Zombie Action-Galaxy 3

Game: Dead Space 3

Systems: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Release: January 2013

Issac Clark and company are back for another space zombie adventure. Unfortunately fans of the first two games may be disappointed with the latest installment. The franchise has shifted heavily towards the action genre. Gone are the horror soaked atmospheres and schizophrenic hallucinations of old. Instead players are given shootouts, explosions, and the worst story of the series.

Dead Space 3 is not a bad game. The mechanics are solid. The new weapon building system is intriguing, and co-op is always fun in my book. Sound and graphics are top notch. Yet looking past all the polish fans will notice something is missing. The core that defined this franchise has been replaced with something foreign.

Starting with the story. The Dead Space universe consists of two major organizations Earth Gov and the crazed religious cult Unitologists. In the latest game the Unitologists have taken over releasing Markers (the items that creates the Necromorphs aka space zombies) all across the galaxy. Earth Gov is pretty much non-existent, and Markers are now more common then 7-Eleven's.

Unlike the last few games there is no mystery. No back and forth between government officials and cult members. The story moves from one explosion to the next while pushing a terrible love triangle peppered with a dash of bromance.

Ellie makes a return, and Issac's dead wife seems to be finally gone. Ellie and Issac have a romantic past, but she is currently seeing a solider named Norton. Of course Norton and Issac are butt hurt that Ellie has slept with more then one dude. The whole situation is like a bad soap opera.

The other characters are only around to spit out tech jargon, and provide Issac with additional tasks. Laughter spewed forth whenever one of them inevitably died because Issac acted like he cared so deeply for each of them. With the exception of Ellie, Issac just meet the entire cast. Hard to believe he'd be all choked up after all the shit he's been through. The bad acting doesn't help either. I felt like I was watching the South Park episode "Lice Capades".

Carver (another solider who is the second playable character in co-op) is probably my favorite , but even he has the most random lines. Towards the end of the game he asks Issac, "Does this make up for all the bad that I've done?" Uh, I guess? Who cares. There's more space zombies to shoot.

The co-op is actually really fun, but again it doesn't feel like Dead Space. Going around with your buddy makes you feel less vulnerable. You go from Ripley to a pair of Rambo's. Your inventory is saved/used for all modes i.e. it's the same no matter who's game your in. This makes it easy to collect a lot of supplies, which also hinders the whole survival horror aspect.

Additionally, the third game lacks any real mental struggles. The random schizophrenic hallucinations seen in the other tittles helped with the pacing and kept things interesting. Issac was going bat shit crazy in the past, but this time around he seems like a depressed loser. A glorified Mr. Fix-it who's out to save the universe because his ex-girlfriend asked him to.

If you can get past the terrible story, and don't care for the franchises survival horror aspect, then Dead Space 3 maybe right for you. Crafting weapons is pretty rad. One of my favorites is the rivet sub-machine gun connected to a device that hovers spinning buzz saws in front of you. The action segments are not as memorable as the other games, but they are fun. Co-op is also a neat addition to the franchise. All in all Dead Space 3 has a lot to offer despite its short comings, and continues to be one of my favorite series from Electronic Arts.

Top 5 Games of 2011

Starting 2012 by looking back at 2011. Here are my top 5 games of last year. Remember this is my top 5. Check that nerd rage at the door.

5) LA Noire

Set in post World War II Los Angeles, LA Noire tells the story of Detective Phelps. Atypical gameplay mechanics have players finding clues and integrating people in addition to the traditional driving and shooting. State of the art video capturing, and excellent acting from numerous celebrities also made this tittle stand out from the rest. Rockstar continues to prove that the Grand Theft Auto formula can be tweaked to create new, yet familiar, experiences. 

4) Modern Warfare 3

The good stuff keeps on getting better. The single player comes to a satisfying conclusion. Spec Ops adds a new game mode called Survivor, and Multiplayer sees some welcome changes. All the while it maintains the level of excellence fans have come to expect from Call of Duty.  

3) Deadspace 2

This action packed survivor horror started 2011 off right. Issac Clark's nightmare continues, but this time he's on a space colony. The larger environment compliments the deeper story--thanks in part to Issac finding his voice. Improved gameplay mechanics and edge of your seat encounters are also sure to please horror and shooter fans alike.




2) Portal 2

The most creative game of the year. Valve took the ideas from the first Portal to new heights. Expanding on the story behind Aperture Labs, players are treated to another round of puzzles and sarcastic robots. Co-op adds another delicious layer to this already awesome cake. My only gripe is the low replay value. The game looses its charm when you know all the answers. 

1) Batman: Arkham City

Surprise surprise. My top pick is Batman: Arkham City. Rocksteady took everything that made the first game great and made it even better. A larger sandbox dilutes the narrative, but the sheer volume of content makes up for it. New game plus and the challenges will keep me playing this game for years to come. 

Crazy Engineers and Space Zombies

Game: Dead Space 2

System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Release: January 2011

In Barack Obama's State of the Union, he urged Americans to praise the nerdy kids. Why? Because they're the ones who are going to grow up and solve all the worlds problems. So give more credit to those geeky engineers and scientists. Well Mr. President, Dead Space 2 took your message to heart.

Issac Clark is the most badass engineer I have ever seen. Not since Gordon Freeman has a dork endured so much action. Dragged through tunnels and hurled into space? No problem. Drill through a mine so you can crash into the sealed-off government section? Cinch! Impale a necromorph onto a glass window so it shatters and decompresses the room? Achievement unlocked!


Ok ok enough of the silly protagonist praising. Issac Clark returns in another adventure more fucked up then the last. He survived the events on the Ishimura just to wind up in a straitjacket. Instead of a ship he is trapped on the Sprawl, a densely populated metropolis built on a shard of Titan, one of Saturn's moons. Once again he has to differentiate between those who want to manipulate him and those who just want to get out alive. Once again the religious zealots are going nuts and trying to bring about a space zombie apocalypse. And once again it's up to Issac to destroy the Marker--source of all the bad juju.

Yes the plot follows the same pattern of the first game. This does not mean that the game is boring and repetitive. New characters and setting are more then enough to freshen things up. This cookie cutter plot is also well done thanks in part to Issac finding his voice, and well performed acting by non-playable characters.

The new gameplay mechanics are also rock solid. Kenesis returns from the first game with a new twist. The technique can be used to impale enemies with rods, spikes, or claws. New weapons also add to the carnage, but I found myself sticking to the Ripper and Plasma Cutter. The later has a new special ability that adds fire damage--sweet! The best change, however, is Issac no longer has to lunge in zero gravity. He now has thrusters that can easily move him around in any direction. This is truly a delight because the controls are so smooth, and the level design is well thought out.

Dead Space 2 is one of those games I can play again and again. The action is so intense that it literally leaves me on the edge of my seat. The story is not original, but it is very well executed. The added improvements to gameplay are awesome, and there is even a multiplayer that I haven't had a desire to play. I'm having too much fun with the single player. Snerts Snazzy Score grants Dead Space 2 the top honors--Full Price!

Dead Space

Game: Dead Space

System: Xbox360, PS3, PC

Release: October 2008

Electronic Arts has taken numerous risks during 2008 on new intellectual properties (IP). One of these original games, Mirror’s Edge, received an impressive 4 out of 5. It provided an entertaining change of pace that attempted to bring acrobatic plat-forming to the first person perspective. Another new IP was Army of Two which failed miserably to deliver a new spin on the third person shooter. Sure the game had some strong points, but it can’t hold a candle to Gears of War. The last new IP, that I had a chance to play, was Dead Space; a solid survivor horror game that has won numerous awards for its sound and atmosphere. Out of all the new IP’s mentioned, Dead Space is arguably the most successful.

Dead Space provides an awesome single player experience despite having a rudimentary plot. The main character is a silent engineer named Isaac Clarke. He is on a repair mission with a small crew to help the USG Ishimura. This large mining ship “cracks” planets for precious metals, but has mysteriously fallen silent—much like the protagonist. To add a personal touch Isaac’s significant other is on the beleaguered ship. Of course the docking procedure goes horribly wrong, nasty alien creatures attack, and the fight for survival begins.
The story is just strong enough to push you through to the next level. The gameplay and atmosphere, however, are solid. Isaac’s slow movements match his somewhat heavy appearance. Conversely the enemies are fast and vicious. This sets an awesome tone for the overall feel of the game. There are also numerous sections where you are in a total vacuum, and the change in sound creates an extremely believable experience. Other areas have no gravity, and players get to jump from wall to wall to complete objectives. Even one of the epic boss fights takes place in zero gravity creating an intense and memorable experience. This game goes out of its way to ensure that players will never forget that they are on a cursed space ship.

To maintain the immersion the UI is presented through a series of in-game holograms. The visual appeal of this interface is fantastic, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it employed in other games. Weapons are diverse, and like most survival horror games supplies are limited. Adding to the suspense, and utilizing the alt fire feature, is the use of severing limbs to quickly take down enemies. Throw in a telekinesis ability for moving objects, and a stasis technique for some crowd control, and you have Dead Space’s gameplay in a nutshell.

Dead Space does an excellent job providing an intense sci-fi horror experience. The plot is generic, but the overall presentation is spectacular. The boss fights are epic, the zero gravity and vacuum sections are a blast, and UI is simply wonderful. Replay value is driven with second play-throughs where players keep power ups from a previously completed game. Snerts Snazzy Score grants Dead Space 4.9 out of 5.