The 3rd Birthday for PSP Reviews by Gamers

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.