Dead Space 3 demo thoughts - Strategically dismembering its roots

Going into the demo of Visceral Games’ latest title, “Dead Space 3,” I had the mind set that I would like it. Even while playing it I told myself that I was enjoying it and that all its shiny new additions were worthwhile.

After playing the demo a few times and thinking back on the first two games in the series, I’m not entirely sure I agree with my initial notions.

I’ll do my best not to give into the rampant overreaction the internet seems to have had to “Dead Space 3.” With the introduction of a cover system, microtransactions and co-operative play, many people claimed that Electronic Arts and Visceral Games were throwing out what made the series great in favor of including popular gaming trends.

After playing the demo a few times, I can say that the atmosphere of “Dead Space 3” is definitely not as claustrophobic or as innately scary as previous titles. I can’t put my finger on why exactly but a big reason is the setting of the game – the frozen planet of Tau Volantis – just doesn’t feel like a “Dead Space” setting. But more than that, the action of this title is quicker too, making it feel like more of a straight up action game than a series that started out as a scare-filled survival horror game. The increased pace also comes with another, somewhat unnecessary addition – fighting humans. Though fighting Necromorphs has always required good aim and a fast trigger finger, taking on human characters feels awkward to me. Luckily, the new cover system actually works surprisingly well and also includes the ability to crouch. I’ve also noticed that, in the demo at least, Clarke was limited to two weapon slots, rather than four. However, when you consider that created weapons can all make use of an alternate fire weapon, creating two super-weapons is basically like having four guns.

This brings me to the most important addition to “Dead Space 3,” one that actually expands on the core ideas of the series, an in-depth weapon crafting system. Rather than just using found weapons, Isaac Clarke can now create a multitude of new weapons with just a few different parts. Weapons are based around either being one-handed or two-handed and can feature secondary fire as well as pieces which can augment the power and abilities of your base weapons. It’s actually a very deep system that rewards experimentation by allowing you to reuse pieces rather than penalizing you for trying out combinations . The new crafting mechanic also encourages more exploration to scrounge for new parts.  Though the some weapons feel overpowered, I eventually came to realize that their power is balanced by deadlier Necromorphs and an overall quicker pace to the action.

While I can’t speak on the microtransactions first hand (having been a demo and all), I can say I’m not sure why they were needed. The “Dead Space” series has always been about tense, close-quarters survival-horror action and giving gamers the ability to spend real money on more powerful equipment kind of reduces any tension or fear of running out of ammo during a fight.

I also didn’t try the co-op, but I can’t see how including it will be a burden to the series. Yes, having someone to watch your back would significantly cut down on the scares but it seems that the series is moving away from a strictly survival-horror vein anyway. The horror aspect of “Dead Space 3” seems to come more from the ghoulish monsters you’ll battle and less from the atmosphere of creepy environments or the fear of running out of ammo. But, you could always just play the game solo and still experience the same story since it is still very much about Isaac Clarke.

After playing the demo, I was impressed with its detailed visuals and outdoor environments but still not quite thrilled with the move toward more action and away from survival horror elements. The tense, corridor shooting of the first and second titles, where conserving ammo and picking your battles are keys to surviving, are now replaced with copious amounts of ammo and uber-powerful weapons. The giant boss battles remain, mixed in with liberal use of Quick Time Events, but unfortunately these elements of the game seem to take precedence over presenting a genuinely scary experience.

Considering the reviews I’ve read and the demo I’ve played, I’m thinking that waiting until “Dead Space 3” is available at a discounted price might be the best idea.