Dead Space

Dead Space is a science fiction action horror game.  It took some parts of survival horror, some action games, some science fiction references and married them all in what became a very successful title.  I've tried to play this game many times over the last few months and for some reason I just can't seem to get into it. 


I came to this console generation a bit late and there's a few titles that expectations were so high when I eventually was able to play them I just found it impossible to see what all the excitement was about.  For me the big ones have been Bioshock and Half Life 2 - but both of those I pushed through and eventually saw what everyone loved about them.  Dead Space I just couldn't find that.  


I think progressed about half way through the game, and I just got so fed up with all the linearity, jump scares, and "keep moving the cheese" style of story telling that I've just given up on it altogether.  I think I get that people really enjoy the setting, the interface style and some of the weapons or combat mechanics.  But, all those things are shown in the first hour or so of the game, after that there's just more and more of it.  I just don't think that the mechanics of the game, really give much credit to the player.


In Fallout 3, I found there was numerous instances with a similar theme to Dead Space.  You could explore some abandoned, dark, semi-scary environment.  Figuring out what horrible thing befell the people that used to live there - I never got tired of these and just kept on looking down these nasty little rabbit holes every chance I got.  I think the appeal came from that the game let me explore them - I could always leave, but stayed because of curiosity or some other force compelled me to continue.  


In Dead Space you just keep on going because there's nothing else to do.   Even if you know there's a surprise coming from behind that panel, you can't do anything about it until the game chooses to reveal it, nor can you do anything about the monster its going to put right behind you even if you know its coming.  The player is locked on that path.  


Mind you, the environments are nice, everything looks appropriately cool or scary as necessary, there's the requisite picking up of audio-logs or other collectibles.  I guess in a lot of ways I just felt that Dead Space didn't seem bad so much as it seemed old fashioned.  Players have no choices (aside from weapons), interactions/encounters are rigid and there's no real dialog.  Once you get a taste for those things in games, its hard to go back.


It felt really good to give Dead Space away and  I carry its half-finished gamerscore with pride.

Enjoy your early retirement Isaac.  


J

I must be missing something: Volume 2

Let's call this post on Dead Space the first "I must be missing something" post, because everyone seems to love that game but I really don't get it.  To me it just seems like an endless exercise in going from A to B.  Just follow the line on the ground and wait for the monsters to pop out of the vents.  Spoiler: there's always a monster in the vent.  


I'm sure we all have games like that, and my shelf seems full of them these days.  Maybe as we get older we get more particular, or grumpy or something.  But, I don't get the appeal of dead space.  


Until very recently, I thought I was missing something huge in Half Life Episode 2.  Everyone says that game is just the most incredible thing since Tetris.  But, I played it on xbox and it was a total chore to finish.   It just seemed like endless sewers, followed by an endless boat part, followed by a long driving part.  I got to the end but I couldn't even finish episode 1 and never touched episode 2.  Add Portal to that list as well, although I eventually finished it on my xbox after a long hiatus.



Gordon, don't hit me.  I'm just being honest...


After finishing the Witcher this summer (play it!), I tried HL2 Episode 1 again on my PC and I realized what I was missing.  These games are made for PC, and finally I got what everyone loves!  It wasn't slow, or dull anymore.  It played fluidly, I loved the characters, the environments and the puzzles.  I got IT! Finally.  Episode 2 was just completely awesome.  I'm looking forward to replaying Portal on my PC just to finally enjoy it.  


I've found this with all my valve games: they play way better on PC.  I'm putting off getting Portal 2 until I upgrade my PC, so that I can experience it the proper way.  It also helps that valve gives away their products on Steam for next to nothing all the time, and they support them so well.  Its PC all the way for me on those titles.


Plus, the Half Life episodes are so good.  Episode 2 is probably still better than 95% of all FPSs out there and its many many design cycles old now.  Its incredible how developers won't even try to approximate it, when they will gladly copy COD4 over and over.


Anyway, as I said at the beginning, we all have our things that we just can't understand the appeal. I bet those things say more about us than any list of favourite games ever would.


Here's a challenge to review sites - put up a list of games you just don't understand why people like.  I would love to read that, but - leave Dark Souls alone.


J

The Original Survival Horror Game

With the recent release of Dead Space 2, there's been a bit of talk wondering if it can or can not be classified as "survival horror".  The net effect is that since it presents the player with many options and encourages them to engage and defeat the enemy that it can not be.  


True survival horror must constrain the player in a seemingly inescapable environment, isolate them, and give them no or only very limited tools to which they may engage their undead pursuers (or other such enemies).  


After thinking about the above, I realized that I've just described Pacman.


Trapped in a maze, pursued by ghosts and only given very limited opportunities to engage his enemies (with the help of cherries).  Pacman must be considered one of the original survival horror protagonists.  

Pacman and Leon: the teacher and the student?


The real question now is, when can we get an unlockable Pacman character for mercenaries mode?


J