There is something about classic survival horror games that have an everlasting charm. Despite the fixed camera angles, clunky controls and punishing difficulty, many of these games still hold up well. Last time I did a survival horror article I reviewed the ambitiously action heavy Fear Effect and the unique Sci-fi based Galerians. This time I’ll be reviewing Parasite Eve and Dino Crisis, two Playstation One classics in my opinion.

Parasite Eve was released in 1998 by Squaresoft (now known as Square Enix). The story follows a cop on the trail of a mysterious woman who is the cause of a renegade parasite outbreak and an army of hostile mutated creatures. The story of this game is surprisingly deep and the gameplay throws

away many of the conventional survival horror traits. Instead of clunky tank controls this game opts for a more traditional control scheme. This works well with the fixed camera angles, though there are occasional moments of headache.

The combat system takes a more RPG approach with random encounters on the map (though the scene doesn’t change once you enter battle). You are now encouraged to fight instead of running since your character can level up. While in combat you can move at all times but can only attack when your action meter fills. As simple as this sounds, this is a very interesting approach to fighting, with an emphasis on risk and reward. You fight mainly using firearms and the different types have good and bad points. Do you go for a fast gun and sacrifice range? Do you tolerate low ammo for a powerhouse weapon? This depends all on what type of firearm you come to prefer. You also gain psychic abilities, called “Parasite Energy”, though these are mostly just support abilities.

Attacking enemies at a certain range also has a layer of depth. The closer you are, the more damage you do but the more vulnerable you make yourself to enemy attacks. Staying far away from the fight isn’t a safe solution either; you’ll learn quickly that enemies can attack at every range. Moving rapidly at a moment’s notice is the key to survival. Another important element this game throws at you is tools, an item that lets you combine weapons together to form a more powerful one with unique stats and attributes. Hold onto to these like gold; proper use of them can be invaluable.

Parasite Eve also has great replay value in the form of an extra dungeon after you beat the game once. This massive level has 77 floors that are different for each player. This is the game’s biggest and most rewarding challenge.

Dino Crisis was released in 1999 by Capcom. This story follows a special ops group that goes to a mysterious island to investigate a research facility. Unfortunately the place is over run by dinosaurs and the routine assignment turns into a nightmarish fight for survival. If you ask most people about Dino Crisis their first reaction is “It’s Resident Evil with dinosaurs.” While mostly true this game is still enjoyable.

Gun combat isn’t too different from Resident Evil, although aiming has been somewhat improved and you have the option to use tranquilizer rounds. You encounter fewer creatures at a time but they can take an astonishing amount of punishment. Dinosaurs have a habit of following you from one area to the next, making avoiding combat difficult. Blood loss also adds another element of survival. Your character may bleed after a dinosaur attack and without the proper healing item they will leave a trail of blood behind. This will attract predators to your scent and they will follow you even more relentlessly than before.

Sometimes you’ll be attacked through “danger events”, where quick button mashing is the only way to escape. If that isn’t enough a large T-Rex will occasionally show up and attempt to eat you whole. No pressure.

But this game isn’t all dinos and death; there are a large variety of puzzles to mix up the combat sections, which provide a nice breather, though some puzzles are tedious. One of the more unique elements in the game is the multiple paths you can take, and depending on which one you choose you can get a different ending. This adds replay value but otherwise this game is standard protocol for survival horror.

Both games are good and should be played by any nostalgic gamer. Parasite Eve is unique with its combat system, deep story, and featured a time when Square Enix was taking chances. Dino Crisis doesn’t add too much to the survival horror genre but is a nice alternative that more than stands on its own. I recommended both games easily though I favor Parasite Eve more.

Grade:
Parasite Eve: A-
Dino Crisis: B-