arasite Eve II follows the story of Aya Brea four years after the events in Parasite Eve. Aya has joined MIST, a special FBI unit dedicated to hunting down NMCs, the monsters formed when mutant mitochondria take over a living host. The game is a clear successor to the Resident Evil series, and players familiar with the static backgrounds, suspenseful sound effects and spooky atmosphere will feel right at home.
The plot consists of three levels that increase in length and complexity as the game progresses. The first level features an NMC attack at the top of a skyscraper, where Aya gets hints that more is going on than a simple attack. The second level involves the exploration of a deserted Arizona town, where she makes some unexpected allies and learns more about the NMCs in the area. The third level deals with a lengthy investigation of an underground shelter that is dedicated to researching new strains of NMCs--taxing Aya and her weapons to the limit.
The game blends standard aspects of the Resident Evil genre with roleplaying game elements like experience points and gradually increasing powers. Killing NMCs gives Aya experience points that she can spend to increase her latent mental powers (the "magic" of the game). In addition, Aya receives Bounty Points (BP) for each kill that she can use to purchase new weapons, ammo and special items. While these elements are important to the game, players should expect an experience more in tune with the latest Resident Evil clone than an RPG title.
Spooky science and nice legs
Parasite Eve II is fun, no question. Horror is an engaging game category--the player jumps as the first monster leaps out, and instantly has an emotional investment in the game. Square takes a risk with Parasite Eve II, adding roleplaying elements to a genre that has resisted such influences for years. As it is, the game is good, but if Aya's gun didn't have a wacky device that counts BP whenever she kills something, the game would deliver even more.
Despite the distractions of experience points and BP, Parasite Eve II delivers some chilling scenes, a number of cool monsters and a satisfactory amount of Aya running around in tight shorts. The monsters come in interesting varieties, have diverse attacks and require the use of multiple weapons. The monster design falls short in one very important area, however: the bosses. The bosses, without exception, provide boring fights in which whacking the trigger repeatedly, eyes closed, is the best tactic.
The game delivers excellent graphics, smooth sound and surprisingly good dialogue. Although it occasionally waxes corny, the dialogue between the characters holds up throughout the game. The ho-hum fights with the bosses are few, and they're easy enough that players will probably have to suffer only a single match with each one. Fans of horror games or long-legged women shouldn't let the game's few flaws keep them from trying it.
