The 3rd Birthday (Europe+UNDUB) PSP ISO

This is the 3rd game on the Parasite Eve series preceded by Parasite Eve and Parasite Eve 2. The player once again takes the role of Aya Brea who must defend New York city from terrible creatures.

Review by Roxses7299:

Before we start, 3rd Birthday is the third game of Parasite Eve series. You can play in two versions, the normal version & the undub version. The normal version voices in English while the undub version voice in Japanese. Between those two version, I would prefer the undub version since the undub version are much more good voice when Japanese do it than US.

Graphics: Let’s start from here; some people argue that the game does not stay 100% classic parasite eve. But what we can all agree on is that the graphics in the third birthday are superb. Environments, monsters, and especially the cut scenes are some of the best seen on the psp. When a fellow soldier dies the effects /gore appear very well animated. When facing a boss or when going into overdrive the graphics are intense and the scales of the battles are pretty to watch.

Graphics Rating: 10/10

Gameplay: Unlike other RPG that I have played to date. You are playing a RPG but at the same time you are also playing a very good shooter. The games name change to 3rd birthday from parasite eve is certainly a symbolic change of things to come in the parasite eve universe. With some added customization and throwing some more rpg elements into future games in the series square is really onto a full revival of this gaming IP. You really don’t want to go into this game comparing it to the amazing (yet very different) past entries.

Gameplay Rating: 9/10

Control: Targeting works very well in this game and the game does a good job of finding the correct targets when you are trying to find them. Moving on the psp is very easy despite only having one analog stick. Also, it was a good move that the development team took on making the game have a auto target system. I would have hated if they did the Square, triangle, circle, x, movement scheme that some other shooters on the psp have taken. It just weird for me. I will deduct a point on the sole fact that the game does sometimes mess up when you are trying to switch bodies to another soldier. Sometimes (but rarely) the camera will get stuck or in a awkward position. I found that this was more to due to user error on my part though. Sometimes instead of holding R down to change a weapon I would just start hitting the directional pad which changes views.

Controls Rating: 9/10

Upgrades: As upgrades are always appear in some RPG game, 3rd Birthday are pretty much the same. I was very happy that they kept the ability to upgrade weapons and there are a ton of weapons to unlock. The dna type system for upgrades, however, was very confusing and lack luster. Also, it just doesn’t seem like there was enough variety in clothing/armor types. On the good side: if they had not incorporated upgrades to this game at all I feel like I really wouldn’t have liked it. Then it would just be all out shooting which would get repetitive in this game. The ability to change up my arsenal with multiple weapon types is a welcome addition to this game.

Upgrades Rating: 8/10

Sound/Theme: I have not been this engrossed in game music and the theme of a game since… well… parasite eve. I just love the piano soundtrack mixed in with some guitar music. It gets me every time. From the moment I turned on the game I was sucked back into that parasite eve feel. Sound effects, monster groans, piano music, awesome cut-scenes, and that feeling of being in a torn city from monster mayhem was a feeling that I feel has been lost in many next generation games. The game can also give off a survival horror feel.

Sound Rating: 10/10

Replayability: You can play any mission over and over again after complete the mission for the first time and gain XP, level up your weapons and customize your character. Replay value has always been the area that RPGs have shined and 3rd birthday will give you worth of your time. Although the game may be short you should still get at least 20-30 hours of pure awesomeness replaying the game and having a blast. This is a great amount of replay value for a psp game and I feel like this game does a good job lasting.

Replayability Rating: 10/10

Overall Impressions: I have not played many amazing psp games. Mainly because there are many mediocre games on psp and a few that really catch my eye. Example: Dissidia 012, 3rd birthday, Ys Seven, Phantasy Star Portable 2, Kingdom Heart: Birth by sleep, and a few others to name some. Though among the game I play, 3rd birthday is one of the three psp game best game I ever played. At heart, this game is an action/rpg.

Overall Rating: 10/10

.iso CRC-32: 80ba851c
MD5: d7c2309da1fb349b8dfce11f1b6c90a7