Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Visceral Games
System requirements: Windows XP SP3/Vista SP1/Win 7, 2.8 GHz or better CPU, 1 GB RAM (2 GB Vista/Win 7), 256 MB GeForce 6800/ATI X1600 Pro or better graphics card with Shader Model 3.0 compatibility, DirectX 9.0, 10 GB hard-drive space
Genre: Shooter
ESRB rating: Mature
Release date: Available now
Review by Christopher Lazenby

I’m not sure what to make of Dead Space 3. I’m happy to see a new chapter in one of the greatest new series of this gaming generation has been released, but three games in just four-and-a-half years? Isn’t that pushing it a little?

Naturally, Dead Space 3 picks up a little while after the previous game. Unitology is still running rampant. Isaac’s new girlfriend has left, and he’s currently spending his days locked in his apartment trying to manically figure out all the symbols that are locked in his brain. Things don’t stay calm for long. Isaac is forced to leave his colony as Markers are activated across the galaxy. This is where things tend to get rather convoluted and confusing. Ellie has returned, and she’s found herself another man, which causes problems between her and Isaac. And then there are aliens or something. I honestly struggled to keep on top of the mess; I never really felt that I knew what I was truly doing. I just seemed to explore endless corridors or wastes, blowing up Necromorphs as I went.

Fundamental changes have been made to the gamplay. The first thing you notice is the inclusion of co-op, which isn’t really a bonus; it’s actually the way the game is meant to be played. Cutscenes show Isaac and Carver together, and certain events play out differently in co-op, but here I’ll admit, I barely played with a partner. I intended to play through the entire game in single player. I swore to myself that it would be far more enjoyable alone, but seeing Carver in cutscenes, only to flash away suddenly, is almost unnerving and a slightly annoying design choice.

While playing in single player, you also miss large chunks of events that are rather crucial to the story. Isaac’s severe hallucinations are present in the cooperative sections but are strangely omitted in single player, and Carver is barely introduced. It’s easy to see that DS 3 was designed as a game to be played with a friend. The beloved Dead Space arsenal has had a major change-up. Guns are now fully buildable and customisable to your specification, some with hilarious results, such as a Gatling Rivet Gun with underslung Kinetic rifle, modified with acid rounds. I spent hours finding perfect killing combinations. My only gripe was designing a weapon that seemed like a fine idea but turned out to be useless at killing enemies, forcing you to stick with it until a weapon bench could be found.

I ran into several camera issues with Dead Space 3. The FOV is far too tight, and in close-quarters combat, I found myself desperately trying to get a shot at an enemy. I modified an .ini file to increase the FOV, which made the game far more playable and enjoyable, but my console cousins will have to put up with this annoying choice. Enemy designs haven’t evolved. Many of the classic enemies remain with new skins, while the totally new enemies didn’t impress me as much as the exploding babies I found quite so devilishly hilarious in Dead Space 2. Unfortunately, DS 3 has brought back one of my biggest pet peeves in gaming: backtracking. Roughly four times I was presented with a challenge, earning me another task that involved going back the way I came and grabbing something else vital to the mission. This is unforgivably lazy and a crappy way to treat the player; rather than feeling accomplished, you’re treated as an errand boy.

Dead Space 3 is a pretty game. Interior shots are nicely detailed, as are sunrises and sunsets on Tau Volantis and the character models, which are still fully destructible; blowing up a few Necromorphs is still satisfying. Don’t expect a huge wealth of visual customisation on PC, but there’s enough to satisfy most users. Audio seems to have taken a back seat compared to earlier games in the series. Using audio cues to find enemies isn’t as prevalent when compared to the previous games.

It hasn’t been a totally smooth ride with Dead Space 3. Forced co-op, a confusing story, lazy design choices and some rather tedious backtracking has hampered what is generally an enjoyable game.

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