The 3rd Birthday

• The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I have seen plenty of negative reviews on this game but I found it just plain fun . Okay , it has already been duly noted that The 3rd B-day is the third installment of Parasite Eve , complaining that this episode deviates from the first two a bit too much . Well I've played Parasite Eve 1 and 2 and those two games had large differences in game play . PE1 was more traditional RPG wheras PE2 played more like the older Resident Evil games ( complete with that awful control system ) . PE1 was based in NYC , PE2 was in some desert ( can't remember exactly off-hand ) . The two stories were only loosely connected , but if an game is the odd one in the series , it is PE2 , not this one ( aside from a couple of anecdotal references , Eve was not in PE2 at all ) . As far as the character behavior change , if you PLAYED through to the end , you'd understand the personality change . Next , I want to address the targeting system . It is pretty solid in many cases , but it depends on the weapon . Only a few weapons gave me any difficulty with targeting and aiming , but if you are trying to get into overdrive mode , you'll be using the standard handgun which has no targeting problems at any rate . I don't play full action games as I'm more traditional RPG type gamer , but I found most weapons relatively easy to use . I typically carried a machine gun and sniper rifle once they were available , but that is my preference . The story line may be a bit contrived but all of the PE games were based on crazy elements of supernatural beings that used humans as vessels in some form or fashion . After all , action is a bigger focus on this game . The overdrive system had very few flaws ( only every now and then did I ever have trouble performing the overdive kill and jumped into another soldier instead ) . There are other gems too , like diving into soldiers driving tanks , rail-gun mounted jeeps , or assault helicopters . If I had a chief complaint , it is the ever-changing difficulty . Some spots are ridiculously easy , while a few spots almost made me chunk my PSP through an open window , and the funny part is it was not always the boss battles that were the most difficult , and finally killing a certain persistent enemy late in the game was extremely gratifying . The game is short but enjoyable . There are plenty of extras if you care to unlock them . With new copies going for twenty bucks now there is no reason not to grab a copy . So quit grumbling , just enjoy the ride .
• 009   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I knew going in that this game wasn't going to be as good as the original . It looks great and actually plays really well . The problem is the storyline . It's extremely convoluted and really doesn't answer any questions raised in the second game . It kind of feels like they took another game idea and just merged it with the franchise . I'm hoping the series gets another try that answers the questions left unanswered and makes a bit more sense next time , not to mention maybe give you some more free roaming abilities . I wouldn't pay 40.00 for it like a few game stores wanted but for 20.00 or less go for it as it's a fun shooter .
• 010   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I knew going in that this game wasn't going to be as good as the original . It looks great and actually plays really well . The problem is the storyline . It's extremely convoluted and really doesn't answer any questions raised in the second game . It kind of feels like they took another game idea and just merged it with the franchise . I'm hoping the series gets another try that answers the questions left unanswered and makes a bit more sense next time , not to mention maybe give you some more free roaming abilities . I wouldn't pay 40.00 for it like a few game stores wanted but for 20.00 or less go for it as it's a fun shooter .
• 011   I knew going in that this game wasn't going to be as good as the original . It looks great and actually plays really well . The problem is the storyline . It's extremely convoluted and really doesn't answer any questions raised in the second game . It kind of feels like they took another game idea and just merged it with the franchise . I'm hoping the series gets another try that answers the questions left unanswered and makes a bit more sense next time , not to mention maybe give you some more free roaming abilities . I wouldn't pay 40.00 for it like a few game stores wanted but for 20.00 or less go for it as it's a fun shooter .
• 014   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) While it was a welcome addition to the PSP and a long-awaited follow-up to Parasite Eve 2 , the game was a bit unfulfilling in storyline . It was vague and overly amorphous , and there was no real satisfying explanation to the story and events except that of a shattered soul transcending across space / time . And while it is a direct sequel to PE 2 , it almost felt like they lost the copyright name and had to move the game in a different direction , so it was house cleaning in terms of characters , and the very title of the game . The difficulty could have also been lowered a notch or two . I like challenging games , but when your character doesn't automatically face her enemies with heavy weapons equipped ( When she does with all other weapons ) , and when you get hit by insta-death kills , it gets lame . I also wasn't keen on the leveling up for weapons or hyper the slow reloading time . It took too long to build them up , and when you start with a new weapon , the tiered system makes initial weapon damage and range far too inefficient against most enemies . Overall the graphics and voice talent was very good , the gameplay was decent , but the plot and difficulty were questionable . I'd recommend this to PE fans so they get the final chapter to the story , but to a casual fan I think things are too convoluted to make much sense , or make them care .
• 015   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) While it was a welcome addition to the PSP and a long-awaited follow-up to Parasite Eve 2 , the game was a bit unfulfilling in storyline . It was vague and overly amorphous , and there was no real satisfying explanation to the story and events except that of a shattered soul transcending across space / time . And while it is a direct sequel to PE 2 , it almost felt like they lost the copyright name and had to move the game in a different direction , so it was house cleaning in terms of characters , and the very title of the game . The difficulty could have also been lowered a notch or two . I like challenging games , but when your character doesn't automatically face her enemies with heavy weapons equipped ( When she does with all other weapons ) , and when you get hit by insta-death kills , it gets lame . I also wasn't keen on the leveling up for weapons or hyper the slow reloading time . It took too long to build them up , and when you start with a new weapon , the tiered system makes initial weapon damage and range far too inefficient against most enemies . Overall the graphics and voice talent was very good , the gameplay was decent , but the plot and difficulty were questionable . I'd recommend this to PE fans so they get the final chapter to the story , but to a casual fan I think things are too convoluted to make much sense , or make them care .
• 025   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) When i played the 1st PE game I fell in love with it . I was expecting alot out of this game and boy was i dissapointed . Dont get me wrong the game is beautiful and very fun but too short only 6 episodes . I best this game in 2 days I mean really ? this game would have been great if they made it longer . the music is amazing the gameplay is intense and frustrating at times but still entertaining . the story is just weird the ending ( not going to spoil it ) is just weird i felt like after i beat the game i was cheated out of something that could have been better . but either way its is fun and there is some good replay value so its worth beating more than once .
• 026   When i played the 1st PE game I fell in love with it . I was expecting alot out of this game and boy was i dissapointed . Dont get me wrong the game is beautiful and very fun but too short only 6 episodes . I best this game in 2 days I mean really ? this game would have been great if they made it longer . the music is amazing the gameplay is intense and frustrating at times but still entertaining . the story is just weird the ending ( not going to spoil it ) is just weird i felt like after i beat the game i was cheated out of something that could have been better . but either way its is fun and there is some good replay value so its worth beating more than once .
• 029   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) good graphics but boring for be honest . this game isnt an rpg . and its too short , in 1 day u can beat this game too bad
• 030   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) good graphics but boring for be honest . this game isnt an rpg . and its too short , in 1 day u can beat this game too bad
• 031   good graphics but boring for be honest . this game isnt an rpg . and its too short , in 1 day u can beat this game too bad
• 036   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Being a rather large Parasite Eve fan , this game modernizes the systems built in the first few games as you'd expect ( I mean , check the differences in the system of PE1 and PE2 , they modernized it into a Resident-Evil like system more than turn-based ) . I think that the plot was a bit . . . . odd . I won't spoil it , but suffice to say that my personal opinion was that because they could not get licensing for the Parasite Eve name , nor did they want to pay for it in the future , they decided to wrap up the things that required it . They can now either safely continue on without it while still making games if they want , or just respond to fan requests with Well it's over now , nothing else to make a game about . Gamplay 5 / 5 It was a bit repetitive , but games are like this by nature . Honestly for a portable game it exceeds my expectations . Runs smoothly , has unique gameplay elements , looks nice . Sounds / visuals 5 / 5 They really pushed the PSP for the visuals , and the sound / music is just as good as it's ever been for the series , which is to say it's worthy of owning the soundtrack . Story 4 / 5 If I would have written this right after playing the game , I would have given it a 1 / 5 . But not because the story was bad , but because as a PE fan I was angered and frustrated by it . Every time I play the game though , the story immerses you , it's well written . . . it's everything that makes a good story , whether we get the cinderella ending we wanted or not . It brings us in , it makes us cry , even if on the inside , and more importantly , it's well written . I'll still take off for the story nearly being a middle finger to PE fans and for having nearly no PE-story relevance other than including characters who are from the series , but it was a good story otherwise , and I can't rate it down just because I wanted them to play into my wishes as a fan . All in all I'd suggest it as a purchase for anyone who wants an over-the-shoulder shooter with a unique gameplay element for the PSP . Anyone who wants to play on the go , and doesn't mind a slighly mooshy ( emotional ) story . It's not expensive , after all .
• 041   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) / this is a very fun and exciting shooter game , with a knock out video game vixen who delivers the pain to the Twisted alien creatures . I personally have played the game 29 times each time is better and better . I definitely recommend this to everyone .
• 042   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) / this is a very fun and exciting shooter game , with a knock out video game vixen who delivers the pain to the Twisted alien creatures . I personally have played the game 29 times each time is better and better . I definitely recommend this to everyone .
• 060   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I have seen plenty of negative reviews on this game but I found it just plain fun . Okay , it has already been duly noted that The 3rd B-day is the third installment of Parasite Eve , complaining that this episode deviates from the first two a bit too much . Well I've played Parasite Eve 1 and 2 and those two games had large differences in game play . PE1 was more traditional RPG wheras PE2 played more like the older Resident Evil games ( complete with that awful control system ) . PE1 was based in NYC , PE2 was in some desert ( can't remember exactly off-hand ) . The two stories were only loosely connected , but if an game is the odd one in the series , it is PE2 , not this one ( aside from a couple of anecdotal references , Eve was not in PE2 at all ) . As far as the character behavior change , if you PLAYED through to the end , you'd understand the personality change . Next , I want to address the targeting system . It is pretty solid in many cases , but it depends on the weapon . Only a few weapons gave me any difficulty with targeting and aiming , but if you are trying to get into overdrive mode , you'll be using the standard handgun which has no targeting problems at any rate . I don't play full action games as I'm more traditional RPG type gamer , but I found most weapons relatively easy to use . I typically carried a machine gun and sniper rifle once they were available , but that is my preference . The story line may be a bit contrived but all of the PE games were based on crazy elements of supernatural beings that used humans as vessels in some form or fashion . After all , action is a bigger focus on this game . The overdrive system had very few flaws ( only every now and then did I ever have trouble performing the overdive kill and jumped into another soldier instead ) . There are other gems too , like diving into soldiers driving tanks , rail-gun mounted jeeps , or assault helicopters . If I had a chief complaint , it is the ever-changing difficulty . Some spots are ridiculously easy , while a few spots almost made me chunk my PSP through an open window , and the funny part is it was not always the boss battles that were the most difficult , and finally killing a certain persistent enemy late in the game was extremely gratifying . The game is short but enjoyable . There are plenty of extras if you care to unlock them . With new copies going for twenty bucks now there is no reason not to grab a copy . So quit grumbling , just enjoy the ride .
• 062   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I found it very good , the graphics and details such as clothing that is damaged , but the powers are very wrong and almost like playing call of duty , just shoot , plus they are way too repetitive lines of marriage . . . but worth the time to play
• 063   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I found it very good , the graphics and details such as clothing that is damaged , but the powers are very wrong and almost like playing call of duty , just shoot , plus they are way too repetitive lines of marriage . . . but worth the time to play
• 064   I found it very good , the graphics and details such as clothing that is damaged , but the powers are very wrong and almost like playing call of duty , just shoot , plus they are way too repetitive lines of marriage . . . but worth the time to play
• 072   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I've never played the other Parasite Eve games , but if you're into third person shooter games , then this is a good game to buy .
• 073   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I've never played the other Parasite Eve games , but if you're into third person shooter games , then this is a good game to buy .
• 089   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Sadly I can not play the game to give a review of it but at the same time I do not want to guide anyone away with a low rating so that is the only reason I gave it 3 stars for now . Reason : No internet to update my PSP software ( Yes I have my government computer , but believe me when I say there is not much I can do from a Marine Network : P ) . I am deployed to Afghanistan and was hoping to pass some time with 3rd Birthday ; however , the game requires system software 6.37 . I updated my PSP before coming here but at the time it was only up to 6.31 . So for those of you that may not have the internet to update your system software you may want to wait . If anyone knows a way around this please post . Thank you !
• 090   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Sadly I can not play the game to give a review of it but at the same time I do not want to guide anyone away with a low rating so that is the only reason I gave it 3 stars for now . Reason : No internet to update my PSP software ( Yes I have my government computer , but believe me when I say there is not much I can do from a Marine Network : P ) . I am deployed to Afghanistan and was hoping to pass some time with 3rd Birthday ; however , the game requires system software 6.37 . I updated my PSP before coming here but at the time it was only up to 6.31 . So for those of you that may not have the internet to update your system software you may want to wait . If anyone knows a way around this please post . Thank you !


• The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Many fans have been looking forward to a sequel to the parasite eve series and like me was very glad that square made this sequel , unfortunately this game is a huge letdown . MANY MANY aya brea fans will be let down and will rage by the end of this game . long story short monsters called the twisted are popping up and killing humans around the world . to stop them an organization ( CTI ) uses the overdrive system with ' aya brea ' who has the ability to go back in time and jump into peoples bodies to try to avert the disaster of the monsters from emerging . ' aya brea ' has amnesia and throughout this game will recover her memories to find out about her past and what is truly happening in the game . This game is a 3rd person shooter wit mostly average gameplay . u press the lock on button and shoot at the enemy and doge when enemy is close . the camera is difficult and hampers you from seeing where the enemies are when you are busy running around and dodging enemies . the game has a gimick of as ' aya ' takes more damage her dress gets even more ripped . the game is short , but you can keep on playing a new game + to keep on unlocking new costumes and secret modes and videos . music is nice but they just rehashed some old parasite eve music graphics of this game is very good which is to be expected from a square enix game . ' Aya Brea ' can get very annoying by how weak she is throughout the story but it can be explained later on in the end of the story although this explanation will make fans rage . . . the story does not make as much use of science explanations like the first 2 games and just basically says ' Aya Brea's ' powers evolved to give her time travel and body possesing abilities . . . . now for the most negative aspect of this game is the story and how they treat Aya Brea . read on if u wanna find out . . . . THE AYA BREA IN THE GAME IS NOT AYA BREA from the first 2 parasite eves ! ? ! ! ? ! ? ! : / This game had square enix continously promoting and advertising it as the continuing adventures of Aya Brea . . . . but this is not even the case . its false advertising in my opinion and they were just using the popularity of this the original aya brea to sell more of this game . Throughout the whole game you , the player was playing Eve ( ayas sister ) inside Ayas body the whole time while aya was pretty much dead and gone . . . Literally at the last few minutes of the game they suddenly pulls a twist and say the ' Aya Brea ' that you have been playing throughout the game is not the real aya brea and that it is aya breas sister EVE who is inside Aya Breas body , and that the real Aya Brea is dead ! DEAD ! . . . . : ( so u just basically see the Real Aya Brea for a few seconds in the end of the game and YOU KILL AYA BREA . . . . . KILL HER and Eve ( ayas sister ) is now the owner of aya breas body forever . and even if u do choose to not shoot aya , the game automatically shoots her dead for u T.T this twist is like a slap in the face for previous parasite eve fans who were very excited to play a strong willed independent character like Aya Brea from the first 2 games . This game was made by the same guy who made final fantasy 13 so thats why story wise its a huge letdown . square enix will most likely be using this new ' Aya Brea ' ( EVE ) as the protagonist for this series from now on . people might claim that aya can still be alive by beating the game twice and seeing the extra cut scene , but its just pretty much the spirit or maybe the imagination of Aya Brea ( Eve ) when she is thinking about Aya ( a woman whos silhouette matches ayas description but u dont see her face tells her happy birthday then fades away ) overall this game is just average , it could have been much better wit improved camera , more missions , more monster variety and a BETTER story that doesnt screw with the fans of Aya Brea from the original games . I would guess that the main people who will be angered by what square enix has done will be the older fans out there , but people new to the series will not know or understand why people are mad . I am totally disappointed with this game . : ( poor aya T.T
• 032   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I just beat this game yesterday , and I have to say I enjoyed it a lot . Even though the game was on the PSP , the graphic was quite amazing . I was constantly surprised on how beautiful it looked on the PSP , especially those backgrounds on the later part of the game . Gameplay-wise , this game is a TPS ( third person shooter ) . Possibly , one of THE BEST TPS on the PSP . Only PSP game that could top this would be Metal Gear Solid : Peak Walker . In the in-game configuration , You could choose normal view or Behind the view . For those who like Resident Evil 4 style gameplay , I would recommend choosing the Behind the view setting . Also , this game was pretty difficult to beat , especially the boss fights . I had to re-try so many times to beat those bosses . You actually need to think and set some sort of strategy to fight those creatures ; this game is definitely not a mindless run-n-gun TPS . It took me about 11 hours and half to beat it the first time on the Normal setting . I actually enjoyed this game a lot more than Vanquish on the PS3 . Story-wise , it was a little confusing . The plot did not link cohesively between each episodes ; however , at the end , the story made sense a little . Still , there was a few missing points in the plot that wasn't explained well , where you have to read through those in-game documents or talk to other characters in between missions . I would recommend everyone to re-play through the game to deeply understand the plot a little better . THIS GAME IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS A PSP ! ! ! ! !
• 033   I just beat this game yesterday , and I have to say I enjoyed it a lot . Even though the game was on the PSP , the graphic was quite amazing . I was constantly surprised on how beautiful it looked on the PSP , especially those backgrounds on the later part of the game . Gameplay-wise , this game is a TPS ( third person shooter ) . Possibly , one of THE BEST TPS on the PSP . Only PSP game that could top this would be Metal Gear Solid : Peak Walker . In the in-game configuration , You could choose normal view or Behind the view . For those who like Resident Evil 4 style gameplay , I would recommend choosing the Behind the view setting . Also , this game was pretty difficult to beat , especially the boss fights . I had to re-try so many times to beat those bosses . You actually need to think and set some sort of strategy to fight those creatures ; this game is definitely not a mindless run-n-gun TPS . It took me about 11 hours and half to beat it the first time on the Normal setting . I actually enjoyed this game a lot more than Vanquish on the PS3 . Story-wise , it was a little confusing . The plot did not link cohesively between each episodes ; however , at the end , the story made sense a little . Still , there was a few missing points in the plot that wasn't explained well , where you have to read through those in-game documents or talk to other characters in between missions . I would recommend everyone to re-play through the game to deeply understand the plot a little better . THIS GAME IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS A PSP ! ! ! ! !
• 049   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Full disclosure : I am a casual gamer so I look for games that I can pick up and play for half an hour or so . I like games that immerse me in a world and make me forget everything else . When I hear that something is super hard ( like MONSTER HUNTER ) I run in the other direction . I like a challenge but not an impossibility . So , I liked and beat CASTLEVANIA but gave up very quickly on PRINNY , which I found so maddening that it took all the fun out of playing . And that sort of defeats the purpose . Reading reviews of THE 3RD BIRTHDAY , I was worried that I was going to find myself in a frustrating universe . But I kept coming back to the idea and the concept and I decided to go for it . Bottom line : I loved this game ! It is extremely absorbing , and even if the plot meanders and ends up in a strange place , I really enjoyed getting there . I do think that many of the criticisms of this game are unfair , and here's why . I usually hate boss battles . For me , the fun is running through the dungeon ( or whatever ) , and then having to end it with a frustrating long battle is not something I relish . But in this game it was actually fun to fight the bosses . Here's why : You have to psych them out . Each time you die , you figure something else out ( if you're paying attention ) , and each time you get a little closer to eliminating the boss . I also really liked the fact that bosses were placed in different places in each level ( or episode ) - it gave a sense of variety to the game , a feeling of adventure because you never know what's coming . And believe me , you cannot stop paying attention for even one second , or you are dead meat . The game forces you to focus on it , to adjust your strategy , to reposition yourself and use the environment in ways that will help you . The Overdive technique is extremely cool and fun , and essential to getting through some very tricky areas . And here's the thing about Overdive Kill : It's so satisfying because the game makes you work so hard to get there . When you pull one of those off , you really feel like you're being rewarded for your superior tenacity , intelligence , and strategy . A few tips for newbies . Be sure to fiddle around with your DNA boards . They really help in terms of both power and defense . I have read a few complaints about the relative lack of weaponry , but you really do have everything you need to take down the Twisted . Another hint : Your pistol may not do much damage , but it helps load up your Liberation meter , and that saved me in a few tense situations . Save your fellow soldiers whenever you can - the more people on the battlefield , the better your chances of survival . ( You don't want to be in a situation where you don't have anyone to Overdive into . ) Level up your weapons strategically - and life will get a little easier in the second half of the game . Yes , the camera can be wonky , but if you're strategic about saving your compatriots , you'll always have someone to Overdive into when some Twisted sneaks up behind you . Bottom line : I found this game to be just the right level of challenge for me ( on Normal - I'm glad I didn't play on Easy ) - the cutscenes are really great - and the mechanics just had me working the controls like an excited kid . True , Aya is a little annoying ( all that huffing and puffing , those little cheeps like a frightened teenager ) but she's tough when she has to be , which is in most of the game . ( She's only wimpy in the cutscenes . ) The only other thing to keep in mind is that I know my take on video games isn't the norm - my favorites of all time are MediEvil Resurrection and Death Jr . , so you can see I like games that have a lot of action and that are visually arresting and quirky .
• 086   Many fans have been looking forward to a sequel to the parasite eve series and like me was very glad that square made this sequel , unfortunately this game is a huge letdown . MANY MANY aya brea fans will be let down and will rage by the end of this game . long story short monsters called the twisted are popping up and killing humans around the world . to stop them an organization ( CTI ) uses the overdrive system with ' aya brea ' who has the ability to go back in time and jump into peoples bodies to try to avert the disaster of the monsters from emerging . ' aya brea ' has amnesia and throughout this game will recover her memories to find out about her past and what is truly happening in the game . This game is a 3rd person shooter wit mostly average gameplay . u press the lock on button and shoot at the enemy and doge when enemy is close . the camera is difficult and hampers you from seeing where the enemies are when you are busy running around and dodging enemies . the game has a gimick of as ' aya ' takes more damage her dress gets even more ripped . the game is short , but you can keep on playing a new game + to keep on unlocking new costumes and secret modes and videos . music is nice but they just rehashed some old parasite eve music graphics of this game is very good which is to be expected from a square enix game . ' Aya Brea ' can get very annoying by how weak she is throughout the story but it can be explained later on in the end of the story although this explanation will make fans rage . . . the story does not make as much use of science explanations like the first 2 games and just basically says ' Aya Brea's ' powers evolved to give her time travel and body possesing abilities . . . . now for the most negative aspect of this game is the story and how they treat Aya Brea . read on if u wanna find out . . . . THE AYA BREA IN THE GAME IS NOT AYA BREA from the first 2 parasite eves ! ? ! ! ? ! ? ! : / This game had square enix continously promoting and advertising it as the continuing adventures of Aya Brea . . . . but this is not even the case . its false advertising in my opinion and they were just using the popularity of this the original aya brea to sell more of this game . Throughout the whole game you , the player was playing Eve ( ayas sister ) inside Ayas body the whole time while aya was pretty much dead and gone . . . Literally at the last few minutes of the game they suddenly pulls a twist and say the ' Aya Brea ' that you have been playing throughout the game is not the real aya brea and that it is aya breas sister EVE who is inside Aya Breas body , and that the real Aya Brea is dead ! DEAD ! . . . . : ( so u just basically see the Real Aya Brea for a few seconds in the end of the game and YOU KILL AYA BREA . . . . . KILL HER and Eve ( ayas sister ) is now the owner of aya breas body forever . and even if u do choose to not shoot aya , the game automatically shoots her dead for u T.T this twist is like a slap in the face for previous parasite eve fans who were very excited to play a strong willed independent character like Aya Brea from the first 2 games . This game was made by the same guy who made final fantasy 13 so thats why story wise its a huge letdown . square enix will most likely be using this new ' Aya Brea ' ( EVE ) as the protagonist for this series from now on . people might claim that aya can still be alive by beating the game twice and seeing the extra cut scene , but its just pretty much the spirit or maybe the imagination of Aya Brea ( Eve ) when she is thinking about Aya ( a woman whos silhouette matches ayas description but u dont see her face tells her happy birthday then fades away ) overall this game is just average , it could have been much better wit improved camera , more missions , more monster variety and a BETTER story that doesnt screw with the fans of Aya Brea from the original games . I would guess that the main people who will be angered by what square enix has done will be the older fans out there , but people new to the series will not know or understand why people are mad . I am totally disappointed with this game . : ( poor aya T.T


• The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Square Enix's return to the Parasite Eve franchise turns out to be an action-packed PSP title , though perhaps not what every fan was hoping for . Premise : It's Christmas Eve , the year is 2012 , and citizens are optimistically pacing the snowy , holiday streets of Manhattan when chaos suddenly erupts . Giant tentacle like structures burst from the ground , terrorizing the city as they rise to eventually form twisted spires arching toward the sky . The assault on Manhattan has begun , and Aya Brea returns to face a new foe - the Twisted . The perspective of the game begins behind that of the CTI ( Counter Twisted Investigation ) , whose secret weapon is none other than Aya Brea , a woman with the ability to dive into the souls of other organisms , and with the help of the CTI technology , she can dive into organisms in different time periods as well . Aya in the 3rd Birthday , however , isn't the heroine fans will remember her as . Her memories are clouded as a result of a dramatic incident , and it has left her character much more vulnerable and frail sounding as compared to the previous games . As she battles the Twisted , the monsters that have infested Manhattan , she gradually comes across familiar faces , putting together the mystery of her past and the origins of the Twisted one step at a time . Eve games have proven to host interesting concepts in their narratives , and the 3rd Birthday is no different in this regard . It's a shame then , that the cutscenes that progress the game's story are largely mediocre , plagued with awkard dialogue and weak interaction between characters . The essence of time travel that involves a good portion of the game isn't spelled out for the player all that well , with a measly date stamp at the beginning of each mission being the only guide post to go by - - so it's fairly easy to forget what time you are in and why it matters The stilted conversation between characters makes understanding a seemingly complex story quite difficult - and with the ending actually being quite interesting , it's unfortunate the game couldn't carry itself more properly . Combat : Unlike its predecessors , the 3rd Birthday is a shooter above anything else , with only a light dose of RPG based elements to fool around with . However , some creative mechanics make the game much more interesting than a standard shoot-em-up . Fundamentally the game is fairly fast paced lock on shooter , with the most basic ( yet very crucial ) dodging and cover mechanics . Beyond that however , the game revolves Aya's ability to dive into the souls of others , called Overdive . In the majority of battles you encounter , you'll be accompanied by a group of U.S . soldiers , and while they do their part in the shooting , they are much more useful as targets to dive into . You can dive at any time as long as a living ally is in the battlefield , even if you are dying and the game over screen is about to pop up , you can dive into a nearby soldier . As you take the place of your new host , you naturally leave the former behind you . Doing so can get you out of hazardous situations at key moments , give you a better strategic position , put you into someone with more health , and of course , allow you to use whatever weapon your host was carrying - this includes taking control of powerful vehicles such as tanks and helicopters . There may be a feeling of guilt in abusing other people's bodies like this , but reinforcements eventually replace the fallen soldiers should you run out . Aya also has the ability to dive into enemies and implode them from the inside . This attack does massive damage and is essential in taking out some of the tougher forms of Twisted . To successfully engage in the attack however , you must first pummel the enemy with enough consecutive fire power to bring up the overdive prompt . Fast firing assault rifles or powerful explosives are among the best ways to bring up an overdive opportunity . Probably the best method , and a more respectable use of your teammates , is the Crossfire ability . Instead of emptying a clip into an enemy by yourself , you can charge up a lock on to a target and once full , order all squad members to focus fire the target to bits - outright killing most weak enemies or quickly creating an opportunity for you to dive into them . Finally , a super move called Liberation can be periodically activated after you've battled enough , allowing Aya to rapidly shoot energy from a pair of handguns along with granting her lightning fast movement . It's a very handy tool in getting your head above water in the game's many difficult firefights . The game really doesn't have a great variety of enemy types , and all though they put on some intense encounters for you to face , the game can feel a bit repetitive when new enemies are merely re-colored , stronger versions of previous missions . The few types the game has however aren't pushovers though - some enemies have devastating melee attacks , projectiles that must be dodged , some can swallow you whole on the spot , and many have multiple forms that make them hard to penetrate . Amongst making your way through these encounters , you'll be required to destroy enemy spawning points , blast down walls , plant C4 , and dodge traps - suffice to say , the game requires your full attention . While the 3rd Birthday is challenging , it's sometimes frustratingly so because while the enemies demand great use of reflex and overdive use , it's the camera and lock-on feature that are often the biggest obstacles . Primarily , the camera suffers in the game's many corridor encounters , where you are often up against several powerful creatures and have little way of keeping track of what's behind you . As you frantically try to realign the camera , projectile attacks will abuse you from your blind spots and often times you'll be left guessing blind in terms of what's after you . The lock-on feature then suffers from battles with many enemies on the field . The game is so fast paced and dodging is so key to survival , that finding your target again amongst a dozen will be more lethal to you than any enemy . There's a nifty hot key to target what's closest to you , but should you be targeting a specific enemy and need to drop your aim to run somewhere , dodge something , or dive somewhere else , well - - good luck finding that target again . Boss battles are surprisingly fresh feeling , each one asking for different approaches in order to achieve victory , and luckily these do not suffer from any camera or lock on issues when compared to the game's frantic firefights . RPG Elements : Despite the focus on intense firefights , the 3rd Birthday is still a light RPG on the side . Killing enemies awards experience points , making Aya stronger with every level , as well as currency that can be used on upgrading existing weapon load outs or buying new ones . The game features handguns , powerful revolvers , assault rifles , grenade launchers , and other special weapons for you to enjoy . Upgrading guns has some thought put into it , as each features a number of improvable characteristics . Often times , for example , you'll be forced to choose whether you want a weapon to have more Power , or if you prefer Impact instead . Power flatly increases the gun's damage , while Impact makes for quicker overdive kill set ups . Should you feel underpowered , you are free to revisit any previous mission and rack up more XP and money , and even go for a higher mission ranks or achievements that not only give you more substantial rewards , but may unlock more weapons and extra goodies as well . With a great deal of unlockables including cheat codes , weapons and costumes being left after beating the game , there's reason enough to go and shoot up the story again should you be able to stomach replaying the same missions again . A more subtle element to the game's customization is the use of OE ( Over Engergy ) chips , often acquired when diving into enemies . At save points or when back at base , these chips can be placed on a board and give way to useful passive abilities such as boosts to defense , restocking ammo after overdiving , and chances to unleash powerful attacks . Placing chips on the board can raise the level of pre-existing ones , or randomly create new ones . Malignant , or negative chips can appear as well , so some caution is required as you play around with Aya's DNA . Presentation : The 3rd Birthday stands amongst the best looking of PSP titles , with cutscenes looking very clean , and character models that look particularly impressive . Enemy designs all fit a well thought up theme , and the term Twisted accurately suits them . Aya's armor even takes real time damage as well , and her already torn jeans can be fried almost completely off if you take a hard enough of beating . Fan service or a strategic game element , it may be appreciated either way . In-game battle runs smooth which is great given its fast paced nature ( save for rare instances of slowdown during massive firefights ) , and load times are light after a quick data install . The environments you pass through are often impressive , outdoors in the snowy streets of Manhattan especially , but they quickly become repetitive instances of grey corridors and the grimy , boring habitats of the Twisted . The small barriers for taking cover behind look out of place at times , making certain battlefields feel cheap and superficial . The soundtrack features some great , melancholic piano pieces that fit the mood of the game well , along with some respectably intense orchestrated music for bigger encounters . Sound effects in general don't push to impress , but the screams of enemies and the sound of the weapons all sound satisfying enough . Conclusion : Ultimately , Parasite Eve : The 3rd Birthday rises to impressive heights in its combat , bringing elements that make for a challenging and well layered shooter . There are many issues bringing it down however , including frustrating camera and lock-on controls , repetitive instances of combat , and a poorly executed plot . Plenty of extra content to unlock may be enough reason to dive into this PSP title , but it stands as a crucially flawed , yet creative attempt at reviving the franchise nonetheless . Narrative and Characters Aya has reason enough to have a changed , weaker character in the 3rd Birthday , but the other introduced characters prove to have little to no depth , failing to maturely execute a complicated plot that asks for much more than stilted dialogue and weak cutscenes . Combat Delightfully creative , demanding , and fast paced , the game's combat features well thought up encounters and shining boss fights throughout . Enemies are well designed , but a lack of variety eventually saps some enjoyment moving from firefight to firefight . Control Camera and lock-on issues significantly hamper much of the game's combat . Keeping track of where enemies are and attempting to lock on to the proper ones end up making the game's controls more lethal than its enemies . Aesthetics Pretty cutscenes , a solid audio and a smooth playing game help make for a richer experience . Character models look great but environments quickly become drab and repetitive . Love it or Hate it : There's little to love here in terms of characters or plot . If you are new to the franchise you'll have trouble understanding what's going on . If you're a fan , you'll have trouble understanding what's going on and probably be offended in the process . That and the very action focused approach to the game makes the 3rd Birthday a tough recommendation to make to previous fans . The Experience : 6.9
• 001   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Square Enix's return to the Parasite Eve franchise turns out to be an action-packed PSP title , though perhaps not what every fan was hoping for . Premise : It's Christmas Eve , the year is 2012 , and citizens are optimistically pacing the snowy , holiday streets of Manhattan when chaos suddenly erupts . Giant tentacle like structures burst from the ground , terrorizing the city as they rise to eventually form twisted spires arching toward the sky . The assault on Manhattan has begun , and Aya Brea returns to face a new foe - the Twisted . The perspective of the game begins behind that of the CTI ( Counter Twisted Investigation ) , whose secret weapon is none other than Aya Brea , a woman with the ability to dive into the souls of other organisms , and with the help of the CTI technology , she can dive into organisms in different time periods as well . Aya in the 3rd Birthday , however , isn't the heroine fans will remember her as . Her memories are clouded as a result of a dramatic incident , and it has left her character much more vulnerable and frail sounding as compared to the previous games . As she battles the Twisted , the monsters that have infested Manhattan , she gradually comes across familiar faces , putting together the mystery of her past and the origins of the Twisted one step at a time . Eve games have proven to host interesting concepts in their narratives , and the 3rd Birthday is no different in this regard . It's a shame then , that the cutscenes that progress the game's story are largely mediocre , plagued with awkard dialogue and weak interaction between characters . The essence of time travel that involves a good portion of the game isn't spelled out for the player all that well , with a measly date stamp at the beginning of each mission being the only guide post to go by - - so it's fairly easy to forget what time you are in and why it matters The stilted conversation between characters makes understanding a seemingly complex story quite difficult - and with the ending actually being quite interesting , it's unfortunate the game couldn't carry itself more properly . Combat : Unlike its predecessors , the 3rd Birthday is a shooter above anything else , with only a light dose of RPG based elements to fool around with . However , some creative mechanics make the game much more interesting than a standard shoot-em-up . Fundamentally the game is fairly fast paced lock on shooter , with the most basic ( yet very crucial ) dodging and cover mechanics . Beyond that however , the game revolves Aya's ability to dive into the souls of others , called Overdive . In the majority of battles you encounter , you'll be accompanied by a group of U.S . soldiers , and while they do their part in the shooting , they are much more useful as targets to dive into . You can dive at any time as long as a living ally is in the battlefield , even if you are dying and the game over screen is about to pop up , you can dive into a nearby soldier . As you take the place of your new host , you naturally leave the former behind you . Doing so can get you out of hazardous situations at key moments , give you a better strategic position , put you into someone with more health , and of course , allow you to use whatever weapon your host was carrying - this includes taking control of powerful vehicles such as tanks and helicopters . There may be a feeling of guilt in abusing other people's bodies like this , but reinforcements eventually replace the fallen soldiers should you run out . Aya also has the ability to dive into enemies and implode them from the inside . This attack does massive damage and is essential in taking out some of the tougher forms of Twisted . To successfully engage in the attack however , you must first pummel the enemy with enough consecutive fire power to bring up the overdive prompt . Fast firing assault rifles or powerful explosives are among the best ways to bring up an overdive opportunity . Probably the best method , and a more respectable use of your teammates , is the Crossfire ability . Instead of emptying a clip into an enemy by yourself , you can charge up a lock on to a target and once full , order all squad members to focus fire the target to bits - outright killing most weak enemies or quickly creating an opportunity for you to dive into them . Finally , a super move called Liberation can be periodically activated after you've battled enough , allowing Aya to rapidly shoot energy from a pair of handguns along with granting her lightning fast movement . It's a very handy tool in getting your head above water in the game's many difficult firefights . The game really doesn't have a great variety of enemy types , and all though they put on some intense encounters for you to face , the game can feel a bit repetitive when new enemies are merely re-colored , stronger versions of previous missions . The few types the game has however aren't pushovers though - some enemies have devastating melee attacks , projectiles that must be dodged , some can swallow you whole on the spot , and many have multiple forms that make them hard to penetrate . Amongst making your way through these encounters , you'll be required to destroy enemy spawning points , blast down walls , plant C4 , and dodge traps - suffice to say , the game requires your full attention . While the 3rd Birthday is challenging , it's sometimes frustratingly so because while the enemies demand great use of reflex and overdive use , it's the camera and lock-on feature that are often the biggest obstacles . Primarily , the camera suffers in the game's many corridor encounters , where you are often up against several powerful creatures and have little way of keeping track of what's behind you . As you frantically try to realign the camera , projectile attacks will abuse you from your blind spots and often times you'll be left guessing blind in terms of what's after you . The lock-on feature then suffers from battles with many enemies on the field . The game is so fast paced and dodging is so key to survival , that finding your target again amongst a dozen will be more lethal to you than any enemy . There's a nifty hot key to target what's closest to you , but should you be targeting a specific enemy and need to drop your aim to run somewhere , dodge something , or dive somewhere else , well - - good luck finding that target again . Boss battles are surprisingly fresh feeling , each one asking for different approaches in order to achieve victory , and luckily these do not suffer from any camera or lock on issues when compared to the game's frantic firefights . RPG Elements : Despite the focus on intense firefights , the 3rd Birthday is still a light RPG on the side . Killing enemies awards experience points , making Aya stronger with every level , as well as currency that can be used on upgrading existing weapon load outs or buying new ones . The game features handguns , powerful revolvers , assault rifles , grenade launchers , and other special weapons for you to enjoy . Upgrading guns has some thought put into it , as each features a number of improvable characteristics . Often times , for example , you'll be forced to choose whether you want a weapon to have more Power , or if you prefer Impact instead . Power flatly increases the gun's damage , while Impact makes for quicker overdive kill set ups . Should you feel underpowered , you are free to revisit any previous mission and rack up more XP and money , and even go for a higher mission ranks or achievements that not only give you more substantial rewards , but may unlock more weapons and extra goodies as well . With a great deal of unlockables including cheat codes , weapons and costumes being left after beating the game , there's reason enough to go and shoot up the story again should you be able to stomach replaying the same missions again . A more subtle element to the game's customization is the use of OE ( Over Engergy ) chips , often acquired when diving into enemies . At save points or when back at base , these chips can be placed on a board and give way to useful passive abilities such as boosts to defense , restocking ammo after overdiving , and chances to unleash powerful attacks . Placing chips on the board can raise the level of pre-existing ones , or randomly create new ones . Malignant , or negative chips can appear as well , so some caution is required as you play around with Aya's DNA . Presentation : The 3rd Birthday stands amongst the best looking of PSP titles , with cutscenes looking very clean , and character models that look particularly impressive . Enemy designs all fit a well thought up theme , and the term Twisted accurately suits them . Aya's armor even takes real time damage as well , and her already torn jeans can be fried almost completely off if you take a hard enough of beating . Fan service or a strategic game element , it may be appreciated either way . In-game battle runs smooth which is great given its fast paced nature ( save for rare instances of slowdown during massive firefights ) , and load times are light after a quick data install . The environments you pass through are often impressive , outdoors in the snowy streets of Manhattan especially , but they quickly become repetitive instances of grey corridors and the grimy , boring habitats of the Twisted . The small barriers for taking cover behind look out of place at times , making certain battlefields feel cheap and superficial . The soundtrack features some great , melancholic piano pieces that fit the mood of the game well , along with some respectably intense orchestrated music for bigger encounters . Sound effects in general don't push to impress , but the screams of enemies and the sound of the weapons all sound satisfying enough . Conclusion : Ultimately , Parasite Eve : The 3rd Birthday rises to impressive heights in its combat , bringing elements that make for a challenging and well layered shooter . There are many issues bringing it down however , including frustrating camera and lock-on controls , repetitive instances of combat , and a poorly executed plot . Plenty of extra content to unlock may be enough reason to dive into this PSP title , but it stands as a crucially flawed , yet creative attempt at reviving the franchise nonetheless . Narrative and Characters Aya has reason enough to have a changed , weaker character in the 3rd Birthday , but the other introduced characters prove to have little to no depth , failing to maturely execute a complicated plot that asks for much more than stilted dialogue and weak cutscenes . Combat Delightfully creative , demanding , and fast paced , the game's combat features well thought up encounters and shining boss fights throughout . Enemies are well designed , but a lack of variety eventually saps some enjoyment moving from firefight to firefight . Control Camera and lock-on issues significantly hamper much of the game's combat . Keeping track of where enemies are and attempting to lock on to the proper ones end up making the game's controls more lethal than its enemies . Aesthetics Pretty cutscenes , a solid audio and a smooth playing game help make for a richer experience . Character models look great but environments quickly become drab and repetitive . Love it or Hate it : There's little to love here in terms of characters or plot . If you are new to the franchise you'll have trouble understanding what's going on . If you're a fan , you'll have trouble understanding what's going on and probably be offended in the process . That and the very action focused approach to the game makes the 3rd Birthday a tough recommendation to make to previous fans . The Experience : 6.9
• 002   Square Enix's return to the Parasite Eve franchise turns out to be an action-packed PSP title , though perhaps not what every fan was hoping for . Premise : It's Christmas Eve , the year is 2012 , and citizens are optimistically pacing the snowy , holiday streets of Manhattan when chaos suddenly erupts . Giant tentacle like structures burst from the ground , terrorizing the city as they rise to eventually form twisted spires arching toward the sky . The assault on Manhattan has begun , and Aya Brea returns to face a new foe - the Twisted . The perspective of the game begins behind that of the CTI ( Counter Twisted Investigation ) , whose secret weapon is none other than Aya Brea , a woman with the ability to dive into the souls of other organisms , and with the help of the CTI technology , she can dive into organisms in different time periods as well . Aya in the 3rd Birthday , however , isn't the heroine fans will remember her as . Her memories are clouded as a result of a dramatic incident , and it has left her character much more vulnerable and frail sounding as compared to the previous games . As she battles the Twisted , the monsters that have infested Manhattan , she gradually comes across familiar faces , putting together the mystery of her past and the origins of the Twisted one step at a time . Eve games have proven to host interesting concepts in their narratives , and the 3rd Birthday is no different in this regard . It's a shame then , that the cutscenes that progress the game's story are largely mediocre , plagued with awkard dialogue and weak interaction between characters . The essence of time travel that involves a good portion of the game isn't spelled out for the player all that well , with a measly date stamp at the beginning of each mission being the only guide post to go by - - so it's fairly easy to forget what time you are in and why it matters The stilted conversation between characters makes understanding a seemingly complex story quite difficult - and with the ending actually being quite interesting , it's unfortunate the game couldn't carry itself more properly . Combat : Unlike its predecessors , the 3rd Birthday is a shooter above anything else , with only a light dose of RPG based elements to fool around with . However , some creative mechanics make the game much more interesting than a standard shoot-em-up . Fundamentally the game is fairly fast paced lock on shooter , with the most basic ( yet very crucial ) dodging and cover mechanics . Beyond that however , the game revolves Aya's ability to dive into the souls of others , called Overdive . In the majority of battles you encounter , you'll be accompanied by a group of U.S . soldiers , and while they do their part in the shooting , they are much more useful as targets to dive into . You can dive at any time as long as a living ally is in the battlefield , even if you are dying and the game over screen is about to pop up , you can dive into a nearby soldier . As you take the place of your new host , you naturally leave the former behind you . Doing so can get you out of hazardous situations at key moments , give you a better strategic position , put you into someone with more health , and of course , allow you to use whatever weapon your host was carrying - this includes taking control of powerful vehicles such as tanks and helicopters . There may be a feeling of guilt in abusing other people's bodies like this , but reinforcements eventually replace the fallen soldiers should you run out . Aya also has the ability to dive into enemies and implode them from the inside . This attack does massive damage and is essential in taking out some of the tougher forms of Twisted . To successfully engage in the attack however , you must first pummel the enemy with enough consecutive fire power to bring up the overdive prompt . Fast firing assault rifles or powerful explosives are among the best ways to bring up an overdive opportunity . Probably the best method , and a more respectable use of your teammates , is the Crossfire ability . Instead of emptying a clip into an enemy by yourself , you can charge up a lock on to a target and once full , order all squad members to focus fire the target to bits - outright killing most weak enemies or quickly creating an opportunity for you to dive into them . Finally , a super move called Liberation can be periodically activated after you've battled enough , allowing Aya to rapidly shoot energy from a pair of handguns along with granting her lightning fast movement . It's a very handy tool in getting your head above water in the game's many difficult firefights . The game really doesn't have a great variety of enemy types , and all though they put on some intense encounters for you to face , the game can feel a bit repetitive when new enemies are merely re-colored , stronger versions of previous missions . The few types the game has however aren't pushovers though - some enemies have devastating melee attacks , projectiles that must be dodged , some can swallow you whole on the spot , and many have multiple forms that make them hard to penetrate . Amongst making your way through these encounters , you'll be required to destroy enemy spawning points , blast down walls , plant C4 , and dodge traps - suffice to say , the game requires your full attention . While the 3rd Birthday is challenging , it's sometimes frustratingly so because while the enemies demand great use of reflex and overdive use , it's the camera and lock-on feature that are often the biggest obstacles . Primarily , the camera suffers in the game's many corridor encounters , where you are often up against several powerful creatures and have little way of keeping track of what's behind you . As you frantically try to realign the camera , projectile attacks will abuse you from your blind spots and often times you'll be left guessing blind in terms of what's after you . The lock-on feature then suffers from battles with many enemies on the field . The game is so fast paced and dodging is so key to survival , that finding your target again amongst a dozen will be more lethal to you than any enemy . There's a nifty hot key to target what's closest to you , but should you be targeting a specific enemy and need to drop your aim to run somewhere , dodge something , or dive somewhere else , well - - good luck finding that target again . Boss battles are surprisingly fresh feeling , each one asking for different approaches in order to achieve victory , and luckily these do not suffer from any camera or lock on issues when compared to the game's frantic firefights . RPG Elements : Despite the focus on intense firefights , the 3rd Birthday is still a light RPG on the side . Killing enemies awards experience points , making Aya stronger with every level , as well as currency that can be used on upgrading existing weapon load outs or buying new ones . The game features handguns , powerful revolvers , assault rifles , grenade launchers , and other special weapons for you to enjoy . Upgrading guns has some thought put into it , as each features a number of improvable characteristics . Often times , for example , you'll be forced to choose whether you want a weapon to have more Power , or if you prefer Impact instead . Power flatly increases the gun's damage , while Impact makes for quicker overdive kill set ups . Should you feel underpowered , you are free to revisit any previous mission and rack up more XP and money , and even go for a higher mission ranks or achievements that not only give you more substantial rewards , but may unlock more weapons and extra goodies as well . With a great deal of unlockables including cheat codes , weapons and costumes being left after beating the game , there's reason enough to go and shoot up the story again should you be able to stomach replaying the same missions again . A more subtle element to the game's customization is the use of OE ( Over Engergy ) chips , often acquired when diving into enemies . At save points or when back at base , these chips can be placed on a board and give way to useful passive abilities such as boosts to defense , restocking ammo after overdiving , and chances to unleash powerful attacks . Placing chips on the board can raise the level of pre-existing ones , or randomly create new ones . Malignant , or negative chips can appear as well , so some caution is required as you play around with Aya's DNA . Presentation : The 3rd Birthday stands amongst the best looking of PSP titles , with cutscenes looking very clean , and character models that look particularly impressive . Enemy designs all fit a well thought up theme , and the term Twisted accurately suits them . Aya's armor even takes real time damage as well , and her already torn jeans can be fried almost completely off if you take a hard enough of beating . Fan service or a strategic game element , it may be appreciated either way . In-game battle runs smooth which is great given its fast paced nature ( save for rare instances of slowdown during massive firefights ) , and load times are light after a quick data install . The environments you pass through are often impressive , outdoors in the snowy streets of Manhattan especially , but they quickly become repetitive instances of grey corridors and the grimy , boring habitats of the Twisted . The small barriers for taking cover behind look out of place at times , making certain battlefields feel cheap and superficial . The soundtrack features some great , melancholic piano pieces that fit the mood of the game well , along with some respectably intense orchestrated music for bigger encounters . Sound effects in general don't push to impress , but the screams of enemies and the sound of the weapons all sound satisfying enough . Conclusion : Ultimately , Parasite Eve : The 3rd Birthday rises to impressive heights in its combat , bringing elements that make for a challenging and well layered shooter . There are many issues bringing it down however , including frustrating camera and lock-on controls , repetitive instances of combat , and a poorly executed plot . Plenty of extra content to unlock may be enough reason to dive into this PSP title , but it stands as a crucially flawed , yet creative attempt at reviving the franchise nonetheless . Narrative and Characters Aya has reason enough to have a changed , weaker character in the 3rd Birthday , but the other introduced characters prove to have little to no depth , failing to maturely execute a complicated plot that asks for much more than stilted dialogue and weak cutscenes . Combat Delightfully creative , demanding , and fast paced , the game's combat features well thought up encounters and shining boss fights throughout . Enemies are well designed , but a lack of variety eventually saps some enjoyment moving from firefight to firefight . Control Camera and lock-on issues significantly hamper much of the game's combat . Keeping track of where enemies are and attempting to lock on to the proper ones end up making the game's controls more lethal than its enemies . Aesthetics Pretty cutscenes , a solid audio and a smooth playing game help make for a richer experience . Character models look great but environments quickly become drab and repetitive . Love it or Hate it : There's little to love here in terms of characters or plot . If you are new to the franchise you'll have trouble understanding what's going on . If you're a fan , you'll have trouble understanding what's going on and probably be offended in the process . That and the very action focused approach to the game makes the 3rd Birthday a tough recommendation to make to previous fans . The Experience : 6.9
• 003   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) So , I've been looking forward to this game ever since the initial previews for it came out . The original Parasite Eve was one of my favorite games of all time , and I couldn't understand why Squaresoft wasn't pursuing a sequel to the series . In fact , I bought a PSP just so I could play this and Final Fantasy Tactics . So let's get down to it . If you're a diehard Parasite Eve fan , this game is somewhat of a letdown . First of all , the story is horrific and has absolutely no relevance to the prior Parasite Eves . Now granted , Squaresoft stated that this game isn't intended to be a sequel of any sorts , but if that is the case they shouldn't have used Aya Brea as the protagonist . The story is some cobbled together mumbo jumbo about time traveling via Aya's psyche or some such nonsense . I'm not going to go further into it because there's not much to say . It's just really bad . The horrible voice acting doesn't help at all either . Maeda is now some kind of borderline retarded lecher instead of the super awesome Japanese sidekick he used to be . Even worse , Aya Brea is the most annoying main character I've ever seen . She's the most passive pansy of a hero I've ever seen , and not reminiscent at all of the Aya from the Parasite Eve franchise . She constantly looks like she's about to cry , and most of the time she spoke I just wanted to drop kick her in the face . As for the gameplay , it's actually not bad . The controls and movement are very fluid and intuitive . Unfortunately , the movements are controlled by the analog and the camera is controlled by the D-pad . This wouldn't be an issue , except for the fact that the camera is god-awful . While most guns have an Auto-lock feature , the few guns that don't are a pain to use because the camera will not adjust automatically . This is exacerbated by the fact that the game wants you to utilize cover whenever possible . It's just painful when your facing the enemy behind a wall , and trying to aim without an autolock gun freaks the camera out and has you stare directly at the ground while a horde of Twisted are coming at you . In certain scenarios , there are enemies attacking you from multiple directions . The way the camera works , it's borderline impossible to dodge all the attacks because you're essentially forced to tunnel vision in one direction . Ultimately though , the game is actually quite fun outside of a few meaninglessly frustrating battles . As for replay value , they really copped out by going the New game + + route . I always hated the idea of a New Game + . Making you replay the game repeatedly to unlock features doesn't constitute true replay value . There's a difference between making you want to come back to the game , and simply making you play the game over and over from the beginning . Since the game itself is very short ( 5 hours ) , I feel like they cheated and artificially wanted to extend the game length using this feature . Ultimately , this game deserves a 4 / 5 . On its own , its certainly a fairly decent game . However , upon playing it I was infuriated by the fact that it really had nothing to do with Parasite Eve whatsoever with the sole exception of the fact that the main character's name is Aya Brea . Square Enix went out of there way to take advantage of their fans by tricking them with their nomenclature . If you want to play a semi-decent shooter with excellent graphics , you'll be impressed . If you love and miss Parasite Eve and were hoping to get get your fix with this game , sorry but you're going to be sorely disappointed .
• 004   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) So , I've been looking forward to this game ever since the initial previews for it came out . The original Parasite Eve was one of my favorite games of all time , and I couldn't understand why Squaresoft wasn't pursuing a sequel to the series . In fact , I bought a PSP just so I could play this and Final Fantasy Tactics . So let's get down to it . If you're a diehard Parasite Eve fan , this game is somewhat of a letdown . First of all , the story is horrific and has absolutely no relevance to the prior Parasite Eves . Now granted , Squaresoft stated that this game isn't intended to be a sequel of any sorts , but if that is the case they shouldn't have used Aya Brea as the protagonist . The story is some cobbled together mumbo jumbo about time traveling via Aya's psyche or some such nonsense . I'm not going to go further into it because there's not much to say . It's just really bad . The horrible voice acting doesn't help at all either . Maeda is now some kind of borderline retarded lecher instead of the super awesome Japanese sidekick he used to be . Even worse , Aya Brea is the most annoying main character I've ever seen . She's the most passive pansy of a hero I've ever seen , and not reminiscent at all of the Aya from the Parasite Eve franchise . She constantly looks like she's about to cry , and most of the time she spoke I just wanted to drop kick her in the face . As for the gameplay , it's actually not bad . The controls and movement are very fluid and intuitive . Unfortunately , the movements are controlled by the analog and the camera is controlled by the D-pad . This wouldn't be an issue , except for the fact that the camera is god-awful . While most guns have an Auto-lock feature , the few guns that don't are a pain to use because the camera will not adjust automatically . This is exacerbated by the fact that the game wants you to utilize cover whenever possible . It's just painful when your facing the enemy behind a wall , and trying to aim without an autolock gun freaks the camera out and has you stare directly at the ground while a horde of Twisted are coming at you . In certain scenarios , there are enemies attacking you from multiple directions . The way the camera works , it's borderline impossible to dodge all the attacks because you're essentially forced to tunnel vision in one direction . Ultimately though , the game is actually quite fun outside of a few meaninglessly frustrating battles . As for replay value , they really copped out by going the New game + + route . I always hated the idea of a New Game + . Making you replay the game repeatedly to unlock features doesn't constitute true replay value . There's a difference between making you want to come back to the game , and simply making you play the game over and over from the beginning . Since the game itself is very short ( 5 hours ) , I feel like they cheated and artificially wanted to extend the game length using this feature . Ultimately , this game deserves a 4 / 5 . On its own , its certainly a fairly decent game . However , upon playing it I was infuriated by the fact that it really had nothing to do with Parasite Eve whatsoever with the sole exception of the fact that the main character's name is Aya Brea . Square Enix went out of there way to take advantage of their fans by tricking them with their nomenclature . If you want to play a semi-decent shooter with excellent graphics , you'll be impressed . If you love and miss Parasite Eve and were hoping to get get your fix with this game , sorry but you're going to be sorely disappointed .
• 005   So , I've been looking forward to this game ever since the initial previews for it came out . The original Parasite Eve was one of my favorite games of all time , and I couldn't understand why Squaresoft wasn't pursuing a sequel to the series . In fact , I bought a PSP just so I could play this and Final Fantasy Tactics . So let's get down to it . If you're a diehard Parasite Eve fan , this game is somewhat of a letdown . First of all , the story is horrific and has absolutely no relevance to the prior Parasite Eves . Now granted , Squaresoft stated that this game isn't intended to be a sequel of any sorts , but if that is the case they shouldn't have used Aya Brea as the protagonist . The story is some cobbled together mumbo jumbo about time traveling via Aya's psyche or some such nonsense . I'm not going to go further into it because there's not much to say . It's just really bad . The horrible voice acting doesn't help at all either . Maeda is now some kind of borderline retarded lecher instead of the super awesome Japanese sidekick he used to be . Even worse , Aya Brea is the most annoying main character I've ever seen . She's the most passive pansy of a hero I've ever seen , and not reminiscent at all of the Aya from the Parasite Eve franchise . She constantly looks like she's about to cry , and most of the time she spoke I just wanted to drop kick her in the face . As for the gameplay , it's actually not bad . The controls and movement are very fluid and intuitive . Unfortunately , the movements are controlled by the analog and the camera is controlled by the D-pad . This wouldn't be an issue , except for the fact that the camera is god-awful . While most guns have an Auto-lock feature , the few guns that don't are a pain to use because the camera will not adjust automatically . This is exacerbated by the fact that the game wants you to utilize cover whenever possible . It's just painful when your facing the enemy behind a wall , and trying to aim without an autolock gun freaks the camera out and has you stare directly at the ground while a horde of Twisted are coming at you . In certain scenarios , there are enemies attacking you from multiple directions . The way the camera works , it's borderline impossible to dodge all the attacks because you're essentially forced to tunnel vision in one direction . Ultimately though , the game is actually quite fun outside of a few meaninglessly frustrating battles . As for replay value , they really copped out by going the New game + + route . I always hated the idea of a New Game + . Making you replay the game repeatedly to unlock features doesn't constitute true replay value . There's a difference between making you want to come back to the game , and simply making you play the game over and over from the beginning . Since the game itself is very short ( 5 hours ) , I feel like they cheated and artificially wanted to extend the game length using this feature . Ultimately , this game deserves a 4 / 5 . On its own , its certainly a fairly decent game . However , upon playing it I was infuriated by the fact that it really had nothing to do with Parasite Eve whatsoever with the sole exception of the fact that the main character's name is Aya Brea . Square Enix went out of there way to take advantage of their fans by tricking them with their nomenclature . If you want to play a semi-decent shooter with excellent graphics , you'll be impressed . If you love and miss Parasite Eve and were hoping to get get your fix with this game , sorry but you're going to be sorely disappointed .
• 006   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) - I'll ' try ' to keep it short . - First and foremost , I'd like to say I enjoyed laughing at all the mediocre / negative reviews I've read on this site in regards to Parasite Eve : The 3rd Birthday . Some complained about how this story doesn't ' hold the grail ' of the previous two Parasite Eve games ; well it does . Just from an angle you would've never guessed . Other's noted how the main character comes off as ' weak and useless ' . Even that plays a part in the storyline . All in all . . . . . . . you guys don't know what you're talking about . Regardless , being created by Square-Enix , The 3rd Birthday has many similarities to Final Fantasy : Crisis Core . The battle mechanics are simple : PE3 : Aim , Shoot , Hide , Overdive ( jump from body to body ) , and Liberation ( invincibility mode ) CC : Lock-on , Attack , Block , use Materia ( equipable magic , skills , etc . ) The customizable DNA Boards are very similar to how Materia was used : PE3 : You have nine slots to place DNA in , each adding an ability to your character . When you overlap two different types of DNA , they can mutate into a new ( and random ) DNA strand CC : You have base Materia that you can fuse with one another to create stronger forms of that Materia , or new ones all together . ( in both concepts , the Materia / DNA can be leveled ) And Mission-based ' Free-Roam ' mechanics are used again : PE3 : You can wander around the Base and interact with characters and such , but to go on a mission , you have to initiate it via NPC / Computer . Then you wander around the level . CC : . . . . same . Sounds like a straight-forward game right ? Wrong . This game throws you in ridiculous situations where you have to cook up a strategy on the fly . The weapons you use ( there's lots . most are customizable too ) , where you locate the people you Overdive into , and the structure of the battlefield can determine how many soldiers / civilians are saved and whether you die or not . As you progress through the game , newer creatures appear , further complicating things on the battlefield ( considering some are harder to defeat unless your holding the right weapon or discover a physical weakness ) . Aside from that , there is a New Game + mode , along with unlockable costumes , cheat codes , weapons , and difficulties . I can talk about this game forever , but it's best you play it and see what it has to offer 1st hand . To those of you who enjoyed Crisis Core and the previous two Parasite Eve games : you will not be disappointed .
• 007   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) - I'll ' try ' to keep it short . - First and foremost , I'd like to say I enjoyed laughing at all the mediocre / negative reviews I've read on this site in regards to Parasite Eve : The 3rd Birthday . Some complained about how this story doesn't ' hold the grail ' of the previous two Parasite Eve games ; well it does . Just from an angle you would've never guessed . Other's noted how the main character comes off as ' weak and useless ' . Even that plays a part in the storyline . All in all . . . . . . . you guys don't know what you're talking about . Regardless , being created by Square-Enix , The 3rd Birthday has many similarities to Final Fantasy : Crisis Core . The battle mechanics are simple : PE3 : Aim , Shoot , Hide , Overdive ( jump from body to body ) , and Liberation ( invincibility mode ) CC : Lock-on , Attack , Block , use Materia ( equipable magic , skills , etc . ) The customizable DNA Boards are very similar to how Materia was used : PE3 : You have nine slots to place DNA in , each adding an ability to your character . When you overlap two different types of DNA , they can mutate into a new ( and random ) DNA strand CC : You have base Materia that you can fuse with one another to create stronger forms of that Materia , or new ones all together . ( in both concepts , the Materia / DNA can be leveled ) And Mission-based ' Free-Roam ' mechanics are used again : PE3 : You can wander around the Base and interact with characters and such , but to go on a mission , you have to initiate it via NPC / Computer . Then you wander around the level . CC : . . . . same . Sounds like a straight-forward game right ? Wrong . This game throws you in ridiculous situations where you have to cook up a strategy on the fly . The weapons you use ( there's lots . most are customizable too ) , where you locate the people you Overdive into , and the structure of the battlefield can determine how many soldiers / civilians are saved and whether you die or not . As you progress through the game , newer creatures appear , further complicating things on the battlefield ( considering some are harder to defeat unless your holding the right weapon or discover a physical weakness ) . Aside from that , there is a New Game + mode , along with unlockable costumes , cheat codes , weapons , and difficulties . I can talk about this game forever , but it's best you play it and see what it has to offer 1st hand . To those of you who enjoyed Crisis Core and the previous two Parasite Eve games : you will not be disappointed .
• 008   - I'll ' try ' to keep it short . - First and foremost , I'd like to say I enjoyed laughing at all the mediocre / negative reviews I've read on this site in regards to Parasite Eve : The 3rd Birthday . Some complained about how this story doesn't ' hold the grail ' of the previous two Parasite Eve games ; well it does . Just from an angle you would've never guessed . Other's noted how the main character comes off as ' weak and useless ' . Even that plays a part in the storyline . All in all . . . . . . . you guys don't know what you're talking about . Regardless , being created by Square-Enix , The 3rd Birthday has many similarities to Final Fantasy : Crisis Core . The battle mechanics are simple : PE3 : Aim , Shoot , Hide , Overdive ( jump from body to body ) , and Liberation ( invincibility mode ) CC : Lock-on , Attack , Block , use Materia ( equipable magic , skills , etc . ) The customizable DNA Boards are very similar to how Materia was used : PE3 : You have nine slots to place DNA in , each adding an ability to your character . When you overlap two different types of DNA , they can mutate into a new ( and random ) DNA strand CC : You have base Materia that you can fuse with one another to create stronger forms of that Materia , or new ones all together . ( in both concepts , the Materia / DNA can be leveled ) And Mission-based ' Free-Roam ' mechanics are used again : PE3 : You can wander around the Base and interact with characters and such , but to go on a mission , you have to initiate it via NPC / Computer . Then you wander around the level . CC : . . . . same . Sounds like a straight-forward game right ? Wrong . This game throws you in ridiculous situations where you have to cook up a strategy on the fly . The weapons you use ( there's lots . most are customizable too ) , where you locate the people you Overdive into , and the structure of the battlefield can determine how many soldiers / civilians are saved and whether you die or not . As you progress through the game , newer creatures appear , further complicating things on the battlefield ( considering some are harder to defeat unless your holding the right weapon or discover a physical weakness ) . Aside from that , there is a New Game + mode , along with unlockable costumes , cheat codes , weapons , and difficulties . I can talk about this game forever , but it's best you play it and see what it has to offer 1st hand . To those of you who enjoyed Crisis Core and the previous two Parasite Eve games : you will not be disappointed .
• 012   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I was a HUGE fan or Parasyte Eve I & II but this . . . . this was a disapointment of epic proportion . I was excited to see Aya again and felt like I would be reuniting with an old friend , But frankly , I would rather have gone on missing her than to have wasted my time playing this game . the gameplay is weak and graphics are just marginal . don't waste your time !
• 013   I was a HUGE fan or Parasyte Eve I & II but this . . . . this was a disapointment of epic proportion . I was excited to see Aya again and felt like I would be reuniting with an old friend , But frankly , I would rather have gone on missing her than to have wasted my time playing this game . the gameplay is weak and graphics are just marginal . don't waste your time !
• 016   While it was a welcome addition to the PSP and a long-awaited follow-up to Parasite Eve 2 , the game was a bit unfulfilling in storyline . It was vague and overly amorphous , and there was no real satisfying explanation to the story and events except that of a shattered soul transcending across space / time . And while it is a direct sequel to PE 2 , it almost felt like they lost the copyright name and had to move the game in a different direction , so it was house cleaning in terms of characters , and the very title of the game . The difficulty could have also been lowered a notch or two . I like challenging games , but when your character doesn't automatically face her enemies with heavy weapons equipped ( When she does with all other weapons ) , and when you get hit by insta-death kills , it gets lame . I also wasn't keen on the leveling up for weapons or hyper the slow reloading time . It took too long to build them up , and when you start with a new weapon , the tiered system makes initial weapon damage and range far too inefficient against most enemies . Overall the graphics and voice talent was very good , the gameplay was decent , but the plot and difficulty were questionable . I'd recommend this to PE fans so they get the final chapter to the story , but to a casual fan I think things are too convoluted to make much sense , or make them care .
• 017   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Being a huge fan of the first two Parasite Eve games , I couldn't wait to get my hands on this game . Releasing the game for the PSP was a great idea . ( Being able to take my game with me makes it even better . ) I've already played an hour or so since I got the game this morning . I love the story line of the game and the new features like the Overdive Feature . It kinda reminds me of the Matrix Movies . To me the most awesome move in the game is the Overdive Kill where the enemy implodes from the inside . Some things from the other games is still around even though somewhat different . For example to save you use a laptop instead of a phone , she has certain energies through OE Chips instead of leveling up with points , and the music in the background when the game starts is a remix of the original . Overall , the controls and playing of the game are easy enough to use . The game is fimilar but with some new twists . If you like the first two Parasite Eve games then you will love this one . It's also good for people who didn't get to play the other Parasite Eve games but want to experience it now . It's good to have Aya back to save us from human from Twisted creatures . : )
• 018   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Being a huge fan of the first two Parasite Eve games , I couldn't wait to get my hands on this game . Releasing the game for the PSP was a great idea . ( Being able to take my game with me makes it even better . ) I've already played an hour or so since I got the game this morning . I love the story line of the game and the new features like the Overdive Feature . It kinda reminds me of the Matrix Movies . To me the most awesome move in the game is the Overdive Kill where the enemy implodes from the inside . Some things from the other games is still around even though somewhat different . For example to save you use a laptop instead of a phone , she has certain energies through OE Chips instead of leveling up with points , and the music in the background when the game starts is a remix of the original . Overall , the controls and playing of the game are easy enough to use . The game is fimilar but with some new twists . If you like the first two Parasite Eve games then you will love this one . It's also good for people who didn't get to play the other Parasite Eve games but want to experience it now . It's good to have Aya back to save us from human from Twisted creatures . : )
• 019   Being a huge fan of the first two Parasite Eve games , I couldn't wait to get my hands on this game . Releasing the game for the PSP was a great idea . ( Being able to take my game with me makes it even better . ) I've already played an hour or so since I got the game this morning . I love the story line of the game and the new features like the Overdive Feature . It kinda reminds me of the Matrix Movies . To me the most awesome move in the game is the Overdive Kill where the enemy implodes from the inside . Some things from the other games is still around even though somewhat different . For example to save you use a laptop instead of a phone , she has certain energies through OE Chips instead of leveling up with points , and the music in the background when the game starts is a remix of the original . Overall , the controls and playing of the game are easy enough to use . The game is fimilar but with some new twists . If you like the first two Parasite Eve games then you will love this one . It's also good for people who didn't get to play the other Parasite Eve games but want to experience it now . It's good to have Aya back to save us from human from Twisted creatures . : )
• 020   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) The 3rd Birthday . . . I'm so glad I've never been a huge Parasite Eve fan or I else I would have been sorely disappointed . This highly anticipated title is a side-story to the orignal PE franchise which debuted in the late 90 ' s . The 3rd Birthday distances itself from it predecessors via gameplay style and story . What we have here is a third person shooter in a similar vein Resident Evil 4 and Gears of War . Ducking behind cover is automatically initiated upon positioning the main character , Aya Brea , next to obstacles on the map . Due to the PSP's lack of a second analog stick , running is done with the only analog stick on the system and aiming is managed by locking on to enemies with the L should button and switched to different enemies via the D-pad . This is a third-person shooter after all , so gone are the days of random battles with detailed inventory and stats menus . The 3rd Birthday has retained a bit of its RPG pedigree with a rudimentary leveling system , weapon , and OE Chip menu . The OE Chips are bits of DNA collected from killing enemies by Overdiving into them and exploding them into a bloody mess . Honestly , throughout my time with the game I didn't really pay to much attention to the OE Chip system . I'd equip some chips here and there to increase my stats such as healing , aim and whatnot , but I didn't really put too much emphasis or time into it . That being said , the system does increase your stats so you will have to spend a little time with it . Weapons ; well I didn't spend to much time with either . You can purchase various weapons to assist you in the game but I just found myself purchasing two rifles and keeping the standard pistol . I upgraded their accuracy , capacity , et cetera and that was about it . You can only equip three weapons and I found myself with the same three from beginning to end . . . except when overdiving into other people . Also , there's kind of an armor system . Kinda . You can switch between wearing a jacket and not wearing a jacket . Having the jacket on ups your defense stats , which slowly wither away with the amount of damage you take and the amount of clothes that are torn from Aya . Yes , he clothes are torn off to the point that she's running around in close to a bra and panties . Geez , Square . . . . I guess by beating the game you can unlock more outfits such as a sexy maid's outfit and whatnot . ( At least that's the one I unlocked when I beat it . ) Now for overdiving . Overdiving is a technique in which Aya transplants her consciousness and possesses anther human being . You'll inherit the abilities , and a fourth weapon , of anyone you overdive into . You can also overdive into helicopter pilots and tank operators for more military might . Additionally , upon inflicting enough damage on an enemy , a triangle will appear on the enemy indicating to you that you can overdive and inflict massive damage on the enemy or make them explode . How does all this stuff I just cover mesh into the rest of the game ? Well , its cool , I admit but the story is a convuluted mess which is really just there for the sake of progressing the game from level to level . The non-playable characters lack any sort of palpable depth to them and come in and out of the script with really no bearing on the game , or caring , but the gamer . The gameplay itself is mediocre and consists of running of room to room killing all enemies and moving on to the next . Towards the end of this , albeit , short game I really found myself just slogging through it just to be finished with it . The graphics are very good , not as great as Metal Gear Solid : Peace Walker , but definitely make the PSP shine . FMV sequences are very well done and the music is stellar . All in all , The 3rd Birthday was a decent action romp . It's definitely a good time waster .
• 021   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) The 3rd Birthday . . . I'm so glad I've never been a huge Parasite Eve fan or I else I would have been sorely disappointed . This highly anticipated title is a side-story to the orignal PE franchise which debuted in the late 90 ' s . The 3rd Birthday distances itself from it predecessors via gameplay style and story . What we have here is a third person shooter in a similar vein Resident Evil 4 and Gears of War . Ducking behind cover is automatically initiated upon positioning the main character , Aya Brea , next to obstacles on the map . Due to the PSP's lack of a second analog stick , running is done with the only analog stick on the system and aiming is managed by locking on to enemies with the L should button and switched to different enemies via the D-pad . This is a third-person shooter after all , so gone are the days of random battles with detailed inventory and stats menus . The 3rd Birthday has retained a bit of its RPG pedigree with a rudimentary leveling system , weapon , and OE Chip menu . The OE Chips are bits of DNA collected from killing enemies by Overdiving into them and exploding them into a bloody mess . Honestly , throughout my time with the game I didn't really pay to much attention to the OE Chip system . I'd equip some chips here and there to increase my stats such as healing , aim and whatnot , but I didn't really put too much emphasis or time into it . That being said , the system does increase your stats so you will have to spend a little time with it . Weapons ; well I didn't spend to much time with either . You can purchase various weapons to assist you in the game but I just found myself purchasing two rifles and keeping the standard pistol . I upgraded their accuracy , capacity , et cetera and that was about it . You can only equip three weapons and I found myself with the same three from beginning to end . . . except when overdiving into other people . Also , there's kind of an armor system . Kinda . You can switch between wearing a jacket and not wearing a jacket . Having the jacket on ups your defense stats , which slowly wither away with the amount of damage you take and the amount of clothes that are torn from Aya . Yes , he clothes are torn off to the point that she's running around in close to a bra and panties . Geez , Square . . . . I guess by beating the game you can unlock more outfits such as a sexy maid's outfit and whatnot . ( At least that's the one I unlocked when I beat it . ) Now for overdiving . Overdiving is a technique in which Aya transplants her consciousness and possesses anther human being . You'll inherit the abilities , and a fourth weapon , of anyone you overdive into . You can also overdive into helicopter pilots and tank operators for more military might . Additionally , upon inflicting enough damage on an enemy , a triangle will appear on the enemy indicating to you that you can overdive and inflict massive damage on the enemy or make them explode . How does all this stuff I just cover mesh into the rest of the game ? Well , its cool , I admit but the story is a convuluted mess which is really just there for the sake of progressing the game from level to level . The non-playable characters lack any sort of palpable depth to them and come in and out of the script with really no bearing on the game , or caring , but the gamer . The gameplay itself is mediocre and consists of running of room to room killing all enemies and moving on to the next . Towards the end of this , albeit , short game I really found myself just slogging through it just to be finished with it . The graphics are very good , not as great as Metal Gear Solid : Peace Walker , but definitely make the PSP shine . FMV sequences are very well done and the music is stellar . All in all , The 3rd Birthday was a decent action romp . It's definitely a good time waster .
• 022   The 3rd Birthday . . . I'm so glad I've never been a huge Parasite Eve fan or I else I would have been sorely disappointed . This highly anticipated title is a side-story to the orignal PE franchise which debuted in the late 90 ' s . The 3rd Birthday distances itself from it predecessors via gameplay style and story . What we have here is a third person shooter in a similar vein Resident Evil 4 and Gears of War . Ducking behind cover is automatically initiated upon positioning the main character , Aya Brea , next to obstacles on the map . Due to the PSP's lack of a second analog stick , running is done with the only analog stick on the system and aiming is managed by locking on to enemies with the L should button and switched to different enemies via the D-pad . This is a third-person shooter after all , so gone are the days of random battles with detailed inventory and stats menus . The 3rd Birthday has retained a bit of its RPG pedigree with a rudimentary leveling system , weapon , and OE Chip menu . The OE Chips are bits of DNA collected from killing enemies by Overdiving into them and exploding them into a bloody mess . Honestly , throughout my time with the game I didn't really pay to much attention to the OE Chip system . I'd equip some chips here and there to increase my stats such as healing , aim and whatnot , but I didn't really put too much emphasis or time into it . That being said , the system does increase your stats so you will have to spend a little time with it . Weapons ; well I didn't spend to much time with either . You can purchase various weapons to assist you in the game but I just found myself purchasing two rifles and keeping the standard pistol . I upgraded their accuracy , capacity , et cetera and that was about it . You can only equip three weapons and I found myself with the same three from beginning to end . . . except when overdiving into other people . Also , there's kind of an armor system . Kinda . You can switch between wearing a jacket and not wearing a jacket . Having the jacket on ups your defense stats , which slowly wither away with the amount of damage you take and the amount of clothes that are torn from Aya . Yes , he clothes are torn off to the point that she's running around in close to a bra and panties . Geez , Square . . . . I guess by beating the game you can unlock more outfits such as a sexy maid's outfit and whatnot . ( At least that's the one I unlocked when I beat it . ) Now for overdiving . Overdiving is a technique in which Aya transplants her consciousness and possesses anther human being . You'll inherit the abilities , and a fourth weapon , of anyone you overdive into . You can also overdive into helicopter pilots and tank operators for more military might . Additionally , upon inflicting enough damage on an enemy , a triangle will appear on the enemy indicating to you that you can overdive and inflict massive damage on the enemy or make them explode . How does all this stuff I just cover mesh into the rest of the game ? Well , its cool , I admit but the story is a convuluted mess which is really just there for the sake of progressing the game from level to level . The non-playable characters lack any sort of palpable depth to them and come in and out of the script with really no bearing on the game , or caring , but the gamer . The gameplay itself is mediocre and consists of running of room to room killing all enemies and moving on to the next . Towards the end of this , albeit , short game I really found myself just slogging through it just to be finished with it . The graphics are very good , not as great as Metal Gear Solid : Peace Walker , but definitely make the PSP shine . FMV sequences are very well done and the music is stellar . All in all , The 3rd Birthday was a decent action romp . It's definitely a good time waster .
• 023   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) The Parasite Eve series has a pedigree , but one that ended abruptly after the PlayStation's first cycle . The aptly named 3rd Birthday was intended to be a spiritual successor to the first two games , but on a new platform : Sony's PSP . Unfortunately , due to unfulfilled potential , poor controls , and bad gameplay decisions , 3rd Birthday leaves a stain on the legacy of Parasite Eve , rather than breathing new life into the series . - - - - Graphics - - - - ( 7 / 10 ) The graphics and music in this game are better than average overall . The game's cutscenes are solid , but the in-game graphics are repetitive and bland . Some textures are detailed , and others are not . Some environments are unique , but most are repeated again and again . The enemies are the worst culprits , with only a dozen or so models . ( There aren't even color swaps ; they're literally the same monsters ad nauseum . ) It's worth noting that the game is rife with well-done CG movies , but this isn't enough to buoy the rest of the flaws . In short , the graphics are generally above average , but inconsistent . - - - - Story - - - - ( 4 / 10 ) The graphics are the best part of the game , and this means that the review goes downhill from here . Unsurprisingly for a Japanese game , the plot is mostly unintelligble - - and that's coming from someone who has played all the games in the series . The main character , Aya Brea has a sister . Wait , it's not her sister , it's a ghost . No wait , it's a ghost possessed by a twisted that she killed in an off-screen moment at her wedding to a secret FBI agent she met in an alternate past who was sent to train her and a spirit from that time-line transformed into a cross-dimensional hivemind which . . . You get the idea . Ridiculous and over-the-top . The only redeeming part of the story is that it is told fairly well . The voice-acting isn't terrible , and as written above , the cutscenes are fine . - - - - Gameplay - - - - ( 2 / 10 ) 3rd Birthday is a game full of almosts and not quites , and many of the gameplay elements certainly fit the bill . The usual RPG tropes of upgradeable weapons and skills are there , but they are tedious and poorly explained . What does has a chance to activate mean ? A 25% chance ? A 50% chance ? Only works when in combat ? etc . Skills upgrade via a poorly implemented DNA Board which requires reptitive and tedious placement of Chips to upgrade the skills on that board . The problem with the board is that more than one skill is changed at a time , and it's very likely that one skill will degrade or change in a way that is undesirable . The only recourse is to retry until the best possible combination appears . Weapons have a different problem : they require grinding out points to unlock and upgrade . Most weapons have expensive upgrades which require playing missions multiple times in order to get the points necessary , but even then , many upgrades have additional level requirements . This leads to even more level replays . Transversing the levels is even more tedious and repetitive . Go to point A . Kill monsters in the room . Go to point B . Kill monsters in the room . Go to point C . Complete the puzzle . Just kidding ! Kill the monsters in the room . Rinse . Wash . Repeat . And then there's the combat . Terrible . How to describe it . . . Oh ! That's right , tedious and repetitive . The controls are awful , which begins with the single analog controls in a Third Person Shooter , and ends with the lack of a lock-on system with many weapons . It's literally impossible to move and turn the camera at the same time , which is bad enough , but since many weapons have no targetting lock-on , you will often have to stand stock-still while waiting for the camera to pivot , only to get hit by the enemy behind you that you were turning to face . This is a problem in regular combat , but it makes the boss fights horrible . Bosses often require weird one-off game mechanics to kill , ( i.e . you must use Weapon X to kill the boss after flipping a special switch which requires traversing multiple platforms or other wacky stuff . ) The bosses also often have regenerating health , and / or are immune to regular attacks . Oh , and did I mention that they can kill you in one hit , and have moves that literally result in an instant Game Over . ' Cause they do . Even when you manage to understand the strategy the game wants you to use to kill a specific boss , it takes an obscene amount of time to do it , and since they can easily kill you in one hit , and have regenerating health , you'll often be repeating the same boss fight over and over . And taking a long time doing it . Did I mention the check points during boss fights ? That's because there aren't any . Tedious and repetitive . In conclusion , it's a game that might be interesting to die-hard fans who can overlook the horrible controls in favor of the story . With the difficulty lowered to easy , and a mountain of patience , there may some enjoyment for those fans . For the rest of us , it's best to play one of the many other , better games on the PSP .
• 024   The Parasite Eve series has a pedigree , but one that ended abruptly after the PlayStation's first cycle . The aptly named 3rd Birthday was intended to be a spiritual successor to the first two games , but on a new platform : Sony's PSP . Unfortunately , due to unfulfilled potential , poor controls , and bad gameplay decisions , 3rd Birthday leaves a stain on the legacy of Parasite Eve , rather than breathing new life into the series . - - - - Graphics - - - - ( 7 / 10 ) The graphics and music in this game are better than average overall . The game's cutscenes are solid , but the in-game graphics are repetitive and bland . Some textures are detailed , and others are not . Some environments are unique , but most are repeated again and again . The enemies are the worst culprits , with only a dozen or so models . ( There aren't even color swaps ; they're literally the same monsters ad nauseum . ) It's worth noting that the game is rife with well-done CG movies , but this isn't enough to buoy the rest of the flaws . In short , the graphics are generally above average , but inconsistent . - - - - Story - - - - ( 4 / 10 ) The graphics are the best part of the game , and this means that the review goes downhill from here . Unsurprisingly for a Japanese game , the plot is mostly unintelligble - - and that's coming from someone who has played all the games in the series . The main character , Aya Brea has a sister . Wait , it's not her sister , it's a ghost . No wait , it's a ghost possessed by a twisted that she killed in an off-screen moment at her wedding to a secret FBI agent she met in an alternate past who was sent to train her and a spirit from that time-line transformed into a cross-dimensional hivemind which . . . You get the idea . Ridiculous and over-the-top . The only redeeming part of the story is that it is told fairly well . The voice-acting isn't terrible , and as written above , the cutscenes are fine . - - - - Gameplay - - - - ( 2 / 10 ) 3rd Birthday is a game full of almosts and not quites , and many of the gameplay elements certainly fit the bill . The usual RPG tropes of upgradeable weapons and skills are there , but they are tedious and poorly explained . What does has a chance to activate mean ? A 25% chance ? A 50% chance ? Only works when in combat ? etc . Skills upgrade via a poorly implemented DNA Board which requires reptitive and tedious placement of Chips to upgrade the skills on that board . The problem with the board is that more than one skill is changed at a time , and it's very likely that one skill will degrade or change in a way that is undesirable . The only recourse is to retry until the best possible combination appears . Weapons have a different problem : they require grinding out points to unlock and upgrade . Most weapons have expensive upgrades which require playing missions multiple times in order to get the points necessary , but even then , many upgrades have additional level requirements . This leads to even more level replays . Transversing the levels is even more tedious and repetitive . Go to point A . Kill monsters in the room . Go to point B . Kill monsters in the room . Go to point C . Complete the puzzle . Just kidding ! Kill the monsters in the room . Rinse . Wash . Repeat . And then there's the combat . Terrible . How to describe it . . . Oh ! That's right , tedious and repetitive . The controls are awful , which begins with the single analog controls in a Third Person Shooter , and ends with the lack of a lock-on system with many weapons . It's literally impossible to move and turn the camera at the same time , which is bad enough , but since many weapons have no targetting lock-on , you will often have to stand stock-still while waiting for the camera to pivot , only to get hit by the enemy behind you that you were turning to face . This is a problem in regular combat , but it makes the boss fights horrible . Bosses often require weird one-off game mechanics to kill , ( i.e . you must use Weapon X to kill the boss after flipping a special switch which requires traversing multiple platforms or other wacky stuff . ) The bosses also often have regenerating health , and / or are immune to regular attacks . Oh , and did I mention that they can kill you in one hit , and have moves that literally result in an instant Game Over . ' Cause they do . Even when you manage to understand the strategy the game wants you to use to kill a specific boss , it takes an obscene amount of time to do it , and since they can easily kill you in one hit , and have regenerating health , you'll often be repeating the same boss fight over and over . And taking a long time doing it . Did I mention the check points during boss fights ? That's because there aren't any . Tedious and repetitive . In conclusion , it's a game that might be interesting to die-hard fans who can overlook the horrible controls in favor of the story . With the difficulty lowered to easy , and a mountain of patience , there may some enjoyment for those fans . For the rest of us , it's best to play one of the many other , better games on the PSP .
• 027   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Initially , I wasn't sure about this game . Everybody said the story was awful , the gameplay was rough , and that the main character was just annoying . Mostly , I disagree . For me , I've always been interested in the Parasite Eve games , but I had never had an opportunity to play them . From the research I did when I was interested in the PSX games , I understand that this story has nothing to do with the previous Parasite Eve games . I don't even know who all of the Cameo characters are supposed to be in relationship to Aya . This is the first time that I met them . From the get-go , I was very impressed with the game . I actually felt like the controls were sufficient and the gameplay was very fun . In the grand scheme of things , the gameplay is probably really repetitive . It actually doesn't feel that way . That's probably because the environments are constantly changing and the enemies are differing slightly as you go . One big issue people have had with this game is the difficulty . I saw those complaints and decided this game should be one I start out on Easy . This was a good idea . In that mode , it was still challenging but I didn't feel like I was going to get a migraine because of it . The story is actually very interesting to me . It's based around this invasion of creatures called the Twisted . They emerged from beneath the Earth and popped up everywhere across the globe . Aya was found shot , covered in blood , and in a wedding dress around the same time that the Twisted emerged . They find out that she has the ability to send her Psyche into other people and can use their bodies . They then create a machine that can send her Psyche into the past . That's about the gist of the beginning . There are only 6 episodes in the game , and playing through them takes about an hour long . I think it's the first 3 chapters that you play in the past , then you play in the present ( 2013 ) for the last 3 , with a little more time in the past in a bit of the last chapter . In the first three chapters , the given circumstances of the timeline are completely changed . Something significant is completely changed from the last chapter . That was really fun to try to keep up with . It was also incredible to receive the story . The cutscenes were just awesome . There was a lot of detail , the occasional weird line of text , and new questions for you as you go along . It feels more like an action-mystery game than say , a survival horror . In fact , it never feels like a survival horror . It rarely attempts to be creepy because in the time or two that they do , it doesn't pan out . Actually the creepiest part of playing the game was listening to awkward Maeda . He's a stuttering Japanese man who seems nervous , but not too nervous to talk to Aya like she's some object . A lot of people say that Aya is whiny and weak-willed . I disagree . I believe that she wanted to help people out , and then I believed that her reason for going out there was because she needs to find out who she is , and she just so happens to find out more and more as she engages with the Twisted . I thought of Aya as a caring individual who would fight to protect others . Unfortunately , she's highly sexualized . As you play , her clothes rip more and more until she's left with scraps . Yeah , her butt-cheek will be visible . It's a bad idea because this is a PSP game . While their graphics were awesome , you'll never be able to make people appreciate the sexiness of your three-dimensional sprite . Then there will be plot-twists that are just dumb . Actually , I was okay with the plot twists as the story went along , but I hated the end scene . Everything is perfectly shaped to fit together into the story until the end when they explain how the twisted were created , how Aya lost her memory , and how to change the past to save the future . Well they forgot to answer one glaring question : that of the true catalyst that started the whole continuity of the game . Why did the officers in uniform EVER show up and start shooting ? If you have the opportunity to play this game , please ask yourself that . There was no explained reason , no previous tiff , no Kill Bill assassination for running away . The officers just shoot . And if you were to try to explain it from the information they give you , it won't be logical . So something that seemed incredibly intelligent and put together makes a wreck of itself in the last ten minutes . I've never been so appalled by the ending of a story before . I hated making myself sit through the end credits . Luckily , most of the story is appetizing . Gameplay is augmented by what is called DNA boards and weapon customization . Both are great concepts and feel very simple to understand , but they do have their short-comings . The DNA board doesn't have a tutorial , but you can actually unlock more abilities for Aya by playing around with it . It was kind of fun trying to fit things in like a puzzle so I could strengthen my character . It got a whole lot less fun when I realized I had spent ten minutes on just a couple nodes , re-trying the combinations so the nodes would be a higher level . Right before working on the other nodes . Weapon customization is fun the first couple times you open the menu , but quickly gets disappointing and frustrating . The controls or layout of how you choose your weapons and how you customize them just don't feel right . It feels like a lot of work trying to gather a lot of information from a lot of different places . The other frustrating thing is that there are so many weapons in the game , but you'll only unlock maybe a fifth of them in your first playthrough . On top of that , each customization costs money , and a lot of it . Each weapon can be customized with anywhere from 8 - 20 pieces . The first pieces cost say 1000 BP . Then the second row of pieces costs 2000 - 4000 BP . So to fully customize each piece , you must unlock them through hours of gameplay , unlock the customization , and then spend 15 - 30,000 BP on each weapon . You earn about 8,000 - 12,000 in an hour of gameplay . The cost is SO high that you end up focusing on only a couple of weapons for the run-through , and then the weapons stop doing nearly enough damage . I wish they could have come up with simpler ways to handle those two elements because I ended up spending a VERY significant amount of my time in these two menus rather than in the gameplay they were supposed to augment . The other thing I want to mention is that the difficulty really comes from the controls in certain situations . The majority of the game , you automatically lock onto an enemy with the L button . When you snipe , or grenade launch , or tank , suddenly all of your movement is taken away . Aiming with a sniper is AWFUL . The crosshairs move so slowly that it feels ridiculous trying to ever hit the target . Which is weird because the game encourages sniper usage in so many places . If you use the sniper , you can hit weak spots which cause massive damage . Also , the bestiary tells you where the weak spots are . This is all well and good , but the crosshairs move really slowly while the enemy is moving fairly quickly . You also only have about 10 shots . When you try to snipe , you'll almost never hit the weak spot , and then you're a sitting duck while the twisted comes and knocks you on your back which , by the way , resets the crosshairs , so you have to do all of that searching all over again . Well , I'm the kind of person who can talk about how bad things are very easily , but talking about the good doesn't happen quite as easily . This game I played almost non-stop for two days straight . I hated the ending , but went right back in and played for another two hours . The gameplay was so fun , that I don't know if I've ever been so enthralled by a game . Also , the graphics are extremely fantastic . The game has great strengths and great weaknesses . It's too bad that they couldn't have made this a true continuation of the previous two games in the series for those of us who might have been interested in seeking out the old games as well as for the fans . An oversexualized game like this feels like fan-service , but it's really doing your fans disservice by not honoring the continuity of the previous entries in a series . By the way , Square-Enix , half of your games feel like carbon copies of each other , and the other half , your name was Squaresoft . I'm really starting to think that Square-Enix has not in recent years been truly deserving of the praise they hold . I can also tell you that where they ended it the first time through pretty much guarantees that there won't be a number 4 . Bummer .
• 028   Initially , I wasn't sure about this game . Everybody said the story was awful , the gameplay was rough , and that the main character was just annoying . Mostly , I disagree . For me , I've always been interested in the Parasite Eve games , but I had never had an opportunity to play them . From the research I did when I was interested in the PSX games , I understand that this story has nothing to do with the previous Parasite Eve games . I don't even know who all of the Cameo characters are supposed to be in relationship to Aya . This is the first time that I met them . From the get-go , I was very impressed with the game . I actually felt like the controls were sufficient and the gameplay was very fun . In the grand scheme of things , the gameplay is probably really repetitive . It actually doesn't feel that way . That's probably because the environments are constantly changing and the enemies are differing slightly as you go . One big issue people have had with this game is the difficulty . I saw those complaints and decided this game should be one I start out on Easy . This was a good idea . In that mode , it was still challenging but I didn't feel like I was going to get a migraine because of it . The story is actually very interesting to me . It's based around this invasion of creatures called the Twisted . They emerged from beneath the Earth and popped up everywhere across the globe . Aya was found shot , covered in blood , and in a wedding dress around the same time that the Twisted emerged . They find out that she has the ability to send her Psyche into other people and can use their bodies . They then create a machine that can send her Psyche into the past . That's about the gist of the beginning . There are only 6 episodes in the game , and playing through them takes about an hour long . I think it's the first 3 chapters that you play in the past , then you play in the present ( 2013 ) for the last 3 , with a little more time in the past in a bit of the last chapter . In the first three chapters , the given circumstances of the timeline are completely changed . Something significant is completely changed from the last chapter . That was really fun to try to keep up with . It was also incredible to receive the story . The cutscenes were just awesome . There was a lot of detail , the occasional weird line of text , and new questions for you as you go along . It feels more like an action-mystery game than say , a survival horror . In fact , it never feels like a survival horror . It rarely attempts to be creepy because in the time or two that they do , it doesn't pan out . Actually the creepiest part of playing the game was listening to awkward Maeda . He's a stuttering Japanese man who seems nervous , but not too nervous to talk to Aya like she's some object . A lot of people say that Aya is whiny and weak-willed . I disagree . I believe that she wanted to help people out , and then I believed that her reason for going out there was because she needs to find out who she is , and she just so happens to find out more and more as she engages with the Twisted . I thought of Aya as a caring individual who would fight to protect others . Unfortunately , she's highly sexualized . As you play , her clothes rip more and more until she's left with scraps . Yeah , her butt-cheek will be visible . It's a bad idea because this is a PSP game . While their graphics were awesome , you'll never be able to make people appreciate the sexiness of your three-dimensional sprite . Then there will be plot-twists that are just dumb . Actually , I was okay with the plot twists as the story went along , but I hated the end scene . Everything is perfectly shaped to fit together into the story until the end when they explain how the twisted were created , how Aya lost her memory , and how to change the past to save the future . Well they forgot to answer one glaring question : that of the true catalyst that started the whole continuity of the game . Why did the officers in uniform EVER show up and start shooting ? If you have the opportunity to play this game , please ask yourself that . There was no explained reason , no previous tiff , no Kill Bill assassination for running away . The officers just shoot . And if you were to try to explain it from the information they give you , it won't be logical . So something that seemed incredibly intelligent and put together makes a wreck of itself in the last ten minutes . I've never been so appalled by the ending of a story before . I hated making myself sit through the end credits . Luckily , most of the story is appetizing . Gameplay is augmented by what is called DNA boards and weapon customization . Both are great concepts and feel very simple to understand , but they do have their short-comings . The DNA board doesn't have a tutorial , but you can actually unlock more abilities for Aya by playing around with it . It was kind of fun trying to fit things in like a puzzle so I could strengthen my character . It got a whole lot less fun when I realized I had spent ten minutes on just a couple nodes , re-trying the combinations so the nodes would be a higher level . Right before working on the other nodes . Weapon customization is fun the first couple times you open the menu , but quickly gets disappointing and frustrating . The controls or layout of how you choose your weapons and how you customize them just don't feel right . It feels like a lot of work trying to gather a lot of information from a lot of different places . The other frustrating thing is that there are so many weapons in the game , but you'll only unlock maybe a fifth of them in your first playthrough . On top of that , each customization costs money , and a lot of it . Each weapon can be customized with anywhere from 8 - 20 pieces . The first pieces cost say 1000 BP . Then the second row of pieces costs 2000 - 4000 BP . So to fully customize each piece , you must unlock them through hours of gameplay , unlock the customization , and then spend 15 - 30,000 BP on each weapon . You earn about 8,000 - 12,000 in an hour of gameplay . The cost is SO high that you end up focusing on only a couple of weapons for the run-through , and then the weapons stop doing nearly enough damage . I wish they could have come up with simpler ways to handle those two elements because I ended up spending a VERY significant amount of my time in these two menus rather than in the gameplay they were supposed to augment . The other thing I want to mention is that the difficulty really comes from the controls in certain situations . The majority of the game , you automatically lock onto an enemy with the L button . When you snipe , or grenade launch , or tank , suddenly all of your movement is taken away . Aiming with a sniper is AWFUL . The crosshairs move so slowly that it feels ridiculous trying to ever hit the target . Which is weird because the game encourages sniper usage in so many places . If you use the sniper , you can hit weak spots which cause massive damage . Also , the bestiary tells you where the weak spots are . This is all well and good , but the crosshairs move really slowly while the enemy is moving fairly quickly . You also only have about 10 shots . When you try to snipe , you'll almost never hit the weak spot , and then you're a sitting duck while the twisted comes and knocks you on your back which , by the way , resets the crosshairs , so you have to do all of that searching all over again . Well , I'm the kind of person who can talk about how bad things are very easily , but talking about the good doesn't happen quite as easily . This game I played almost non-stop for two days straight . I hated the ending , but went right back in and played for another two hours . The gameplay was so fun , that I don't know if I've ever been so enthralled by a game . Also , the graphics are extremely fantastic . The game has great strengths and great weaknesses . It's too bad that they couldn't have made this a true continuation of the previous two games in the series for those of us who might have been interested in seeking out the old games as well as for the fans . An oversexualized game like this feels like fan-service , but it's really doing your fans disservice by not honoring the continuity of the previous entries in a series . By the way , Square-Enix , half of your games feel like carbon copies of each other , and the other half , your name was Squaresoft . I'm really starting to think that Square-Enix has not in recent years been truly deserving of the praise they hold . I can also tell you that where they ended it the first time through pretty much guarantees that there won't be a number 4 . Bummer .
• 034   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Some people definitely found it strange for Square to return to the Parasite Eve universe after such a long time but it's not really the same Parasite Eve you may remember . The game play has much more in common with Resident Evil 4 and 5 than with Parasite Eve and aside from some familiar faces the connections to Parasite Eve's past are tenuous at best . This is of course a double-edged sword , a great jumping off point for new people but some older fans may feel left in the dust . The gameplay is excellent , the controls and control scheme are pretty much flawless . The story is great but most older fans aren't going to be happy with the ending . All in all if you're looking for a fun game with great replay value then look no further .
• 035   Some people definitely found it strange for Square to return to the Parasite Eve universe after such a long time but it's not really the same Parasite Eve you may remember . The game play has much more in common with Resident Evil 4 and 5 than with Parasite Eve and aside from some familiar faces the connections to Parasite Eve's past are tenuous at best . This is of course a double-edged sword , a great jumping off point for new people but some older fans may feel left in the dust . The gameplay is excellent , the controls and control scheme are pretty much flawless . The story is great but most older fans aren't going to be happy with the ending . All in all if you're looking for a fun game with great replay value then look no further .
• 037   Being a rather large Parasite Eve fan , this game modernizes the systems built in the first few games as you'd expect ( I mean , check the differences in the system of PE1 and PE2 , they modernized it into a Resident-Evil like system more than turn-based ) . I think that the plot was a bit . . . . odd . I won't spoil it , but suffice to say that my personal opinion was that because they could not get licensing for the Parasite Eve name , nor did they want to pay for it in the future , they decided to wrap up the things that required it . They can now either safely continue on without it while still making games if they want , or just respond to fan requests with Well it's over now , nothing else to make a game about . Gamplay 5 / 5 It was a bit repetitive , but games are like this by nature . Honestly for a portable game it exceeds my expectations . Runs smoothly , has unique gameplay elements , looks nice . Sounds / visuals 5 / 5 They really pushed the PSP for the visuals , and the sound / music is just as good as it's ever been for the series , which is to say it's worthy of owning the soundtrack . Story 4 / 5 If I would have written this right after playing the game , I would have given it a 1 / 5 . But not because the story was bad , but because as a PE fan I was angered and frustrated by it . Every time I play the game though , the story immerses you , it's well written . . . it's everything that makes a good story , whether we get the cinderella ending we wanted or not . It brings us in , it makes us cry , even if on the inside , and more importantly , it's well written . I'll still take off for the story nearly being a middle finger to PE fans and for having nearly no PE-story relevance other than including characters who are from the series , but it was a good story otherwise , and I can't rate it down just because I wanted them to play into my wishes as a fan . All in all I'd suggest it as a purchase for anyone who wants an over-the-shoulder shooter with a unique gameplay element for the PSP . Anyone who wants to play on the go , and doesn't mind a slighly mooshy ( emotional ) story . It's not expensive , after all .
• 038   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) The 3rd Birthday is an action / RPG from Square Enix , starring Aya Brea , the heroine from the beloved Parasite Eve games for the PS1 way back when . Taking place in a devestated New York City , Aya jumps back and forth through time to take on fiendish beastly enemies called The Twisted . That's as much of the plot as I'm going to reveal , because it doesn't take too long for things to get so outlandishly ridiculous and convoluted that there's a good chance your head may explode in the process . Story aside however , The 3rd Birthday offers some pretty good third-person action and shooting elements , along with some great weapon upgrade and customization options as well . For a PSP game , the game itself looks great , and the cut-scenes are just gorgeous sights to behold . All this doesn't quite make up for the stiff controls , but that doesn't detract too much from the total package . All in all , The 3rd Birthday is a fun , albeit flawed , action / RPG that's worth your time , and one of the better recent PSP games you'll find out there right now .
• 039   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) The 3rd Birthday is an action / RPG from Square Enix , starring Aya Brea , the heroine from the beloved Parasite Eve games for the PS1 way back when . Taking place in a devestated New York City , Aya jumps back and forth through time to take on fiendish beastly enemies called The Twisted . That's as much of the plot as I'm going to reveal , because it doesn't take too long for things to get so outlandishly ridiculous and convoluted that there's a good chance your head may explode in the process . Story aside however , The 3rd Birthday offers some pretty good third-person action and shooting elements , along with some great weapon upgrade and customization options as well . For a PSP game , the game itself looks great , and the cut-scenes are just gorgeous sights to behold . All this doesn't quite make up for the stiff controls , but that doesn't detract too much from the total package . All in all , The 3rd Birthday is a fun , albeit flawed , action / RPG that's worth your time , and one of the better recent PSP games you'll find out there right now .
• 040   The 3rd Birthday is an action / RPG from Square Enix , starring Aya Brea , the heroine from the beloved Parasite Eve games for the PS1 way back when . Taking place in a devestated New York City , Aya jumps back and forth through time to take on fiendish beastly enemies called The Twisted . That's as much of the plot as I'm going to reveal , because it doesn't take too long for things to get so outlandishly ridiculous and convoluted that there's a good chance your head may explode in the process . Story aside however , The 3rd Birthday offers some pretty good third-person action and shooting elements , along with some great weapon upgrade and customization options as well . For a PSP game , the game itself looks great , and the cut-scenes are just gorgeous sights to behold . All this doesn't quite make up for the stiff controls , but that doesn't detract too much from the total package . All in all , The 3rd Birthday is a fun , albeit flawed , action / RPG that's worth your time , and one of the better recent PSP games you'll find out there right now .
• 044   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Within the first 10 minutes , I knew that this game was going to completely deliver . The best advice I can give is to play it using Action Type 2 controls in the options menu , and to play the whole game with a nice pair of headphones on . If you're a serious action gamer , there's a LOT here to like . Aya can lock on to enemies and shoot while dodging , and while quickly and easily teleporting around the battlefield between different bodies . The controls are near flawless for a PSP shooter . This puts Peace Walker to shame . My only explanation about the complainers is that they played with Shooter control settings in the options menu , or they just suck at action games . This is clearly meant for people looking for a challenge , and looking to master her moves . There are two difficulty settings above Hard . The music is top notch . The sounds are all great . Even just the sound it makes when she switches guns sounds pretty slick on headphones . Some of the voice acting is not good , and some of it is good . Overall , it doesn't hurt my enjoyment of the game at all . The graphics are top notch , from the characters , to the monsters , to the environments , to the menus . It all delivers . Unless you're a super picky Parasite Eve purist , or you aren't very good at action games , I can't see someone not being impressed with this game . And at this price , it's a steal .
• 045   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Within the first 10 minutes , I knew that this game was going to completely deliver . The best advice I can give is to play it using Action Type 2 controls in the options menu , and to play the whole game with a nice pair of headphones on . If you're a serious action gamer , there's a LOT here to like . Aya can lock on to enemies and shoot while dodging , and while quickly and easily teleporting around the battlefield between different bodies . The controls are near flawless for a PSP shooter . This puts Peace Walker to shame . My only explanation about the complainers is that they played with Shooter control settings in the options menu , or they just suck at action games . This is clearly meant for people looking for a challenge , and looking to master her moves . There are two difficulty settings above Hard . The music is top notch . The sounds are all great . Even just the sound it makes when she switches guns sounds pretty slick on headphones . Some of the voice acting is not good , and some of it is good . Overall , it doesn't hurt my enjoyment of the game at all . The graphics are top notch , from the characters , to the monsters , to the environments , to the menus . It all delivers . Unless you're a super picky Parasite Eve purist , or you aren't very good at action games , I can't see someone not being impressed with this game . And at this price , it's a steal .
• 046   Within the first 10 minutes , I knew that this game was going to completely deliver . The best advice I can give is to play it using Action Type 2 controls in the options menu , and to play the whole game with a nice pair of headphones on . If you're a serious action gamer , there's a LOT here to like . Aya can lock on to enemies and shoot while dodging , and while quickly and easily teleporting around the battlefield between different bodies . The controls are near flawless for a PSP shooter . This puts Peace Walker to shame . My only explanation about the complainers is that they played with Shooter control settings in the options menu , or they just suck at action games . This is clearly meant for people looking for a challenge , and looking to master her moves . There are two difficulty settings above Hard . The music is top notch . The sounds are all great . Even just the sound it makes when she switches guns sounds pretty slick on headphones . Some of the voice acting is not good , and some of it is good . Overall , it doesn't hurt my enjoyment of the game at all . The graphics are top notch , from the characters , to the monsters , to the environments , to the menus . It all delivers . Unless you're a super picky Parasite Eve purist , or you aren't very good at action games , I can't see someone not being impressed with this game . And at this price , it's a steal .
• 047   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Story : The story in the 3rd Birthday begins with a opening scene showing Manhattan being destroyed in the near future by mysterious creatures called Twisted and all efforts to try and stop this invasion has been unsuccessful . One year later new technology has been developed that allows users to go back in the past and change certain events , this technology is called Overdive and Aya Brea is the only person capable of harnessing this power . This is the basic premise of the 3rd Birthday , overall the story was great and was well told with the CG cut scenes Square is so great at making . If I had one complaint about the story it would be that it is a bit confusing to follow with all the past and present time lines , although this is minor . Gameplay : Gameplay in the 3rd Birthday is fast paced and overall really fun . The 3rd Birthday is a 3rd person shooter with RPG elements added on . A really neat feature is the ability to use your overdive , this is essential to survival in the game . Basically with overdive you can transfer Aya's soul into another person's body and when they die , or an enemy is pushing you against a wall you simply hold triangle and select another person to jump into . You can also do what's called an overdive kill , you jump into an enemy and implode them , this works well for dealing with bosses with tons of HP has it really takes a chunk out of them . You are also able to customize Aya's weapons and take up to 3 with you in battle , you can also change Aya's attire ( she wears the new attire in battle ) to increase her defense , and you also gain levels . The control's in the game are surprisingly easy to grasp and I found that within 10 minutes I was playing the game like a pro , and with no cramped hands ! ( Resistance Retribution had a hand cramping control scheme ) Graphics / Sound : As always , Square Enix impresses me with what they can do with the PSP , the graphics in the 3rd Birthday are simply amazing . Aya , as well as other characters are detailed very nicely and I found that with a data install there was no noticeable slowdown and very little load times with my PSP1000 . The voice acting in the game is done really well and I found that no character over acted or sounded odd at all , it was actually pleasant to listen to . The music in the game was also very well done , some of the more suspenseful songs actually sent chills up my spine , while the action music was perfect for battles . Overall the music used in the game fit whatever situation it was meant for very well . Although short ( I beat it in one sitting , taking me 5 hours and 15 minutes ) the game is meant to be played through multiple times for you to unlock all the items / cheat codes in the game , this is a must buy for fans of Parasite Eve and newcomers alike .
• 048   Story : The story in the 3rd Birthday begins with a opening scene showing Manhattan being destroyed in the near future by mysterious creatures called Twisted and all efforts to try and stop this invasion has been unsuccessful . One year later new technology has been developed that allows users to go back in the past and change certain events , this technology is called Overdive and Aya Brea is the only person capable of harnessing this power . This is the basic premise of the 3rd Birthday , overall the story was great and was well told with the CG cut scenes Square is so great at making . If I had one complaint about the story it would be that it is a bit confusing to follow with all the past and present time lines , although this is minor . Gameplay : Gameplay in the 3rd Birthday is fast paced and overall really fun . The 3rd Birthday is a 3rd person shooter with RPG elements added on . A really neat feature is the ability to use your overdive , this is essential to survival in the game . Basically with overdive you can transfer Aya's soul into another person's body and when they die , or an enemy is pushing you against a wall you simply hold triangle and select another person to jump into . You can also do what's called an overdive kill , you jump into an enemy and implode them , this works well for dealing with bosses with tons of HP has it really takes a chunk out of them . You are also able to customize Aya's weapons and take up to 3 with you in battle , you can also change Aya's attire ( she wears the new attire in battle ) to increase her defense , and you also gain levels . The control's in the game are surprisingly easy to grasp and I found that within 10 minutes I was playing the game like a pro , and with no cramped hands ! ( Resistance Retribution had a hand cramping control scheme ) Graphics / Sound : As always , Square Enix impresses me with what they can do with the PSP , the graphics in the 3rd Birthday are simply amazing . Aya , as well as other characters are detailed very nicely and I found that with a data install there was no noticeable slowdown and very little load times with my PSP1000 . The voice acting in the game is done really well and I found that no character over acted or sounded odd at all , it was actually pleasant to listen to . The music in the game was also very well done , some of the more suspenseful songs actually sent chills up my spine , while the action music was perfect for battles . Overall the music used in the game fit whatever situation it was meant for very well . Although short ( I beat it in one sitting , taking me 5 hours and 15 minutes ) the game is meant to be played through multiple times for you to unlock all the items / cheat codes in the game , this is a must buy for fans of Parasite Eve and newcomers alike .
• 050   Full disclosure : I am a casual gamer so I look for games that I can pick up and play for half an hour or so . I like games that immerse me in a world and make me forget everything else . When I hear that something is super hard ( like MONSTER HUNTER ) I run in the other direction . I like a challenge but not an impossibility . So , I liked and beat CASTLEVANIA but gave up very quickly on PRINNY , which I found so maddening that it took all the fun out of playing . And that sort of defeats the purpose . Reading reviews of THE 3RD BIRTHDAY , I was worried that I was going to find myself in a frustrating universe . But I kept coming back to the idea and the concept and I decided to go for it . Bottom line : I loved this game ! It is extremely absorbing , and even if the plot meanders and ends up in a strange place , I really enjoyed getting there . I do think that many of the criticisms of this game are unfair , and here's why . I usually hate boss battles . For me , the fun is running through the dungeon ( or whatever ) , and then having to end it with a frustrating long battle is not something I relish . But in this game it was actually fun to fight the bosses . Here's why : You have to psych them out . Each time you die , you figure something else out ( if you're paying attention ) , and each time you get a little closer to eliminating the boss . I also really liked the fact that bosses were placed in different places in each level ( or episode ) - it gave a sense of variety to the game , a feeling of adventure because you never know what's coming . And believe me , you cannot stop paying attention for even one second , or you are dead meat . The game forces you to focus on it , to adjust your strategy , to reposition yourself and use the environment in ways that will help you . The Overdive technique is extremely cool and fun , and essential to getting through some very tricky areas . And here's the thing about Overdive Kill : It's so satisfying because the game makes you work so hard to get there . When you pull one of those off , you really feel like you're being rewarded for your superior tenacity , intelligence , and strategy . A few tips for newbies . Be sure to fiddle around with your DNA boards . They really help in terms of both power and defense . I have read a few complaints about the relative lack of weaponry , but you really do have everything you need to take down the Twisted . Another hint : Your pistol may not do much damage , but it helps load up your Liberation meter , and that saved me in a few tense situations . Save your fellow soldiers whenever you can - the more people on the battlefield , the better your chances of survival . ( You don't want to be in a situation where you don't have anyone to Overdive into . ) Level up your weapons strategically - and life will get a little easier in the second half of the game . Yes , the camera can be wonky , but if you're strategic about saving your compatriots , you'll always have someone to Overdive into when some Twisted sneaks up behind you . Bottom line : I found this game to be just the right level of challenge for me ( on Normal - I'm glad I didn't play on Easy ) - the cutscenes are really great - and the mechanics just had me working the controls like an excited kid . True , Aya is a little annoying ( all that huffing and puffing , those little cheeps like a frightened teenager ) but she's tough when she has to be , which is in most of the game . ( She's only wimpy in the cutscenes . ) The only other thing to keep in mind is that I know my take on video games isn't the norm - my favorites of all time are MediEvil Resurrection and Death Jr . , so you can see I like games that have a lot of action and that are visually arresting and quirky .
• 051   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I must admit that I have a heavy bias . The first Parasite Eve is one of my favorite games from the 5th generation of gaming ( SS , PSX , N64 ) . Firstly its been over ten years since we have seen anything Parasite Eve related with the release of Parasite Eve 2 just a year after the first in 1999 . This is unheard of in a gaming industry seemingly so obsessed with pumping out the next sequel just to make a buck . Now the game review itself . I did find the game play and story were something that took some getting used to , but once I grew accustomed to it I did like it . By the end I found myself wanting to keep on playing , and went back to try and get some of the better weapons and items . Some gripes include bosses like The Queen who basically just sat there while I fired a steady stream of bullets at it . Another gripe includes the DNA boards which I still haven't quite figured out how to use correctly . The clothes damage ( and other hidden costumes ) were a bit too much pandering to the base for me . . . All things considered , I really liked The 3rd Birthday and I'm glad Square-Enix ( say what you will say about them ) haven't forgotten about Aya Brea or the Parasite Eve franchise .
• 052   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I must admit that I have a heavy bias . The first Parasite Eve is one of my favorite games from the 5th generation of gaming ( SS , PSX , N64 ) . Firstly its been over ten years since we have seen anything Parasite Eve related with the release of Parasite Eve 2 just a year after the first in 1999 . This is unheard of in a gaming industry seemingly so obsessed with pumping out the next sequel just to make a buck . Now the game review itself . I did find the game play and story were something that took some getting used to , but once I grew accustomed to it I did like it . By the end I found myself wanting to keep on playing , and went back to try and get some of the better weapons and items . Some gripes include bosses like The Queen who basically just sat there while I fired a steady stream of bullets at it . Another gripe includes the DNA boards which I still haven't quite figured out how to use correctly . The clothes damage ( and other hidden costumes ) were a bit too much pandering to the base for me . . . All things considered , I really liked The 3rd Birthday and I'm glad Square-Enix ( say what you will say about them ) haven't forgotten about Aya Brea or the Parasite Eve franchise .
• 053   I must admit that I have a heavy bias . The first Parasite Eve is one of my favorite games from the 5th generation of gaming ( SS , PSX , N64 ) . Firstly its been over ten years since we have seen anything Parasite Eve related with the release of Parasite Eve 2 just a year after the first in 1999 . This is unheard of in a gaming industry seemingly so obsessed with pumping out the next sequel just to make a buck . Now the game review itself . I did find the game play and story were something that took some getting used to , but once I grew accustomed to it I did like it . By the end I found myself wanting to keep on playing , and went back to try and get some of the better weapons and items . Some gripes include bosses like The Queen who basically just sat there while I fired a steady stream of bullets at it . Another gripe includes the DNA boards which I still haven't quite figured out how to use correctly . The clothes damage ( and other hidden costumes ) were a bit too much pandering to the base for me . . . All things considered , I really liked The 3rd Birthday and I'm glad Square-Enix ( say what you will say about them ) haven't forgotten about Aya Brea or the Parasite Eve franchise .
• 054   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) This is the best and exclusive psp game only . . . This is game you will hear Yvonne Strahovski as Aya Brea and Jensen Ackles as Kyle Madigan .
• 055   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) This is the best and exclusive psp game only . . . This is game you will hear Yvonne Strahovski as Aya Brea and Jensen Ackles as Kyle Madigan .
• 057   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I want to start off with how much I loved the gameplay on the previous Parasite Eve titles . Parasite Eve 3 is something totally different . This game is just as the Key Features describes . The gameplay for Parasite Eve 3 is no longer restricted by a certain range , or has much downtime in combat . It plays much like a shooter ( I would much rather contrast it to Socom 3 ) , but at the same time you're gaining EXP & BP to get stronger and spend BP on weapons & weapon upgrades . Another feature I found interesting and enjoyable after getting used to it was the Overdive function . This is the big new thing which allows Aya to travel to another person's body and switch places with them . It's very useful if you have low HP , since it will overtake the NPC's HP as well . This function is also needed for attaining DNA from monsters to make yourself stronger . Last but least , they made good use of her Liberation in this game . It basically just makes her go overkill on monsters . Another neat aspect was how more realistic combat was made , by making bits of her clothes become torn off in the midst of battle . There are several other features to explore : ) The gameplay takes a while to get used to , but if you are a Parasite Eve fan , this game will not disappoint . This game came built in with great quality soundtrack , gameplay & storyline . This game also contains quite the replay value . I would have to recommend this game to everyone who's played Parasite Eve 3 , and even new people who haven't tried Parasite Eve before . Aside from all the good - I was quite disappointed they switched the entire Parasite Energy with Over Energy . It was about the only thing I didn't like . It takes time getting used to a game that comes from a RPG series that turns to flat out 3rd Person Shooter . It just feels different not being able to open up a menu and pick a Parasite Energy to use on monsters , but then I guess that's why we still have Liberation . Even after beating the game once , there's still lots to do . This game will provide you with hours of gameplay with an enjoyable soundtrack . A gamer couldn't ask for more ! Anywho , stop reading here and go buy this game ! Even if it means downloading off of PSN ! Enjoy !
• 058   I want to start off with how much I loved the gameplay on the previous Parasite Eve titles . Parasite Eve 3 is something totally different . This game is just as the Key Features describes . The gameplay for Parasite Eve 3 is no longer restricted by a certain range , or has much downtime in combat . It plays much like a shooter ( I would much rather contrast it to Socom 3 ) , but at the same time you're gaining EXP & BP to get stronger and spend BP on weapons & weapon upgrades . Another feature I found interesting and enjoyable after getting used to it was the Overdive function . This is the big new thing which allows Aya to travel to another person's body and switch places with them . It's very useful if you have low HP , since it will overtake the NPC's HP as well . This function is also needed for attaining DNA from monsters to make yourself stronger . Last but least , they made good use of her Liberation in this game . It basically just makes her go overkill on monsters . Another neat aspect was how more realistic combat was made , by making bits of her clothes become torn off in the midst of battle . There are several other features to explore : ) The gameplay takes a while to get used to , but if you are a Parasite Eve fan , this game will not disappoint . This game came built in with great quality soundtrack , gameplay & storyline . This game also contains quite the replay value . I would have to recommend this game to everyone who's played Parasite Eve 3 , and even new people who haven't tried Parasite Eve before . Aside from all the good - I was quite disappointed they switched the entire Parasite Energy with Over Energy . It was about the only thing I didn't like . It takes time getting used to a game that comes from a RPG series that turns to flat out 3rd Person Shooter . It just feels different not being able to open up a menu and pick a Parasite Energy to use on monsters , but then I guess that's why we still have Liberation . Even after beating the game once , there's still lots to do . This game will provide you with hours of gameplay with an enjoyable soundtrack . A gamer couldn't ask for more ! Anywho , stop reading here and go buy this game ! Even if it means downloading off of PSN ! Enjoy !
• 059   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game )
• 061   I have seen plenty of negative reviews on this game but I found it just plain fun . Okay , it has already been duly noted that The 3rd B-day is the third installment of Parasite Eve , complaining that this episode deviates from the first two a bit too much . Well I've played Parasite Eve 1 and 2 and those two games had large differences in game play . PE1 was more traditional RPG wheras PE2 played more like the older Resident Evil games ( complete with that awful control system ) . PE1 was based in NYC , PE2 was in some desert ( can't remember exactly off-hand ) . The two stories were only loosely connected , but if an game is the odd one in the series , it is PE2 , not this one ( aside from a couple of anecdotal references , Eve was not in PE2 at all ) . As far as the character behavior change , if you PLAYED through to the end , you'd understand the personality change . Next , I want to address the targeting system . It is pretty solid in many cases , but it depends on the weapon . Only a few weapons gave me any difficulty with targeting and aiming , but if you are trying to get into overdrive mode , you'll be using the standard handgun which has no targeting problems at any rate . I don't play full action games as I'm more traditional RPG type gamer , but I found most weapons relatively easy to use . I typically carried a machine gun and sniper rifle once they were available , but that is my preference . The story line may be a bit contrived but all of the PE games were based on crazy elements of supernatural beings that used humans as vessels in some form or fashion . After all , action is a bigger focus on this game . The overdrive system had very few flaws ( only every now and then did I ever have trouble performing the overdive kill and jumped into another soldier instead ) . There are other gems too , like diving into soldiers driving tanks , rail-gun mounted jeeps , or assault helicopters . If I had a chief complaint , it is the ever-changing difficulty . Some spots are ridiculously easy , while a few spots almost made me chunk my PSP through an open window , and the funny part is it was not always the boss battles that were the most difficult , and finally killing a certain persistent enemy late in the game was extremely gratifying . The game is short but enjoyable . There are plenty of extras if you care to unlock them . With new copies going for twenty bucks now there is no reason not to grab a copy . So quit grumbling , just enjoy the ride .
• 065   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Since I did not play the previous Parasite Eve games , I had not met Aya Brea before . But now that I've played The 3rd Birthday for the Sony PSP , I might have to go back and play the other two . This chic is awesome ! But the thing that I am most impressed with about The 3rd Birthday is the graphics . I've seen other games on my son's PSP and none of them even compare to the graphics quality of this game . I literally said wow out loud . . multiple times . That being said , I also enjoy the story line since it's nothing like I've played before . The Overdive system is pretty sweet and it's even more fun to blow up the Twisted from the inside . The controls and game play are also easy to grasp . Overall , this is a fun ( and kinda Matrixy-like ) RPG that you've got to try ! ( And yes . . I did play this game because the Twisted scared my 8 - year-old : ) LoL . )
• 066   Since I did not play the previous Parasite Eve games , I had not met Aya Brea before . But now that I've played The 3rd Birthday for the Sony PSP , I might have to go back and play the other two . This chic is awesome ! But the thing that I am most impressed with about The 3rd Birthday is the graphics . I've seen other games on my son's PSP and none of them even compare to the graphics quality of this game . I literally said wow out loud . . multiple times . That being said , I also enjoy the story line since it's nothing like I've played before . The Overdive system is pretty sweet and it's even more fun to blow up the Twisted from the inside . The controls and game play are also easy to grasp . Overall , this is a fun ( and kinda Matrixy-like ) RPG that you've got to try ! ( And yes . . I did play this game because the Twisted scared my 8 - year-old : ) LoL . )
• 067   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I had a review previously , but now that I've beaten the game I think I can bump my review up to 5 stars . This is more of a list of reasons to play the game then a review . And why you shouldn't avoid it just because of what others said . * This is not a sequel game in any way , but it does connect in a weird way * Like previous reviewers stated , Aya doesn't seem anything like she does in Parasite Eve and Parasite Eve 2 . There is a perfectly good explanation for this which is shown at the end of the game , in a huge unexpected twist . It also describes how the overdive ability was born . The overdive ability is something that can let you take over someone elses body , but with a special machine will let you travel back in time to someones body to change the future . The story can be really confusing at times , but starts making sense later in the game if you can comprehend the time traveling that overdive brings . All in all , it's a really good game .
• 068   I had a review previously , but now that I've beaten the game I think I can bump my review up to 5 stars . This is more of a list of reasons to play the game then a review . And why you shouldn't avoid it just because of what others said . * This is not a sequel game in any way , but it does connect in a weird way * Like previous reviewers stated , Aya doesn't seem anything like she does in Parasite Eve and Parasite Eve 2 . There is a perfectly good explanation for this which is shown at the end of the game , in a huge unexpected twist . It also describes how the overdive ability was born . The overdive ability is something that can let you take over someone elses body , but with a special machine will let you travel back in time to someones body to change the future . The story can be really confusing at times , but starts making sense later in the game if you can comprehend the time traveling that overdive brings . All in all , it's a really good game .
• 069   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) The road to The 3rd Birthday was quite an adventure . When originally rolling my eyes at the announcement of a mobile game , my interest was piqued when I heard that The 3rd Birthday was being made for the PSP , and that it would be a sequel of sorts , to the Parasite Eve companion games . I did some homework and read about the game but was reluctant to pull the trigger . However , knowing my fondness for the series ( especially the first game ) I ordered it from Amazon . Initially , I was expecting something similar to Crisis Core : FFVII . However , CC : FFVII has the edge over this game . The opening movie - and by extension , any cinematic in this game - is utterly beautiful . From the opening , which played Primal Eyes , to the ( almost ) end , the animated scenes are a delight . Everything is fresh and crisp . Something better than the graphics ? The music . It is wonderful , and prompted a download the soundtrack . There are a number of classic PE themes that have been redone for this game - including the battle theme from Parasite Eve . Other notable tracks include Escape from the UB , and Contact , Freeze , Explode . I recommend that anyone listen to the music . But what of the gameplay ? Well , being a PE / old school Square fan , I was expecting an RPG-lite , or an RPGish game . And that is what you get . PEII dumbed down a lot of the gameplay aspects from PE , and I was expecting the trend to continue . Gone are spells , but instead there is Overdive , which lets you dive into other characters . And while there is Liberation , it is nothing like it was in the first games , which is a bit of a disappointment . There is an OE board which lets you install chips on the DNA board . This is very customizable , and can add up to a lot of neat in battle effects . I wish there was a little bit more guidance on it , though . But the battle system is definitely interesting , works for the system , and keeps things exciting . The 3rd Birthday actually spooked me in a couple of instances - and I am plenty older now than I was when I played the first game . Clearly , this is a game that anyone who liked Parasite Eve should just buy , right ? Well , not exactly . There are a few issues abound . For one , the plot is very interesting . However , it devolves into nonsense quickly , and there are no decent explanations for anything . While the series isn't known for it's breathtaking plotting , it at least tries to make some sense . This game couldn't even spell the word . The characterization of some of the characters is a bit off , and while there is a lot of replay value ( multiple difficulties , costumes , cheats , weapons , etc ) none of it is absolutely essential . I would've preferred another trip to the Chrysler Tower than be told to go through the game again . Finally , there is the shower scene . While there are people disparaging it as if it heralded the end of the gaming age - there was one in PE II . Both are lame , and not worth it in the least . Shame on Square Enix for making that and the unrated Aya poster such big selling points for the game . All in all , it is a worthwhile game to play , and it is nice to have the characters back . They might not really act or look like you would remember them to , but they are there . Now it's your turn to decide if this is a birthday you'd care to attend .
• 070   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) The road to The 3rd Birthday was quite an adventure . When originally rolling my eyes at the announcement of a mobile game , my interest was piqued when I heard that The 3rd Birthday was being made for the PSP , and that it would be a sequel of sorts , to the Parasite Eve companion games . I did some homework and read about the game but was reluctant to pull the trigger . However , knowing my fondness for the series ( especially the first game ) I ordered it from Amazon . Initially , I was expecting something similar to Crisis Core : FFVII . However , CC : FFVII has the edge over this game . The opening movie - and by extension , any cinematic in this game - is utterly beautiful . From the opening , which played Primal Eyes , to the ( almost ) end , the animated scenes are a delight . Everything is fresh and crisp . Something better than the graphics ? The music . It is wonderful , and prompted a download the soundtrack . There are a number of classic PE themes that have been redone for this game - including the battle theme from Parasite Eve . Other notable tracks include Escape from the UB , and Contact , Freeze , Explode . I recommend that anyone listen to the music . But what of the gameplay ? Well , being a PE / old school Square fan , I was expecting an RPG-lite , or an RPGish game . And that is what you get . PEII dumbed down a lot of the gameplay aspects from PE , and I was expecting the trend to continue . Gone are spells , but instead there is Overdive , which lets you dive into other characters . And while there is Liberation , it is nothing like it was in the first games , which is a bit of a disappointment . There is an OE board which lets you install chips on the DNA board . This is very customizable , and can add up to a lot of neat in battle effects . I wish there was a little bit more guidance on it , though . But the battle system is definitely interesting , works for the system , and keeps things exciting . The 3rd Birthday actually spooked me in a couple of instances - and I am plenty older now than I was when I played the first game . Clearly , this is a game that anyone who liked Parasite Eve should just buy , right ? Well , not exactly . There are a few issues abound . For one , the plot is very interesting . However , it devolves into nonsense quickly , and there are no decent explanations for anything . While the series isn't known for it's breathtaking plotting , it at least tries to make some sense . This game couldn't even spell the word . The characterization of some of the characters is a bit off , and while there is a lot of replay value ( multiple difficulties , costumes , cheats , weapons , etc ) none of it is absolutely essential . I would've preferred another trip to the Chrysler Tower than be told to go through the game again . Finally , there is the shower scene . While there are people disparaging it as if it heralded the end of the gaming age - there was one in PE II . Both are lame , and not worth it in the least . Shame on Square Enix for making that and the unrated Aya poster such big selling points for the game . All in all , it is a worthwhile game to play , and it is nice to have the characters back . They might not really act or look like you would remember them to , but they are there . Now it's your turn to decide if this is a birthday you'd care to attend .
• 071   The road to The 3rd Birthday was quite an adventure . When originally rolling my eyes at the announcement of a mobile game , my interest was piqued when I heard that The 3rd Birthday was being made for the PSP , and that it would be a sequel of sorts , to the Parasite Eve companion games . I did some homework and read about the game but was reluctant to pull the trigger . However , knowing my fondness for the series ( especially the first game ) I ordered it from Amazon . Initially , I was expecting something similar to Crisis Core : FFVII . However , CC : FFVII has the edge over this game . The opening movie - and by extension , any cinematic in this game - is utterly beautiful . From the opening , which played Primal Eyes , to the ( almost ) end , the animated scenes are a delight . Everything is fresh and crisp . Something better than the graphics ? The music . It is wonderful , and prompted a download the soundtrack . There are a number of classic PE themes that have been redone for this game - including the battle theme from Parasite Eve . Other notable tracks include Escape from the UB , and Contact , Freeze , Explode . I recommend that anyone listen to the music . But what of the gameplay ? Well , being a PE / old school Square fan , I was expecting an RPG-lite , or an RPGish game . And that is what you get . PEII dumbed down a lot of the gameplay aspects from PE , and I was expecting the trend to continue . Gone are spells , but instead there is Overdive , which lets you dive into other characters . And while there is Liberation , it is nothing like it was in the first games , which is a bit of a disappointment . There is an OE board which lets you install chips on the DNA board . This is very customizable , and can add up to a lot of neat in battle effects . I wish there was a little bit more guidance on it , though . But the battle system is definitely interesting , works for the system , and keeps things exciting . The 3rd Birthday actually spooked me in a couple of instances - and I am plenty older now than I was when I played the first game . Clearly , this is a game that anyone who liked Parasite Eve should just buy , right ? Well , not exactly . There are a few issues abound . For one , the plot is very interesting . However , it devolves into nonsense quickly , and there are no decent explanations for anything . While the series isn't known for it's breathtaking plotting , it at least tries to make some sense . This game couldn't even spell the word . The characterization of some of the characters is a bit off , and while there is a lot of replay value ( multiple difficulties , costumes , cheats , weapons , etc ) none of it is absolutely essential . I would've preferred another trip to the Chrysler Tower than be told to go through the game again . Finally , there is the shower scene . While there are people disparaging it as if it heralded the end of the gaming age - there was one in PE II . Both are lame , and not worth it in the least . Shame on Square Enix for making that and the unrated Aya poster such big selling points for the game . All in all , it is a worthwhile game to play , and it is nice to have the characters back . They might not really act or look like you would remember them to , but they are there . Now it's your turn to decide if this is a birthday you'd care to attend .
• 074   I've never played the other Parasite Eve games , but if you're into third person shooter games , then this is a good game to buy .
• 075   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) If your a fan of the series your going to be rather angry with the way this game treats the hero Aya Brea . That's all i'll say . Suffice it to say this game has a lot of elements that are designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator . For instance Aya moans whenever she examines a object in the in-between stages . Madea from the first game is turned into a creepy letch . Finally there's an unlockable shower scene to completely degrade the character of Aya . The production values are good , the soundtracks best tracks are remixed songs from the first one . Overall it's flawed and while i did want more parasite eve i didn't want it to take this long or in this way . As it's often said . Be Careful what you wish for .
• 076   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) If your a fan of the series your going to be rather angry with the way this game treats the hero Aya Brea . That's all i'll say . Suffice it to say this game has a lot of elements that are designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator . For instance Aya moans whenever she examines a object in the in-between stages . Madea from the first game is turned into a creepy letch . Finally there's an unlockable shower scene to completely degrade the character of Aya . The production values are good , the soundtracks best tracks are remixed songs from the first one . Overall it's flawed and while i did want more parasite eve i didn't want it to take this long or in this way . As it's often said . Be Careful what you wish for .
• 077   If your a fan of the series your going to be rather angry with the way this game treats the hero Aya Brea . That's all i'll say . Suffice it to say this game has a lot of elements that are designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator . For instance Aya moans whenever she examines a object in the in-between stages . Madea from the first game is turned into a creepy letch . Finally there's an unlockable shower scene to completely degrade the character of Aya . The production values are good , the soundtracks best tracks are remixed songs from the first one . Overall it's flawed and while i did want more parasite eve i didn't want it to take this long or in this way . As it's often said . Be Careful what you wish for .
• 078   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) This is the best psp game i have played , ever . First of all the story isn't that great , its confusing . In fact , unless you read the case files that are on the computer in-game , you will have no idea what the heck is going on at all . otherwise , just skip the cutscenes . Gameplay : Now when you are starting a mission , you will be in the present day . Here , you can change your outfit , weapons , do test battles , etc . When in a mission , you will be overdiving in to someone , Overdive is when you take enter someones body and control them . The shooter type gameplay is wonderful , however the camera doesn't follow you much as you control it using the dpad , which just so happens to be on top of the analog stick , which you use to control Aya . The only possible way to follow the enemy is when you have aiming mode on , however this doesn't let you see any enemies behind you . Despite this it is a fun game . Things this game needs : First off , it wouldn't be a bad suggestion for square enix to have put in multiplayer , which could be like dead space 2 multi or metal gear solid peace walker . The game probably should have been on consoles , as the technical limitations suit the PS3 . However , The 3rd Birthday does fine without any of these things .
• 079   This is the best psp game i have played , ever . First of all the story isn't that great , its confusing . In fact , unless you read the case files that are on the computer in-game , you will have no idea what the heck is going on at all . otherwise , just skip the cutscenes . Gameplay : Now when you are starting a mission , you will be in the present day . Here , you can change your outfit , weapons , do test battles , etc . When in a mission , you will be overdiving in to someone , Overdive is when you take enter someones body and control them . The shooter type gameplay is wonderful , however the camera doesn't follow you much as you control it using the dpad , which just so happens to be on top of the analog stick , which you use to control Aya . The only possible way to follow the enemy is when you have aiming mode on , however this doesn't let you see any enemies behind you . Despite this it is a fun game . Things this game needs : First off , it wouldn't be a bad suggestion for square enix to have put in multiplayer , which could be like dead space 2 multi or metal gear solid peace walker . The game probably should have been on consoles , as the technical limitations suit the PS3 . However , The 3rd Birthday does fine without any of these things .
• 080   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) I have been Parasite's eve fan since a long time . The theme music , the story and the gameplay . After a long disappearance , it is back on PSP . The intro is incredible , the theme music is amazing and the gameplay is better than ever . Chapter 0 starts with a small tutorial-action kinda way . Then between the chapters there is the office where you can read your notes and get information and update your weapons before you start the next chapter . Another great game from Square-Enix , actually 2011 is SE's year , with Dissidia 012 and Final Fantasy IV . . .
• 081   I have been Parasite's eve fan since a long time . The theme music , the story and the gameplay . After a long disappearance , it is back on PSP . The intro is incredible , the theme music is amazing and the gameplay is better than ever . Chapter 0 starts with a small tutorial-action kinda way . Then between the chapters there is the office where you can read your notes and get information and update your weapons before you start the next chapter . Another great game from Square-Enix , actually 2011 is SE's year , with Dissidia 012 and Final Fantasy IV . . .
• 082   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) The long awaited version of Parasite Eve - this time it's on PSP as prior to this , it being on PS1 . The jump was quite unexpected but a good move for PSP . It's a pity it came a bit late considereing PSP1 is going to be superseded by PSP2 . Still , I've been told it can be downloaded . I highly recommend this game and if it ever becomes a PS3 game , it will turn platinum extremely quick . As of other Survival Horror games such as the Resident Evil series , Parasite Eve comes very close . Dead Island is another that I believe will be platinum . Imagine if this did go on the PS3 : that would be awesome . The game is great . I just wished it could go on a heavy duty console as the potential for graphic effects and environments is what makes this game very different ( especially in the abstract scenes ) . Aya Brea is already one of most sexist heroines in the gaming world - why not make her more defined on a large HD screen ? All up , I do recommend buying this game . It bought it for $20AU brand new from Amazon . Thumbs up and enjoy !
• 083   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) The long awaited version of Parasite Eve - this time it's on PSP as prior to this , it being on PS1 . The jump was quite unexpected but a good move for PSP . It's a pity it came a bit late considereing PSP1 is going to be superseded by PSP2 . Still , I've been told it can be downloaded . I highly recommend this game and if it ever becomes a PS3 game , it will turn platinum extremely quick . As of other Survival Horror games such as the Resident Evil series , Parasite Eve comes very close . Dead Island is another that I believe will be platinum . Imagine if this did go on the PS3 : that would be awesome . The game is great . I just wished it could go on a heavy duty console as the potential for graphic effects and environments is what makes this game very different ( especially in the abstract scenes ) . Aya Brea is already one of most sexist heroines in the gaming world - why not make her more defined on a large HD screen ? All up , I do recommend buying this game . It bought it for $20AU brand new from Amazon . Thumbs up and enjoy !
• 084   The long awaited version of Parasite Eve - this time it's on PSP as prior to this , it being on PS1 . The jump was quite unexpected but a good move for PSP . It's a pity it came a bit late considereing PSP1 is going to be superseded by PSP2 . Still , I've been told it can be downloaded . I highly recommend this game and if it ever becomes a PS3 game , it will turn platinum extremely quick . As of other Survival Horror games such as the Resident Evil series , Parasite Eve comes very close . Dead Island is another that I believe will be platinum . Imagine if this did go on the PS3 : that would be awesome . The game is great . I just wished it could go on a heavy duty console as the potential for graphic effects and environments is what makes this game very different ( especially in the abstract scenes ) . Aya Brea is already one of most sexist heroines in the gaming world - why not make her more defined on a large HD screen ? All up , I do recommend buying this game . It bought it for $20AU brand new from Amazon . Thumbs up and enjoy !
• 087   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) This was one of the games I've been eagerly waiting for . The gameplay videos looked solid , but the actual game is not . The shooting mechanics are average - just your standard third person shooter with auto-aim . However , it's incredibly boring and repetitive as you advance through different rooms and encounter the same enemies over and over . Boss fights are also tedious as your weapon does very little damage to them , so you're going to be holding L and R button for ten minutes until their HP drops . Also , it's more frustrating than it has to be due to its controls and awful camera . Sometimes the camera will move on its own , and the behind camera mode has an extremely limited view . Controlling the camera is a pain since you use the directional buttons for controlling it . At the same time , you navigate your character with the analog nub , so you can't properly control both of those at the same time . The environments are dull , and there are some game designs that makes this game difficult for the wrong reasons . For example , enemies will continuously respawn if you don't take out the red orbs . Sometimes these red orbs will be placed in some of the worst locations like way up in the sky . You have to find the orbs , and use your sniper rifle to take them out . You're a sitting duck while you're doing that . Some enemies are cheap with their one hit kills , and the camera makes the combat a hassle . Not everything in the gameplay is bad ; the overdrive and customization were the few redeeming qualities in the gameplay . Overdrive lets you dive into another soldier and take possession of his health and weapon . There's some good strategy involved with the overdrive as you can control a soldier , take him to a location , and dive into another . You can distract the enemy with one soldier , and then dive into another soldier to get a sneak attack . When you overdive , you sometimes get OE chips . These chips can be installed into Aya's DNA board in order to upgrade some stats / skills like faster healing , better defense , etc . I spent quite a while shaping Aya into the way I wanted her . Speaking of Aya , she is a horrible protagonist . She's weak , bland and forgettable , and the other characters are bad too . They don't really get any character development in the story . If you want to find out more if their backstory , you have to read their files in the database . Basically , it's takes FFXIII storytelling approach ( read to understand some things ) . The story is also awful ; it was a little interesting at first ( getting fragments of what happened in the past ) . However , the ending came along and created a huge mess of a plot-hole , and it still left things unexplained . The 3rd Birthday excels at graphics and soundtrack , but fails at everything else .
• 088   This was one of the games I've been eagerly waiting for . The gameplay videos looked solid , but the actual game is not . The shooting mechanics are average - just your standard third person shooter with auto-aim . However , it's incredibly boring and repetitive as you advance through different rooms and encounter the same enemies over and over . Boss fights are also tedious as your weapon does very little damage to them , so you're going to be holding L and R button for ten minutes until their HP drops . Also , it's more frustrating than it has to be due to its controls and awful camera . Sometimes the camera will move on its own , and the behind camera mode has an extremely limited view . Controlling the camera is a pain since you use the directional buttons for controlling it . At the same time , you navigate your character with the analog nub , so you can't properly control both of those at the same time . The environments are dull , and there are some game designs that makes this game difficult for the wrong reasons . For example , enemies will continuously respawn if you don't take out the red orbs . Sometimes these red orbs will be placed in some of the worst locations like way up in the sky . You have to find the orbs , and use your sniper rifle to take them out . You're a sitting duck while you're doing that . Some enemies are cheap with their one hit kills , and the camera makes the combat a hassle . Not everything in the gameplay is bad ; the overdrive and customization were the few redeeming qualities in the gameplay . Overdrive lets you dive into another soldier and take possession of his health and weapon . There's some good strategy involved with the overdrive as you can control a soldier , take him to a location , and dive into another . You can distract the enemy with one soldier , and then dive into another soldier to get a sneak attack . When you overdive , you sometimes get OE chips . These chips can be installed into Aya's DNA board in order to upgrade some stats / skills like faster healing , better defense , etc . I spent quite a while shaping Aya into the way I wanted her . Speaking of Aya , she is a horrible protagonist . She's weak , bland and forgettable , and the other characters are bad too . They don't really get any character development in the story . If you want to find out more if their backstory , you have to read their files in the database . Basically , it's takes FFXIII storytelling approach ( read to understand some things ) . The story is also awful ; it was a little interesting at first ( getting fragments of what happened in the past ) . However , the ending came along and created a huge mess of a plot-hole , and it still left things unexplained . The 3rd Birthday excels at graphics and soundtrack , but fails at everything else .
• 091   Sadly I can not play the game to give a review of it but at the same time I do not want to guide anyone away with a low rating so that is the only reason I gave it 3 stars for now . Reason : No internet to update my PSP software ( Yes I have my government computer , but believe me when I say there is not much I can do from a Marine Network : P ) . I am deployed to Afghanistan and was hoping to pass some time with 3rd Birthday ; however , the game requires system software 6.37 . I updated my PSP before coming here but at the time it was only up to 6.31 . So for those of you that may not have the internet to update your system software you may want to wait . If anyone knows a way around this please post . Thank you !
• 092   This review is from : The 3rd Birthday ( Video Game ) Every PE fan has been waiting for this day . The day where we can finally see Aya back in action , but was it worth it , or not ? The short answer is , NO ! But let me explain . The main heroine Aya Brea this time around , is so weak compare to her attitude in PE 1& 2 . They made her so defenseless , and boring , that you can't actually take the story seriously , because of it . And I'm being kind to the story atm , because it's pretty lack luster too , but back to Aya . Brea has barely no dialogue , which makes me think that SE must been paying the voice actors / actress pennies too none , because overall dialogue for everyone is boring . The her design is still great though , which give credit to SE of coarse , but overall I was very displease with what SE did too Aya Brea . I won't go into detail about the story , because it's really terrible . Either I'm growing out of JRPG's , or the corny stories are just getting old and more dry each day . I honestly don't know how you can mess this up with a great story / game like PE1 . I guess it was pretty easy , because this and PE2 succeeded in doing just that . And now for the combat . Oh boy ! Where do I begin with this disaster ? The controls simply put , are terrible . It's based on the infamous auto lock system , which controls the terrible camera too what direction you want it too face , which is based on where the monster is at . It could be left , right , etc , which ultimately neglects what spawns from behind you which = a easy way for monsters too get a easy kill . The directional buttons provide free use of the camera , but the monsters don't exactly give you the time to use that before they kill you . And now about the monsters / bosses , which are ridiculously tough this time around . It can be , because they wanted the game to be harder , or because the game is ridiculously short . I'll go with choice 2 . The monster / bosses in this game , are crazy hard . If you've play Lost Planet , Monster Hunter , you'll know what I'm talking about + they regain health if you don't Overdrive , which Overdrive , is a fancy way to add more damage or transfer to another body before the one you're in dies . you have a last resort power call Liberation , which basically puts you in a special form for a SHORT time , which can either , Heal you completely , do more damage with energy shots , or make one final stand before death , and sacfice yourself for massive damage . All these things are great , but the monster still tend too have the upper hand , which ultimately kills the fun out of the game for some . Overall I sadly didn't enjoy this PE . Instead of taking two step forward , SE took two steps back instead . The hero isn't interesting . The story isn't interesting . The CGI is always great . SE is always on top when it comes too CGI and the art presentation . The OST is fantastic . It's the only thing that kept me going in this game , but the overall product just doesn't work for me . I give PE : 3rd Birthday Fair .
• 093   Every PE fan has been waiting for this day . The day where we can finally see Aya back in action , but was it worth it , or not ? The short answer is , NO ! But let me explain . The main heroine Aya Brea this time around , is so weak compare to her attitude in PE 1& 2 . They made her so defenseless , and boring , that you can't actually take the story seriously , because of it . And I'm being kind to the story atm , because it's pretty lack luster too , but back to Aya . Brea has barely no dialogue , which makes me think that SE must been paying the voice actors / actress pennies too none , because overall dialogue for everyone is boring . The her design is still great though , which give credit to SE of coarse , but overall I was very displease with what SE did too Aya Brea . I won't go into detail about the story , because it's really terrible . Either I'm growing out of JRPG's , or the corny stories are just getting old and more dry each day . I honestly don't know how you can mess this up with a great story / game like PE1 . I guess it was pretty easy , because this and PE2 succeeded in doing just that . And now for the combat . Oh boy ! Where do I begin with this disaster ? The controls simply put , are terrible . It's based on the infamous auto lock system , which controls the terrible camera too what direction you want it too face , which is based on where the monster is at . It could be left , right , etc , which ultimately neglects what spawns from behind you which = a easy way for monsters too get a easy kill . The directional buttons provide free use of the camera , but the monsters don't exactly give you the time to use that before they kill you . And now about the monsters / bosses , which are ridiculously tough this time around . It can be , because they wanted the game to be harder , or because the game is ridiculously short . I'll go with choice 2 . The monster / bosses in this game , are crazy hard . If you've play Lost Planet , Monster Hunter , you'll know what I'm talking about + they regain health if you don't Overdrive , which Overdrive , is a fancy way to add more damage or transfer to another body before the one you're in dies . you have a last resort power call Liberation , which basically puts you in a special form for a SHORT time , which can either , Heal you completely , do more damage with energy shots , or make one final stand before death , and sacfice yourself for massive damage . All these things are great , but the monster still tend too have the upper hand , which ultimately kills the fun out of the game for some . Overall I sadly didn't enjoy this PE . Instead of taking two step forward , SE took two steps back instead . The hero isn't interesting . The story isn't interesting . The CGI is always great . SE is always on top when it comes too CGI and the art presentation . The OST is fantastic . It's the only thing that kept me going in this game , but the overall product just doesn't work for me . I give PE : 3rd Birthday Fair .