[GAME] Dead Space

[Tenshin_Xo]

Another title added to the long list of survival horror games, but is it really worth it?

 

So fat the reviews seem to be not jus saying yes, but screaming it.

 

Dead Space is a third-person action video game, being developed by EA Redwood Shores for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. The player takes on the role of an engineer named Isaac Clarke, who battles a polymorphic alien species called the 'Necromorphs' on board a stricken interstellar mining ship.

 

Of the scores I've seen I'd say the average is a 95% or 9.5, with the lowest being an 8.7/10.

 

There will be a follow up release of a Dead Space animate film later this month spearheaded by Starz, which will add to the world building and help to establish an immersive experience.  Really from what I've seen and heard, the only lament is the lack of multiplayer, which leaves the question; will this be the a bioshock-like maelstrom of awesome or a Star Wars-like whimper of lame?

 

On a side note, I realized while pre-ordering this (once the clerk pointed it  out to me) that I share my name with the protagonist.  It also bears mentioning that like the protagonist I was trained as a CS Engineer, even if what I do now is Electrical Engineering.  For those of you who pre-order this at the local gamestop or EB, make sure to check out the picture of Isaac they have sans his suit, as it somewhat resembles me(in the art of Dead Space book(instead of a pirate looking eye patch though he has a little LCD HUD attachment(and he's skinnier(but they did get the hair and beard right)))).  :D  That's right you can spend hours upon hours letting the Necromorph horde kill your beloved Tenshin time and again. ;)

[Tenshin_Xo]

OK, having spent some time with this game here comes the break down.

 

Graphics; 9.5

Sound; 9

Gameplay; 8.5

Control; 7

Overall;  If you like survival horror; 10  if you are not especially a fan 8.5

 

This game is beatuiful.  The visuals are clean and detailed.  I've not seen any hiccups although the bodies can get tangled in your feet if you stomp on them too much.  Be prepared for disturbing amounts of blood, gore, and anatomy.  Not for the weak stomach.

 

The audio is clean and crisp, and the music absolutely hits the mood dead on.  It repeats but not often enough to be annoying.  It does help with building tension, to the point where I have trouble playing for more than a little while.  There are hidden whispers(ala LOST) which move around the player.  One side note, the surround sound gets a little confused from time to time with audio cues coming from a different direction than the enemies.

 

The story is so far interesting if just a little slow.  It progresses similarly to Bioshock where you have the core scripted events but most of the story is advanced by picking up the video and audio logs.  One little stress builder is that the inventory system is in game, so there is no auto-pause when you start tinkering with your inventory.  Be ready to get snuck up on.  The menus and "RIG system" are all holographic interfaces which appear in front of Isaac, so you can multitask and still keep an eye on your environment.

 

Control wise the layout is excellent and responsive, just very slow feeling.  This furthers the feeling that Isaac is not a hero, and has limitations.  It's frustrating, but it's supposed to be.  Or at least feels like it should be.

 

The one hiccup I've had is that after having tried the Elite and Scorpion suit, I can't go back to the regular suits, so make sure you don't want them before buying the new ones.

[Emperor]

I almost bought this over the weekend.  But with Fable 2 coming out (which my friend already has and says it is not that great) I am kind of waiting.  Dead Space will be my Bioshock of 2008... I am just beating Bioshock now....

 

[Tenshin_Xo]

If you can plunk down 12 hours or so over a weekend you might be able to rent it.  It seems that a little less than an hour a level is about right and there are 12 levels. 

[SinisterDeath]

If you can plunk down 12 hours or so over a weekend you might be able to rent it.  It seems that a little less than an hour a level is about right and there are 12 levels. 

 

Empy shoudl have no trouble making room for 12 hours in 2 days! Thats only 6 hours a day!

Its not like Yyeva ever drags him to bed after 8pm. (Which is an hour after empies bed time!)

 

 

On a related note.

 

I Pre-ordered Dead Space for the PC, from D2D. Unfortunately they aren't offering a Pre-load service.... So I'm HOPING that they allow me to download/pre-load it tonight or tomorrow morning... Cause having to download a what... 8GB game? After 5pm... Guh, It'll be downloading for 18 hours!

 

I called around a few places today (instead of actually driving there and checkin it out), and...

Blockbuster doesn't have coppies in yet.

Local-grocier-store-with-a-rental-place, doesn't have it in yet.

Take2Video (Possibly a franchise?) Has it in. But EVERY COPY is gone. :(

I even went there after work to check to see if perhaps someone returned it...

BLEH! the first 2 places listed above on Thursday/Friday/Saturday, and they didn't have it, and the last one probably did. :(

 

I was hoping to rent it before I buy it, cause lets face it.. Buying a Multi-platform including PC game, is a gamble. Its either REALLY Sucks, or Really Good. Or has an awesome story line, and no multi-player, or a dumb storyline, and no multi-player (bioshock).

 

Yea, I don't hate bioshock, I just believe its overrated. Its trying to hard to be 'edgy'.

Now Deadspace... I think it has a shit ton of potential!

Plus its like Event Horizon!? WHats not to love. ;)

[Tenshin_Xo]

Ayn Rand hates you, almost as much as Andrew Ryan.  Bioshock has an awesome story, its just a bit repetitive.