With the heartbreaking cancellation of The Initiative’s Perfect Dark remake, heroines who once thrived in the early 2000s gaming scene have been left in the dark. We’ve seen it with the lack of Jill Valentine in modern Resident Evil titles, Joanna Dark’s abrupt removal from the spotlight, Lara Croft’s absence, and no new Metroid. There’s been a severe lack of strong female protagonists from classic IPs lately.
And with that, Aya Brea from Parasite Eve needs to make a comeback.
This isn’t just a call to revive a once-beloved heroine. It’s also the perfect time for Square Enix to reinvest in its survival-horror department, especially since the company has been struggling to keep pace with current gaming trends in live-service games, RPGs, and AAA releases.
Parasite Eve was one of Square Enix’s most unique survival-horror titles back when the company wasn’t afraid to take risks. It was originally envisioned as a modern Final Fantasy set in an urban city, but the idea was scrapped. What we got instead in 1999 was a JRPG-meets-survival-horror hybrid (and a Bring Me The Horizon song) that clearly borrowed elements from Capcom’s Resident Evil series.
The game’s inspirations are obvious: tanky controls, fixed camera angles, and a lingering dread every corner. A well-made remake or remaster could signal a new era for Aya Brea’s story. With survival horror booming in the current market, Square Enix should strike while the iron is hot.
A brand-new project or a full reboot could work. But Aya Brea needs to remain the central figure. Replacing her with a new character might not sit well with longtime fans. At the same time, her return could also spark a broader conversation about female protagonists in gaming, something that continues to draw controversy in certain online spaces. Honestly, that doesn’t matter. I just want to see Aya Brea back in action, taking down mutated horrors in skin-tight jeans and a tank top.
Square Enix could take a few notes from Konami’s Silent Hill revival, which has shown promise after years of silence. Giving Parasite Eve another shot could pull in new players, especially those hungry for a capable and complex female lead in modern games.
Right now, the ball is in Square’s court. Parasite Eve has the potential to turn heads in today’s landscape with its blend of Resident Evil-style horror and Final Fantasy-like RPG elements, and she is one of the coolest protagonists of her era.
But for now, Parasite Eve remains in limbo. No remake. No remaster. Just silence.
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