Video Game Vintage Title: Dead Space 3

Dead Space 3

Dead Space 3 is a third-person shooter/survival horror video game developed by Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts. Announced at E3 2012 on June 4, 2012 and released internationally in February 2013, it is the sequel to Dead Space 2 and the third main entry in the Dead Space series.

Primarily set on the frozen planet of Tau Volantis, the game follows protagonists Isaac Clarke and John Carver as they attempt to end the Necromorph threat once and for all.

Dead Space 3 Gameplay

Dead Space 3 puts returning protagonist Isaac Clarke and new co-op character Sgt. John Carver against the Necromorphs, human corpses reanimated by the signal of an alien artifact known as the Marker. The Resource Integration Gear (RIG) suit returns, using holographic displays projected from the players' suit and weapons to display health and ammo count, respectively. In vacuum areas, a timer will appear on the player's right shoulder, indicating how much oxygen that character has left before they suffocate.

Isaac and Carver can now roll and take cover to avoid attacks. This new ability was described by a Visceral Games developer as essential, as it "felt dumb/terrible not to have it" and that they have been "making Isaac more responsive", as they "want the horror to come from the terrible things that happen in the game; not from the horror that something is moving slowly towards you and you can't shoot it because the game controls like a piece of crap." The cover system is also described as "organic" in nature; for example, the player does not need to "walk up to certain tagged things and press the cover button; Clarke or Carver just does the action that is appropriate for the given situation."

Aside from the returning Necromorphs, Dead Space 3 features a large cast of new enemies. One example is the Waster, whose attacks change depending on how it is dismembered; while another is the Nexus, an insect-like giant that can crush or swallow people whole. Other obstacles in Dead Space 3 include a new human enemy, Unitologist soldiers; and environmental hazards like falling machinery and a giant mining drill.

The Bench weapon upgrade system from Dead Space and Dead Space 2 has been redesigned as a new upgrading system called the "Weapon Bench". Here, players are able to construct new weapons from parts gathered throughout the game. The bench provides two main frames to start with�a light one-hand frame and a heavy two-hand frame�and players can build new weapons and put two weapons together (for example, a plasma cutter and a flamethrower). Examples of weapon functions include an electric rivet gun and an incendiary buzzsaw launcher. If a player does not want to build a weapon from scratch, they can choose from ready-made blueprints, including classic Dead Space and Dead Space 2 weapons. Built weapons can also be shared in co-op mode.

Reception
Dead Space 3 received generally positive reviews. Game Informer gave the game 9.75/10 saying, "Dead Space 3 evolves the winning formula into a title not only befitting of the fantastic series, but also one of the best games of this generation." Polygon gave the game 9.5/10 saying, "Visceral hasn't just avoided screwing up its game with co-op � it has made it feel natural and at home, and has done it without impacting the single-player experience in any negative way. That alone would be enough to make Dead Space 3 an achievement. But the new crafting system and bigger, more open level structure join co-op to make Dead Space 3 one of the best action games in years."

GameSpot gave the game 8/10 saying, "This is a game rife with options and flexibility, building on the strengths of the franchise with clever new ideas that let you tailor the experience to your liking. It hits a few sour notes in its story and struggles at times when it steps away from the core combat, but Dead Space 3 is a thrilling and worthwhile sequel." Hardcore Gamer gave it 4/5 saying, "Sure, it has a larger scope and a more intriguing storyline, but there are some questionable design choices mixed in with the thought of d�j� vu. Regardless, Dead Space 3 retains its horror brilliance in offering a moody, atmospheric adventure full of exciting events." Destructoid gave the game 8/10, stating "Dead Space 3 could have been the best entry in the series, and in many ways, it still does provide some of the franchise's most energetic, thrilling, entertaining moments. The changes thrown into the game inevitably damage its charm, though, and make this a step down from its prequels." GamesTM had a list of pros and cons, summing up with "boss fights in Dead Space 3 are particularly forgettable, while the narrative occasionally lacks the courage of its convictions and the end-game reveal is a little too ludicrous to take seriously...where the new concepts work, they add to the solid core and are enhanced by Visceral�s excellent pacing and its impeccable audio and visual design work, not to mention what remains the best HUD design in all of video games."

Official Xbox Magazine (UK) gave the game 7/10, "Most of the things fans loved about the original are here, and the new features are cleverly mixed with the existing ones, but in terms of the structure, Visceral is treading water. Dead Space isn't dead by any means, but the spark isn't quite there." Eurogamer gave the game 7/10, saying "Dead Space 3 is a contradiction. Gorgeous but scruffy; tightly packed yet stretched too thin; often frustrating, frequently thrilling and bursting at the seams with stuff, not all of which fits comfortably inside the boundaries the series has set for itself. It's certainly not a great game, except perhaps as a poster child for the kitchen-sink development mentality of a console generation in its twilight months." Edge gave Dead Space 3 a 7/10, saying "The sense of immersion is about as unparalleled as you can get... But the campaign feels overlong and stretch marks begin to appear towards the end of the roughly 20-hour adventure. This game could have benefited from some strategic dismemberment of its own, performed by a shrewd editor who knows how to sever redundant limbs."

VideoGamer gave the game a 5/10, "Dead Space 3 is a let down because it's not a very good action game, and a really substandard horror game. It is devoid of ideas, hung up on laborious combat and obsessed with making even the exciting seem boring. In truth, it's a bit of a shocker."