The process for the previous two games was repeated with Parasite Eve. As they went along, Twilight explained the mechanics and how they differed from other horror RPGs.
"Basically, Aya is the only playable character in the game. The battle system is a combination of free motion and the ATB style from Final Fantasy. You can move around to avoid attacks and make your move when the ATB bar is full."
"I follow you so far." Rainbow acknowledged.
"Just like in FF7 and Shadow Hearts, you can manually upgrade Aya along with regular grinding. The only drawback is the inventory system. For some reason I guess they had to limit your space, because even at max level with the best gear, you can only hold forty-five items."
"Aw, weak, dude."
"It's not the worst thing in the world, but it gets tedious having to backtrack to Wayne for storage."
"I'd imagine."
"The story is actually a continuation of a novel under the same name. Aya and Eve's mitochondria evolve as the game progresses. We find out later that Aya and Eve's original host, Melissa, both received transplants from Aya's twin sister, Maya, who died in a car accident when she was little along with their mom."
"So the parts that were transplanted determined who was good or evil?"
"Not exactly. Melissa's cells were overtaken by Maya's mitochondria because Maya was the original Eve. Aya's situation more closely resembles true evolution. She was able to use Maya's power while her cells developed a defense mechanism: a theory Maeda later refers to as the selfish gene."
"The lore sounds almost as complex as an MMO."
"Luckily that's where the complexity stops. The devs probably knew we could only digest so much information at once."
"Good thing you're fluent in nerd."
"Wanna hear a joke?"
"Sure."
"What's a high school student's favorite subject?"
"I have no idea."
"Biology."
"Hah! Sex."
"You ever watch that movie Billy Madison?"
"I love that shit. Had me in tears the whole way through."
"Same here."
"So what's the bonus stuff in this one?"
"There's only two optional dungeons. The first is the warehouse. It's a joke if you know what you're doin'. The other is the Chrysler building on the second playthrough. The layout changes every time you go in. Getting around can be a bit frustrating, but the boss is worth it."
"Figures there'd be an optional boss. Who is it?"
"Maya."
"And here I thought Dante had a dysfunctional family."
"Just a tip I learned the hard way: Don't add any elemental abilities to your gun. She's immune."
"How bad did she murder ya?"
"I was only doing thirty damage each attack."
"Fuckin' hell. You had to play the game four times?"
"Yep. Pissed me off until I finally beat it. Felt like a weight being lifted off my shoulders."
"Ruby Weapon, eat your heart out."