Fans of Parasite Eve might want to wishlist an upcoming survival horror game that was inspired by Square’s cult classic 1998 horror RPG. The first M-rated game released by the company that was then known as SquareSoft, Parasite Eve was itself the sequel to a novel of the same name by Hideaki Sena. It takes place in the streets of New York City, with players taking control of NYPD officer Aya Brea as she battles the genetically anomalous Eve, who is threatening humanity with spontaneous combustion and mitochondrial mutation.
Parasite Eve merged cinematic storytelling with real-time and turn-based elements, and its gameplay was accompanied by a lauded soundtrack by composer Yoko Shimomura. The RPG received generally high review scores and quickly became a bestseller in Japan. Over time, Parasite Eve developed a dedicated fan base that appreciated its aesthetic and gameplay, as well as its unique blending of horror and RPG elements. Its success led to two sequels, Parasite Eve 2 one year later and The 3rd Birthday in 2010, and fans have been clamoring for another entry in the series ever since.
New Horror Game is Resident Evil Meets Parasite Eve, and You Can Play It Soon
An upcoming independent horror title looks to be a perfect love letter to Resident Evil, Parasite Eve, and other classic PlayStation 1 games.
Parasite Eve Fans Should Consider Trying Out Parasite Mutant
Even nearly 30 years later, Parasite Eve still inspires game developers, and the upcoming survival horror title Parasite Mutant has been positioned by creator and publisher IceSitruuna as an indie spiritual successor. On January 6, a demo for the RPG was made available on Steam, though the full game is slated to be released on both PC and PlayStation 5 at an as yet unannounced date. Parasite Mutant casts players as psionic agent Nova, who has been sent to investigate an abandoned island teeming with grotesque mutants and hidden secrets that will irrevocably change her fate. IceSitruuna’s project emphasizes puzzle exploration, tactical combat, and mystery in a setting that has been designed to evoke the same tension and dread that made Parasite Eve’s New York so memorable.
Mechanically, Parasite Mutant features an Active Time Chain (ATC) system that is a clear homage to Parasite Eve’s Active Time Battle system of old, tasking players with timing their actions across segmented gauges, dodging enemy attacks, and then unleashing strategic strikes on foes. Combining classic RPG mechanics with some adjustments more suited to modern gamers, the survival horror title also offers a retro CRT camera filter for that nostalgic aesthetic. Additionally, the game will feature a New Game+ mode and an outfit customization system that should give players plenty of reasons to do more than one playthrough.
With the Parasite Mutant demo currently available on Steam, eager fans can explore the prologue and get hands-on with the game’s core combat and horror mechanics. Early user reviews are already rating the demo positively, with approximately 90% of more than 50 reviews (at the time of writing) praising the experience, atmosphere, and visuals.
Rumors and discussions about a possible fourth entry in the decades-old series regularly pop up, with Parasite Eve fans also expressing hopes for remakes of the aging games. Currently, all three titles are trapped on older PlayStation consoles, and only The 3rd Birthday is available digitally, though access is limited to the PlayStation Portable or PlayStation Vita handhelds.
