With only a month left until The 3rd Birthday, the latest installment of the Parasite Eve series, hits US shores, Square Enix has decided to treat us to a new trailer to get us pumped up for the US release. It’s been about 11 years since the last game was released, and, all I can say is, it’s about time.
I always worried Parasite Eve would be one of those series that would wind up falling into obscurity, given that the series practically fell off the map following the release of Parasite Eve 2. However, news about a mobile phone sequel named The 3rd Birthday came to light, followed by an announcement in 2008 that the game would instead be released on the Sony PlayStation Portable. As a fan, I was excited.
Still, it would be another two years before any new info came to light at E3 2010. Thankfully, the long wait is finally almost over.
Featuring Chuck‘s Yvonne Strahovski and Supernatural‘s Jensen Ackles as Aya Brea and Kyle Madigan, the new trailer marks the first time the characters’ English voices have been showcased, as all trailers before it have been in Japanese. In addition to showcasing the voice talent, the trailer also delves deeper into a few plot-points of the game, such as Aya’s missing sister, Eve, which adds to the game’s intrigue.
In terms of gameplay, the game seems like your standard over-the-shoulder third-person shooter fare, with a few additional bells and whistles evocative of the first two games in the series. However, given the series’ roots in the role-playing genre and its classification as an action role-playing game, it is yet to be revealed just how RPG elements will play a role in the game.
The 3rd Birthday launches in North America on March 29, 2011, with the European launch happening a few days later on April 1, so check back with us in a few weeks for our review of the game.