27 Years Later, This Cult Classic PS1 Game Is Still Untouchable

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The original PlayStation (PS1) is often remembered as a peak time for gaming. A lot of the best games that weren’t made by Nintendo in the mid-to-late 1990s were released on the PlayStation, and many popular game series began there and continue today.

Games like Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Metal Gear Solid are PlayStation 1 classics that everyone remembers. However, many other fantastic PS1 games haven’t received the attention they deserve, especially over time. Parasite Eve II is a great example of a hidden gem.

Parasite Eve II was Sadly Overshadowed by Survival Horror Heavy Hitters

Parasite Eve II continues the story from the first game, picking up three years later. The game expertly blends the scary elements of survival horror with the engaging features of a role-playing game, as it was known at the time.

While technically an action role-playing game, Parasite Eve II blends action with role-playing elements that fans of the series appreciate. Many people remember the original Parasite Eve fondly, and with classic games gaining renewed attention, it’s a title worth revisiting and drawing lessons from.

When Parasite Eve came out, it didn’t get much attention because it was released around two incredibly popular games. In 1996, Capcom released the original Resident Evil for the PlayStation, and three years later, Team Silent created the first Silent Hill game.

Both Resident Evil and Silent Hill were huge successes that defined the survival horror genre. Because Parasite Eve came out at the same time, it didn’t get as much attention, and many people missed it.

When Parasite Eve was first released, it was often compared to Resident Evil because they both featured horror themes. Some reviewers felt that Parasite Eve combined the scary atmosphere of Resident Evil with the gameplay style of Final Fantasy.

Like the first game, Parasite Eve II wasn’t very successful. Interestingly, Kenichi Iwao, who wrote the original Resident Evil, was the writer and director of the Parasite Eve sequel. Despite many fans and critics believing Parasite Eve offered a more engaging and complex experience than its competitor, the series couldn’t escape being overshadowed by Resident Evil.

Even so, a lot of Parasite Eve fans feel the games have both better gameplay and a more engaging story. Some still feel this way today. Both fans and critics generally agree that Parasite Eve II is the strongest installment, improving on the first game in almost every aspect.

Parasite Eve II is the Perfect Example of a Survival Horror RPG

In Parasite Eve II, players take on the role of Aya Brea, now an FBI agent with the Mitochondrial Investigation and Suppression Team after previously working as a police officer in New York City. The game begins with Aya traveling to Los Angeles to investigate a series of sightings of mysterious creatures called Neo-Mitochondrial Creatures.

This situation echoes a previous case involving Aya, where she investigated Eve, a dangerous woman with a plan to end the world. Eve intended to cause humanity’s extinction by making people spontaneously combust, and she was the origin of the phenomenon – though it wasn’t technically a virus.

Okay, so the really scary thing is, this virus isn’t just some mindless thing – it’s like, aware, and it’s based on these things called mitochondria that live inside our cells. Basically, it takes over our cells and can change them in horrifying ways. We’re talking about people turning into monsters or even just… bursting into flames. It’s terrifying because it adapts and evolves, so whatever we expect, it can change!

Given what happened in the previous game, it’s natural that Aya would become involved in a new Neo-Mitochondrial outbreak. This storyline is particularly notable because it doesn’t just capture the feeling of survival horror like Resident Evil; it directly mirrors the plot of a virus transforming people into monsters.

During her first case with Rupert Broderick, Aya uncovered a frightening new type of NMC that can convincingly disguise itself as a human. This allows it to blend into crowds, get close to people undetected, and attack without raising alarms.

This frightening new development led to the NMC wiping out a whole SWAT team. The danger intensifies when Aya discovers the building is also set with explosives, suggesting a far more sinister plan than just a simple Neo-Mitochondrial outbreak.

Compared to the first Parasite Eve, the sequel is a significant improvement – larger in scope, more intense, and truly captivating. Critics and fans alike lauded these changes. In fact, Greg Orlando of Next Generation magazine described Parasite Eve II as “scary good fun,” noting that Square clearly listened to feedback from the original game.

Despite its engaging RPG elements and fast-paced battles, Parasite Eve II suffered from clunky controls reminiscent of older games. While many enjoyed the gameplay, the ‘tank controls’ felt dated, even for 1999, and were the game’s biggest weakness – often drawing comparisons to the Resident Evil series.

Even though it has some controversial gameplay choices, Parasite Eve II remains the strongest title in the series. Many dedicated fans consider it a classic survival horror game, praising its compelling story, detailed world, and memorable characters – qualities that make its flaws easy to forgive.

Even now, many fans believe Parasite Eve II is superior to Resident Evil, which is unfortunate considering how few people have played it.

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2026-01-11 04:39