Parasite Eve (video game)

Did You Know?

• The game was originally planned to be set in Tokyo as a more direct sequel to the novel, but producer Hironobu Sakaguchi suggested New York City after six months of development.
• Over two hundred copies were shipped to Best Buy retailers a week before release due to a shipping mixup.
• The game was included in the Japanese lineup of the PlayStation Classic in 2018.

Plot

Aya, her date, and lead actress Melissa Pearce survive. Melissa tells Aya that her mitochondria need more time to develop, then mutates into a beast and flees into the sewers, declaring herself Eve. The next day, Aya and her partner Daniel Dollis consult scientist Dr. Hans Klamp about mitochondria, but find his information unhelpful. They learn Eve is in Central Park, where a crowd has gathered for a performance. Aya enters alone because Daniel cannot pass without combusting. She reaches the theater too late; Eve causes the audience's mitochondria to rebel, turning them into a slimy orange mass. Aya fights Eve aboard a horse-drawn carriage and is knocked unconscious. Daniel discovers his son Ben left the theater when he felt ill and his mother acted strangely, and learns Manhattan is being evacuated.

Music

Yoko Shimomura wrote the music for Parasite Eve, including the main theme Primal Eyes and the ending vocal track Somnia Memorias, sung by Shani Rigsbee. The soundtrack blended opera and electronica and was highly praised by critics. Shimomura described her approach as creating inorganic, emotionless music to match the game’s mood and the character Aya’s reserved nature, calling it an experimental and difficult project. While working in America alongside many staff members, a visit to a nightclub gave her ideas for adding different rhythms to opera pieces for battle sequences. Recording took place at Andora Studios in Los Angeles. A separate Parasite Eve Remixes album featured ten tracks remixed by different artists. Somnia Memorias later appeared on the Square Vocal Collection in 2001. Shigeo Tamaru handled additional arrangements.

Reception

Parasite Eve received generally favorable reviews according to Metacritic. IGN praised its graphics, cinematic sequences, and mature tone but noted its linear plot. Game Informer cited exquisite backdrops but criticized long load times. GameSpot highlighted the cinematic look and astounding detail in New York City locations, though the lack of voice acting hindered dramatic scenes. GamePro found deeper gameplay than Resident Evil with multiple weapon upgrades and hidden areas. Reviewers noted the game broke RPG conventions but had little replay value and was relatively short. Game Revolution compared the combat unfavorably to Final Fantasy VII. Hideaki Sena approved of the adaptation. The game sold 956,461 units in Japan during the first half of 1998, becoming the country's third-best-selling game for that period, and shipped 1.94 million copies by February 2004. It was the sixth-top-selling game in Japan for 1998 with 994,000 copies. In its first US month, it was the third best-selling home console game. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences named it a finalist for Console Game of the Year, Console Action Game of the Year, and Console Role-Playing Game of the Year. Famitsu readers ranked it number 16 among top 100 PlayStation games in 2000.