Underplayed Gems

Parasite Eve II (1999)

Parasite Eve II cover
Developer
Square Product Development Division 5
Publisher
Square, Square Enix, Sony Computer Entertainment
Platforms
PlayStation 3, PlayStation, PlayStation Portable
Genres
Role-playing (RPG)
Rating
4.0 of 5, 82 player ratings

More by Square

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More games like thisWatch the trailer

or watch the trailer on YouTube

How it feels

A tense, isolated crawl through dark corridors where every resource counts and mutated horrors lurk just ahead.

tenseatmosphericsurvival horrorsci-fi dreadslow-burnisolatingresource managementeeriemethodical

About

Parasite Eve II is an action role-playing survival horror video game released exclusively for the PlayStation. The game was developed by Square and published in Japan in 1999 and in both North America and, unlike the previous game, in PAL regions in 2000. It is the sequel to Parasite Eve and the second game in the series of the same name. Parasite Eve II is set several years after the events in the original game. The protagonist from the first game, Aya Brea, also features in this game as the playable character. She becomes involved with another outbreak of Mitochondrial creatures. Gameplay diverges from the previous game: battles take place in real time and the area of action is less restrictive. The approach is more typical of traditional survival horror games, although some role-playing elements are retained.

What players say

A divisive sequel that drops the RPG roots for Resident Evil-style survival horror, praised in both EN and JP communities for its eerie, desolate atmosphere and impressive visuals but criticized as punishing, with grindy combat and harsh damage that can make it feel unfair.

Screenshots

Parasite Eve II screenshot 1Parasite Eve II screenshot 2Parasite Eve II screenshot 3

More games like this

More by Square

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.