was nowhere near as good as Final Fantasy or Resident Evil. In fact, I didn't really like the game at all, which sucked, because I had been looking forward to it with such anticipation.

Fast forward to the year 2011. I ended up downloading this on the PlayStation Network. I was finally able to give the game the time and dedication it deserved, and I ended up beating it for the first time ever. Yay. I still could not say I was a giant fan of the game though. There was just something about it that did not resonate with me. I was having a particularly hard time in battle, getting my ass handed to me over and over again. It felt like I spent days in the warehouse section, fighting enemies and grinding away.

That was the last time I had played Parasite Eve - about 13 years ago. I knew it was only a matter of time before I picked it up one last time, so I could play through it and review it for my blog. I was dragging my feet a little, because I was worried I was once again not going to have a good time with the game.

So, would I like it this time around? That's what we're all here to find out. Keep reading for my full thoughts.

By the way, here is a special guest review written by my friend Jeff back in 2013. Unfortunately, he passed away a few years after writing this.

Story:

The opening scene from this game is one of the best in video gaming history. You play as Aya, who is a New York City cop. She is attending a play at Carnegie Hall when all hell breaks lose, and the attendees start spontaneously combusting. Unaffected, Aya goes backstage where she encounters Eve, a parasitic entity that has commandeered the body of Melissa, the lead actress in the play.

Thus begins the game's adventure. As Aya, you must follow Eve around New York City, fighting her minions and discovering her origins. The game is a bit light on plot compared to most Square Enix games, but as you go along, you discover who she is, why she is doing this, and why Aya is the only one unaffected by Eve's powers. There's a lot of scientific gobbledygook about mitochondria and all that fun stuff.

Eve is tracked to the museum, where she has been helped by the evil Dr Klamp. Eve's goal is to birth the Ultimate Being, made of mitochondria. It can control anyone and manipulate all matter across the world. Freaky. Of course, at the end of the game you defeat Eve and save the world once and for all. Or do you? This game does have a sequel, which I also rented but never beat. But I don't really remember its story at all. Hopefully I can find the time to play it soon.

Gameplay:

I am not sure why I thought this game was so difficult the last time I played it. I made my way through the game with relative ease, only dying a handful of times. At no point did I have to stop and grind over and over again. Huh. I bet the last time I played I wasn't upgrading my weapons and armor. I probably was not assigning my bonus attribute points that you earn in battle either. D'oh!

Let me explain how things work. When you aren't in battle, you can freely walk through the game's environments. The look and feel of the game will probably remind you of Resident Evil at first glance, but that's where the similarities end. First, there are no tank controls. There is a run button, which you will find yourself using quite a bit. Aya moves quite slowly even when you are running, which is probably the most annoying thing I found about the game this time around. You use the action button to open chests and to check things in the environment. Many doors open just by walking into them. No need to use the action button here. Unfortunately, the collision detection is not very good in this game. Sometimes I'd encounter doors that I thought could not be opened, only to find out I was not approaching them from just the right angle.

Parasite Eve does battling a bit different from traditional RPGs. You walk around on the game map, avoiding enemy attacks while you wait for your ATB meter to charge. Once it is charged, you can attack, use an item, or use some of your special parasite powers. I enjoyed the battle system, as it is more than just picking things off of a menu. The ability to dodge attacks lends a more strategic aspect to the battles. Remember when I reviewed Quest 64? That battle system here is comparable to the system in that game, except WAY more refined.

As you fight, you gain experience and level up your character. The game often gives you a chance to return to the police station, which acts as the game's central headquarters. There, you can upgrade your items and weapons, and use the storage locker to store anything you don't need. You can (and will) quickly run out of storage space in this game. It is annoying having to constantly manage your inventory. You have to use items, even if you don't really need them, or discard them to clear up room for more items. I wish the game just let you pick up and store anything you wanted, but alas it is not to be. To make matters worse, the game often gives you "junk" which takes up inventory space. It serves no purpose other than to force you to go through your inventory and clear up more room.

The last thing I need to bring up before we move on is how it can be easy to get stuck while playing this. Some of the puzzles are a little obscure. Sometimes you don't know what you are supposed to do next, or where you are supposed to go. The environment often makes things harder, as certain items/switches/things you need to solve puzzles are often obscured or do not stand out from the background.

Luckily, I had the internet to help me when I would get stuck. As a kid in the 90s, I did not have that luxury. I can see why I rented this twice and was not able to beat it.

Graphics:

A lot of people will probably say that this game did not age well, but I freaking love how it looks. This era of gaming will always hold a special place in my heart. That said, I can see why people would not like it. The environments for the most part look good (although they are mainly just flat 2D images). It's the characters that do not look the best. They're comprised of blocky, chunky polygons that don't always look or feel quite right. I remember a few times, a character would walk in and I'd be like "where the fuck are his arms?" or "what is that supposed to be??" You really have to use your imagination when playing this.

Where the game excels the most visually is in its creepy atmosphere. I am not saying that the game is scary or anything, because it most definitely is not. But it definitely portrays a creepy atmosphere that can be unsettling at times. The scene in the park where a bunch of people melt and turn into a liquid mass is one that sticks out in my mind. 

Sound:

This game's music definitely contributes to its creepy atmosphere. It is perfect for this type of game. It's like opera mixed with Resident Evil music. I'll post a link below to a short playlist of a few of my favorite songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZbOOHhD-WI&list=PL8Sdr_u0PmxjGdRi9r3-V0IwS5Ic9zLzp

Aside from the music, not much else stands out. There is no voice acting. The sound effects are nothing to write home about. But the music, though. It's so good!

Overall:

I had a great time playing this game. I loved it. I can't believe I did not appreciate this game back when it was first released. Looking at it now, I can see it for how awesome it truly is. The gameplay is fun. I love the atmosphere and the music. It moved along quickly. It didn't drag at any point. I was fully invested the entire way through this. 

If you are a fan of PS1 era games like Dino Crisis, Resident Evil, and Final Fantasy VIII, you will love this. It is a must play. It's not a perfect game, but I have to say that it is the most fun I've had with a video game in a long time. I flew through it!

This game gets an emphatic yes from me.

THE GRADE:

A

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