DS 3 still feels like a Dead Space game. And the fun and anxiety that came along with it is memorable.
The presentation of this game is incredible. The graphics was excellent. Most of the environments are dark, cramped, bloody, and creepy. The music also keeps you in the mood as far as scares are concerned. I love how the music drastically changes every time a necromorph jumps out of nowhere.
The use of random sounds and distant screams from necromorphs really makes you take your time and observe your surroundings. Snowstorms can blind you and leave you open to unexpected attacks. There were a decent number of scares and shocking moments during my first few hours of playthrough. It truly has been a long time since I last cursed out loud due to unexpected surprised and sensing immediate danger. I was laughing at myself quite a few times when I got surprised.
There are a few action sequences; but it wasn't like those sequences were really suffocating. The inclusion of fighting humans didn't get in the way of the game; because fighting the humans were extremely brief. I would have complained about the inclusion of humans if we had to fight them 50 percent of the time. To me the action sequences and the fighting humans parts didn't hurt the game due to the fact that those elements didn't take over a lot of the game.
I will skip the story due to my desire to avoid spoilers. The story revolves around Isaac and his quest to rescue Ellie and finish off the necromorphs once and for all. So far the story isn't half bad; however, I wish the acting was a bit more believable. For example, Carver, the coop partner, acts more like a typical grumpy grunt.
The gameplay of the game isn't all that different from the previous games. You can still dismember foes and use Kinetic energy from your RIG suit to slow down enemies and impale necromorphs with the body parts of their fallen allies. You can use popular weapons from the previous games, use new weapons, update your RIG, and update weapon circuits.
However, in order to update your equipment you have to use salvaged parts to upgrade everything. In order to get stronger weapons you have to find weapon parts and blueprints. You can also use the parts to create custom weapons from scratch. It felt complicated in the beginning; but it grows on you. Observing the results of giving the classic plasma cutter stasis coated bullets and a flame thrower attachment was really exciting. When you learn to craft some really cool weapons you are going to start calling yourself the Lord of War. The weapon combinations are endless; which means you can create an ideal weapon for any situation.
In order to improve your RIG suit you have to get enough parts to upgrade your abilities. Therefore, you really have to explore in order to gather more materials and weapons. The fun, optional missions you can take also encourages more exploration due to finding nice parts. Those additional missions also added more to the story as well as entertaining hours of play.
The necromorphs still attack and flank you like they did in previous titles. Necromorphs use vents and openings to get around. The necromorphs from the previous titles made a return and I think there are some new ones as well. Some necromorphs can even mutate when dismembered.
What makes the necromorphs even scarier in this game is their behavior. What scared me a lot is...........their SPEED! In previous games, those creatures were no where near as fast; because you had a decent amount of time to plan an attack or shoot. In this game you no longer have that luxury. By the time you are done hesitating or focusing on one slowed down enemy you could get hammered real quick. And the speed of the necromorphs can cause a lot of near misses due to poor aiming or shooting without stasis while they are on the run.
I don't remember if the necromorphs used this same tactic in the previous games; however it was worth noting. The necromorphs would use the vents to cut you off if you ran away or took higher ground to get out of reach. The monsters even used the snow for cover in order to launch surprise attacks.
The coop didn't ruin the game either; because you can still play alone. When you play alone there is no A.I. partner. And the coop isn't that much different from the single player story; but there was extra dialogue and a few coop only side quests. Plus there are some segments were both coop partners will see different things.
Pros:
+Original gameplay is still there.
+Customizing weapons is fun and adds variety.
+Side quests are very interesting.
+You can still play alone.
+Coop adds extra content.
+Coop is fun and the dialogue is different.
+Necromorphs is faster and a bit smarter.
Cons:
-Without coop there are some experiences you can lose.
-Micro transactions makes EA look greedy.
-Acting could have been a bit better.
-Carver, the coop partner, isn't that interesting.
-The ability to cover is lousy.
Final Thoughts:
To me EA did a nice job; because the new additions didn't dramatically change what Dead Space was known for. People could still play alone, the scares are still there, and the action sequences/human fights are not as overwhelming as fans are saying. The fun of playing with others stills adds a bit more longevity.
I know micro transactions is an issue; however it isn't like EA is forcing players to use it. I guess the micro transactions were put in place for people who would like a boost; however I still don't agree with charging people to cheat. Fans should be happy that Dead Space 3 didn't turn out like Capcom's RE 6. Capcom tried to do so many things that the focus of the game was lost.
This game deserves a 8.5 out of 10