Parasite Eve II

"Why, yes Aya, I am free tonight."

Hmm... Parasite Eve 2? Same old battle engine? No. Same old New York City? No. Same old Aya? No. That's right, for those of you who have played the first intallment and are thinking the sequel will be similar then you'd be wrong. Square has opted to make PE2 play more like a 'Survival Horror' game. The story trails on from the last one, once again you play as the delectable Aya Brea and are faced with rebel mitochondira which tend to dislike the human appearance and prefer one with big teeth and horns! Many people with PAL format Playstations were not given the opportunity to play the first game so as a quick explanation; Aya's mitochondira has evolved further than the standard human however she is blessed with the power to control her mitochondria and harness the power as Parasite Energy, making her the perfect candidate/victim for these mitochondiral montrosities.

Initially the game seems very similar to the Resisdent Evil series however the more you play the more this game is able to stand on it's own, one major change is that you will notice that it is no longer necessary to level up, instead your experience points are used to 'revive' your parasite energies. Bounty points have also been introduced into this game, the function of this is essentially your spending money towards, weapons, armour and items.

What truely makes this game different from the Resident Evil's is the story, typically Square have been great storytellers and it's no different for this game. Although this game may demand a very basic knowledge of biological science it is still accessible by anyone who appreciates this type of game. The plot this time is a lot more sinister than it's predecessor, It takes place three years after 'The New York Incident'. Aya has left the force and has become a member of the L.A. based MIST (Mitochondrial Investigation and Suppression Team) a sub organisation of the FBI. As the name suggests, MIST are a special team made to deal with these mitochondrial outbursts as quickly and as silently as they can without disclosing anything to the public. This time round though, someone is intentionally controlling the NMCs (Neo Mitochondrial Creatures) Aya discovers evidence of organic transmitters in the NMCs suggesting that there is a higher power behind all this. In this second game Aya has also made some new friends, namely Rupert Broderick, Pierce Carradine and Jodie Bouquet they all work for MIST and help her solve the case.

Graphically this game is beautiful, it consist of very well done pre-rendered backgrounds and is easily on par, if not better than those seen in the RE series. Square seem to have made it a duty to give clear attention to detail, from the shop signs to the telephones. Typical of many Square games there is a nice bit of FMV to watch, the visual splendor of which is truely magnificent, breathtaking and dare I say it... better than that seen in FF8! One such example of this can be seen in a certain shower scene involving Aya...................umm... Excuse me.

The gameplay is there, you uncover the plot and solve certain puzzles on the way, al la Resident Evil. It may not be anything new but nevertheless it's still playable. The puzzles range from strategically killing a boss to pressing floor panels in the correct sequence. The weaponary in this game is very impressive you are give n the oppotunity of using submachine guns to more corageous weapons such as the flamethrower and the hammer, a gun able to project bolts of electricity. Following this the control in the game is pretty much the same as RE, it's a tried and tested control scheme and has been very effective so in essence why change it?

The sound here is top quality, it directly reflects the mood of the game and helps immerse the gamer into the atmosphere. Unlike the first there are no longer any opera based music which was heard quite heavily in the first, however what will be familiar is the classic 'Out of Phase' music which has been slightly tweeked for your enjoyment. Perhaps what the game does lack is voice acting, depending on your personal point of view this may be a good or bad thing. However it still seems odd to me in this time of game to not include a bit of voice acting it's almost like a muted movie.

In regards to replayabilty, there is plenty of it. Once you have completed the game once you will get some special items for your next play and also a new mode called 'Bounty mode' where you aim to collect the most bounty points. If you do well enough you will then open the 'Supportless mode' and if that's not enough there is then the 'Deadly mode'. Another reason why gamers will keep coming back for more is beacuse if you are able to gather enough experience points by the end of the game you may be given a certain weapon called the 'Gunblade' featured in a little game back in 1999 called Final Fantasy VIII.

Overall this is a highly pleasing and enjoyable game but it has not really developed itself in any drastic way, it lacks the 'quick turn' often needed in such games and there isn't anything too great in the gameplay that gives it an 'edge'. Nevertheless it's a great game with a great story to play and in my opinion is worth the money.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/25/00, Updated 09/25/00