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NEW Story and Gameplay Details!

It may be hard to believe, but it has been a whole decade since the last Parasite Eve title. The original game could best be described as a sleeper hit on the original PlayStation, and the follow-up, while not as groundbreaking as the original, was also a modest success. Rumors have been swirling ever since the second game was released more than ten years ago about a possible sequel, but with no official word, fans were left to speculate and hope for the franchise's future. However, it seems that fans are finally going to get the sequel they have waited nearly two console generations for. Though you may be surprised to learn what console this title is coming to: the PSP!

Parasite Eve: The 3rd Birthday will take place several years after the events of Parasite Eve 2, and it will find Aya Brea once again in a precarious position. The instances of Neo-Mitochondrial Creatures (NMCs) have been on the decline in recent years, which leaves Aya with some time to herself. However, just as Aya is getting ready to solidify her life as a normal girl and get married, a new foe presents itself and throws her life back into familiar chaos.

This new enemy, known only as The Twisted, is mysterious in origin and seems to have relatively loose ties to the mitochondrial-controlled monsters that have been the focus of previous Parasite Eve games. Instead of taking over the bodies of hapless onlookers, The Twisted appear out of a swirling vortex in the sky. In order to combat these monsters, Aya will have to look within herself to harness a new psychic-type power. This power presents itself as a gift known as Overdrive that only Aya can use to distort time. As her power develops, Aya will be able to look into the origins of The Twisted and discover how to overcome their slowly increasing numbers. However, an early trailer gives the impression that as this power develops; Aya becomes susceptible to wild hallucinations which blur the lines between the world of The Twisted and reality.

The gameplay in the Parasite Eve series has always walked the fine line between survival horror and RPG. This iteration, however, seems to be leaning towards the former, with a third-person shooter approach to the combat. Aya will likely have a large selection of weapons at her disposal, and, in most levels, The Overdrive system looks to be an integral factor in the gameplay. Its time-altering properties will likely add a unique element to the shooting-focused gameplay. However, instead of slowing down enemies or giving the main character added speed, the overdrive system looks like it will open up new dimensions where Aya can view different events from the past to help her with the current battle. This new mechanic seems to be a little bit of a departure in the gameplay, and it is unclear whether this ability will trigger a cutscene animation or a new playable stage area.

In addition to a single-player campaign, project director Hajime Tabata has said that a new wireless play component is being considered as well. Although it is unknown whether this will be an ad-hoc or internet-based mode, or what exactly it might entail, there are several possibilities. Because the game seems to be sticking to a third-person shooter format, it is easy to speculate that there might be a multiplayer mode involving humans vs. Twisted matches, akin to the Chimera vs. human matches that will be featured in Resistance: Retribution, which is also for the PSP. Another possibility for multiplayer gameplay might be a co-op mission mode extraneous to the story. The prospect of multiplayer modes is extremely exciting for longtime Parasite Eve fans because it will be the first time the series has ever ventured past the single-player story mode.

Although a final release date in the US seems to be quite a ways off, just knowing that a new Parasite Eve is in the works is enough to tide over most fans. Even though some were hoping that the Parasite Eve franchise would return to the spotlight with a console release, this PSP exclusive looks to be very promising. With what seems to be an engaging story, rumored multiplayer modes, and all new enemies, this might be one of the best PSP exclusives of all time. Who knows, perhaps this handheld title will foreshadow more Parasite Eve games in the future!

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