Gaming Parasite Eve

[Mitch]

[center][img]http://www.playonline.com/archives/psgame/eve/gif/logo.gif[/img][/center]

You probably haven't played [i]Parasite Eve[/i]. Well, it was a game released by Square for the PS about three or so years ago. When I went to Target one day, they had copies of the game on sale for $15, so I bought it, and I've owned it ever since.

I keep coming back to this game. Basically, the game is an RPG, but it has action-oriented gameplay mixed in. It also has a lot of cinematics, which has led Square to dub it as "The Cinematic RPG."

The game itself is one of my favorite games I've played. Many people have said it's "[i]Final Fantasy VII[/i] meets [i]Resident Evil[/i]" which I suppose is somewhat true. . .but to me, those two games never crossed my mind when I played it.

[center] [img]http://www.videogamereview.com/Channels/VideoGameReview/images/products/product_86454.jpg[/img][/center]

This game's just really different, and I like that. It's a horror game, sort of, but it's also an action game, sort of, and it's also an RPG, sort of. It's mix of a lot of great elements from a lot of genres into one completely original, creative, innovative package.

In the game you play Aya Brea, a cop in New York city. In the opening of the game, it's Christmas, 1997, and a cinematic scene opens, and we come to Aya standing outside Caranagie Hall, going on a date to the opera.

[center] [img]http://endtears.net/img/pe.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.gamerankings.com/screens3/492/1.jpg[/img][/center]

When she gets into the opera, another cinematic starts. It's this beautiful woman singing, in that opera way, but then, suddenly, things start on fire around her. The curtains go aflame--people start aflame--it all starts burning. But Aya is somehow immune to what is going on.

Eventually, you approach this opera singer, and then you get into a boss fight with Eve. [url=http://www.digitalsculptor.net/ParasiteEve/eve2_publicity_pose2.jpg]Click here for a picture of Eve.[/url]

From there, the game spans 6 days, where Aya must save New York.

The game has a very good graphical look for it being just a PS title, the music is good, the battle system is different--you have PE points (magic) and you can use that, and you move around open-endedly during battles, and attack once your AT gauge is full--it has an interesting weapon system, where you can make your own weapons and add special abilities to them, the same with armor.

The game takes about 15 hours to beat, but then you can play an EX game, and also there's the Chrysler Building. This thing you can only enter after you've done an EX game, but it's about 100 floors of hell, on each 20 or whatever floor, there's a boss. And of course, there's the last boss, which after beating you get a new cinematic which I've [i]never[/i] seen because I've [i]never[/i] made it through the whole goddamned thing--it's so hardcore.

[center][img]http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Chasm/1347/ParasiteEve/chrysler.jpg[/img]
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Plus, it's really hard in the Chrysler Building. You have to play through the game a few more times before you stand a chance. And the Chrysler Building is also really frustrating--the floors are randomly generated, and are full of dead ends. It's a veritable maze, and takes a lot of patience to get through every floor--but it's a nice added feature.

From the reviews I read, people seem to think the game is short. Well, then there's the Chrysler Building, plus there's the fact that this game is so great that I don't care about going through it all again--it's that goddamned fun to me. So basically, these reviewers were too harsh on this game.

This game has nice production values. A different, interesting splicing of many genres all put together. It has amazing music. It has horror elements. It has hard bosses. ([url="http://www.digitalsculptor.net/ParasiteEve/dog14_v13.0180.jpg"]Click here to see one[/url]) It's moderately difficult. The graphics are good for a pre-PS2 game. The characters sparkle with characterization, and you actually care for them. The weapons system--how you can use weapons and customize them--is very fun. It has the Chrysler Building, 100 floors of hell. It has the EX game. It has beautiful cinematics. It has an interesting story.

And yet reviewers don't seem to see what I'm seeing. Ah well.

If you can find it anywhere, get this game. E-bay whatever. It's worth it, trust me, if you give it the chance. And if you don't like it as much as me, at least you'll somewhat be fond of it.

I think this is a game that is heavily underrated, that needs to get into people's hearts like some other games do. . .well, at least that's what it's like for me. Perhaps I just have something for this game, but it's definitely stayed with me for a while.

There's also [i]Parasite Eve II[/i] for the PS, as well. I'm planning on getting a copy of that if I can eventually, with the money I make from my job. I've wanted to play that for a while, and from what reviews I've read it improves on what people thought was wrong with the original [i]PE[/i].

[center][img]http://www.einnova.com/dream/parasite_eve_2.jpg[/img][/center]

Also, read a review of [i]PE[/i] [url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps/rpg/parasiteeve/review.html]here[/url].

[BlueYoshi]

[color=teal]God I loved this game, it's been so long since I last played it. You see, it never was released in the UK so I had no choice but to get a pirated NTSC version of it, that and FFT. They've been long gone ever since I moved house, and I don't think I'll ever get another chance to play them again? they're still going at £30 a piece second hand.

The whole concept of guns and magic didn't make sense to me at first because I guess I was used to the medieval approach like in most FF games, but it was a different story when I actually played it. I think people's major misinterpretation of the game is the fact that Aya can use a gun; it totally changes the way you feel about the game at a glance because it doesn't visually say that it's very much RP heh.

It's true that the battles are frequent and annoying, particularly under the circumstances you may get them, but never the less it's still playable and down to earth. I think PE overcomes RE though, Aya's movement and flexibility owns that of Jill and Chris, or at least at the time when I played it many moons ago, and I know for sure that there isn't as much backtracking, which usually tended to scoop in a few extra unnecessary battles. :rolleyes:

PE2 wasn't as enjoyable as the first, I thought, but it was good that Square fixed a few of the climaxing problems with the battles. The fact that they were in real time let you choose whether or not you wanted to fight, so there was a sense of freedom which I liked. Also, the experience points. Even though you just gain points to level up your skills and magic, I still prefer the usual method of building up stats and such, but I guess they are the equivalent of each other in a way.[/color]

[Semjaza]

I borrowed this game from a friend way back in high school. I didn't feel so bad since I didn't pay for it, but if I paid the then $50 for the game, I think I might have felt ripped off.

The game was by no means bad, but I didn't love it. I enjoyed it and thought a lot of the concepts were rather interesting and unique at the time. The story was a bit convulted and such, but it was understandable.

It only took me eight hours to get through on my first play, however. I felt a bit disappointed when I compared it to the supposed 12 to 18 hours it was supposed to last.

[Hevn]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][SIZE=1][B]I've started this one years ago but lost all interest after a while and never had the chance to finish it. It's a really nice game though and I'm honestly hoping to get to it sometime. The graphics/animations and sounds are great and the storyline is interesting. I like how I can move around during battles in real-time unlike FF games. I never get to see that Chrysler Building but I see it's interesting too.

One thing that I have to mention though is I've seen a Japanese movie whose theme is so much like this. It has all those mitochondria stuff and people burning. I never got to see that movie again so I never knew the title. But it really is like Parasite Eve the Movie. Anybody saw that one?

Anyway, Aya and her pistol rocks.[/B][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Gelgoog Pilot]

Ahh! Parasite Eve...I loved this game...I sort of tided me over during one of those gaps between FF games heh. Im a big fan of square what can I say? Anyways..I believe I beat it in about 13 hours the first time through. I did play the ex game...AND Imaging this..beat that damn Chrysler building..let me tell you...it is truely 100 floors of hell...I went through the game 3 times I believe to finally have enough power to make it up to the last floor. Ugh 5 times that idiot boss beat me down...BUT after hearing that the last cinema was worth it I just kept at it and pulled an all-nighter. Yes it is worth the trouble heh. Though I won't say anything about it I don't want to let you off easy MUHAHAHAHAHA! :smirk:

I haven't played the second one though...maybe some day I will...Im too concerned with some new games right now heh.

[Mitch]

[size=1][color=red] It's nice to know some other people love this game. It makes me happier.

And I still can't believe you went through that hell lol. And then you come back and tell me you won't tell me about that FMV. Meanie. :p

Well, anyway, I ordered [i]Parasite Eve II[/i] today. I'll be talking about that in this thread eventually.

Now I want to start playing the Chrysler Building again. . .hm.[/size][/color]

[Gelgoog Pilot]

Yeah man...I can't believe it either I just tried doing it again after talking about it and wow....I think when I beat it I was more lucky than anything. Lol first I dies on the 23 floor....ouch. Then I got to 59. Finally made it up to the final boss...got smoked and said well...I beat it once goodenough for me heh! :D

[Kristoff119]

This is definitely my most favorite game for the psx. I have spent so much time on this game it is sad. I think i have gone through the game at least 5 times. The reason i played it the third time was so that i could make the best weapon possible by saving all my items, weapons, and armor that would affect my weapons and armor stats, including my bonus points. The chrysler is so freakin' hard but it is definitely worth it for some of the items you recieve and for the top floor. Something that may help, after you get past a certain level( i think 38) the amount of experience needed goes considerably down making it possible to level up in the chrysler building.
The second game i really didn't care for. It just didn't have the same spark as the first. I am pretty sure that a movie was made but i can't be positive. Something i really want is the book it is based to be translated or i hope someday i can more fully understand japanese.