My Biased Mini-Review of The 3rd Birthday
Graphics: (A) I would highly compare the graphics to that of Crisis Core, which is the greatest compliment I could possibly provide for the game. I love watching the cutscenes, and the quality really sets the standard for PSP games. Square Enix clearly knows how to make a game look presentable and appealing.
Sound: (C) Characters' voices are often muffled by the sound effects and music. Keep your subtitles on! It's easy to miss dialog without it. On the upside, the music for the game is pleasantly nice! It's pretty obvious that a lot of work was put into making the soundtrack, and rightfully so!
Gameplay: (C) Overall, it was a difficult game to play. The monsters seemed ridiculously tough, especially in Hard Mode. One hit from a monster would often take half of your health. I do like how the controls are set up. It seemed innovative to use buttons differently from most games I've played, and it was refreshing to play a shooter-type game rather than my typical strategy games. The linear environment is initially great, but later seems overbearingly repetitive and overused.
Story: (D) Disappointing. I really, really wish the storyline wasn't this confusing. In the beginning of the game, you kind of grasp the idea of characters and the overall story, but then awkward events in the game leave you feeling like you missed a chapter or didn't do something right. The feeling of confusion only grows, as you expect to find answers further on but are only given more loopholes. The disappointment for me is that I really wanted to become immersed in the world of Aya Brea, but in the end I just wanted to know what was going on. The story appears to have high potential, but its presentation fails to execute coherently.
Recommendation: (C) Unless you are major fan of the Parasite Eve series, or enjoy games that have repetitive gameplay, The 3rd Birthday may not be for you. For those looking for a game with a good storyline, you might be better off looking towards other Square Enix games, as playing this one will just leave you feeling more confused. I'm still a fan of Parasite Eve, but this game was not what many others (and I) were quite expecting for the series.