A unique entry in Square's prolific and experimental PSX era, Parasite Eve adapts FFVII, with its grandiose FMV cutscenes and pre-rendered environments, into a survival horror. It's still a JRPG at its core, but one which trades micro-level complexity for macro-level; the single-protagonist combat cannot match the complexity of the party-based approach of Final Fantasy, but limitations in inventory, ammo, and items mean that choices regarding how you invest in your character's attributes and equipment have consequences that paint a complex picture in the long-term. The "long-term" thankfully isn't too long, clocking in at around 10-hours for me, resulting in a game that's well-paced and with areas that feel fully-developed and lived-in - no endless nondescript dungeons here, it's all-killer no-filler. Pair all this with a bonkers sci-fi story, wonderful music, and a diverse cast of characters, and you're left with a game that completely lived up to its potential.

Reviewed on Feb 16, 2024


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