This is what I do, I try my best to follow all the latest news and info on all the best games coming out. Dead Space kind of snuck up on me. For example, as a gamer my mind automatically jumps to titles with a proven name like GTA, Resident Evil, etc...etc...(list any highly successful video game franchise here).
And then there are titles like Dead Space. I must admit, yeah I knew this game was coming out, I knew it looked cool, I knew it was made by a pretty decent company. But how many times has a game looked cool only to disappoint once you get back from picking up your preorder. And believe me, spending upwards of $65 on a video game only to be bored with it in one hour is always a bad feeling.
And besides, when there are so many titles coming out at this time of year, it just makes your job of a gamer that much harder to sift through all the display cases and fancy looking covers to find that really good title that keeps you coming back for more...and that is what Dead Space is and then some.
---The Review---
Graphics-- This game looks great. The only graphical miscues i've noticed are a few areas in shadowing and textures, but these are very few and far in between. You can find graphical miscues in any game if you hold a microscope to the T.V. long enough. But long story short, this game has good looking graphics.
Sound-- Superb. I rarely sum things up in one word, but I will here. I have jumped more times in this game than I care to mention because just when you think they have backed up on the freakiness, you'll turn a corner and BOOM!
Gameplay-- I think this is also done quite well. Imagine a game like RE 4 but a little more smoother and easier to control. The weapons are very easy to aim and control and can be enjoyed by the novice or the shooting veteran. Dead Space has a map system that is very easy to use. It also utilizes a triangulation locator for objectives so any time you are lost, one click of the R3 button and the game pretty much draws a line for you to follow.
The only thing I've had a little trouble with was the camera. Not that the camera is bad, but there are a few spots in the game where the camera becomes an issue. For example, there are times when you are in Zero Gravity and you have to 'fly' to another part of the room, and the camera seems to always get locked in an area you don't want it to be.
Replay Value-- From what I can tell it is very good. There is an upgrade system to the weapons that will take a second playthrough to finish them all. And not to mention, there are various items hidden throughout that will keep you coming back. If you just follow the storyline and don't explore, you will definetely miss out on a lot of great items.
Overall-- If you are a fan of either the shooting genre, horror genre, or just a fan of great video games overall, buy this game. I came across this game by accident and I have not regretted a second of it. Dead Space can feel a bit repetitive at times but it also changes things up enough to keep you guessing. One of my favorite things is that the developers don't keep using the same scare tactics to grab you. You will be scared playing this game. Things jump at you in the weirdest places and unless your playing along with a walkthrough, you'll never be able to guess where the next monster is coming from.
