3rd Birthday

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The Third entry in the Parasite Eve Series released in 2011, 3rd Birthday is a powerful and highly enjoyable game which should be included in the library of any owner of a Sony Handheld.

Following the growth of large Towers made of flesh in the middle of Manhattan, The United States government forms a new secret agency to find a way to destroy the monsters that flood out of the towers, gruesome beasts that become known as the Twisted. At the heart of the struggle is Aya Brea, the only human with the ability to dive into the bodies of others. Including those in the past. Nothing is as it seems, deception and sabotage are everywhere, and the truth lies just behind the veil.

One of the most versatile games released on the Playstation Portable, 3rd Birthday combines Shooting with RPG. The DNA board allows the player to customize the natural bonuses of protagonist Aya's mutant DNA to their advantage, whether that advantage being increased accuracy, the ability to implode enemies, or even the ability to come back to life. Fully customizable wit positive and negative mutations, the DNA board represents one of the most customizable shooting systems of all time. Weapons themselves also can be customized with high power scopes, larger magazines, longer barrels, but the player has to keep in mind, for every bonus, something must be given up.

The gameplay itself is a delight, and can be played in either 3rd person with auto lock or the more acurate first person mode. * The player has the ability to "dive" from body to body and even send deadly thoughts into enemies causing them to explode. Violently. There are over twenty different types of enemies, each requiring a different strategy to beat. From the basic soldiers that stumble and are easy to dispatch, to the Worms, giant beasts whose only weak spot is their fire spewing maws. The culmination of all enemies is seen in the terrifying reaper, who is completely immune to bullets and can steal the souls right out of bodies. Each Level has a difficult boss at the end, and only the greatest players will be able to dispatch them at the higher difficulty levels.

Graphically, 3rd Birthday is top of the line for PSP games. The areas are all unique and sharp with lots of detail, from the cracks in tiles on a dance floor to individual shards of glass, this game will test the strength of the PSP to the max. The absolutely gorgeous cutscenes are a treat for the eyes, and are paired with some of the best voice acting yet seen in a portable game. There are high detail CGI videos that are an absolute feast for the eyes, and a hidden steamy shower scene for those who dare to unlock it.

The story is the weakest part of the game due to all the mind and body jumping in the game, however, that is not to say the story is weak. By the standards of most PSP RPG's the story is as good as what one would expect from a final fantasy game, although it is not nearly as long. Indeed, many players will find themselves playing though ten or fifteen times, and the game rewards those who do so with new weapons, cutscenes and costumes.

In the end, this game is an absolute must for all PSP owners, guaranteeing fun, high replayablity and looking sharp the whole time.

Sound: 9/10
Some of the best voice acting the PSP has seen to date, if not the absolute best.

Graphics: 10/10
To put it lightly, this game looks amazing, and that's without talking about the main characters ability to look super sexy while fighting monsters.

Gameplay: 10/10
Responsive, fast controls that make sense, what more can you ask for?

Story: 7/10
Good, but confusing toward the end.

Replayabilty: 11/10
The game is still rewarding players on their tenth playthroughs with new weapons and costumes.

*Only some weapons can be used with First person.