Release Date: 08/02/13SYNOPSIS:
Scavenge the violent wilderness, build devastating weapons, and take down the terror together.
Dead Space 3 brings Isaac Clarke and merciless soldier John Carver on a journey across space to discover the source of the Necromorph outbreak. Crash-landed on the frozen planet of Tau Volantis, Isaac must comb the harsh environment for raw materials and scavenged parts. He will then put his engineering skills to the ultimate test to create and customise weapons and survival tools. The ice planet holds the key to ending the Necromorph plague forever, but first Isaac must overcome avalanches, treacherous ice-climbs, and the violent wilderness. Facing deadlier evolved enemies and the brutal elements, Isaac can choose to team up, not only for his own survival, but for that of mankind’s. Play together with a friend or go it alone as Isaac Clarke using the seamless new drop in, drop out co-op functionality. Each mode offers unique story elements and gameplay.
KEY FEATURES
Team up and take down the terror together
Play the full campaign in online co-op or single player
Easy drop-in and drop-out play
Head planet side and experience a hostile new environment
Discover underworld cities and accept side missions
Explore the frozen terrain and search abandoned encampments
Uncover the past and embark on a thrilling expedition to save mankind
Discover the source of the Necromorph terror and fight to fend off the extinction of the human race
REVIEW:
Dead Space is a game that whilst I didn’t get on board with originally, I was more than hooked when the first one was given as a gift quite a while ago, I loved the atmosphere of the dark, bleakness of space with undead mutations seeking to devour you with every move you make, so when I had the chance to get my hands on the latest outing I jumped at the chance.
What you get here is a game of two parts, one set in space, the other planet side where the bleakness of both contrast and yet add so much more to the development of the worlds within, it has great graphics, some cracking monster battles and when added to quite a few new features really brings it all to the fore with a lot of different solutions available.
But let’s take each in turn:
1: Graphics and Sound
I loved the graphics with this, they were detailed, had smooth movement and when added to huge landscapes alongside carefully details backgrounds really added the claustrophobic feeling that any survival game brings. Add to this solid sound for weapon fire and monster cries and all round I was a more than happy player.
2: Gameplay
This is a game that you’ll spend quite a lot of time exploring, (I did as I was doing all the optional extra’s that I could) and is definitely worth a replay at the end to enter area’s that you couldn’t on your first walkthrough, there’s all sorts of dangers, the game keeps your adrenaline up and when added to a whole host of construction options (dealt with separately here) really gives the player the chance to personalise it to Nth degree.
3: New Features
OK whilst there’s a lot of the same appearing here to link the other games, there are some new and pretty neat features.
Firstly you have the Bench, (OK that’s not new) where you construct, deconstruct and create your own weapon options to not only maximise your efficiency but also to suit your gameplay. (Personally the two I use are a Double Handed Rapid Fire Gun with under slung grenade launcher and a Shotgun with under slung electrical charge for close combat situations.) Each player will find something that they like and learning what mods do what is not only a learning curve but one well worth taking your time with. (There’s even an option to go in, make the gun and try it out before continuing your game.)
Add to this the usual suit improvements (including various environmental options such as a Snow Suit and Archaeological Suite), slowing the foes down with your kinetic power alongside with multiple problem solving to hit the next part.
Summation:
All round I had a lot of fun with this, both on my original play through and on my secondary (which I’m still doing), although split onto two separate discs, the game plays seamlessly, has some great twists, some magical cut scenes and of course twists along the way to keep you guessing what’s going to happen next. All round definitely a game to buy and one that whilst occupying you for 20+ hours on your original play through is definitely something that you’ll return to time and again. For me it’s a game that others will have to live up to and with the new features allowing you to scavenge and assemble your own weaponry really gives you that feeling of doing your damnedest to survive.
Lady Eleanor is Falcata Times Mistress of Mayhem, be it in the Horror Genre or on the console, she gives it her all and loves to blow the hell out of anyone who gets in her way. You can often find her perusing the game sites to get the latest gossip on what’s arriving next or checking out the latest movie/book releases to see what grabs her attention.In addition to this Lady Eleanor is a lifelong fan of pin up and in particular the Fetish Queen of the 50’s Bettie Page and whilst the name is an alias, its due more to her love of a song by the same title by the group Lindisfarne rather than her dominating presence when she lays down the law.
(Artwork by Isis Sousa for Falcata Times)
