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Message: [QUOTE="What's His Face, post: 198163, member: 125725"] The question: Parasite Eve 2 - Is it GOOD? The answer: A resounding [B]YES[/B]. The opening/setting/themes: Much like the first game in the duology (there is no such thing as "3rd Birthday" or "Parasite Eve 3" unfortunately), Parasite Eve 2 starts off with a remixed version of the song "Primal Eyes," now titled, "Forbidden Power." While the original song (and isn't that a lovely pun on the game title, both the game and the opening song using the same initials PE) sets the stage perfectly, the remix is IMO a better score. As for the opening itself, rather than just using cuts of the various cut scenes found in the game along with the various chapter titles mixed in, Parasite Eve 2 includes snippets of gameplay showing what the game looks like in-play and tosses in Final Fantasy IX-style "characterization" texts (such as "Aya Brea Question Identity" and "Kyle Madigan Question Morality" which is under constant scrutiny through the game) to both set the stage for the game in tone and story. Chef's kiss. As OP stated, we are then treated to a scene briefly explaining the events of the first game, and how Aya got to where she is now. This is nice, as many games of the era would leave such things all in the manual. What OP missed, and which lead to his issues in the early game, is that he apparently didn't take the blatantly obvious hint to continue target practice, which would've taught him the basic controls of the game (or read the manual). A rather huge oversight, especially as getting a high score here provides bonuses later on. Shortly after the opening events in the first area, which serves as an extended training tutorial + story set-piece and introducing us to "No9" - a human-monster who seems to be both hunting and controlling the monsters in the tower, the game takes us to the Mojave Desert - a location that's not exactly close to the much-vaunted "Area 51" or "Roswell" but is intended to give such vibes - a perfectly ordinary location that shouldn't have anything odd happening here, but is. Which we discover via the Area 51-esque Shelter... Another theme that OP apparently completely missed out on was Eve, Aya's [SPOILER]child clone who was named after Mitochondria Eve[/SPOILER] from the first game (and "apparently" got hijacked by it to serve as the final boss - which was the goal of No9 in-game). As Aya's clone, Eve could easily be viewed as either (or both) Aya's twin sister (which she once had, Maya, before Maya's death prior to PE and had her cornea implanted into Aya thereby giving Aya her powers - I'm left to wonder if OP did the New Game+ of PE and cleared the Chrysler Tower for the true ending) AND as Aya's child. Graphics: PS1 gorgeous. Sound/Music: Most of the music is appropriate for the area/scene. Not something you're going to play in the car with a few exceptions (the opening, the battle themes, and a few others), but serves to enhance the gameplay. Sound effects are sharp and on point providing what the player expects. Some of the noises the monsters make aren't the best, but are fairly typical for console monsters of the era. Gameplay: This is the part where you either love it or hate it. PE2 removed the overhead exploration style of PE and replaced it with Resident Evil-style pre-rendered backdrops with static camera angles. However, the basic combat remains very similar: free-range movement, gunplay, and (eventually) not-magic powers. Due to story (and graphical) reasons, Aya does not have the same powers as she had in the first game, which in-story were borrowed from her twin sisters' mitochondrial DNA in her transplanted cornea, but her very own. Story because (spoiler), graphical due to Aya's model being much larger in PE2 - [I]the "naked mitochondrial creature transformation" likely wouldn't pass the censors[/I]. In battle you can move Aya around a limited "battle" arena that's created on the exploration map (a la Chrono Trigger & PE) for better firing angles (as the monsters move around to attack as well), change targets, chose which weapons or powers you want to use, consume/use items, etc. Personally, I love PE2's gameplay style. It keeps the RPG elements of the first game while focusing on a slightly faster paced action battle system. Controls: Due to the change in gameplay (aka pre-rendered static angles), character movement is now 3D "tank control" rather than the 2D "point-&-go" of the first. This works exceptionally well;l the controls are tight and responsive, and the game is easy and enjoyable to control. Aya (and spoilers) will do exactly what you tell her to do. Button usage is obvious and comfortable - one will not be fighting the controls in this game. Story: Engaging, in a word. The story follows Aya, now based in LA, some three years after the first title as she hunts the creatures that "apparently" escaped the NYC blockade from PE. After a massive attack on the Akropolis Tower in LA, Aya follows the boss creature, "King GOLEM No. 9" - an Artificial Neo-Mitochondrial Creature that has retained his human intellect - from LA to the desert, where he serves largely as her personal foil in multiple confrontations. We eventually learn that beneath the desert is an old missile complex that had been purchased by "private venturists" and converted to a state-of-the-art lab complex called Neo-Ark (or Shambala depending on region) for cloning and mitochondrial research, and the birthplace of the ANMCs/monsters both No.9 & Aya are hunting. To say more on that is spoiler, but while No9 may have "the same job" as Aya, he is NOT her friend. Let's not forget the multiple endings based on if certain characters live or die, if you find and report various things you may or may not discover... Monster Design: Vastly different from the first game, which focused on the idea of "what would a creature made of mitochondria look like?" PE2 instead focuses on "artificially forced evolution of existing animals and people via mitochondria." Due to this, many creatures will seem similar to existing animals, which some may mistakenly view as "lazy" or "goofy" instead of intentional for story purposes. Some monsters were then further modified, typically boss characters, to give them more modes of attack, larger stature, etc. Conclusion: Parasite Eve 2 is an excellent game, easily a 9/10. The graphics are fantastic. The music and sound are largely exceptional. Controls are spot-on. The story is great with actual replay value. Overall, Parasite Eve 2 is just a fun Playstation-era great game! [/QUOTE]

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