Played the Dead Space 3 Demo. Things I liked and disliked.

[DTH1337]

Ok, so I recently tried out the Dead Space 3 demo. Now I went into this demo with a bad impression, mainly from all the footage I'd seen since E3 last year. Obviously I was concerned that the series was moving into a gameplay style that seemed less like Dead Space and more of a cross-breed between Gears Of War and Uncharted (if video games could give birth, that is. Plus, deciding which of the 2 games is the mother and father is up for debate). I was also put off by the fact that this game would include co-op, making any attempts at reviving any scare factor that was taken away completely impossible (see FEAR 3 for the result).

However, after spending (and wasting) over 25 hours on the 4 campaigns of Resident Evil 6 last year, I started to feel a bit more respect for Dead Space 3. Maybe because the gameplay in Dead Space games felt less annoying and more playable, maybe because I hoped that the game might have some more scare factor to it than RE6, I don't know. So, anyway, with that new found respect, I jumped into the Dead Space 3 demo. I'm not going to review the demo simply because it isn't the final product (although the fears of last year that I had about this game resurfaced within minutes), so I'm simply going to do a list of the things I liked about it, and the things I didn't like about it. So without further ado, let's jump right in with the likes.

Things I liked:

Weapon crafting - Let's get the obvious out of the way, I actually quite liked the new weapon crafting feature. I felt it made sense since Isacc is an engineer, and being able to mix and match parts to make unique weapons and experiment different ways to kill Necromorphs is definitely a neat addition to have.

The planet Tau Volantis - Definitely a strange name. Anyway, from what I've seen so far of the world you're on, it definitely looks nice. The snow landscapes, the blizzards that blow in obstructing your view, the weird rock formations that you see, the cave environments, it all looks nice and definitely seems like an interesting planet to set this game on. Admittedly, it does seem strange why an entire Dead Space game is set on a planet rather than in space (hence the title. It's called Dead Space, not Dead Planet EA!), but hopefully the final product will have a bit more to it than this, though I'm doubting there won't be at this point.

Ok, so not much there. On to the dislikes.


Things I disliked:

The cover system - Ok, so let me make this simple for you to understand, the cover system in this game SUCKS! It barely works in the 2 times you have to use it in the demo. The first time, the game told me to press the L1 button to take cover behind low objects, but when I did this, I simply aimed my gun since that is what the L1 is used for in the game, and since I was fighting Necromorphs rather than humans, it made the cover for this section entirely useless. The second time near the end of the demo then told me to press the R3 button in order to crouch. While this made the cover system work a little better, it still wasn't very good, and the shootout didn't last very long to use it well enough anyway.

Atmosphere is lacking - I honestly didn't really feel the tense atmosphere that past Dead Space games did so well mainly because most of the demo took place in the outdoors, and the few indoor sections hardly felt tense at all. I really hope that this gets presented better in the final product, or there is probably no way that this game is going to sell over 5 million (seriously EA, are you going to kill this franchise if it doesn't sell 5 million or more?! You know what, I dare you! I double dare you EA!).

A drill is apparently a boss fight - Are you kidding me?

Two weapon loadout as opposed to 4 - What?!

The scare factor is truly gone - As I said before, within minutes of playing this demo, the scare factor of this game vanished. I mean it probably would have worked better if the game started you out with no weapons and it was up to you to find whatever materials you could find and build your own weapons (I think I'm describing a certain number of games there), but you start out with fully loaded weapons, so your pretty much armed to the teeth with no worries whatsoever. It gets worse however, from the minute you manage to climb your way off of a collapsing construction vehicle and then get into a boss battle on a wide open snow field with a monster that seems very unexciting, the scare factor is gone completely. I know there will be some people that will say that the series was never scary to begin with, and that it has never been scary throughout, but in a day and age when horror games are being replaced with straight up action, it just seems like this game could have made an attempt at bringing some life back into the horror genre (if at all possible).


So that's my list of what I liked and disliked about the Dead Space 3 demo. Do you agree or disagree? What did you like and dislike about it? Do you think there's any hope for this game? Whatever your thoughts, simply post them in the comments for this topic.

 

[Kopikatsu]

A drill is apparently a boss fight - Are you kidding me?

Are you kidding me? I thought the Drill fight was hilarious and awesome.

Two weapon loadout as opposed to 4 - What?!

You still have four weapons, just it comes in the form of Upper + Lower parts.

The scare factor is truly gone - As I said before, within minutes of playing this demo, the scare factor of this game vanished. I mean it probably would have worked better if the game started you out with no weapons and it was up to you to find whatever materials you could find and build your own weapons (I think I'm describing a certain number of games there), but you start out with fully loaded weapons, so your pretty much armed to the teeth with no worries whatsoever. It gets worse however, from the minute you manage to climb your way off of a collapsing construction vehicle and then get into a boss battle on a wide open snow field with a monster that seems very unexciting, the scare factor is gone completely. I know there will be some people that will say that the series was never scary to begin with, and that it has never been scary throughout, but in a day and age when horror games are being replaced with straight up action, it just seems like this game could have made an attempt at bringing some life back into the horror genre (if at all possible).

First off, it's a demo. Somehow I doubt they start you off with enough equipment to fully max out your health bar and armor to the point where you're nigh invulnerable in the full game. Because you can do that. For a recent example, look at the DMC demo which started you off with some Devil and Angelic Arms, but you don't start the game with those. Also notice how the guns you get in the demo are fully upgraded 'Elite' versions.

There was a 0% chance of Dead Space 3 being scary though. Monsters can only be scary when they're new and unknown; where the rules are up in the air and anything can happen. We've experienced Necromorphs too many times in the past for them to be anything but punching bags.

 

[Nieroshai]

Perhaps you remember that for 1 and 2 the first demos released were the dismemberment demos. They solely existed to exhibit the mechanic, not to show off a piece of the final product.

Dead Space refers not to "space" but the "dead space" produced by a Marker that prevents Necromorphs from nearing it. You're using a misinterpretation of the game's title to define your expectations of the series.

How many of the scares from either game came in the beginning? Other than the chase scene to the elevator, it took a good hour to get a decent scare out of the first game.

It's funny how you claim a game has failed simply because it has failed to redefine the genre. How sad, time to throw out 85% of your collection.

I'm reserving judgment until my copy rests nestled in my CD tray.

 

[DTH1337]

First of all, I'm not judging the demo because I do realise that this isn't the final product. I'm simply stating some of the things that I liked and disliked. I'm hoping the final product will be good, I just don't have a good feeling about it at the moment.

Ok, now to respond to certain statements in order:

To Kopikatsu:

The drill is a dumb boss fight because you are literally FIGHTING A DRILL! A drill that apparently seems to home in on you and nothing else, not even the Necromorphs that keep coming after you (which is a little annoying).

No, there are only 2 weapons that you can hold in the demo. I don't know which demo of this game you seemed to have played, but there are only 2 weapons. Also, upper and lower parts are not weapons, they don't count as weapons.

To Nieroshai:

I'm not exactly saying that I'm expecting the game to take place in space simply because it's in the title, I'm just saying it's a little strange for this to take place entirely on a planet. It's not a bad idea, just a strange thing, but oh well. Also, I think you'll find that I said I liked the planet, it's on the list.

Maybe there weren't that many scares in the previous games, but there was certainly a lot more atmosphere.

Erm... when did I say that this game has failed simply because it has failed to redefine the genre? I was stating that the scare factor is gone, and that my fears of this simply being more action than horror were confirmed and is further proof that the horror genre is close to death, if not already dead. Also, time to throw out 85% of my collection? I'm pretty sure that 85% of my collection is more interesting than yours. At least I play more interesting games that are actually worth my time like Driver: San Francisco, XCOM, Far Cry 3, both Batman Arkham games, Dishonored, Sleeping Dogs, Just Cause 2, Rayman Origins, Sonic Generations, etc, etc. Catch my drift?

 

[The Wykydtron]

I have to agree with the scares being gone. I would say there's still jump scares but honestly, enemies LITERALLY springing out of the ground half an inch in front of you doesn't even startle me. It's so ridiculous it's almost comical. Free point blank leg shots, thanks game! A Line Gun would make them such an insane non-issue.

I was annoyed that aliens start shooting guns at you, albeit really spastically. Also the Necromorphification of random dead bodies happens in less than a second so it lacks any impact whatsoever. No Infectors taking a good few seconds for you to get a chance of stopping them. Some other infecting thing just rushes around the room instainfecting everything. /Yawn

Still fighting a drill was fucking hilarious. It was this whirling disco ball of doom that even TOOK BREAKS TO RECHARGE before going on even crazier than before. It was entertaining if nothing else.

The planet is a cool setting and will probably carry the game for me because the aesthetic of Dead Space 1 and 2 was my favourite thing about them by far, the weapon crafting was a bit obtuse but I don't download a demo to stare at menus the whole time so maybe I missed something

All in all, i'll buy it but i'm not too fussed.

 

[Full]

The cover system, Snippers McClippers, Captain of the U.S.S. Snippington

I like the cover system, it's subtle. I feel as if they had a full blown cover system like "press A to get attached to wall" I would have been legitimately pissed off. Personally I feel Visceral handled the military shooter elements as well as they could.

A drill is apparently a boss fight - Are you kidding me?

I thought that the Drill was the coolest boss fight in the series since the food storage monster. Not very difficult though, but it was on normal with fully-upgraded weapons and unlimited ammo almost. Dead Space 2 kind of lacked awesome boss fights.


I agree with the atmosphere and just overall tensity of the first two games were pretty much gone. Again, the demo was on normal with upgraded weapons, but even playing alone it still didn't have the same "I'm gonna die alone" type feeling the other games did.

However, Tao Valentis kind of had it's own cool feeling of bitterness and weight. But just not a Dead Space feeling. Almost the opposite in fact.

I'm still going to play the game, Dead Space is one of my favorite series, I'm just not going to be expecting or hoping for anything.

 

[Kopikatsu]

No, there are only 2 weapons that you can hold in the demo. I don't know which demo of this game you seemed to have played, but there are only 2 weapons. Also, upper and lower parts are not weapons, they don't count as weapons.

Shotgun-Flamethrower counts as two weapons, as does Line Gun-Rocket Launcher. And all of the other double combinations that you can make.

 

[DTH1337]

No, there are only 2 weapons that you can hold in the demo. I don't know which demo of this game you seemed to have played, but there are only 2 weapons. Also, upper and lower parts are not weapons, they don't count as weapons.

Shotgun-Flamethrower counts as two weapons, as does Line Gun-Rocket Launcher. And all of the other double combinations that you can make.

Yeah, maybe you can make combinations of weapons, but it doesn't change the fact that you only hold 2 weapons at a time and the rest you store in a safe. I do like the experimentation of weapon creation though, does sound like something to experiment with.

Oh yeah, and one last negative I would like to give about the game, even though it wasn't in the demo, but we all know the main game will have it. Microtransactions. In a game with no multiplayer, just single player and co-op. Just don't bother with the microtransactions at all.

 

[The White Hunter]

I would have really liked to have played it split screen to form a full opinion.

It was okay. I hate Dead Space 2, Dead Space 1 is okay but I got bored of it fast.

I liked weapon crafting except I very swiftly made what amounted to semi-automatic rifle that dropped pretty much every enemy in 2 shots maximum. Without dismembering them at all.

 

[serious biscuit]

A drill is apparently a boss fight - Are you kidding me?

Are you kidding me? I thought the Drill fight was hilarious and awesome.

Yeah but I wouldn't class that as an actual boss fight...It's not even a/ part of a necromorph, I'd just say it was a pretty cool event in the game to get a new way to open, but no where near a boss fight.