Parasite Eve II
Details
Release Date: 2000
Format: PS1 & Playstation Network
Developer: SquareSoft
Genre: Survival Horror
Review Score: 72%
Review Format: PSP
Date Added: December 2012
Format: PS1 & Playstation Network
Developer: SquareSoft
Genre: Survival Horror
Review Score: 72%
Review Format: PSP
Date Added: December 2012
Review
Parasite Eve is technically a survival horror game, hailing from what I consider to be the classic era of survival horror (somewhere between Resident Evil 1 and 0). Having said that, to a modern audience at least, it has a stronger action side and less of the horror. Unlike the earlier Resident Evil games (to which it is incredibly similar) you can run around shooting everything, this is encouraged in fact because for the handgun at least there is unlimited ammo available although you do have to search for it. Parasite Eve also distinguishes itself from other games by its slight but brilliant mix of RPG elements into the genre. As well as guns you are able to utilise a range of offensive and defensive 'parasite energies' which are basically the sort of magic techniques Square is so famous for using in the Final Fantasy series. But here they are in a survival horror and without giving away the plot they work brilliantly, the reason for them existing being a central part of the story. I should also point out that this is actually the second game in a trilogy however the original was never released in Europe so I've not experienced it. This game works brilliantly without having played the first.
Gameplay is closer to that of Resident Evil than Silent Hill although as said there is more action than survival, this is also helped by rooms on the map highlighting red when monsters are present which takes away some of the element of surprise. There are a few riddles and puzzles to solve as you go along, which range from easy to somewhat difficult however the hardest ones are not usually essential to the story but reveal bonus items. The controls are similar to other Survival Horrors of the era, the environments are all pre-rendered 3D with static cameras which I love for the detail they give and the ability to create tension by not showing what's round the corner however it can get irritating when you can't see what your shooting at. In general the controls are quite natural to follow although there is a rather complicated menu system for loading items: if your new to the game you need to move a gun and its corresponding ammo into your armours storage slot as only items carried on the armour can be used in battle.
The graphics vary in quality, there are a few full motion video sequences. In general the backgrounds are pre-rendered 3D which still look good today. The character models do not hold up so well though, especially when played on a large TV screen, the larger monsters at times just look odd and out of proportion which detracts from the horror element of the game. The background soundtrack matches the atmosphere and setting very well but at times gets a bit simple and repetitive, there is also no voice acting which is a shame because it could have added a lot!
The game has a lot of replay value. There are a couple of different possible endings but achieving a specific one can be particularly difficult as there are many things you must do throughout the game including defeating bosses within a certain time (which is at no point made known to you) and completing some minor side quests. If you want to achieve the best ending without resorting to GameFaqs my best advice is to search out every room, even ones you may have explored before or which may not seem relevant to the story. Trying to achieve these endings themselves adds some replay value but there are also new gameplay modes which are unlocked after the first completion and the main story briefly forks in the middle of the game so playing again allows you to discover different areas.
In summary I think this game is a brilliant cross between the Resident Evil and Final Fantasy franchises. It combines some of the best elements of each with a story line that sounds like something from the X-Files series. Although highly re-playable it is somewhat let down by the graphics and sound quality when compared to modern equivalents but that doesn't affect the gameplay! Compatibility is not an issue, the game is available to download for PSP and PS3 as well as the original PS1 disc of course, I played the PSP version.
Ratings
Originality Re-play Value Compatibility Visual Quality Sound Quality
7/10 9/10 10/10 5/10 5/10
Total Score
72%
Gameplay is closer to that of Resident Evil than Silent Hill although as said there is more action than survival, this is also helped by rooms on the map highlighting red when monsters are present which takes away some of the element of surprise. There are a few riddles and puzzles to solve as you go along, which range from easy to somewhat difficult however the hardest ones are not usually essential to the story but reveal bonus items. The controls are similar to other Survival Horrors of the era, the environments are all pre-rendered 3D with static cameras which I love for the detail they give and the ability to create tension by not showing what's round the corner however it can get irritating when you can't see what your shooting at. In general the controls are quite natural to follow although there is a rather complicated menu system for loading items: if your new to the game you need to move a gun and its corresponding ammo into your armours storage slot as only items carried on the armour can be used in battle.
The graphics vary in quality, there are a few full motion video sequences. In general the backgrounds are pre-rendered 3D which still look good today. The character models do not hold up so well though, especially when played on a large TV screen, the larger monsters at times just look odd and out of proportion which detracts from the horror element of the game. The background soundtrack matches the atmosphere and setting very well but at times gets a bit simple and repetitive, there is also no voice acting which is a shame because it could have added a lot!
The game has a lot of replay value. There are a couple of different possible endings but achieving a specific one can be particularly difficult as there are many things you must do throughout the game including defeating bosses within a certain time (which is at no point made known to you) and completing some minor side quests. If you want to achieve the best ending without resorting to GameFaqs my best advice is to search out every room, even ones you may have explored before or which may not seem relevant to the story. Trying to achieve these endings themselves adds some replay value but there are also new gameplay modes which are unlocked after the first completion and the main story briefly forks in the middle of the game so playing again allows you to discover different areas.
In summary I think this game is a brilliant cross between the Resident Evil and Final Fantasy franchises. It combines some of the best elements of each with a story line that sounds like something from the X-Files series. Although highly re-playable it is somewhat let down by the graphics and sound quality when compared to modern equivalents but that doesn't affect the gameplay! Compatibility is not an issue, the game is available to download for PSP and PS3 as well as the original PS1 disc of course, I played the PSP version.
Ratings
Originality Re-play Value Compatibility Visual Quality Sound Quality
7/10 9/10 10/10 5/10 5/10
Total Score
72%
Where To Get It
You can download a copy from the Playstation Store to your PS3 or PSP. Or you can buy an actual disc online to play on your PS1, PS2 or PS3.
Links To Other Sources
GameFaqs - Useful for finding out more information, although I hate using walkthroughs you may just want to check which parts to look out for to get a specific ending.