At the beginning of The 3rd Birthday, no one expected New York to collapse in such a way, its features distorted under the weight of terrifying creatures that emerged from nowhere, known as the Twisted. In 2013, the city no longer pulsed with life as it once did but had turned into a war zone filled with echoes of screams. Amid this devastation stands Aya Brea, the story’s protagonist, a woman carrying more than just a weapon—she carries a forgotten past and questions that haunt her from every side.
Two years before these events, Aya Brea woke up with no memory, unaware of who she was or why she seemed to have survived a great catastrophe. But in her new reality, she is the top soldier in the Twisted Countermeasure Unit, CTI, a secret organization attempting to restore balance to a world torn apart by these creatures. However, Aya is no ordinary soldier; she possesses a unique ability called Overdive, allowing her to send her consciousness into the bodies of other soldiers, taking control of them and utilizing their skills in battles against the monsters. What Aya does not realize is that this ability is not just a weapon but a key to understanding what happened to her, unlocking the secrets of her lost past, and uncovering the truth behind the appearance of these creatures. As she fights against the Twisted, she finds herself entangled in a web of complex mysteries.
When picking up the controller and starting the game, the player immediately realizes that this is a completely different experience from the previous installments. This is not just a regular shooting game but an integrated blend of action, tactics, and character progression. The core mechanic that defines the gameplay is the spiritual transfer ability, which allows Aya Brea to move between the bodies of soldiers spread across the battlefield. This means the player is not confined to a single body but can choose the best strategy by switching between allies, using their weapons, and even sacrificing them in critical moments.
The game does not rely solely on shooting but also on strategic use of the environment. Players can switch to a soldier positioned in a better location or use Overdive to escape from a dangerous situation at the last second. The weapons are diverse, ranging from fast pistols to heavy machine guns, each of which can be upgraded using experience points earned during combat. As for the enemies, the Twisted are not just ordinary monsters; they are ferocious creatures with unpredictable movements that require quick reflexes and continuous planning. There is also a special system called Liberation Mode, where Aya enters a powerful combat state, significantly increasing her speed and strength, allowing her to destroy enemies with ease.
This game was not merely a continuation of the previous Parasite Eve installments but a bold leap that redefined the identity of the series. While the first two games relied on classic RPG elements such as turn-based combat and skill progression, the third installment completely abandoned this approach in favor of a faster-paced and more action-oriented experience. One of the biggest changes was the shift to a third-person perspective with modern shooting mechanics. Some felt that this move caused the game to lose part of its original identity, but on the other hand, it introduced new ideas, such as the Overdive system, which added a tactical depth not seen before.
Instead of presenting a cinematic-heavy story filled with lengthy cutscenes like Parasite Eve 2, the game focused on fragmented storytelling, where parts of the narrative are gradually discovered through missions and dialogues. This decision was controversial, as some felt that the story became overly mysterious and complicated. From a technical standpoint, the game pushed the PSP hardware to its limits, delivering impressive graphics for a handheld device, with stunning character and environment designs. Overall, this game was a bold experiment full of innovative ideas, yet it also marked a significant departure from the roots that made Parasite Eve a unique masterpiece in the gaming world. It offered enjoyable gameplay mechanics but may not have been what longtime fans of the original series expected.