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