Parasite Eve (1998)
What a time the PS1 era was for Square. Not only did the developer usher Final Fantasy into a bold new era, but it did so while also producing numerous other incredible works that pushed the role-playing genre forward. Parasite Eve is remarkable for many reasons, not the least of which is its fantastic use of a real-world setting, a real rarity for an RPG at the time of its release. Taking place in New York City in the final days of 1997, the game whisks you from elegant operas to hushed museums to grimy city streets while you–as NYPD officer Aya Brea–work to thwart a horrifying threat to the Big Apple’s population. To this day, Christmastime in New York City still makes me think of Parasite Eve, a game that manages to feel wintry, melancholy, thrilling, and unsettling all at once. — Carolyn Petit
