I can imagine a version of this game in which there is no dialogue, or whatever dialogue there is is in a fake, invented language no one understands. Parasite Eve would have been so much better like that.
Gameplay holds up quite well after more than 20 years since the game’s first release: for the most part combat is hard without being overwhelming (a few of the final bosses excluded) as long as the player is not spreading weapon upgrades too thinly.
The setting and overall atmosphere are brilliant. There’s a great balance between freaky body horror, vaguely science-y nods, and a sort of 1990s noir vibe. Mutated animals are interesting in how outlandish they are (rats who generate fire from their tails? why not?) Exploring the city feels great despite all the random encounters, and certain visual choices are stylistically great. One of my favourites is the blinking red LED in landline phones indicating save points—it adds just the right amount of life to the eerily empty locations you visit throughout the game. Despite its age, visuals are evocative and ooze style, though it’s interesting how the regular game itself is nowadays more visually interesting than the fancy pre-rendered cutscenes.
All that atmosphere brutally dissipates the moment any character tries to explain the game’s story. I won’t waste time on it. Although it’s possible to appreciate it to some level because of how truly bad it is, it’s sort of a waste with how cool Aya and Eve look (the rest of the cast could disappear, honestly).
Gameplay holds up quite well after more than 20 years since the game’s first release: for the most part combat is hard without being overwhelming (a few of the final bosses excluded) as long as the player is not spreading weapon upgrades too thinly.
The setting and overall atmosphere are brilliant. There’s a great balance between freaky body horror, vaguely science-y nods, and a sort of 1990s noir vibe. Mutated animals are interesting in how outlandish they are (rats who generate fire from their tails? why not?) Exploring the city feels great despite all the random encounters, and certain visual choices are stylistically great. One of my favourites is the blinking red LED in landline phones indicating save points—it adds just the right amount of life to the eerily empty locations you visit throughout the game. Despite its age, visuals are evocative and ooze style, though it’s interesting how the regular game itself is nowadays more visually interesting than the fancy pre-rendered cutscenes.
All that atmosphere brutally dissipates the moment any character tries to explain the game’s story. I won’t waste time on it. Although it’s possible to appreciate it to some level because of how truly bad it is, it’s sort of a waste with how cool Aya and Eve look (the rest of the cast could disappear, honestly).