The 3rd Birthday official Twitter has been promising some major coverage for the game starting at the end of this month. The promised coverage arrived right on time, with a huge blowout in this week's Dengeki, which even put the game on its cover.
The focus of this week's coverage is on story and scenario elements, including a few new details on the Aya herself.
As previously announced, Aya is a special operative in CTI, the "Counter Twisted Investigation" team that combats the Twisted nemesis that has ravaged New York City. CTI has developed the special "Overdive System" to wipe out the Twisted and Aya is the only person capable of using it.
Aya has lost her memory, including any remembrance of her past battles, and is afraid of entering the battle field. While in solitary confinement (the magazine does not say why she's been confined), she sees the same nightmare repeatedly. "Does this have something to do with her lost memory?" reads one of the magazine's captions.
The magazine also points out the ring on Aya's left ring finger, but doesn't give any indication of what it is. Still, the fact that it's mentioned is an indication that it may have some importance.
We previously heard about "Babel," a key term in the 3rd Birthday world. Babel is a tower-like object (the magazine does not refer to it as a "building") that emerges from the ground, gives birth to Twisted creatures, and then continues to serve as their web. Aya finds herself dispatched to a large Babel that has been newly discovered.
The magazine introduces a couple of new characters this week, both of whom were previously shown in screenshots but were not detailed.
First up is Hyde Borh, head of CTI's Overdive Investigation Division. Hyde has great concern for the people he dispatches to the battle field. He can be considered a person who works in the shadows and guides his troops based off commands issued from his superiors.
In the magazine's screenshot collection, Borh makes mention of a "Boss," which appears to be the overall boss of the CTI agency. Strangely, Borh says "Boss has died." In other screenshots, Borh appears to be pleading with the "Boss" to stop whatever it is he's doing.
The other character introduced this week is Thelonious Cray, a special investigator with CTI's Overdive Investigation Division. He has special forces experience in the military and is a war specialist. He serves as Aya's instructor.
(Hyde Borh)
(Thelonius Cray)
On the gameplay side of things this week, the magazine describes a sequence set in Club Sacrifice, a fancy live house that's known for attracting youths. During the middle of a live, the Twisted appear in the club and kill many of the patrons. Aya is assigned to find the cause of the Twisted invasion. Using her Overdive ability, she makes her way to the heart of the club, where she discovers a survivor.
The survivor is not the only thing awaiting Aya at the club. She'll also encounter a variety of Twisted creatures.
The Twisted you encounter in the game have been assigned codenames based off their shape and function. Famitsu introduces three:
Reaper
This type of Twisted jumps around through space and can appear in an instant right before Aya. The creature sends out a blue light to search for Aya, and will pursue her endlessly.
Slacker
A bipedal Twisted that looks somewhat humanlike. It will often hide in the shadows, and use its lengthy arms to attack.
Wad
This Twisted floats through the air and, because of its thinness, can be difficult to strike. It will spit out poison at Aya.
You'll get hints about what type of Twisted await through live messages from your fellow troops. Your fellow troops will give you hints about how to defeat the Twisted, using the creatures' codename in their messages. You may also receive orders from your superiors; in one screen, Aya is told to search for an "orb" somewhere in the stage. The messages will also include story elements.
The magazine provides just a couple of details on the Overdive system this week.
When you jump between soldiers, you gain access to the soldiers' weapons. Depending on the weapon you choose to use, you'll make use of a different aiming mode.
The "standard" aiming mode is "Lock-On Mode." Here, when you equip your weapon, the game automatically takes aim at an enemy. You can also fire away freely without locking on if you want.
More powerful weapons like grenade launchers put you in the more advanced "Aim Mode." Here, you freely move the targeting cursor around.
It looks like there's quite a bit left to be revealed for The 3rd Birthday. The magazine hints that there are additional secrets about the Overdive system and also mentions a weapon customization component. The 3rd Birthday Twitter said to expect weekly coverage leading up to release, so these areas will likely be cleared up soon.
Source: Andriasang
at the first picture. So it seems there will be a weapon customization system... very interesting. Babel was taken from FF IV obviously. As for the new characters I cant really say much till I see more. Plus I am in it for Aya 
Descriptions of the monsters called the "twisted" are interesting. Overdrive looks like it ha sots of things to it 