Exclusive interview with Kenichi Iwao, Resident Evil lead writer & designer, and writer & director of Parasite Eve 2.
Crimson-Head 13th Anniversary Interview with Kenichi Iwao [Not to be reproduced (c) Crimson Head Elder 2024]
CH: Parasite Eve 2 strongly reflects the spirit of Resident Evil. How much of what you brought to Resident Evil made its way to Parasite Eve 2, can it be considered a creative vision for a continuation of your Resident Evil narrative, within a Parasite Eve 2 universe?
KI: I was responsible for game mechanics design, scenarios, organisation, weapons and other world settings for both games, but as the genre was pre-determined by the company, my hands were tied in some areas. However, to the extent that I was allowed to do so, I tried to make the game as different as possible, by adding elements of growth, magic and shops, and allowing various backgrounds to be investigated.
CH: Did anything else from your experience writing the scenario for Biohazard inform and steer your writing and directing of Parasite Eve 2?
KI: Unlike Resident Evil, where the story and world were written from scratch, Parasite Eve 2 had to take into consideration the original novel and fans of the previous game, making it a more challenging writing process.
CH: Were there other survival horror games that inspired or shaped you writing and directing, and the work of others on the development team?
KI: There weren’t many games in the survival horror genre at that time, but games like Wizardry & Alone in the Dark were influential.
CH: To what extent had you experienced both the first Parasite Eve video game (PlayStation 1998), and the Parasite Eve novel (Kadokawa Horror Bunko 1995), and how much of this source material informed and shaped your writing and direction of Parasite Eve 2?
KI: Of course, I had read the Parasite Eve novel, and played the game. The novel was very exciting as a piece of science horror, and I enjoyed the game which was very eventful! However, I had never imagined I would be asked to produce a sequel.
We had just finished developing the STG Einhander (scrolling shooter), I was the only one on development team with any experience of making RPGs, and the number of staff was only a fraction of what we had for the previous project. Furthermore, the budget and timeframe given were completely inadequate for creating a sequel to the hugely successful first installment.
The content of the novel was thoroughly explored in the first game, to the extent where the story became an extention, continuation of it. I suggested to company management how difficult this would be to match, given the limited resources, but the order came down, “There's no need to make it as big as the first game. Just create an action RPG with the budget and manpower made available to you”!
CH: Parasite Eve’s narrative is a continuation of the story told in the novel, written by Hideaki Sena, were you minded to keep consistency with the first game, and the book’s themes, such as the in-game biology lore?
KI: There was also an order from company management, to not make the connection with the novel too strong, also to not emphasize the connection with the first Parasite Eve game too much either. However, I loved both the novel and the first installment, so I tried my best to preserve and retain its atmosphere.
CH: Why were the original cast omitted from the sequel (with the exception of Aya Brea), why did the game undergo significant changes in gameplay, with survival horror replacing JRPG themes , and did this move away from JRPG elements, towards a more survival horror focus, influence your writing & directing of Parasite Eve 2?
KI: Yes, indeed, and since it wasn’t a direct sequel, we were able to shift our focus towards creating a more intimate setting, with greater attention to details. We were not given the budget or schedule to create a AAA title, for instance we couldn't afford to recreate something as grand as Central Park in New York. The reason for changing the game genre and not carrying over many of the previous characters was due to orders from above. I apologize to the fans of the first game, but by the time it was decided to make the game a sequel, the main characters of Parasite Eve 2 were already created, we didn't have time left to create and design new NPCs.
CH: Development for Parasite Eve 2 began with the game designed as a spin-off title from the first installment, but during early development this changed to become a sequel, the intended protagonist, a private investigator Kyle Madigan, replaced in the role of main character by returning Parasite Eve protagonist Aya Brea, with Kyle relegated to NPC. Why this change of direction from expanded universe to main-line title?
KI: You are correct that initially the protagonist was Kyle. This was based on the directives mentioned earlier. I was planning on making Kyle the main character, just an everyday ordinary person, with no special skills to combat the monsters, but to objectively solve the mystery of the superhero, Aya. However, the decision was made midway through development to change the game to an official sequel, and so the protagonist was changed to Aya. This was because the prototype version turned out to br better than had been expected, and so this then lead to a change in the company's intentions.
“But despite the direction changing, the manpower, budget, and timeframe remained unchanged, a decision that would haunt me for a long time.”
CH: What was your thinking for the use of different mythologies, such as Aztec/Mayan, and Tibetan Buddhism (Shambala/Neo Ark)?
CH: How would you describe the development process for Parasite Eve 2 in terms of how smoothly each stage completed, and were there challenges & fractured moments, for example when development team staff were removed and/or replaced?
KI: The development of Parasite Eve 2 was extremely challenging. Since our staff was originally working on 2D STGs, we lacked both the number of people and necessary experience. Also, as the company's financial performance worsened halfway through development, we had to halve our team! Moreover, due to delays in other main titles, we were ordered to excelerate the release by six months during the late development stage. The character design was consistently handled by Isao Oishi, monster design by Ryoji Shimogama, mechanical design by Nobuyoshi Mihara. After the change making Aya the protagonist, the official illustrations were drawn by Tetsuya Nomura.
CH: Parasite Eve 2 features a system for examining the environment multiple times to receive additional text. In comparison to Biohazard, this allows for much more story detail, like Aya's thoughts on her ageless appearance. What inspired this system?
CH: Can you explain the 'GOLEMS', how they were created, and why they are chess-themed?
CH: Can you explain 'No.9 GOLEM' in detail, such as who he was and why he thinks and behaves the way he does?
CH: ‘No.9 GOLEM’ is a unique character for a survival horror narative, would you suggest he's an unusual antagonist for this genre, what were your creative intentions for this enemy?
KI: The presence of 'No.9' has a lot to do with the fact that the game was initially leaning more towards being a mystery. When it changed to a sequel, I considered removing him at one point, but the development schedule just did not allow for it. From a purely horror perspective, it might have been a little unsuitable, and a bit of a distraction.
CH: Can you elaborate on the functions and purpose of the 'Reactor/Brahman' boss, and how the final 'EVE' boss emerges from it?
CH: Were there any narrative plot points and beta concepts that didn't make it into the final game release?
CH: Did you have gameplay ideas regarding Aya Brea's abilities, weapons, or unique monsters that you wanted to implement, but could not be, or did everything the development team envisage successfully come to fruition?
CH: Were you satisfied with the relationship between the static camera angles and the combat sequences, do you think the fixed camera complimented these battles well?
KI: I wonder... what do you think? I remember struggling to find a balance between the intensity and playability due to the presence of magical features, though not technically so.
CH: Aya Brea remains beloved as a survival horror heroine, despite the passing of 14 years. Since you were integral in the creation of an iconic survival horror heroine, one of the most recognisable females in video games, Jill Valentine, what in your opinion are the comparative and contrasting character traits between her and Aya Brea?
CH: Another video game icon we have you to thank for, Resident Evil series antagonist Albert Wesker, may possibly have connections with Kyle Madigan's creation, is this correct and are there other parallels?
CH: For Resident Evil, you established the virological theory of evolution, a concept the series still adheres to despite numerous transformations. In the Parasite Eve universe, there's something similar, addressing mitochondrial symbiosis, with the evolution of living organisms. Are you attracted to such themes?
CH: Can you explain the full process by which ANMCs are created with neo-mitochondria, and how neoteny occurs?
CH: Can you reveal the identity of the mysterious shelter organization and how they had such resources? Their ultimate scheme is the Second Neoteny Plan, but what was the 'First Neoteny'?
CH: What inspired you to incorporate a virus into the story, particularly Influenza, after already using them for Biohazard?
CH: Have you seen the continuation of the Parasite Eve series in The 3rd Birthday, if so what are your thoughts, and if there was another installment planned for the series, would you like to be involved, and in what capacity?
CH: From all Parasite Eve fans, and the wider survival horror community, thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions, for your generosity, and kindness. Do you have any parting words for the fans?