A list of brands suggests that Parasite Eve, Square's stylish action-horror series, could be poised for a revival, and it couldn't be happier.
As Gematsu (opens in a new tab) reported, Square Enix, Square's successor conglomerate, filed a trademark (opens in a new tab) for "Symbiogenesis" on October 13 in Japan. While the brand does cover products, software, and peripherals (which many brands tend to do), what's particularly interesting is what Symbiogenesis actually stands for.
According to the Journal of Theoretical Biology (opens in a new tab), symbiogenesis is "literally 'becoming by living together'" and refers to the "crucial role of symbiosis in major evolutionary innovations." In Parasite Eve, genetics and evolution play a key role in the story, suggesting that Square Enix may be preparing to revive the long-dormant horror series.
fascinating revivals
The original Parasite Eve was released for PS1 in 1998. An unofficial sequel to Hideaki Sena's sci-fi horror novel of the same name, Parasite Eve followed New York City police Aya Brea as she tried to stop Eve, an ancient biological evil that wants to destroy the human race.
A sequel to the game was released in 1999 (2000 for those in North America and Europe) but then, barring a re-release in 2010/11, inclusion in the PlayStation Classic lineup, and a terrible PSP trio, the series fell into disrepair. has been. latent. This may be in part because the rights to the series are co-owned by Sena, which has delayed re-releases, but the reason the series went silent has never really been shared.
What we do know, however, is that now is the time for Square Enix to consider reviving its classic horror series. After all, horror revivals are all the rage right now, with Konami bringing Silent Hill back, EA working on a Dead Space remake, and Capcom achieving success with their Resident Evil remakes. This is the perfect time to introduce new generations to video game classics.
Is now
Remasters and remakes have gained momentum in recent years, allowing a new generation of gamers to play titles that may have been lost and allowing those who played the original games to enjoy them with a fresh coat of paint. All without having to search for old hardware to do it.
Horror games, in particular, are enjoying a resurgence recently. Maybe because being afraid of idiots doesn't go out of style, even if the hardware and the players themselves do.
As a horror fan I am crossing my fingers and toes for Parasite Eve to return as the first game was only released in Japan and North America, not Europe where I live. This means that I, along with many others, missed out on what is now considered a horror classic.
It should be noted, however, that Square Enix has not confirmed that a Parasite Eve revival is in the works. While the publisher may be perpetuating the series in some way, the brand name isn't just "Parasite Eve," but it's a bit more of a nickname or codename. . So let's just hope Parasite Eve: Symbiogenesis is on the way, even if it turns out to be a nightmare to write.