This game is a prequel to the 2008 PS3/360/PC game, Dead Space. The original title was a third-person shooter in the likes of Resident Evil 4. This game is a rail-shooter 'first-person guided experience'. The fan backlash to this tidbit of information was heavy. Forums exploded with irate gamers stating their lack of desire for yet another rail-shooter on the Nintendo Wii. Does that mean you should ignore the game? Read on to find out.
As previously said, this game is a prequel to the original Dead Space. You initially take control of a technician on the planet Aegis VII assisting with the transportation of the infamous Marker, a mysterious alien artifact which is the basis of the Church of Unitology. Needless to say, the instant you move the artifact from its initial resting place shit starts to hit the fan. People are going insane, attempting to kill you with whatever devices are available to them, and mysterious creatures called Necromorphs start to reveal themselves. The madness on the planet's surface forces a group of survivors to seek out salvation on their mining vessel, the USG Ishimura from the original game. Not all of these characters will survive, so dramatic tension is still held despite the fact that you're guiding their firing arm. Your ultimate goal is to find out what's happening and to get out as soon as possible.
The story's presentation is far and away superior to the original Dead Space. Where Issac Clarke was a silent protagonist devoid of any personality other than stoicism, these characters that you see and control have definite character and a sense of charm. Sargeant Weller will be an immediate favorite with his unabashed bad-ass attitude. The result of giving these characters voices and personality is an actual connection forming between you and the characters. You want to see their mission be a success despite knowing that they're bound to fail in the end.
Another aspect of the game that helps to keep you interested in the characters is the graphical work done on this title. The characters move fluidly, the enviornments exude a dark and hopless situation and the models themselves look excellent. Especially impressive are the facial animations which make the characters able to express a wide array of emotions. All of these factors lead to making a well-realized and creepy world despite the lack of high-definition graphics. The visuals won't destroy the original game, but the right mix of realism and style help to make a visually appealing game.
The game's sound production is equally impressive. The voices of the characters, both bit-parts and heavy-hitters, are delivered nicely. The weapons produce their bangs, booms and 'krtzzz's very well, and the sound of a Necromorph's limbs being cut off never gets old. The old ship Ishimura creaks and groans, inciting thoughts of the ship falling apart around you. The music is well orchestrated, but it isn't a memorable soundtrack by any means. It does what it requires though: it sets a mood of tension and dread. There's little to complain about in regards to presentation in either the visuals or the sound.
The gameplay may incite some groans from the 'hardcore' gamers due to being on rails. The genre is one many people deem archaic and dead. If you're one to enjoy rail-shooters or ignore what the 'hardcore' gamer complains about, you'll be treated to the best rail-shooter on the Wii, which is saying a lot considering that this game shares the same console as another great rail-shooter, House of the Dead: Overkill. In essence, the game is similar to Overkill: you point, you shoot, you kill, you move to another screen to do it again. However, there is more to the title than merely shooting at enemies. There are zero-G sequences similar to those found in the original Dead Space, cannon-shooting repairing terminals and other objectives that change the pace of the game. There are many sequences like these throughout the title to keep your interest between the shooting action.
The Ishimura prepares to fire missles at intergalactic Jehova's Witnesses
It's not like the shooting itself is ordinary, either. This is a Dead Space game, after all. The major difference between Dead Space and other shooters is the need to remove the limbs of your enemies to eliminate them. Head-shots aren't a guaranteed kill here. Instead, you need to hack off enemies' arms, legs and... other things to neutralize them. Enemies behave differently with certain limbs removed: headless enemies wander about (occasionally hitting other enemies with their attacks), legless Necromorphs crawl on the ground... the limb system from the original game was ported to perfection.
There are plenty of means to test the limb engine with the arsenal given to you. Each character can hold up to four weapons (when you change characters, you change weapons), but one of them will always be the Rivet Gun. While this weapon can be effective with proper aim, it's not a very powerful gun. It does have infinite ammunition however, and it's used in many occasions to nail up a door covering to slow the advancement of the Necromorphs. Other new weapons to the series include the Arc Welder (which shoots lightning. Enough has been said), the P-SEC pistol, and the Rock Hammer. The last one marks the first and only melee weapon in the game. While it can be used when enemies are in tight quarters with a shake of the Nunchuk, it will mostly be used to remove barriers. This weapon also produces one of the coolest moments in Wii-game history. Every one of these weapons (aside from the hammer) has an alternate fire option which can be activated by changing the orientation of the Wii Remote. This feels fine on the wrist and essentially doubles the weapon-count in the game.
In addition to guns, you also have access to three pieces of tech to assist you in your Necromorph-killing needs. The first two are old favorites: the Stasis and Kinesis Modules. The former allows you to slow down enemies and obstacles, and is key for defeating the impressive bosses of the game. The Kinesis Module essentially acts as the Gravity Gun from Half-Life 2. You can use it to lift and manipulate objects in the enviornment, but you'll mostly be hammering the A button to collect ammo & upgrades for your weapons and Data Logs which flesh out the story. The Audio Logs play the sound through the Wii Remote speaker, which is a nice effect. Due to the camera moving around, it can be hard to hit all of the collectibles in time before your screen darts away. This is the biggest complaint to be held against the game. There are sequences where the game stops and allows you to manipulate the screen to collect items, but these moments are few and far between.
The last bit of tech is the Glow-Worm, which is activated in particularly dark areas of the ship. This illuminates a small area with a green light, allowing you a small bit of visibility. The device requires charging, though. In order to keep the light on, you will need to periodically shake the remote. You don't need to do this every second, but it come up enough to bring tension to the firefights at hand.
[img_inline height=250 caption="The Glow-Worm, in addition to bringing tension to dark battles,
also lets the game show off its lighting engine"]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3609/3483648594_a7213c37f4.jpg[/img_inline]
The game has a lot going for it. Replay value is not one of those things. It's a curse of the genre more than anything. Since the game is on-rails, the play experience through the story is limited unless you like beating games on multiple difficulty settings. There are challenge rooms where you face an onslaught of enemies at once and those are great fun. However, there's nothing bringing you back other than beating your high-score. There's also a cooperative mode to play with your friends. While this doesn't have any effect on the narrative, some of the gameplay experiences will differ. For example, when repairing machinery, the two players will need to alternate repairing circuits. It can be fun to kill Necromorphs with a friend, but you probably won't be going back for years to come.
In Conclusion...
This is an excellent title. However, due to the genre most people won't want to pay full-price for the game. While I heartily recommend you try the game, only those obsessed with rail-shooters and Dead Space should purchase it full-price.
You should Buy this game if...
-You're an avid fan of the Dead Space narrative.
-You really like rail-shooters.
-You can find this game for $30.
You should Rent this game if...
-You're one of those people who complain about dusty Wiis.
-You liked the original Dead Space, but not enough to buy the graphic novel and animated movie.
-You just want to shoot stuff.
You should Skip this game if...
-You think rail-shooters should have died with the 90s.
-You want a psychological horror game over jump-scares.
-You hated the original Dead Space.
As previously said, this game is a prequel to the original Dead Space. You initially take control of a technician on the planet Aegis VII assisting with the transportation of the infamous Marker, a mysterious alien artifact which is the basis of the Church of Unitology. Needless to say, the instant you move the artifact from its initial resting place shit starts to hit the fan. People are going insane, attempting to kill you with whatever devices are available to them, and mysterious creatures called Necromorphs start to reveal themselves. The madness on the planet's surface forces a group of survivors to seek out salvation on their mining vessel, the USG Ishimura from the original game. Not all of these characters will survive, so dramatic tension is still held despite the fact that you're guiding their firing arm. Your ultimate goal is to find out what's happening and to get out as soon as possible.
The story's presentation is far and away superior to the original Dead Space. Where Issac Clarke was a silent protagonist devoid of any personality other than stoicism, these characters that you see and control have definite character and a sense of charm. Sargeant Weller will be an immediate favorite with his unabashed bad-ass attitude. The result of giving these characters voices and personality is an actual connection forming between you and the characters. You want to see their mission be a success despite knowing that they're bound to fail in the end.
The facial expressions, body movements, voice acting and atmosphere all help
to attatch you to these characters as they attempt their escape
to attatch you to these characters as they attempt their escape
Another aspect of the game that helps to keep you interested in the characters is the graphical work done on this title. The characters move fluidly, the enviornments exude a dark and hopless situation and the models themselves look excellent. Especially impressive are the facial animations which make the characters able to express a wide array of emotions. All of these factors lead to making a well-realized and creepy world despite the lack of high-definition graphics. The visuals won't destroy the original game, but the right mix of realism and style help to make a visually appealing game.
The game's sound production is equally impressive. The voices of the characters, both bit-parts and heavy-hitters, are delivered nicely. The weapons produce their bangs, booms and 'krtzzz's very well, and the sound of a Necromorph's limbs being cut off never gets old. The old ship Ishimura creaks and groans, inciting thoughts of the ship falling apart around you. The music is well orchestrated, but it isn't a memorable soundtrack by any means. It does what it requires though: it sets a mood of tension and dread. There's little to complain about in regards to presentation in either the visuals or the sound.
The gameplay may incite some groans from the 'hardcore' gamers due to being on rails. The genre is one many people deem archaic and dead. If you're one to enjoy rail-shooters or ignore what the 'hardcore' gamer complains about, you'll be treated to the best rail-shooter on the Wii, which is saying a lot considering that this game shares the same console as another great rail-shooter, House of the Dead: Overkill. In essence, the game is similar to Overkill: you point, you shoot, you kill, you move to another screen to do it again. However, there is more to the title than merely shooting at enemies. There are zero-G sequences similar to those found in the original Dead Space, cannon-shooting repairing terminals and other objectives that change the pace of the game. There are many sequences like these throughout the title to keep your interest between the shooting action.
The Ishimura prepares to fire missles at intergalactic Jehova's Witnesses
It's not like the shooting itself is ordinary, either. This is a Dead Space game, after all. The major difference between Dead Space and other shooters is the need to remove the limbs of your enemies to eliminate them. Head-shots aren't a guaranteed kill here. Instead, you need to hack off enemies' arms, legs and... other things to neutralize them. Enemies behave differently with certain limbs removed: headless enemies wander about (occasionally hitting other enemies with their attacks), legless Necromorphs crawl on the ground... the limb system from the original game was ported to perfection.
There are plenty of means to test the limb engine with the arsenal given to you. Each character can hold up to four weapons (when you change characters, you change weapons), but one of them will always be the Rivet Gun. While this weapon can be effective with proper aim, it's not a very powerful gun. It does have infinite ammunition however, and it's used in many occasions to nail up a door covering to slow the advancement of the Necromorphs. Other new weapons to the series include the Arc Welder (which shoots lightning. Enough has been said), the P-SEC pistol, and the Rock Hammer. The last one marks the first and only melee weapon in the game. While it can be used when enemies are in tight quarters with a shake of the Nunchuk, it will mostly be used to remove barriers. This weapon also produces one of the coolest moments in Wii-game history. Every one of these weapons (aside from the hammer) has an alternate fire option which can be activated by changing the orientation of the Wii Remote. This feels fine on the wrist and essentially doubles the weapon-count in the game.
In addition to guns, you also have access to three pieces of tech to assist you in your Necromorph-killing needs. The first two are old favorites: the Stasis and Kinesis Modules. The former allows you to slow down enemies and obstacles, and is key for defeating the impressive bosses of the game. The Kinesis Module essentially acts as the Gravity Gun from Half-Life 2. You can use it to lift and manipulate objects in the enviornment, but you'll mostly be hammering the A button to collect ammo & upgrades for your weapons and Data Logs which flesh out the story. The Audio Logs play the sound through the Wii Remote speaker, which is a nice effect. Due to the camera moving around, it can be hard to hit all of the collectibles in time before your screen darts away. This is the biggest complaint to be held against the game. There are sequences where the game stops and allows you to manipulate the screen to collect items, but these moments are few and far between.
The last bit of tech is the Glow-Worm, which is activated in particularly dark areas of the ship. This illuminates a small area with a green light, allowing you a small bit of visibility. The device requires charging, though. In order to keep the light on, you will need to periodically shake the remote. You don't need to do this every second, but it come up enough to bring tension to the firefights at hand.
[img_inline height=250 caption="The Glow-Worm, in addition to bringing tension to dark battles,
also lets the game show off its lighting engine"]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3609/3483648594_a7213c37f4.jpg[/img_inline]
The game has a lot going for it. Replay value is not one of those things. It's a curse of the genre more than anything. Since the game is on-rails, the play experience through the story is limited unless you like beating games on multiple difficulty settings. There are challenge rooms where you face an onslaught of enemies at once and those are great fun. However, there's nothing bringing you back other than beating your high-score. There's also a cooperative mode to play with your friends. While this doesn't have any effect on the narrative, some of the gameplay experiences will differ. For example, when repairing machinery, the two players will need to alternate repairing circuits. It can be fun to kill Necromorphs with a friend, but you probably won't be going back for years to come.
In Conclusion...
This is an excellent title. However, due to the genre most people won't want to pay full-price for the game. While I heartily recommend you try the game, only those obsessed with rail-shooters and Dead Space should purchase it full-price.
You should Buy this game if...
-You're an avid fan of the Dead Space narrative.
-You really like rail-shooters.
-You can find this game for $30.
You should Rent this game if...
-You're one of those people who complain about dusty Wiis.
-You liked the original Dead Space, but not enough to buy the graphic novel and animated movie.
-You just want to shoot stuff.
You should Skip this game if...
-You think rail-shooters should have died with the 90s.
-You want a psychological horror game over jump-scares.
-You hated the original Dead Space.
Thanks for reading the review! I appreciate any and all advice on how to improve.
The Conduit: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.164276#4279374
New Super Mario Bros. Wii: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.160443#4061611
New Super Mario Bros. Wii: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.160443#4061611
