Mitochondria are organelles found in our cells. They contain mitochondrial DNA that produces proteins supplying those cells with energy. This process is essential for triggering the chemical reactions that sustain metabolism.
The DNA stored within them differs from nuclear DNA, which is inherited from both parents. In contrast, mitochondrial DNA is passed down only through the mother, transmitted via her egg cells. From this observation emerged the concept of “Eve”, the most ancient ancestor shared by every human being — each of us carrying a trace of her mitochondrial DNA. But in this story, that mysterious entity possesses a perverse, superior consciousness that threatens humanity. After centuries of waiting, she finally finds the right moment to fulfill her sinister purpose: exploiting her presence within every human to take control, overthrow the species, and achieve an ultimate evolutionary form.
This is the core premise of Parasite Eve, released in 1998 by Squaresoft on the PlayStation. The game freely adapts Hideaki Sena’s sci-fi novel of the same name. Although not a direct sequel to the book, the novel provides a narrative foundation that the developers used to craft a standalone game. Parasite Eve has a marked singularity, but that doesn’t entirely make it an autonomous work — it's fundamentally a hybrid medium. This fusion of influences, far more intriguing than it first appears, mines into Squaresoft’s past works with the ambition of producing a horror game in the wake of Resident Evil, which had captured the world’s attention just two years earlier.
P.E. is an action-RPG mixing the dynamism of action-adventure games with combat and grinding mechanics inherited from traditional RPGs. It tackles the uncommon theme of a biochemical threat with a realistic and horror-driven approach. Such a setting was completely new for the company, typically rooted in fantasy worlds. This experimental direction led to the game being released exclusively in Japan and the United States. It also earned Squaresoft its first ESRB “M” (Mature) rating — a badge reflecting both the audacity of the gameplay ideas and the boldness of the studio’s faith in the project.
The title was the product of close collaboration between Squaresoft Japan and its American branch — specifically, the Los Angeles CG studio specialized in FMVs (Full Motion Videos). Hironobu Sakaguchi, the legendary producer and father of Final Fantasy, led the development, coordinating both divisions. Takashi Tokita, fresh off Chrono Trigger and Live A Live, joined the project as director.
Tetsuya Nomura (Final Fantasy VII, Kingdom Hearts) was brought on to craft the character designs and environments. He later revealed that Aya Brea, the protagonist, was influenced by Sakaguchi’s request to model her after X-Files’ Dana Scully — serious, grounded, and realistic. Nomura infused this sensibility into Aya’s design, giving her a less gendered, less sexualized wardrobe compared to the standards of the era—an intentional choice meant to support her portrayal as a complex female protagonist.
Sakaguchi introduced the project as a “cinematic RPG”, which captures the team’s ambition. The Los Angeles studio was tasked with delivering richly detailed visuals approaching film-level quality. The emphasis on CGI cutscenes — Squaresoft’s crown jewel at the time — reflected a confidence rooted in the company’s recent successes.
Sakaguchi also subtly reintroduced several ideas inherited or abandoned by the studio, elements already familiar to players. For example, New York’s pre-rendered backgrounds seen in the opening were originally intended to represent Midgar in Final Fantasy VII. Likewise, the combat action gauge strongly recalls the ATB (Active Time Battle) system created by Hiroyuki Ito for Final Fantasy IV.
Christmas Eve, 1997. The game opens with blood-red tears rolling down the copper cheeks of the Statue of Liberty. Aya Brea, a young officer of the NYPD, steps out of a limousine with her date, heading toward the opera. During the performance, Melissa Pierce — the lead singer — reveals herself as the vessel for the entity known as Eve. Taking advantage of the captivated audience, she manipulates their mitochondria and immolates them in a beautifully orchestrated cinematic sequence.
Everyone dies except Aya, who watches in horror before instinctively drawing her gun in an attempt to stop the creature.
“You should be awakening soon… your cells are trying to communicate. They’re calling out…”
After uttering these words and withstanding Aya’s attacks, Eve flees to the lower level. Aya pursues her backstage — a sequence that establishes the foundation of the game’s atmosphere and sound design. The echo of Aya’s footsteps as she moves forward, weapon in hand, combined with Yoko Shimomura’s sinister compositions (Street Fighter II, Legend of Mana, ...) creates a sinister tone.
A cutscene follows, explicitly showcasing Eve's ability to trigger mitochondrial mutations. A rat transforms into a grotesque monster in a repulsive but memorable sequence, and Aya is immediately forced into combat. She eventually catches up to Eve, but the confrontation ends, once again, with the creature’s escape. This chase-and-confrontation loop forms the backbone of the game’s structure : Aya investigates, finds Eve, fights her, and Eve escapes. The adventure is split into six chapters corresponding to six days following this loop until the final clash.
Alongside this structure runs Aya’s personal quest for identity. She experiences disturbing visions of two children in a hospital room. Why is she having these hallucinations ? Why is she seemingly immune to mitochondrial mutation ? What mysterious connection binds her to Eve ?
This search for meaning greatly enriches the plot, deepening Aya’s character and keeping players engaged throughout the journey.
Aya is soon joined by her colleague Daniel at the NYPD HQ, which serves as the game’s hub. He acts as Aya’s sidekick in the investigation, but only in the story, he never takes part in the fights. He also provides emotional support, helping Aya bear the heavy burden of the difficult situation with his humanity. Each day begins or ends with a debriefing scene inside the squad car, helping contextualize the unfolding events. Daniel softens Aya’s colder traits and offers a narrative point of reference.
Dr. Maeda, an important character arriving from Japan, also joins the investigation. He has been studying mitochondria and previously documented a case similar to Eve’s outbreak in his home country. Maeda acts as the scientific authority of the story, giving credibility to the biochemical threat and fleshing out the mitochondrial lore. He also bridges the game with the novel, the incidents he describes come directly from Hideaki Sena’s book, forming a clear link between the two works.
Each new chapter allows players to advance the main story or revisit previously explored areas. While revisiting holds limited gameplay interest — grinding in one zone usually provides enough XP for the boss — some players may still want to collect missed items or revisit the environments.
Combat itself is engaging and innovative. While exploring, random encounters freeze the screen and convert the map into a gridded combat arena. This is where the game reveals its action-RPG identity, abandoning turn-based combat for something more dynamic. Players can choose between active defense and offense. Defense relies on moving Aya freely with the joystick to dodge enemy attacks, adding tension and constant engagement. Meanwhile, the action gauge fills — mirroring Final Fantasy’s ATB — allowing the player to open a menu that pauses the action and select commands.
Attacking shows a circular radius around Aya representing her weapon’s range. Enemies outside this radius evade attacks, forcing the player to alternate between keeping distance for safety and closing in for optimal damage. Players can also use Parasite Energy spells — healing, buffs, elemental attacks — which expand in variety as the game progresses.
Combat is highly satisfying, though it can become tedious during grinding or looting phases. Random encounters tend to occur in fixed locations, making repeated runs through a zone feel predictable — one map often equals one encounter. Triggering the same fight repeatedly by re-entering an area becomes more annoying here than in typical RPGs.
Weapon variety is solid, ranging from handguns — balanced in rate of fire and damage — to assault rifles offering better range but fewer ammo advantages. A modding system allows players to transfer abilities from one weapon to another by dismantling the original, adding a layer of customization.
The game pays homage to Capcom’s Resident Evil in subtle but effective ways. Save points resemble RE’s iconic typewriters — though here they are telephones used to call the HQ and report progress.
Pre-rendered backgrounds play an equally crucial role in shaping the atmosphere. They allow for dynamic lighting, cinematic camera angles, and seamless integration with CGI cutscenes. Without them, the game would have lacked much of its charm. Attempting to portray a sprawling city with real-time environments on the PS1 would have been technically restrictive.
Parasite Eve is overall a very good game. Its innovative gameplay would inspire Vagrant Story (2000), and the production quality proves the game is far from a derivative experiment unable to escape its influences.
Still, some criticisms hold : the lack of English or Japanese voice acting slightly detracts from immersion, and the minimalist soundtrack — likely inspired by Resident Evil — doesn’t always work in a game focused more on horror than survival. In Resident Evil, silence amplifies tension; in Parasite Eve, it can feel like a missed opportunity. Playing the game today, especially after experiencing Silent Hill (1999), can skew expectations — Konami’s masterpiece pushed atmospheric horror much further in terms of suggestion and meaningfully oppressive silence.
Parasite Eve is short and concise, lasting around ten hours — more than enough to be enjoyable. Released late in the PlayStation’s lifecycle, it is largely free of the typical technical issues — awkward camera angles, clunky controls — that often plague older 3D titles when played again decades later.
Replay value is slightly limited. The game’s cinematic emphasis discourages repeated playthroughs, though a New Game+ mode adds challenge and opens the optional Chrysler Building: 77 brutal floors teeming with monsters.
Regardless, the game was a success for the Japanese studio. A 2004 Square Enix report revealed sales nearing two million copies (1,050,000 in Japan and 890,000 in the US), far outperforming its sequel.
Parasite Eve II leaned heavily into action with a formula closer to Resident Evil, sacrificing innovation for safety. It’s fair to wonder whether this was intended to secure the franchise financially. Still, the first Parasite Eve marked a turning point for Squaresoft. Its embrace of cinematic storytelling became a cornerstone of the company’s identity—one that would define its productions for years to come.
Credits: @radikaldreamers