Back in 2008, Dead Space looked set to usurp Resident Evil from its throne and become the new survival horror king. The dark atmospheric setting of Space put a terrifying spin on the formula and in the process, breathed new life into the genre. The stunning graphics and impressive voice acting helped create a chilling world of dread but it was the games disturbing tone that set it apart.
Unfortunately, Visceral Games sequel Dead Space 2 just couldn’t match the haunting atmosphere that worked so well in the original. While the game itself was brilliant and fixed most of the problems from the first game, Dead Space 2 was more action-oriented than it needed to be.
There were some genuinely freaky set pieces such as the elevator scene, but by and large, EA seemed intent on muscling in on the action survival genre – a decision that annoyed some fans. Dead Space 3 will see Issac Clarke return for his third outing, this time battling bugs on a new sub-zero planet called ‘Tau Volantis’. The previews have been promising but what direction will EA ultimately take?
Why It Could Be Amazing:
The terrible multiplayer features from Dead Space 2 have been discarded meaning extra development time will have gone into the single player campaign, which should result in a much tighter narrative. We should finally learn what exactly is going on with the Markers. ‘Tau Volantis’ is a massive planet and will offer a wide variety of huge environments which should bring back the never ending fear factor from the first game.
There are new, more intelligent enemies to contend with as well as an improved cover system. Necromorph’s will now stalk your every move and can attack at any time meaning you will have to keep your guard up the whole game. There’s also rumours of gigantic enemies that should add a nice variety. Dead Space 3 sounds like it will have the originals atmosphere and Dead Space 2′s intuitive controls. All we need now is a solid ending to the series and not another repeat of Mass Effect 3. That is until next gen of course.
Why It Could Be Terrible:
The campaign is designed for two players and will utilize a drop in/drop out system in the vein of Resident Evil 6. Even worse, the new playable character John Carver seems to be a carbon copy of Issac’s character from the first game as he will struggle with hallucinations and nightmares that only he can experience. EA need to be careful about re-threading similar ground with a story that has already been masterfully told. Having a character with you at all times is a risky move, especially if the AI is not up to scratch. We don’t need another Sheva ruining the atmosphere.
Speaking of female AI characters, why has Ellie Langford been relegated to damsel in distress status? This could have been the game that completed her story too. It’s a small injustice to the woman who saved Issac’s life.
The customizable weapons and new ammo system scream non stop action, a direction that for many people, will kill the franchise. Given the story from the second games ending, it does make sense for Issac to be fighting human characters but Visceral Games shouldn’t embrace this fully. Issac Clarke has already transformed from a terrified survivor to an all out action hero, the last thing we need is another generic third person shooter. Too bad it already looks like one.
Potential Rating: 3/5
While I don’t think Dead Space 3 will be a terrible game, one thing is almost certain – it won’t be as scary as the original. The ‘new’ features are merely upgrades that most games incorporate in their second and third outings. Saying that, it might surprise us all with some deeply disturbing scenarios. The co-op if done well, could actually revolutionize the genre. The big question is whether they can strike the perfect balance between horror and action, a feat not yet accomplished by a video game. Only time will tell.
Dead Space 3 is out February 3rd.
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7 Comments
I like the idea of the multilayer in this.
*multiplayer
I don’t man. Although the demo is good
As limited as my experience is with Dead Space, I have to agree that multiplayer/Co-Op seem like a bit of a stretch for the franchise. Here’s hoping this beats the three-quel curse, lest we get Dead Space: Modern Spacefare.
Haha. Hopefully we do but I wouldn’t hold my breath man. Look at Resi 6 and the direction that has taken. Dead Space wants that market.
to each their own, but i’m of the mind to trust in a studio that has 2 great games in the franchise under their belts, their is no contest that dead space is the best survival horror/action game of this generation, and from the demo & what little has been shown, i personally see no need to get hung up on small changes being made, i like to see progress made in my favorite game franchises, and while i probably won’t play the co op section, i look forward to immersing myself in that world one more time come feb. 5
When reading that the writer preferred the original over the second one, I felt like I don’t even want to read the rest of the story. While I agree that the first encounters with Necromorphs in the original game were more scary than in the sequel, I think the second one improves in every other aspect. I just don’t understand why the comparison between the first two games are usually made based on the scary-level. Now that I have played the second one so many times, I decided to replay the first one after about 2 years. And I think that it’s not scary at all anymore. It was because of that new world and enemies and scare tactics that Visceral used in the first game that made it scary. If these two Dead Space games had been released the other way around, the second would have been the scarier one. Which is true I think now after replaying the first game after awhile. My point being is that I hate to see when the reviews kick in of the new one if it gets much criticized because it’s not as scary as the previous one.