A quite decent Dead Space game with unfortunate flaws
I am Sophie Madison and I want to review Dead Space 3. Before I start, I want to make one thing clear: I gave Dead Space 3 a 7/10 quite recently, because I played quite a few games that were a total disapointment: Assassin's Creed 3 being the best example of money gone in the water. Therefore, Dead Space 3 qualities shone more brightly to me after such a sad gaming episode. That being said, here is my review.
Being vaguely interested in my boyfriend's video games collection, I played all Dead Space games. I enjoyed the thrills, the screams, the atmosphere and the gore. Not that I am a blood sucking monster craving death and mutilation, oh no! It is just that I never experienced such frightful games before, and I loved it!
The first Dead Space was like a slap in the face and many times, I screamed like a little weasel! Only regret was that Isaac would not talk at all.
"Isaac, go to level 7 because someone clogged the restroom!", "Isaac, go to the basement because one fuse is missing!" and all those orders without a simple "Why don't you un-clog those restrooms yourself? I am a space engineer, not the cleaning lady!" from Isaac!
Dead Space 2 had me going like: "Oh no Isaac, please shut up because you sound so moronic!" However, I loved the game even more, even though the story was a little "too much." The gameplay was interesting and of course, I screamed and fearjumped even more!
Then, Dead Space 3 had me going like: "Hey Isaac, maybe you are not so dumb after all... You actually CAN act like a man!" And this is a good summary of the game, at least for me. Dead Space 3 CAN be a good game at times, especially the first part, but sometimes it feels a little flawed and lousy.
Here are the things I liked in this game. I am going to keep it simple so as not to bore you with girly talk. Then, I will write a short list of what I did not like.
1- The game is beautiful, and so is the audio.
Dead bodies everywhere is not my conception of beauty, but I was impressed at the designs, the settings, the colours and, more importantly, the lighting and audio effects.
I am not at all into those pc users settings kind of cryptic knowledge, so what I do is simple: I go to the options menu, set everything to whatever highest level is available and I start the game. Simple, isn't it?
The flow of frames is impressively fluid. I am now more keen on frames per second, and I can see it when it drops. But in Dead Space 3, it never dropped. It is fantastic! A joy to watch and play!
At a certain moment (no spoiler of course), you will be floating around and, maybe, hovering in space. Please, take a moment to admire the view because it is worth it!
Also, the audio effects are terrific (I chose this word on purpose, of course): please, try to play with nice headphones and you will be trapped in the game's awesome atmosphere.
Distant metallic rasps, faraway screams and moans, ear piercing shrieks, technological buzzes, engines activation whirs, voice acting: everything is so solid it makes the game so lively.
The last chapters of the game however do feel a little washed out, but I won't talk about that otherwise I would be spoiling.
2- The first part of the game is excellent.
It feels just like the former Dead Space games: big space vessels populated with mutating necromorphics. Of course, it is all about shooting corpses first, just to make sure! And of course, keeping an eye on the doors and the hidden vent panels because you KNOW they come from here!
But there is a great terror atmosphere. I was put under considerable pressure, right from the start. The game starts on the moon base city and things go really bad. Then, you are taken to the Tau Volantis orbital spaceship graveyard and that's where it all begins.
I just LOVED being afraid there! It's classic Dead Space but GOOD Dead Space! More pressure, more tension, more stress, all for the better!
If you loved Dead Space games, you are going to adore the first part of Dead Space 3 because it takes every good element from the previous games, and merges them into an impressive set of chapters!
Of course, everything will go terribly wrong! And there are spaceships to explore with different objectives to complete, some being impossible to complete without the help of a cooperation player. Those side missions are funny to complete, eventhough there is no fear or terror at all: you have your guns, so does your companion, and you shoot every necromorphic on sight! However, it's very funny!
3- You can design your own weapons if you want.
It is a simple process: you need materials, spare parts and sometimes schematics.
Materials will be needed to create spare parts.
Spare parts can be put together to create different kind of guns, depending on the spare parts nature (welding torch, electrical probe, buzzsaw blade etc).
Each spare spart can be upgraded for various effects: more ammunition, more power, more reload speed etc.
This means that if you like toying around with this feature, just like I did, you can craft a little plasma cutter with a mine-throwing secondary fire, or a rifle shooting electrified darts in rapid bursts with a buzzsaw blade as a secondary fire. And so on!
Schematics are to be found in the game, and they allow you to craft your weapon in the blink of an eye. Sometimes, it is easier and faster to proceed this way, but I suggest you craft your own weapons yourself! Expect crazy and powerful results!
The force points system is gone, though. But I think this crafting feature is funnier.
Getting materials is not tedious. In fact, you find materials in crates, lockers, shelves, etc. But you can also use a tiny Scavenger robot that will collect materials for you. After some while, the game will indicate you that the robot is waiting for you at the workbench. Get to the workbench to recover your materials and have fun! I only found three tiny scavenger robots and I am not sure if there are more to be found.
4- The cooperation system is great!
If you want to have fun, you may choose to launch or join a coop game.
Depending on your choice, you will either play Isaac or the other main character (no spoiler).
Side coop missions can only be completed with a companion and they are entertaining, filled with combat and coop actions (lifting gigantic coil magnets while your coop friend starts a statics engine, etc).
Sometimes, it takes patience to join a coop game. I had to wait until the host reached a checkpoint, allowing to hop onto his story. Nevertheless, it is worth the wait because your inventory will be saved. Suppose you gained extra materials by helping a friend, when you log off you will still have the extra materials with you. So go around and help players!
5- An unusual location for the last sections of the game.
Dead Space may be all about a lost spaceship crowded with undead monsters, sometimes a bit of fresh air could be good. And in Dead Space 3, the last sections of the game take place on Tau Volantis, a lonely and icy planet. It adds an exotic feeling to the game, really. If you like snow and ice, you will love this part! It's not like walking your doggy in the park, but it's quite pleasant to see some light, some skies and some mountains. And believe me, there is a tragic landing sequence that you are going to love! It is VERY intense and, in the same time, totally playable: it is NOT a cutscene! Hurray!
Then you will get to visit a monumental underground city but I'd better not spoil the surprise!
6- Many side missions!
Yes indeed, there are many side missions to complete! To keep an eye on my progression, I had many indicators (total game completion, etc) and I was happy to notice I had overlooked many side missions.
It feels like a little more freedom from the game. Usually, those missions are not an essential element to complete, but if you take the time to, they will reward you with plenty of nice materials and spare parts!
Dead Space 3 also has a few flaws that, in all honesty, did bore me a little. But I cannot dismiss those aspects. Here is my
list of flaws, some being minor while others being tiresome.
1- From mid game to the end, Dead Space 3 is not as entertaining.
The first part is excellent as I said, but soon it falls a little flat. It quickly gets to shooting and shooting, and shooting again. Not necromorphic opponents, but humans. I am not totally convinced that the game is designed for such shooting action, with covers, duck and roll system. In fact, it felt very clumsy. Shooting necromorphics is fun because you know how to dismember them. Shooting humans is not trickier at all but well, after a little while, I used a gun shooting big rockets to vaporize them in the blink of an eye. So what? Is that all? Such
weak resistance? Why bother aiming and shooting while you can toss around big fiery rockets that annihilate everything in front of you?
Do not get me wrong: it is quite enjoyable to shoot opponents under such configuration, but I feel it could have been much better.
Why didn't the developers use Tau Volantis characteristics much more? I was a little frustrated not to explore the surface of the planet a bit more. It is a great settings with great ideas but I did not have many things to do.
Of course, it is not Skyrim but I find it a pity not to have used the settings more than this. It would have enhanced the game experience.
2- The story gets confused and, at times, very ridiculous.
I am girl. Right, fine with that. But let me tell you that: a love story in Dead Space 3, written by men, really is ridiculously funny!
God, how I laughed at the rivalry between Isaac and another character (no spoiler, of course)! Come on, the universe is going to be overrun by necromorphics, everyone is to die and those two are getting into fits of jealousy? Now that was funny AND ridiculous at the same time!
The story could have been more clearly explained: I thought that we are constantly switched from one story element to another, just to impress us. But it adds up to the point of confusion:
Unity being terrorists, then Tau Volantis being where it all started, then monoliths not being what we think they are, then an ancien alien race that discovered something important, then a codex, then back to the aliens again, then some pipes and flutes to *do something*, then back to love story, then...
Oh well guys, cannot you be clearer than that? It feels so rushed! In the end, I did not take time to listen to what the game had to tell me, because it felt a little boring.
Don't get me wrong: it did not prevent me from playing but it disapointed me because I expected answers, explanations and stories. Instead, I was not totally satisfied, eventhough good scenario ideas are to be found, here and there.
One special note, though: wait until the end of the credits - there is an extra twist that will make you laugh, or facepalm, or sigh... or all of this together!
3- Bosses are a joke.
Giggle, giggle, giggle. How does it feel to be attacked by a giant three-eyed, zombie frog-squid creature?
I found the answer in Dead Space 3!
It is a pity, really. I did not even die on my first try! I expected a little more challenge but instead, I terminated the bosses rapidly, which removed all feeling of achievement...
4- The extra content is a joke.
I do not like this videogame trend where you have to pay for more stuffs, especially when, in Dead Space 3's case, they are not an essential part of the gameplay.
I thought at first that I would have to actually pay for guns and ammunitions (how perverted is that? Am I going to buy my own
ammunition crates in tomorrow's videogames?...) but I quickly realized it is just to trick me into buying not-that-useful stuffs.
Scavenger robots upgrades, different suits, etc. You don't have to buy it to complete the game but why putting it here? It is all cosmetics (and I am girl, so I KNOW what cosmetics are about!)
And this is all I can think of. Dead Space 3 can be disapointing, provided you expect the same experience found in previous episodes. It did not work out pretty well if you ask me, but still I played and enjoyed Dead Space 3 for what it had to offer.
I appreciate the efforts that were put into the game, so as to bring a new kind of Dead Space experience. I do not blame the game designers for trying to make their creation evolve. However, I would have prefered more of this! More originality, more risks, more "new" Dead Space!
I say it again but Dead Space 3 has all my sympathy, especially after wasting my money on swindles like Assassin's Creed 3. After being swindled, I realized Dead Space 3 was not THAT bad after all, and that maybe I got a little carried away. Dead Space 3 is not a disapointment, but it is not a ravishment too!