Here is what the industry critics have been saying about the survival horror third person action game Dead Space releasing this week, developed by EA Redwood Shores and published by Electronic Arts.
We uneasily promise our own review of this game for Halloween…hopefully.
Gamespot (90/100): “Dead Space is a remarkable game from a well-tread genre that manages to stand out from its competitors in almost every way, from visual presentation to engaging story, innovative combat mechanics to fright factor. Whether you’re looking for a terrifying horror experience or a deeply story-driven adventure that will keep you engaged for 15-20 hours, Dead Space is a fantastic game that you should not pass on.”
1UP (B+): “Apart from the lack of variety within them, the characters and environments are some of the best looking on the market, with blood splatters and rusted metals all over the place.”
IGN (87/100): “Call it science fiction survival horror, but Dead Space does the genre proud with an engaging story; action that’s tense, fast-paced and extremely violent; as well as atmospheric qualities that will get under your skin and make you jump. It may be a newcomer, but the seeds of an incredible franchise have been sown, and EA’s in a great position to reap a phenomenal franchise full of scares.”
Eurogamer (70/100): Having come up with a stunning game engine, it also seems that EA couldn’t come up with something more original to populate it. The concept of exploring alien-infested spaceships is hardwired into gaming DNA, and Dead Space relies so heavily on established survival horror rhythms that experienced players will be able to anticipate most scares and revelations before they arrive. That it all builds to a climax that is both narratively ridiculous and predictably videogamey (clue: giant boss monster with obvious weak spots) merely strengthens the lingering whiff of missed potential.
