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| series = ''[[Parasite Eve (series)|Parasite Eve]]''
| series = ''[[Parasite Eve (series)|Parasite Eve]]''
| released = {{vgrelease|JP=December 22, 2010<ref name="Release2010">{{cite web |url=http://www.vg247.com/2010/08/25/kitase-confirms-winter-2010-japanese-release-for-3rd-birthday-2011-for-europe/ |title=Kitase confirms winter 2010 Japanese release for 3rd Birthday, 2011 for Europe |author=Johnny Cullen |date=August 25, 2010 |work= |publisher=VG247 |accessdate=August 24, 2010}}</ref>|NA=March 29, 2011<ref name="Release2011">{{cite web |url=http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/square-enix/48267/ |title=CELEBRATE THE 3RD BIRTHDAY ON MARCH 29, 2011 |author= |date=February 1, 2010 |work= |publisher= |accessdate=February 1, 2010}}</ref> |EU=April 1, 2011<ref name="April 1, 2011">{{cite web |url=http://www.rpgsite.net/news/1002/the-3rd-birthday-dated-for-europe-english-language-trailer-released.html/ |title=European Release Date for The 3rd Birthday}}{{dead link|date=February 2011}}</ref>}}
| released = {{vgrelease|JP=December 22, 2010<ref name="Release2010">{{cite web |url=http://www.vg247.com/2010/08/25/kitase-confirms-winter-2010-japanese-release-for-3rd-birthday-2011-for-europe/ |title=Kitase confirms winter 2010 Japanese release for 3rd Birthday, 2011 for Europe |author=Johnny Cullen |date=August 25, 2010 |work= |publisher=VG247 |accessdate=August 24, 2010}}</ref>|NA=March 29, 2011<ref name="Release2011">{{cite web |url=http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/square-enix/48267/ |title=CELEBRATE THE 3RD BIRTHDAY ON MARCH 29, 2011 |author= |date=February 1, 2010 |work= |publisher= |accessdate=February 1, 2010}}</ref> |EU=April 1, 2011<ref name="April 1, 2011">{{cite web |url=http://www.rpgsite.net/news/1002/the-3rd-birthday-dated-for-europe-english-language-trailer-released.html/ |title=European Release Date for The 3rd Birthday}}{{dead link|date=February 2011}}</ref>}}
| genre = [[Tactical shooter|Tactical]] [[Third-person shooter|TPS]]<ref name="IGN"/> <br> [[Tactical role-playing game|Tactical]] [[Action role-playing game|action RPG]]<ref name="square-enix.co.jp"/><ref name="IGN"/> <br> [[Survival horror]]
| genre = [[Tactical shooter|Tactical]] [[Third-person shooter|TPS]]<ref name="IGN"/> <br> [[Tactical role-playing game|Tactical]]-[[Action role-playing game|action RPG]]<ref name="square-enix.co.jp"/><ref name="IGN"/><ref name="Joystiq"/> <br> [[Survival horror]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
| ratings = {{vgratings|CERO=D}}
| ratings = {{vgratings|CERO=D}}
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| input =
| input =
}}
}}
{{nihongo|'''''The 3rd Birthday'''''|ザ・サード バースデイ|Za Sādo Bāsudei|}} is a [[Third-person shooter|third-person]] [[tactical shooter]] and [[survival horror]] [[Tactical role-playing game|tactical]] [[Action role-playing game|action RPG]] from [[Square Enix]].<ref name="IGN"/> The game was developed for the [[PlayStation Portable]] and marks the third entry in the [[Parasite Eve (series)|''Parasite Eve'' series]] (however, it is not ''Parasite Eve 3'') after ''[[Parasite Eve II]]'', which was released in 2000. The game was released on December 22, 2010 in Japan<ref name="Release2010" /> and was released on March 29, 2011 in North America.<ref name="Q12010">{{cite web |url=http://www.vg247.com/2010/10/20/the-3rd-birthday-slated-for-q1-2011-in-west/ |title=The 3rd Birthday slated for Q1 2011 in west |author=Johnny Cullen |date=October 20, 2010 |work= |publisher=VG247 |accessdate=October 20, 2010}}</ref>
{{nihongo|'''''The 3rd Birthday'''''|ザ・サード バースデイ|Za Sādo Bāsudei|}} is a [[Third-person shooter|third-person]] [[tactical shooter]] and [[survival horror]] [[Tactical role-playing game|tactical]]-[[Action role-playing game|action RPG]] from [[Square Enix]].<ref name="IGN"/><ref name="Joystiq">{{cite web|title=The 3rd Birthday review: New year's Eve|author=David Wolinsky|date=April 7, 2011|publisher=[[Joystiq]]|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/07/the-3rd-birthday-review/|accessdate=2011-04-09}}</ref> The game was developed for the [[PlayStation Portable]] and marks the third entry in the [[Parasite Eve (series)|''Parasite Eve'' series]] (however, it is not ''Parasite Eve 3'') after ''[[Parasite Eve II]]'', which was released in 2000. The game was released on December 22, 2010 in Japan<ref name="Release2010" /> and was released on March 29, 2011 in North America.<ref name="Q12010">{{cite web |url=http://www.vg247.com/2010/10/20/the-3rd-birthday-slated-for-q1-2011-in-west/ |title=The 3rd Birthday slated for Q1 2011 in west |author=Johnny Cullen |date=October 20, 2010 |work= |publisher=VG247 |accessdate=October 20, 2010}}</ref>


==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==

Revision as of 00:35, 9 April 2011

The 3rd Birthday
File:The 3rd Birthday Cover.jpg
North American Cover Art
Developer(s)Square Enix
HexaDrive[4]
Publisher(s)Square Enix
Director(s)Hajime Tabata[5]
Producer(s)Yoshinori Kitase
Artist(s)Tetsuya Nomura
Isamu Kamikokuryo
Writer(s)Motomu Toriyama
Composer(s)Yoko Shimomura
Tsuyoshi Sekito
Mitsuto Suzuki[6]
SeriesParasite Eve
Platform(s)PlayStation Portable
Genre(s)Tactical TPS[7]
Tactical-action RPG[8][7][9]
Survival horror
Mode(s)Single-player

The 3rd Birthday (ザ・サード バースデイ, Za Sādo Bāsudei) is a third-person tactical shooter and survival horror tactical-action RPG from Square Enix.[7][9] The game was developed for the PlayStation Portable and marks the third entry in the Parasite Eve series (however, it is not Parasite Eve 3) after Parasite Eve II, which was released in 2000. The game was released on December 22, 2010 in Japan[1] and was released on March 29, 2011 in North America.[10]

Gameplay

The game is an action role-playing game described by Square Enix as a "cinematic action RPG".[8] Director Hajime Tabata noted that the gameplay and plot are intertwined due to a newly introduced ability called "Overdive," an ability that lets you switch bodies with one of your team members, allowing the player to control friendly NPCs. Teammates can be ordered either to target specific enemies or to defend themselves in combat. The player is able change their controlled character in real-time, intermixed with their combat actions.[5] The game has third person shooter elements both in and out of combat. The game is played over-the-shoulder, comparable to games such as Resident Evil 4, Dead Space, and Resident Evil 5. An array of different costumes will be available to Aya to choose from throughout the game.

OE Chips

In The 3rd Birthday OE Chips are basically abilities and augments. Each one of them has its level and type, and can be fused with any other. The result of this fusing is an OE Chip as well, but its type depends on the types of the OE Chips you fuse and it is probability based. The result level has some not very clear limitations regarding its maximal value, but overall is pretty random. This level limitation gets less restrictive while you progress through the game. This system is tricky. It is very strategic regarding your resources planning, and unclear unless you know which OE Chips you should fuse exactly. Currently there is not much information regarding the matter, but sorumian team has created software to analyze and count over 36,000 of fusing results, and has published the statistics on their site. Currently it is the only available source[11] with detailed information regarding the ways of getting particular OE Chips.

Plot

In the midst of a snowy Christmas Eve in Manhattan, year 2012, a sudden swarm of hideous creatures burst from beneath the ground, killing several in the process and destroying structures. They were dubbed as the "Babels". These plant-like roots brought with them living life-forms that actively attacked and seemingly consume humans and are called the "Twisted". Within a year of the attack, an investigatory team known as the CTI (Counter Twisted Investigation) was formed. One of the members of CTI is Aya Brea, who was found lying blood-soaked in a wedding dress outside St. Peter's Cathedral back in 2010 just before the Babels and Twisted began appearing. Dr. Hyde Bohr, Chief of CTI, found Aya stripped of her memories from the years before. After taking Aya in, the CTI discovered that she's capable of transferring her soul from body to body, an ability dubbed "Overdive". Bohr and the others planned to use this unique ability of Aya to travel back through time and prevent the disaster. They developed a machine called "Overdive System", which makes use of Aya's ability and can send her in the past to possess someone else's psyche and therefore their actions. The machine was completed in 2013, and later utilized 2 years after the Twisted first appeared.

As she completed her first mission, she realised that she can indeed change the past to affect the future. She wakes up to find that certain key events pre-dive did not occur while new events developed post-dive. For example, Gabrielle who died in a training incident was alive due to her efforts in one of the missions. However, this resulted in the death of Thelonius Cray which sparked off another mission to save him in the past. As she embarks on each mission, she is met by mysterious powerful Twisteds differentiated from the normal ones by two points. Firstly, these twisted mutated from humans, notably humans she had known like Kyle Madigan. Secondly, these Twisted retained the human intelligence found lacking in the other lesser and more commonly encountered Twisted. As she defeats each of these special Twisted, she regains bits and pieces of her memories, most prominently that she had a sister called Eve Brea and later, that she was engaged to Kyle Madigan. After an incident that saw the CTI HQ and the Overdive device destroyed by Kyle Madigan, Aya reunites with Kunihiko Maeda who supports her while she continues to battle, this time in the present, to resolve the entire mystery behind the appearance of the Babel, Twisted and the human-mutated Twisteed, dubbed by Maeda as The High Ones. Events eventually led Aya to discover Bohr as the main villain, a high one himself. Bohr had masterminded the death of other High Ones in order to form the Grand Babel. Through Maeda's investigation, the Grand Babel functions like a giant overdive system. Bohr had wanted to dive back in the past to Time Zero where all events had happened.

Aya battled Bohr repeatedly and was pulled along by him into the time stream back to Time Zero, which was back to her very own wedding in 2010 to Kyle Madigan. Bohr, who explained that all High-Ones had the ability to dive, had dived into his own body. He further explained that for when the real Aya was on the verge of death after an attack by a swat team that had stormed the church, Eve Brea had tried to "reach" Aya. This resulted in the birth of the "Overdive" ability. The Aya now was actually Eve in Aya's body. However, Eve had accidentally shattered Aya's soul when she dived into Aya's body, resulting in the shards to be scattered across time and space and birthed the Twisted. The high ones, on the other hand, formed off the soul-less body of Eve, therefore the memories and ability to Overdive was also given to them.

After Eve had returned to her own body by Bohr's command, Bohr pleaded to Eve to assimilate him into herself to bear the birth of an even more evolved species. Upon Eve's refusal, Bohr tried to force the process, only to be shot repeatedly by Aya who had came back into her body somehow. Yet the Twisted crisis was not adverted until the sources were removed. After Aya's expression of her regret at not being able to exchange her vows with a now dead Kyle, she instructed Eve to shoot her in the chest. Eve, understandably emotional, did so after switching bodies with Aya. In doing so, both Twisted and the High Ones were not born and Eve also ceased to exist, resulting in the formation of a new timeline.

The ending saw Eve, in Aya's body, agreeing to marry Kyle. But to her surprise, Kyle addressed her not as Aya, but Eve, and wanting her to lead her own life and that he and Aya will always watch over her. Eve was left speechless but eventually smiled as Kyle wished her happy birthday before leaving to search for "eternity", which meant that he was going to search for Aya.

In the Post-Credits Ending (can be obtained by beating the game twice), Eve, in Aya's body, is seen walking the streets of New York during Christmas Eve. She stops for a while and catches a falling snowflake. At the same time, a woman wearing a brown trench coat, and has the same hairstyle as Aya's, passes by her and wishes her a Happy Birthday and disappears into thin air while Eve searches around wildly. It is speculated that this is Aya wishing a Happy Birthday one last time.

Characters

Aya Brea
Voiced by: Maaya Sakamoto (JP) and Yvonne Strahovski (ENG)
Despite being in her late thirties, Aya appears to be the age of 25 due to her advanced mitochondria. Because of this, she is also the only applicable candidate viable for the Overdive System. She has lost her memories as a result of unknown circumstances, which has led to a drastic change in personality since the first two Parasite Eve games: She is shown to be more vulnerable and fighting for unknown reasons. She has the ability to travel through time via the Overdive system, and also gained the new ability to body swap. She is the secret weapon for the human race in the fight against the Twisted. In certain trailers, she is shown wearing what might be a wedding ring.
Eve Brea
Voiced by: Rei Okamoto (JP) and Molly Quinn (ENG)
Eve was adopted as Aya's sister after the Neo Ark incident in Parasite Eve 2, though she is actually a clone of Aya herself. Before the events of The 3rd Birthday, it's said that she went missing along with Kyle Madigan, and due to Aya's missing memories it is unknown why. It is implied in the trailers that Eve has some kind of connection to the Twisted incidents.
Kyle Madigan
Voiced by: Kouichi Yamadera (JP) and Jensen Ackles (ENG)
The aftermath of the events in Parasite Eve 2 implied that Kyle started a relationship with Aya. He and Aya are shown to be married throughout the trailers. However, he and Eve have gone missing for reasons unknown in The 3rd Birthday. Aya has been shown to see him in recent trailers, but doesn't know who he is. It is implied in the trailers that Kyle has some kind of connection to the Twisted incidents.
Kunihiko Maeda
Voiced by: Hiroaki Hirata (JP) and Joe J. Thomas (ENG)
Following the events of the New York Blockade Incident from the first Parasite Eve, he returned to Japan, but made the trip back to New York after the Twisted outbreak. In The 3rd Birthday, Maeda has a special shelter that he's converted out of an old storage house. A specialist in Mitochondria research and an old friend from her past, he has earned great trust from Aya.
Hyde Bohr
Voiced by: Takashi Taniguchi (JP) and James M. Connor (ENG)
Head of CTI's Overdive division. He's a pro when it comes to the technological side of the investigation and will give clear guidance to those he sends out to the battle field. His allies place trust in him, but he is easily misunderstood due to his cold composure and insistence on perfection. He was the main antagonist of the game.
Thelonious Cray
Voiced by: Hisao Egawa (JP) and Chris Jai Alex (ENG)
A former army special forces agent and now a special investigator operating in CTI's Overdive investigation division. When CTI was formed, he was called upon due to his knowledge of combat strategy. He serves as Aya's trainer and will also apparently teach you the game's controls.
Dr. Blank
Voiced by: Ryohei Kimura (JP) and Patrick Cavanaugh (ENG)
A researcher in CTI's Overdive division and head of computer systems for CTI as a whole. His true nature is surrounded in mystery, but he's called Dr. Blank because his computer handle means "empty".
Karud "Boss" Owen (Hunter "Boss" Owen in US version)
Voiced by: Wataru Yokojima (JP) and Joe Smith (ENG)
Head of CTI. While he was originally on a path to head up the FBI, he was temporarily placed as CTI's head following the Twisted invasion. In the trailers, he is shown apparently attempting to kill Aya, calling her a monster that can't be trusted.
Gabrielle Monsigny
Voiced by: Yuko Kaida (JP) and Melinda Hill (ENG)
A special investigator with CTI's Overdive Division. She's particularly skilled as a sniper, and trains Aya in this area. She is shown in past trailers lending her body to Aya three days prior for an Overdive operation.
Emily Jefferson
Voiced by: Narumi Takahira (JP) and Natalie Lander (ENG)
Emily is Eve's best friend. A quirky, friendly and likeable girl, she is encountered by Aya in Episode 1 and gives her a message from Eve before mutating into a Twisted and subsequently being killed by Aya.

Development

File:The 3rd Birthday Bride.jpg
Aya Brea as she appears in the teaser trailer.

The game was originally announced as a mobile phone title. However, at the private party DKΣ3713 in August 2008, it was announced that The 3rd Birthday was being developed for the PSP instead[12] with no mention of the previously-announced mobile phone version. In the Tokyo Game Show presskits, it was confirmed that the game would be exclusive to the PSP.

Issue 6/5 of Famitsu has an interview of Tetsuya Nomura where he says that the first few stages of the game are already playable.[13] Japanese recording artist Superfly performs the game's theme song "Eyes On Me".[14]

Square Enix will release the Twisted Edition of the game exclusively in Europe and PAL territories. This version will include a red PSP game case along with a 48-page hardbook featuring artwork and concept illustrations, two lithograph art prints, and an exclusive code to Aya's costume for Lightning to wear in Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy. In North America, the code to unlock the costume for Lightning is included within the first run copies of all the games.

Reception


The 3rd Birthday garnered generally positive reviews, acquiring a 71 out of 100 on Metacritic[15] and 8.0 out of 10 at GameStats.[16]. Japanese magazine Famitsu gave the game a 36 out of 40, with the reviewers giving it 10, 9, 8 and 9.[18] It has sold 250,000 copies in Japan.

References

  1. ^ a b Johnny Cullen (August 25, 2010). "Kitase confirms winter 2010 Japanese release for 3rd Birthday, 2011 for Europe". VG247. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
  2. ^ "CELEBRATE THE 3RD BIRTHDAY ON MARCH 29, 2011". February 1, 2010. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
  3. ^ "European Release Date for The 3rd Birthday".[dead link]
  4. ^ By Spencer . October 9, 2008 . 6:33am (2008-10-09). "Guess Who's Making The 3rd Birthday (It's Not Just Square Enix)". // Siliconera. Retrieved 2011-03-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b IGN staff (August 20, 2008). "Parasite Eve Sequel Detailed". IGN.com. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
  6. ^ "The 3rd Birthday オリジナル・サウンドトラック：スクウェア・エニックス e-STORE". Store.jp.square-enix.com. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  7. ^ a b c d Patrick Kolan (March 25, 2011). "The 3rd Birthday Review: Manhattan just can't catch a break these days". IGN. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
  8. ^ a b "The 3rd Birthday". Square Enix. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  9. ^ a b David Wolinsky (April 7, 2011). "The 3rd Birthday review: New year's Eve". Joystiq. Retrieved 2011-04-09.
  10. ^ Johnny Cullen (October 20, 2010). "The 3rd Birthday slated for Q1 2011 in west". VG247. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
  11. ^ The 3rd Birthday OE Chip Guide on sorumian's site
  12. ^ "PSP announcement". M.kotaku.com. 2008-08-01. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  13. ^ "Square: Birth by Sleep & 3rd Birthday Development Status". PSPHyper. 2009-06-08. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
  14. ^ "Superfly | News |2010年第2弾シングル！「Eyes On Me」発売！". 2010-10-26. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
  15. ^ a b c d e "The 3rd Birthday". Metacritic. Retrieved 2011-04-06.
  16. ^ a b c "The 3rd Birthday". GameStats. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
  17. ^ Jeremy Parish (2011-03-25). "The 3rd Birthday Review: Not Quite Parasite Eve (PSP)". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
  18. ^ a b Kevin Gifford (2010-12-15). "Japan Review Check: The 3rd Birthday, Echochrome 2". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
  19. ^ Marissa Meli (March 25, 2011). "The 3rd Birthday Review - PSP". G4. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
  20. ^ William Martin van Dijk (March 28, 2011). "Parasite Eve: The 3rd Birthday". Meristation. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
  21. ^ Ramón Varela (2011-03-28). "Análisis de The 3rd Birthday para PSP". Vandal Online. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
  22. ^ Emily Gera (2011-03-28). "The 3rd Birthday Review". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
  23. ^ Taylor H (2011-04-04). "The 3rd Birthday Review". Blistered Thumbs. Retrieved 2011-04-08.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_3rd_Birthday&oldid=423105337"