The graphics in Parasite Eve II are wonderfully pre-rendered backgrounds, a la Resident Evil, only far more vibrant and involved. I was amazed as I wandered around the different levels. Nothing was overlooked, down to the most minute detail. Even the dusty town of Dryfield was stunningly bright in color. I was really impressed. Of course, the CG was fantastic as well, that being Square's forte and all. Many of the cut scenes were rendered with the in-game engine, so transition was pretty seamless; even those that weren't flowed beautifully. This is one high quality production.

In the department of sound, I must say that I was disappointed with the lack of voice-overs in Parasite Eve II. Sure, there's always the risk of being known forever as the game with the cheesiest voice-overs ever (Resident Evil anyone?), but I still prefer to hear the voices as opposed to just reading the dialogue. Unfortuantely, Square opted for the latter. The sound effects, however, are quite good, from pleasing spell effects to creepy enemies. Sure, a few of the enemies made me laugh and one even made me cringe, but overall, very good indeed.

For those of you who have played the first Parasite Eve, beware. This is a different game altogether. Still a terrific game, but very different. If you are a fan of the Resident Evil series and survival horror in general, you have stumbled upon your must-have game for this holiday season. The best way for me to describe Parasite Eve II is Resident Evil done well. Sweeping camera angles, varied puzzles and tons of bad guys to fight make for quite a treat for fans of this genre.

One of the main differences between Parasite Eve II and Parasite Eve is the battle system. When Aya Brea, the returning main character, encounters an enemy, she is able to target them and shoot. She can switch between targets by scrolling through the available enemies. This gives the game a more -action/adventure- feel to it as opposed to the RPG style of the first game. Personally, I am not a fan of RPGs, but absolutely love survival horror and action/adventure, and I was in my element with this one. The button configuration took me only a short while to get used to, and then it was second nature. Interesting to note is the fact that Aya must 'arm' herself with a set number of items to carry into battle (and this number depends on the armor she is wearing at the time). Once an enemy is sighted, the screen flashes black and white and you are in Battle Mode. Hopefully, you will be armed to the teeth and have some extra Recovery capsules to take should you get hurt badly. Otherwise, it could be Game Over for you.

Aya's Parasite Energy ability is something I wish all survival horror games I've encountered would have had. Aya can learn new magic spells and use them for healing, super firepower, etc. She has a certain number of MP (Magic Points), and can use them in casting these spells she acquires along the way. To learn spells, she must use EXP (Experience Points), gained from battles and such. It's an RPG-styled system, but invaluable when engaged in battle and down to your last few HP (Hit Points), with some Magic Points to spare. Poof! Instant health (or whatever else you choose to learn). Aya also earns BP (Bounty Points) every time wins a battle (and she can also have 10 BP deducted if she runs from a battle). These are used to buy new weapons, ammo and items. Pretty handy. I really enjoyed the reward system in Parasite Eve II. It just worked well.

As Aya Brea, you will travel through many levels killing various NMCs, some new and some old, solving puzzles and trying to stay alive. If you are familiar with this genre, there won't be any new surprises with the puzzles. Mainly, hunt around and find the right object that does the right action. But they kept me intrigued and interested in the game. No - glued to the game. Brain teasers and plenty of action are what I like, and Parasite Eve II definitely has it all.

Not an easy game. Some enemies and bosses will take you a few times to defeat (the constant flow of mutant horses comes to mind), but for the most part, you will be having such a good time, you won't mind. Parasite Eve II eases you into the game by giving you some time to become acclimated to the controls before you are presented with your first set of enemies. The difficulty ramps up at a good pace after that.

Aya can shoot, cast spells, solve puzzles and save team members, but she can't jump. If only she could, it would feel more like an action/adventure. But alas, this is an RPG throwback, and one which can be easily overlooked with so much else to offer. PE2 does suffer from the standard survival horror control that we have seen before, but it is not something that one can't easily adjust to. As I mentioned before, Aya has scads of spells at her disposal via her Parasite Energy abilities, and you'll find these invaluable as you progress throughout the game. That boss isn't nearly so imposing when you can blast him to hell with your Level 3 Pyrokinesis. Woohoo!

The interface is also very clean looking, allowing you to easily see what weapons and pickups you have acquired. As I mentioned before, be prepared long before you go into battle by attaching your extra weapons and recovery capsules to your current armor, and making the most of what you have. By carefully choosing what armor you purchase with your BP, you can also increase your HP and MP and better your chance of winning the game. Various weapons can also be customized to increase their destructive abilities, so use this to your advantage.

Saving your game's progress is handled by Aya calling into her boss on the phones that can be found around the different levels. I liked this. Finally, a save point that makes sense. Also, Aya has a GPS that she uses to map each area she visits, and can also enter maps into the GPS that she finds along her journey. I found Parasite Eve II to be a fun, action-packed game that will be a joy for any fan of the genre, but one that also has enough RPG details added to intrigue those gamers who prefer a more cerebral gaming experience. PE2 is one to own.