The "Godfather III" of Dead Space
posted by dougiejfresh (CHICAGO, IL) Apr 23, 2013
Member since Apr 2013
Dead Space 3 is the Godfather III of the DS trilogy. It is the weakest installment of an outstanding series, with a few great moments ("Just when I thought I was out...they pull me back in!").
DS3 is neither "survival" nor "horror" in the same vein as survival horror games DS1 and DS2 (the latter to a lesser extent). This time around, ammo is very plentiful, the enemies predictable, and Isaac a powerful killing machine. The atmosphere and environments are tedious rather than tense, and the narrative is not particularly engaging.
DS3 sports two main innovations: co-op and weapon crafting. I did not play the game co-op, which is unfortunate because this is apparently how the game was designed. Some optional missions are co-op only, and the backstory behind the co-op character is very threadbare when playing solo. Perhaps I would have enjoyed the game more if I had online access to play co-op.
The weapon crafting is interesting and allows for some creative creations. But the game provides little incentive or reason to create different guns, as you can only carry two at a time and the resources are better spent upgrading your RIG.
In sum:
PROS:
- lots of content, with optional missions helping to flesh out the narrative
- innovations are interesting (Isaac can now roll, weapon crafting)
CONS:
- no real survival or horror elements
- narrative is thin and uninteresting
- ending is unsatisfying
- game appears to punish you for playing solo
Worth renting to play through for DS fans, but know that it has a pretty different feel than DS1 and 2.
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