The resurgence of interest in Parasite Eve continues this month with unveiling a second indie game inspired by Square Enix's cult horror JRPG classic, accompanied by an impressive trailer.
Despite its debut over two decades ago, Square Enix's Parasite Eve series hasn't inspired many games. This is particularly surprising considering its unique blend of RPG combat and survival horror, which garnered a fervent cult following. However, two promising indie games are set to change that.
At first glance, Parasite Eve resembles late-90s fixed camera angle horror games that closely mimicked Resident Evil’s scares. Yet, beneath the surface, it distinguished itself as a bold genre-mixing experiment, standing out even among Square Soft's most innovative projects. The involvement of Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and Kingdom Hearts composer Yoko Shimomura certainly contributed to its uniqueness.
Earlier this month, we highlighted a spiritual successor to Parasite Eve from the team behind the indie hit VA-11 Hall-A. It was noteworthy not only because of its rare development but also for its impressive trailer. Now, another exciting sight emerges a second intriguing game inspired by Parasite Eve.
Aether Singularity captured attention with its blocky PSX visuals reminiscent of Resident Evil's abstract nightmares and its unconventional battle system, inspired explicitly by Parasite Eve 2. The Steam description also mentions influences from the dormant Dino Crisis series, which is evident in the trailer.
The combat system stands out significantly. Players evade and shoot monsters from fixed angles, managing every bullet carefully, which is characteristic of classic horror games. Additionally, there's an option to pause time and use mana to perform magical abilities, justifying its RPG classification. The game also "supports both modern camera relative controls and classic tank controls" to cater to different player preferences.
The paranormal storyline intrigues me as well. Set in 1969, Aether Singularity follows a squad from the FBI offshoot known as the Demonic Anomalies Termination Agency, tasked with combating demons emerging from an anomalous rift called the Aethernet. The narrative promises an undercover mystery with "three different routes and multiple endings," carrying forward the legacy of Parasite Eve.
For those interested, more impressive titles can be explored in our guide to upcoming indie games of 2024 and beyond.
