Platform: PlayStation

Developer: SquareSoft

Publisher: Square Electronic Arts

Release Date NA: January, 12, 2000

Genre: Action, Role-Playing, Survival Horror

Ranking: Great

Reviewed by: Juuchi Yosamu

A familiar feel with new elements, I will admit it wasn’t what I expected but that’s not always a bad thing. So we went from a Role-Playing-Game with an innovative battle system to Resident Evil with magic. Let’s begin with the game breakdown.

Synopsis

Our lovely protagonist, Aya Brea, is back again but this time she is in a special division of the FBI known as MIST, the Mitochondrial Investigation and Suppression Team. Aya is dispatched to Los Angeles where there have been numerous sightings of NMC’s or Neo-Mitochondrial Creatures. Aya discovers that NMC’s can take human form and, to her dismay, she also uncovers a ANMC’s, a Artificial  Neo-Mitochondrial Creature. After certain events transpire, Aya finds herself  in the desert town of…. Dryfield…. I think they could have come out with a more creative name. Determined to find out who is manufacturing the ANMC’s, Aya sets off in search of the cause to this new NMC outbreak.

Battle

The battle system in Parasite Eve II has a Resident Evil feel to it except you still have the added bonus of PEnergy. They have a better selection of weapons and the offensive PEnergy attacks are waaaaaay more destructive. Again, positioning is KEY, even more so in this game since the PEnergy attacks can hit multiple targets within it’s area of effect. Some magic hits within an AOE of the point of impact and some hit anything within the line of fire. After battle you will get BP and EXP (Derp) but… EXP does not level you like you would think, EXP is only used to revive (Purchase) or strengthen (Level) the dormant PEnergy within you while BP is used to purchase weapons, armor and items.

PEnergy

Just as they beefed up your arsenal, they upgraded your PEnergy substantially. Unlike Parasite Eve where your PE bar fills automatically, In Parasite Eve II you have an MP bar. Unlocking the next tier of spells gives an additional bonus of granting you extra MP points. As stated previously, you get area of effect, conal but you also get spells that hit every target available. T

Graphics & Music

Although the graphics are much better than the original Parasite Eve, I don’t care too much for the monsters. For the most part…. I have no idea whet the hell the monster is supposed to be. If I had to guess… a demonic llama/man hybrid maybe? Of course the human characters look much better than it’s predecessor but it definitely  lost points for the demonic llamas. Naoshi Mizuta was the composer to Parasite Eve II. Now although I like the music, I was really hoping for a follow up of the original. Just like the game play has changed into a more Resident Evil feel, so has the music. If I had to label it, I’d say it was a mixture of Resident Evil and Silent Hill. It has this eerie, ominous feel to it.

Conclusion

I did enjoy the game but it ultimately falls in it’s predecessor’s shadow. If this was a stand alone game I think I would like it much more but just because it’s Parasite Eve I was expecting something much different. Another change is it’s replay value which I would set to high. There are a POO ton of bonuses that you receive from beating the game. Some require you to beat the game numerous times. The game also offers numerous extra modes which you unlock by, surprise, beating the game. Beating the games, numerous times, may seem like a chore but you can speed run through this game just as you would with any Resident Evil title. After you know where to go and what you need, beating the game in under 2 hours won’t be a problem and I wouldn’t be surprised to see you getting under an hour with the over powered guns you can unlock. It is definitely a game worth having but just remember: Do not expect it to be like PE, think of it as an individual game that has a similar plot to PE and I’m sure you will enjoy Parasite Eve II.