For our final entry
into this Halloween horror show is another throwback to the
yesteryear of video games. Not quite as famous as the Resident
Evil or Silent Hill
games, and not solely a horror
game. However, it definitely has themes and trappings that fit the
genre, and enough gore to satiate the thirst of most horror fans;
albeit, in the low resolution graphics of the original Playstation.
I
am speaking about Parasite Eve.
More
specifically, I am speaking about the second one, Parasite
Eve 2.
So
come, and let us wake this ancient creature from its slumber.
Warning!
Possible spoilers for both the Parasite Eve 1 and
Parasite Eve 2.
The
Parasite Eve series
follows the exploits of Aya Brea, a resident of New York, and an
agent of the law. Both games follow her as she battles against the
Neo Mitochondria Creatures, or NMCs; monsters that pose a threat to
every man, woman, and child on the face of the Earth. These twisted
creatures come in many forms, and despite seemingly natural origins,
openly defy the laws of nature as we know them.
The
second game features Aya attempting to track down the source of these
monsters, and put an end to them once and for all. Along the way she
makes several allies, but has to be careful, as some monsters have a
human face.
Aya
herself is an interesting character, being cut from a different
cloth from most of the video game protagonists of her generation.
She has her hang-ups and flaw, but can also be fun and even charming;
showing a large variety of emotions. She has a significant amount of
depth, for a character from the Playstation One era.
To
aid her in her quest, Aya has powers beyond the ordinary human,
granted to her by the awakened mitochondria within her own body.
Naturally, these occupy a large part of the games battle system.
Parasite
Eve 2 is half survival horror,
and half action RPG. Outside of battle the player follows the usual
horror formula of creeping through the environment keeping an eye out
for the enemies, and scavenging whatever resources they can find.
Although, it is a bit less horrific than Resident Evil for example,
as you do occasionally run across caches that hold an abundance of
ammo, but each cache only holds a single calibre.
Still,
despite the game developers showing this one mercy, it's entirely
possible to run out of ammo in your best gun at just the wrong
moment.
It
is also possible to equip Aya with different types of armour, and its
not simply a matter of picking whichever one has the highest defence
stat. Some carry special effect, such as status immunities, or extra
item pouches; so the player needs to decide what is more important.
Inside
combat, the game takes a slightly different turn. Half of the combat
is in real time, the other half is somewhat turned-based. When the
player goes into the menu to select an item, or ability, the game
pauses, to allow the player to make the selection with being hit
whilst browsing the inventory. However, as soon as you make you
selection, the enemy begin moving again, so it is entirely possible
to be hit before you finish casting.
Aya's
abilities all have different casting times, and areas of effect, so
planning ahead is essential. Not only that, but they also have a
variety of uses; from simple fireballs to inflict damage, to spells
to inflict negative status effects on enemies, or positive effects on
herself. There are also healing spells, but unlike healing items
these cost time, and Parasite Energy.
There
is definitely a strategic edge to the combat.
Your
inventory is not unlimited either, and is restricted even further
inside of combat, as the player does not have access to the main
inventory. Each piece of armour has a limited number of item slots,
and only the items in these slots can be used in battle. This
enhances the survival aspect of the game, as it forces to player to
consider which items will be useful to them in a given scenario.
After
a battle the player is rewarded with exp, with which to buy and
upgrade Aya's Parasite Energy. They also receive BP, the currency of
the game, which allows you to buy weapons, armour, and items. It
should be noted that it is almost impossible to but every item in the
game, and the player is forced to consider their decision carefully.
These
two disparate gameplay styles can be jarring at first, but switching
between the two soon becomes second nature.
In
terms of environment design the game does very well. The backgrounds
are all pre-rendered, allowing them to put in a large amount of
detail. However, this does mean that the camera is “fixed”,
leaving the player being able to see what the producers want them to
see. Then again, having that control taken away from you could be
seen as one of the basics of horror. Still, this may be frustrating
to players used to having control of the camera.
The
areas are all well designed, with blood and debris littered about,
giving a feeling disrepair, and faded glory. It helps to create a
sinister air, as Aya probes the darkened corners of abandoned rooms,
or blood-splattered corridors. Especially when you can't see what
may be lurking in the shadows.
The
sound design helps to generate atmosphere too. The music is not
remarkable, but manages to set the tone nicely. It contains a number
of haunting tracks, that serve to emphasis the sinister nature of
some of these places, and does it without drawing too much attention
to itself.
The
sound effects are much more important. Aya's footsteps echo through
abandoned rooms, or crunch loudly on gravel, emphasising just how
alone she is against these monsters. Then there is the background
noises, like the creaking of an old gate, or somehow ominous weeping.
This all helps to give the impression of a place that is somehow
both alive and dead, at the same time.
Overall,
I would consider this a classic of the genre(s), and a must play for
fans of survival horror; or fans of strategic, action RPGs. However,
some players of modern horror games may be frustrated by the tropes
of horror games past, and the limited hardware or the era.
Until next time,
PhoenixAct.
No comments:
Post a Comment