Here’s a very non-rhetorical question for you: do you rate games based on how much you enjoy them, or how good you think they are? They’re often the same thing, but in the case of Parasite Eve 2, I’m almost shocked at my own rating compared to how much I enjoyed it. It makes incredible use of the PlayStation hardware, it mixes the classic survival horror I love with some fun powers and unlockables, but… it’s not very good. The idea of this sequel was to innovate on the survival horror genre in the way its predecessor explored the idea of a cinematic modern RPG, but it lacks the same level of focus. It muddles atmosphere-building tools like tight camera angles and slow movement with power fantasies like bottomless ammo boxes and on-demand magical healing. It uses a quiet, understated pacing to continue a narrative that was operatic and grandiose; it carries over just enough of its old ideas to sink the potential of the new ones. Not only that, but the features removed in the process of survival horror-ization were some of the most unique, like exchanging properties of different weapons to create 12 gauge SMG’s that shot lightning, and replaced them with the weapons Resident Evil fans were used to. However, maybe it’s that level of familiarity that still makes this game enjoyable for me. There’s a certain catharsis in casting a spectacular firaga instead of praying that I have enough grenades, and getting out of sticky situations by magically enhancing my ammo feels like I was allowed to cheat. That’s the sort of novelty I can appreciate, in spite of how it’s a result of being uncommitted to either its RPG roots or its new direction. If you’ve played Parasite Eve and were looking to jump into the sequel, I would genuinely recommend playing a couple Resident Evil games beforehand to get the most of it. In the meantime, I’ll keep looking for a game that will mentally prepare me for The 3rd Birthday.