Aya Brea, the main character from the Parasite Eve games, makes her return into North America today after an absence of slightly over 10 years. The 3rd Birthday is appropriately the 3rd entry in the Parasite Eve series, and follows Aya Brea’s struggles against the voracious creatures known as the Twisted. She’s looking rather well in the new game, as her powers have slowed her aging so that she looks to be in her 20s despite actually being almost 40. Unfortunately, either as a side-effect to this, or perhaps due to other causes, she has lost most of her memories and is quite different in personality now than the heroine gamers might remember from the first two titles. It will be intriguing to see what role her memory loss plays in the story of the new game, which there is further information about in this press release from Square Enix:
SQUARE ENIX SHIPS THE 3RD BIRTHDAY TO NORTH AMERICAN RETAILERS TODAY
Celebrity Voice Cast Brings an Engrossing Tale of Survival Horror to Life on the PSP® systemLOS ANGELES (March 29, 2011) – Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in the Americas, announced that The 3rd Birthday® for the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system has shipped to North American retailers today. Continuing the story of Aya Brea, the main character in the hugely popular PARASITE EVE® series, The 3rd Birthday is a unique action-RPG that offers both the character development of a story-driven title and the fast-paced gameplay of a third-person shooter.
The 3rd Birthday drops players into Manhattan in the year 2012. Hideous creatures known as the Twisted have come from the future to feed on humans – a resource they exhausted in their own era. Aya, a strong yet complex female protagonist, is the only candidate compatible with the Overdive system, and the only hope humanity has against its looming annihilation. True to the tradition of Square Enix games, The 3rd Birthday delivers a uniquely told story with riveting visuals that are unmatched among portable games.
The 3rd Birthday features characters designed by Tetsuya Nomura, famous for his work with the FINAL FANTASY® and KINGDOM HEARTS franchises, and the celebrity voice talents of Yvonne Strahovki, of NBC’s Chuck, and Jensen Ackles, of the CW’s Supernatural. The talented cast creates compelling character development and storytelling that will keep players emotionally engaged as they help Aya fulfill her role as the only person who can save mankind from the menace of the Twisted and rediscover her lost past.
Story
Hideous creatures descend on Manhattan. Ground reports from the squad tasked with containing the pandemonium refer to these life forms as the “Twisted.” An investigatory team known as the CTI is formed within the year.
The Overdive system emerges as a means of opposition, but only one viable candidate exists – Aya Brea. A gift as she awakens from a lost past on this, the occasion of her third birth.
Features
• Exciting new chapter for Aya Brea from the popular PARASITE EVE series: An engaging, all-new tale of survival horror set in a ravaged New York City
• A true action-RPG hybrid: Resist the Twisted’s vicious onslaught in a third-person shooter, with a heavy dose of character progression and customization
• Strategic gameplay: The new Overdive System gives players a tactical advantage as they make split-second decisions on the battlefield
• All-star production staff: Including producer Yoshinori Kitase (FINAL FANTASY series), director Hajime Tabata (CRISIS CORE® -FINAL FANTASY VII-), character designer Tetsuya Nomura (KINGDOM HEARTS series), art director Isamu Kamikokuryo (FINAL FANTASY XIII) and music by Yoko Shimomura (KINGDOM HEARTS series)The 3rd Birthday will be available at North American retailers and the PlayStation®Network on March 29, 2011 for the suggested retail price of $29.99. The 3rd Birthday is rated M (Mature). Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) website at http://www.esrb.org for more information about ratings.
For more information about The 3rd Birthday, please visit the official website:
http://na.square-enix.com/the3rdbirthday
