Dead Space 3

I came into this game not knowing anything about it, heck I didn't even know the release date and was surprised when I saw it came out. Dead Space was my favourite, Dead Space 2 was easily the best, but Dead Space three is a big let down. The game takes under 10 hours to complete, and I felt everyone of those hours. Towards the end I just wanted it over with. I didn't hate the game, it just didn't do it for me.

The Game: Having played a couple of chapters of Dead Space 1 before playing this game, I must say the controls have come a long way. Isaac is fast and can turn on a dime, feels more fluent than DS 2. Now Isaac can crouch and barrel roll, what is this Gears of War or Uncharted, it sure feels like it. Which brings me to this point. The first game got it right, it was pure horror. The second game mixed horror and action. The third game is just action, are you kidding me, there was only one part that I found generally disturbing, I'll get into that latter. The game is relatively easy in the sense that you will never run out of ammo or health, at least on normal difficulty. The hardest part of the game, which resulted in 85 percent of my deaths was a part where you had to climb up a mountain and dodge falling debris. With the mixture of broken controls and Isaac having a mind of his own, this part frustrated me. And the new revamped bench and upgrade system took way to long to get a complete understanding of it, the first two games you look at it and you got it. There is one part where you link up with your group and you have to climb a ladder. My first thought knowing this franchise was the ladder is going to break, and guess what it did break. I was mildly amused and dumbfounded that they actually put that in the game, I mean come on. This game even has you fight the same boss three times, they probably just ran out of ideas. They even make you fight the hive mind again. There was one part that I felt a little disturbed by, I'm going to make this as detailed as possible.

Highlight: At one point in the game you hear an audio log that says people were locked in a underground base or something like that, and you have to go down there. You feel like you enter this long forgotten place, the you see wrapped up bodies hanging from a meat hook, so you know something is down there. You enter a dark room, walk around, stop once you hear this clicking noise, I then looked over to a lengthy slim figure with glowing eyes, just hunched over looking at me. You then fight them, but one thing caught my eye, there was a wall where someone was counting the days, there was a lot of days, and then I came to the conclusion what happened down there. Just thinking about it, makes me feel disgusted. Any way this was the only mildly scary but more so disturbing segment.

I could go one about this games flaws, but that will all be for another time. I really can't say anything good about this game, it offers nothing new and treads over old water. It feels dumbed down with all the action, and it doesn't have all the same horror qualities as previous entries. I honestly would rather just play the first two games, they both had great replay value and where pretty unique, but this one just feels like your typical action and shooter game. I don't think I will be playing through it another time. This game is just average, play it if you are interested.

This is a phenomenal game, yes there are some differences from the second game, which was a masterpiece, but this is a brilliant game in its own right, the story is great, as are the graphics and gameplay.

I truly love the Dead Space games they are so much better than people give them credit.

I'd love it if visceral returned and created a sequel, I'd buy it.

I am a big Dead Space fan like most of you reading this. I speak from gaming experience and I typically know what makes a game good as I have been playing ever since I was in diapers, in the NES days.

That being said, I am writing this in-depth review for you — the customers — especially the ones thinking of buying this game. I think it's worth the price but I think Visceral and EA went in the wrong direction with storytelling in their new instalment.

When Electronic Arts and Visceral Games released their first two Dead Space games they received rave reviews for their Survival Horror series, it was a commercial success. When the studios announced Dead Space 3 was arriving, fans expected the best.

My play through of Dead Space 3 didn't feel like the classic Survival Horror; ammo and health is more plentiful in casual to hard difficulties, the necromorphs feel easier to dismember and kill in these difficulties, and the story doesn't seem to fit well with the rest of the series. I felt compelled to switch my difficulty from normal to impossible due to the sheer advantages in the prior difficulties, which I did. This would be a tough call for most average casual gamers as the impossible difficulty is pretty hard, even on Co-Op. So the typical causal gamer won't get a "fair" play through until they finished the game once, on any difficulty — I am referring to New Game+.

Secondly, the amount of action scenes compared to the original instalments of the Dead Space series is noticeable, being the atrocious ending, character death and boss scenes/fights, and more. Multiplayer has been removed in place of Co-Op which is a serious back-step in my opinion. Co-Op should have been an addition to the Multiplayer, not the only option — just my opinion. When Dead Space 2 introduced multiplayer to the series it was a great idea, it gave the game replay value, not only that but multiplayer was damn fun. Not that Dead Space 3 does not have replay value, indeed it does, in the form of new game modes, and co-op, which adds an additional 6 hours of gameplay which you would not get from single player.

My verdict: EA and Visceral have developed an excellent game, overall. It just may not be what they are saying it is. Those who are expecting vast changes will be disappointed, again. The introduction of micro-transactions in which time-sensitive players can pay real world money to further advance their character earlier in the game seems somewhat unnecessary, but is understandable as EA is doing this as means to gain additional income to meet their bottom line, just like any other company.

Though the story can be convoluted, Dead Space 3 has a beautiful environment, with an improved combat system, and improved gameplay. Dead Space 3 should not be ignored just because it does not hold up to its predecessors.

As a huge fan of Dead Space 2, I was both excited and apprehensive going into Dead Space 3. The introduction of co-op play had me scratching my head-how could that possibly fit in with the isolated horror atmosphere of the series? And then there were the concerns about the new cover system and the inclusion of human enemies. To my dismay, most of those worries turned out to be valid.

Dead Space 3 is a strange one. There are moments that truly capture the essence of Dead Space, allowing Isaac to once again roam the dark hallways of an abandoned space station. The first few chapters were a breath of fresh air-classic Dead Space vibes mixed with that environmental horror that lingers in every shadow. However, the more I played, the clearer it became that the co-op mechanic overshadowed the intended single-player experience. Sure, you can play it solo, but everything feels forced when dual mechanics are at play. Your AI partner swoops in at crucial moments, and their presence feels a bit awkward when you're tackling the horrors of space alone. The emotional bond that the cutscenes try to convey just didn't resonate for me as a solo player.

The game's attempt to incorporate human enemies left much to be desired. Their introduction felt tacked on, and rather than delivering tense confrontations, it felt as if the game was scrambling to expand its arsenal of threats. I found it comical when my flamethrower barely fazed them-why did they crumple like paper instead of actually burning? While I enjoy cover shooters when executed well, it's distracting when the mechanics don't align with the core gameplay we've come to expect from the series.

One of the most intriguing additions was the weapon crafting system. The ability to create your own weapons was certainly a fresh take and allowed for some nostalgic nods to the previous titles. However, the workbench felt a bit off, and I can't recall all its intricacies. That said, I'm not particularly keen on the live service elements that allow for real-money purchases, but I managed to avoid that pitfall during my playthrough.

The game takes a detour to a frozen planet, which brings about some well-crafted boss fights, elevating the action compared to the survival aspects that we fondly remember from earlier titles. Indeed, Dead Space 3 skews more towards action than horror, which may appeal to some but left me longing for the spine-chilling scares of the past. Clocking in at around 20 hours, it's certainly longer than its predecessors, which gives you plenty of time to experience the unfolding story.

Speaking of the plot, it deals with heavier themes and provides an adequate look at the relationship between Isaac and a female protagonist introduced in Dead Space 2. The story is well-acted and almost gets a bit too bogged down in exposition, especially with its Cliffhanger ending if you include the DLC. In fact, it might be one of the most narrative-heavy entries in the franchise, diving into the origins of the Marker.

It's a real shame that the remake of Dead Space didn't perform as expected; I had such hopes that it would redeem the series after this installment. All in all, Dead Space 3 isn't a terrible game-it's just that the two that came before it set a high bar that this sequel struggles to reach. If you're willing to embrace the changes, you might have a decent time. If you were hoping for a return to form, you might end up feeling disappointed.

It's hard to imagine a single person would try to face cannibalistic limb-hacking acid-spewing Necromorphs for the third time whilst barely survived the first two encounters, then I saw his ex-girlfriend admirable physique, it's clear that the promise of beauty defeats the threat of beast. Isaac Clarke, now depressed, tries to mend his relationship, stay alive and save the world in one fell swoop. That means a destined reunion with the savage monsters once again, being scared, a little less this time, by paranoid-inducing sound and rearranging useful tools for homicidal purpose. Dead Space 3 is a solid game, although sadly not as good as the prequel.

Even though the settings are less riveting than previous ones, especially towards the latter half of the game, but it does have some breathtaking pieces. With most parts featuring either spaceships rustic interior or abandoned icy planet, it seems dull in comparison with Dead Space 2. The scare isn't prominent anymore, there are only a few creepy moments, and that's not nearly the level of previous ones. At some points, the game even looks like it's a B-rate sci-fi flick.

Visual and motion are good, it doesn't change much from practical no HUD display. Lighting in dark areas are accommodating for the fright as darker places must be aimed, thus forcing you to focus your attention elsewhere when the Necromorphs could assume their attack. They do so in religiously frantic fashion, more often sprinting right up to your face. This will be a problem since the camera is just as hectic in extreme close-up, not very accommodating for survival. Characters facial isn't that impressive as well, they look inconsistently and a bit rigid at several events.

Designs for enemies don't differ much, aside for the addition of more human-like foes. Players will most likely have reminiscence of the previous games, up until some corpses decide to pick up axes and try to be dangerously intimate. A minor issue comes in the form of weight detection mechanism, things and dead bodies often hover about like they possess little to no weight, and occasionally stuck in your feet as you try to squeeze last bit of ammo or health pack they had. There are also some glitches, such as Isaac trapped in a corner, fell to oblivion, items reappearing or characters disappearing.

Gameplay has diversified due to new weapon crafting system. Unlike the old days when you must content with pre-designed arsenal, you can now assemble your own weapons with frames, tools, circuits and more, creating a freedom of what combination of arsenal you will have. Frame decides what parts it could assemble into, light or heavy, and what addition stat it would carry. Lighter frames can't support heavy parts, so while having rocket launcher with plasma cutter is an amazing idea, unfortunately it's not physically possible.

It may sound complex compared with the old stick-power-node-in-it system, but give it some time. When you're familiar with it, the new system is very useful, and it simplifies the gameplay drastically as now you only have two slots, but up to four weapons in play. Ammo pack is now usable to every weapon correspondingly, for example, firings a few rounds from weapons with higher ammo capacity will use the same amount of one grenade in comparison.

Core of the game is unchanged, plow through hordes of Necromorphs until certain objectives are met. They are somewhat faster this time, though it's more of a frantic scare and less of frightening suspense. Limb chopping is still the key to survival, Telekinesis is as strong as ever and doesn't require ammo, but I often find myself unable to find some brooms, pipes of some sort of serendipitously placed items to throw at them, not to mention the axe-wielding bunch drop their axes in tight precarious positions.

Co-op doesn't dampen the single player experience, although there are few side missions that require a teammate to complete. The size of the game is larger than previous ones, more areas to explore, some side missions here and there and lengthier story. Boss battles are few but well done. Although even with these improvements, I can't help but noticing the lack of thrill, imposing atmosphere and that gripping terror that once decorated previous titles.

Sound department is doing their best to establish the scare, creaking noise of closed doors, unusual hums that might or might not be lurking hostiles, or blatant scream thirsts for your blood. It's just the setting doesn't invoke such ambiance, and after some time the effect wears off significantly.

Dubbing is solid, I especially like Ellie's and Danik's accent. Isaac sounds so tired, yet lingering hope for reconciliation remains. There's not much of dying message to increase the sense of danger though. Music is bare, nothing stands out too much, it does work for more subtle approach. Sound effect delivers the gore adequately, the sound of bone-crunching of your enemies' demise is utterly satisfying.

Playtime will take approximately twenty hours, multiple new game+ are available afterwards. Story isn't really up to par with the predecessors, at the latter part of the game just trudged with little expectation ahead. Dead Space 3 offers more diverse gameplay with crafting, all the basics are intact, but sadly it loses some of the horror allure.

Graph: Interesting graphic display in larger areas, good designs throughout, but some awkward glitches or motions dwindle the value.7.5/10 Sound : Voice actors deliver their performance well, eerie voices and sound effects are ever-present. 8/10 Gameplay: Great crafting addition, more varied resources and weapon usage while preserving the core of its fast action. 8.5/10 Presentation : Sadly it's only a low level of intimidating atmosphere. The new story offers longer experience but with less substance. 6/10 Overall 7.5