Parasite Eve

An opera performance at Carnegie Hall turns into a nightmare when the audience begins to spontaneously combust and the soprano reveals her true, monstrous nature. With this scene Parasite Eve begins — a game that blended a Hollywood thriller, a Japanese RPG, and cosmic horror into a shape no one had seen before.

The player takes on New York police officer Aya Brea, whose own cells hold the key to the mystery. The combat system is hybrid and ingenious: you move around the battlefield in real time and dodge attacks, but once the action meter fills, the game pauses and you choose a shot or a supernatural ability. The result is a gripping combination of action and turn-based strategy, supported by upgrading weapons, armor, and parasitic abilities.

The game places emphasis on an unexpectedly scientific theme — mitochondria, the energy factories of cells, rebel against humanity. This biological horror lends the story an original flavor and sets it apart from typical fantasy. Cinematic interludes, quality music, and a serious, mature narrative made Parasite Eve an unusually cinematic experience for its time.

Behind the game stands the studio Square, then a powerhouse of the RPG genre and the force behind the Final Fantasy series. Square here experimented with a modern urban setting and a horror tone, and it was moreover one of the titles with which the company tried to break into the Western market with more mature content. The music was composed by Yoko Shimomura, and its dark, atmospheric soundtrack ranks among the most acclaimed elements of the game.

Parasite Eve is today valued as a bold genre crossbreed and a cult classic that proved an RPG need not mean only swords and dragons. It received a sequel, and its inventive combat system and raw atmosphere still fuel discussions among fans longing for the series' return.

Why play it: For an unconventional fusion of action, turn-based RPG, and biological horror that has no equal on the PlayStation.