The 3rd Birthday for PSP Reviews by Gamers

Certainly some of the best graphics I've seen aside from the cutscenes not being redone to fit English. Minor (and I mean minor) spoilers ahead.

But the story...ugh. Gamers have been demanding better story lines, but apparently companies are willing to just give up on the portion of buyers who won't invest in a game UNLESS it has good writing. This game is an attempt, but ultimately it fails to deliver that during the body of the game, so there is no poignancy left to be had by the only good storytelling, which occurred at the climax. The player is already drained by repetitive story elements and difficulty with the psuedo-philosophical time travel nonsense.

That brings me to my ultimate point: even as someone who routinely writes mystery/detective fiction (meaning I have an above-average tolerance for webby storytelling), this plot is unapproachably convoluted. After a point, I just stopped trying to make sense of things. Part of the problem is the constant traveling back and forth to different years but on the same day. Eventually you lose track only to discover that it wasn't very crucial in the first place. Numerous gameplay elements are never explained via tutorial and you essentially have to read tons of text documents to process any of it.

There's a Heavy Rain-esque unnecessary nude scene that made you feel like the perverted scientist character for enjoying. To be 100% up front, it was one of the more enjoyable parts of the game. Also, the graphics on bosses and backgrounds were done extremely well. The game is not without strengths; the weapon customization and enemy animations were great.

The game's brevity, lackluster storytelling, and lack of gameplay diversity ultimately make it fan fodder. I haven't played other Parasite Eve games (and not putting Parasite Eve on the cover makes me think they were going for non-fans as well), so I'm unable to comment about its relationship to the series and I'm not familiar with the characters or attached to them.

This is my review taken piece by piece:

-Concept: Take on the world as Aya, a young female soldier and go back in time to try and change the future in many ways while at the same time going along to help Aya discover her own past.

-Graphics: The graphics are of course top notch for a game on the PSP, but what else do you expect from Square Enix. Character designs are great and the enemies are well designed whereas some others look kind of goofy.

-Sound: The game has good voice overs as well as a great soundtrack. I paid special attention to the opening theme song as it caught my attention.

-Playabillity: The game's shooting holds well enough, but that's not the main attraction of the game. What is is the overdive abillity, which works really well. Use this abillity to transport Aya's spirit and will from soldier to soldier. Do this not only to save yourself when you are almost dead, but when somebody has a cool weapon that you need or just want. Plus, the soldier AI are very responsive and you should use them to help you take down an enemy with a lock-on command. Plus, use what is known as the overdive kill to take down an enemy from the inside. The enemy AI can sometimes be unfair though. Sometimes you're left with absolutley no chance to save yourself. One wrong step even when you're at the top of your game can sometimes spell certain death. Plus, why does the game have you run from enemies when they are in fact faster than you and take you down with one hit? Plus, enemies health bars are just way too big. The only thing that really marked this down to an eight was the unfair advantages that your enemies have on you. On the other hand, turrets tanks and helicopters work really well.

-Entertainment: Watching the city crumble to enemies known as the Twisted is very suspensful and the blood is very realistic. To anybody who are a fan's of shooters with a few twists, or you just want to take on the next Square Enix game, this is the game for you.

I can't believe this!! This is not a survival horror game, not a cinima rpg, not even a parasite eve game truth be told! I don't know what this is beyond calling it an abomination... No flexibility with the weaponry as every thing is locked! You only unlock new weaponry when you overdive inb to a new character, but the game also is timing you... so, you have to do most of it blindly.. consists of bugs that can teleport( think chrono shift if you are a command & conquer fan), and did I mention that this bug can kill you instantly? Only after of course it chases you through a hall wayto teleport right up and erect a barrier right in front of you, and killing you soon after... After coming to terms with the fact that I will never know any way, since i obviously won't be going any further! The only reason to play this is because of how the damage system works, basically Aya loses a little bit of her clothing every time she takes damage... So those who rate this as a good game is either someone looking for pornography, or they are a Square enix hack posing as a renter... Square Enix has destroyed Final Fanatsy, Supreme Commander, Dungeon Siege, the front mission series (which has also suffered to some extent) The Mana Series, and now Parasite Eve( or they have done considerable damage almost beyond repairing) Their is no emersion at all it is just staged and leveled... It sickens me to see Square Enix reduce themselves to the modern equivalent to Uwe Bolls of game development.... Call me a hater if you wish, but these games didn't deserve the rough "cash cow" treatment that square-enix has given them.... whoever made the idea that a game should deviate from its roots, so, and be give the shoe horned boot as far as quality goes should be rightfully fired! If they keep giving gamers the middle finger then I think we should consider black-listing the parasites that square enix has become.... TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

If you are a Parasite Eve fan, (I have the first 2 games, book, and movie) you will be disappointed by this game.
Its a okay game, if you take it out of the context of the series, but I started it and wondered what the heck was going on.
It doesn't seem to have much of anything common with Parasite Eve.
And whatever those Reaper things are?
You'll be tearing at your hair and cussing your butt off at them for their near one hit kills.
But as I said, it's an /okay/ game.

it fun game not that easy it mostly hard but it not that hard but it fun so it a cool game but you will get suck in this game because i did get suck int his game.

Had fun playing it but did not follow the first 2 movies. I just couldnt get that nostaglia effect.

3rd birthday has the greatest battle system and selection of weapons that I've personally seen in a PSP game since Crisis Core. The overdive ability gives you a great way to quickly get more life points before you die and also if you're out of ammo you can use that persons weapon which gives the overdive another bonus. The monsters are well thought out and its truly amusing to blow them to bits with machine guns, pistols and rocket launchers. The story is truly great if you are able to follow it because it really gets confusing if you don't understand whats going on, but you're not alone because i was confused at first as well. I highly recommend this and encourage you to try it out.

looking for an awesome shooter game for PSP? look no further than The 3rd Birthday. in this game, you wont be shooting terrorists or aliens, no you will be shooting monsters (while looking great in torn jeans). the storyline takes place a couple of years into the future in New York City. where a giant plant-like monster consumes a bunch of buildings, and sprouts into the sky. it is so hungry for human flesh, IT WILL EAT THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE, then go back in time to EAT THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE.........AGAIN! (until it blows up; covering the Earth with monster vomit) But if it doesnt, you dont have to worry about December 21st, 2012 being the end of the world. You play as Aya who is sent to stop this monter....uh thing from EATING THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE!!! you start off with a default pistol to take out small enemies, called the Twisted (Dee Snider and his shenanigans!), who are just one legged monters that will head-bump you to inflict damage. you can get better weapons later in the game like assault rifles, handguns, sniper rifles, and shotguns, but you can also upgrade those weapons as well. you can never get rid of your default pistol (why bother--it has UNLIMITED AMMO!!!!). you may carry 3 weapons of your choice, and 1 extra weapon from someone else during gameplay. i found it best to carry an assault rilfe, and a shotgun with the default pistol. the graphics are astounding for this game. overall, this game was the best PSP shooter i've ever played, and i would highly recommend it. put it in your Game Q now while its available!

Love this game though played it on easy.. Too short but the story was amazing and i was enthralled the whole time.. highly reccommend it

Oh my gosh! This game is the best PSP Shooter, action adventure game ever! Im at a loss of words. Aya Brea is the HOTTEST video game girl EVER!!! The only thing i did not like about it is, you know the Final Fantasy games, and how long they are, yeah, this game is long. Let this be a warning to you video game fans, if you EVER get a game by Square Enix, it WILL take FOREVER. But they all ways have hot girls in them, so its fine. I hope this was an okay reveiw and i hope i helped you in some way.

This game's battle mechanics are a blast, and the DNA level-up system is a fun mini game in and of itself. There's a ton of challenge, but it's never so difficult you want to quit.

I don't play alot of games to the end, and i was very excited to beat this game.

However, the story line is super confusing and doesn't make sense. Like most of these things, the dialogue is dumb and unrealistic. There's also an element of randomness to special abilites, which is somewhat frustrating at times.

I think i beat it in like 12-14 hours, and i really enjoyed all of them. Just don't expect to understand what the F is going on with the storyline.

Also, please enjoy the creepy Professor Maeda for every ounce of his bizzare, fetishy, oddness.

Having abandoned the unique survival-horror/RPG hybrid of the original Parasite Eve and its looser, less serious sequel, Square Enix has crafted a (as usual) good looking action game that's plagued by frustrating controls, a severely limited and luck-based DNA ("skill") board, and a semi-useless "customization" feature that lets you buy and upgrade guns that are more-or-less the same just because it gives the illusion of progression.

In truth, at only six chapters in length (roughly seven hours, depending on skill), none of the features matter much -- just your ability to run and gun and "strategically" use the game's gimmick -- the Overdive system -- to flank enemies. If the AI were sounder, and if the enemies weren't quite as cheap (or hard to see due to the camera and flawed radar), the idea of jumping from body to body (remind you of Mindjack, anyone?) would be neat. Instead, it's just something to do (or not; it's rarely "necessary").

With more length and substance, the story might've made more sense (i.e., have been fleshed out and developed) and the pacing wouldn't have seemed so repetitive and linear (corridor crawls!). More importantly, the customizations might have become more strategically crucial, instead of just being empty filler for those who force themselves to grind extra hours into the game simply to "acquire" everything . . . those players would be better off with "Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep" or the ultimate time-waster, "Dissidia 2012."

As an established property, "3rd Birthday" should be at least as solid a title as "Crisis Core": instead, it's little better than "Dirge of Cerebus." Given the length of time between installments, it's hard not to be disappointed by what, ironically, feels like a rushed sequel on what, at one time, was a unique franchise.

I play games on hard all the time.. Extremely difficult games like Ninja Gaiden, Crysis 2, Games like Final Fantasy, etc... but this game is just too boring to enjoy.. i tried to play it and the same level over and over just made me realize how lame the concept and game really is. Not good at all and the experience system is terrible and the dna thing that combo shoot is ridiculous they never shoot fast enough. Too slow and lame for me. Get something els guys really.

the graphics are really good. and the game is really fun. the story is a bit confusing but other then that its fricken awesome!!!