Click the screenshot for more pictures.So if you have not heard by now, Dead Space is the newest survival horror, third person shooter. The game takes place in the 26th century, mostly aboard a space ship called the USG Ishimura. Your mission is to investigate a distress call made by the Ishimura, but when you arrive you find that most of the crew is dead and the ship is overrun by Necromorphs.
What I liked
• Atmosphere. This game is scary. I advise you play the game at night, with surround sound, and with the lights off. The developers have successfully made you feel vulnerable while playing the game. I crept along slowly at parts where there are not even enemies on the screen, only to still be caught off guard when they pop out.
• Sound effects. Part of the atmosphere, but hey, its fitting. Its the small things that count. The game takes place aboard a cold, dark space ship. As you walk around you hear things banging on metal, crawling through pipes, and running around. You are never really sure whether its just random noises, or something is really about to tear your head off.
• Weapons. There is a broad selection of weapons that are very different from each other. Ammo is highly valuable, so picking a select few is an important choice. Each gun has its purpose, and I am sure all kinda of players will be satisfied.
• Upgrade system. Throughout the game you can find, (rarely) or purchase (expensive) items called Power Nodes. You use these items to ‘pay’ for upgrades to your weapons, abilities, and armor. This makes the game pretty flexible. You can take your POS pistol that you start with and pump it up to be a bad mutha’.
What I hated
• Control. The game is almost a spitting image of Resident Evil 4. Substitute the zombies for aliens, and the creepy village/castle for a space hulk. I must admit, the control is slightly improved up. It still gets you in situations where the control seems more of a challenge than the game. I found myself dying a lot because my character would get in the way of the screen, or the camera would no go where I wanted it to. This is only really limited to tight areas, but it is very frustrating when it happens.
• Boring (Kinda). I’m not really sure how to phrase this one. Let me be clear, this is a good and entertaining game. It just goes on for to long without any change. There are 12 Chapters. Chapter 1 is virtually indistinguishable from Chapter 12, and the boards are very linear. I found myself wanting more to happen, but the entire game was just all the same. There are some very fun, unique parts, but it needs more. Towards the end of the game I was getting antsy and wanted to hurry up and be done with it.
• Plot. Plot was not bad, just very generic. What I really hated was the ‘love story’ part. You know when you watch a movie and there is a love interest that really has no part in the plot. They are just there because someone said, ‘all movies have to have a love interest’. It’s like that. Just like that. You play the role of Isaac. Coincidently your ex-girlfriend is aboard the Ishimura. Dumb. Sorry to spoil it, but the end of the game turns into your ex-girlfriend telling you that she always loved you and thought you should be together forever. So stupid and not fitting for the game. It brings nothing, other than disappointment.
• No multiplayer. None whatsoever. I beat the game, and probably won’t play it again anytime soon.
My Suggestion
If you were a fan of Resident Evil 4, you will love this game. It is definitely not anything groundbreaking, but it will entertain you and you won’t feel like someone just stole sixty bucks from you. I was disappointed in a few things, but do not regret spending the money.
I agree about the control … it's hard. You have no idea that something is behind you other than you hear it bashing your brains out. And yeah … your own head gets in the way of your view sometimes. I didn't play long enough to see the repetition but I get your drift. Oh and I didn't finish reading your last paragraph so I avoided the spoiler.
I will say that I don't mind the love story … just as long as the girlfriend SHOWS ME HER TITTIES!!!!! haha
Good review man. I give it 5 Twinkles.
If the titties came out to play, it would bring some excitement to the plot. Everything is just so generic. It’s kinda like an Alien plus Starship Troopers rip off. Sounds like it *could* make an awesome game, but I don’t think that it was pulled off.
The love story would not have annoyed be so much if it was done differently. They introduce it, then never mention it ever again until the end of the game. By that time I had forgotten about it and really did not care. Tell what you think of the love story after you finish the game. Dialogue is terrible.
Well I think it’s safe to say they will never bring the titties into play in a video game. Oh well. I just like to throw in a good “show me your titties” Dave Chapelle style, when I can.
I’m sure I will hate the end of the game as pretty much all game endings leave a lot to be desired nowadays. If you know a game that has a great storyline and ending you should tell me … or make a post about it. That would be cool.
I'm through chapter 4. Lots of opening and closing doors. I see what you mean, very repetitive. I like it though it's still a bad ass game. I'm on the asteroid blaster right now and it's really pissing me off. I really wish the dude would work faster while I'm being obliterated by asteroids.
Okay, so I finished it the other night. I have to say I really liked the game a lot. I agree with you though that there is too much repetition. You’re stuck on a ship, opening and closing doors while you basically go back and forth from point A to point B. I remember on Chapter 12 when you actually get outside the ship for a second . . . and you are standing on the outside of that planet (where you fight the final boss) . . . it was a breath of fresh air to see some depth and a different setting.
That basketball type mini game was cool . . . it was a good little break from the rest of the game.
The anti-gravity rooms are very cool and those large tentacled beasts that grab you from behind the walls and drag you while you shoot them were also cool. The only problem is that once you see it . . . it’s not as good the second, third and forth time around. It’s like they ran out of ideas halfway through the game and said hey lets Command V that idea here and here and here . . . and here . . . and here.
You know what I really hated? Those damn regenerating beasts! I have to tell you though, nothing made me feel better than when I roasted that motherfucker in the rocket engine. Take that mutha fucka!!
As far as the story line, I have a slightly different take on it than you. As I was playing the game, I found myself thinking about the girlfriend element and I was saying to myself . . . “this is corny”. I was thinking, how the hell is this girl able to run around the ship unharmed while demonic beast are literally ripping me to shreds all while I’m strapped with heavy artillery and a crazy ass super hero suit? By the end of the game though when it was all explained . . . I thought it made a lot of sense. I was fine with it at the end and I think the storyline worked really well. Is it the most original idea? No not at all. But it wasn’t bad.
The last boss was pretty sick. A little too easy to beat but sick nonetheless. The girlfriend jumping out at the very end had me thinking “sequel”.
All in all I really liked the game. I think it could have worked better if they made it half as long . . . this way it would have left you wanting more even though there was no variety. One thing I think it was really effective in doing was keeping the mood in the right place. I seriously had severe anxiety playing the damn game . . . and when i was done with it I was having crazy dreams when I went to sleep. I jumped on more than one occasion. I thought it was better than a lot of the horror movies that Hollywood puts on the big screen . . . and that’s saying a lot for a video game.
You say a “love story” isn’t good. RE4 has it.
You say camera angles are bad. RE4 has same exact camera angles. ( Don’t forget Gears of War, Graw 2, and Rainbow 6)
You died a lot because your character got in the way? LOL….It’s a third-person horror survivial shooter, just like RE4.
The plot was bad. RE4 is just saving a girl.
You say it was repetitive. RE4 is shooting the same 4 zombie villagers over and over.
How can these things be Cons in one game and Plus in another.
This review has little validity.
I think you need to read the review again, or take a class in reading comprehension.
I never disagree with any of the things in RE4 that you state above. I simply state that the games are very similar to each other, with Dead Space improving slightly on just one of the issues that I have with RE4.
Let’s recap:
1. The love story aspect in DS and RE4 are both shit. They only take away from the game.
2. Camera angles and control are shit in both DS and RE4. DS adds the ability to strafe, which was a complaint of mine in RE4, but other than that, nothing is improved upon. You feel like you being held back from succeeding because of the control, not because of the difficulty of the game. It being a third-person horror survivial shooter has nothing to do with this. If the developers did the job properly you would have the survival horror aspect and still have solid controls. You say “It’s a third-person horror survivial shooter, just like RE4″ as if the shit control makes it fit in this genre.
3. Plot in both are okay, but pretty generic. Again the love story part comes into play here. I guess this could be personal opinion.
4. The repetition in both of these games are terrible. I could just play the first board over and over and get the same experience.
5. Not really sure why you would say “How can these things be cons in one game and plus in another” as I never say any of the topics I bring up are pluses in one game and take away from another.