The original Parasite Eve had the good sense to set its action in well-known, accurately represented New York City locales. The gameplay mechanics are similarly muddled. Parasite Eve II has also picked up the survival horror genre's propensity for inane puzzles. Gamers have learned by this point not to flinch when asked to push crates and reconnect power supplies. Parasite Eve 2's leaps of intuition are several miles wide.
Battles are also a step in the wrong direction.
As previously mentioned, the first game's unique blend of survival horror and RPG battles has been jettisoned in favor of straight-up survival horror. The magic system has been similarly unbalanced. The entire game features all of eight spells, divided two each along four elemental lines. Enemies can take Aya out in just a handful of hits and can require an insane amount of ammunition to dispatch. The game's one saving grace is its excellent presentation.