Dead Space (no spoliarz)

I wish Gamefly would hurry up and ship this to me already, it sounds really fun. Definitely time to break out my surround headphone adapter.

Tom didn’t do the Crispy Gamer review far as I can tell.

Wow, I haven’t so totally disagreed with a review in quite a while. The quoted criticism seems to imply that the reviewer wasn’t paying attention.

Ah well, horses for courses and all that…

That review, like most things published on Crispy Gamer, is worthless.

I don’t agree with a lot of the reviewer’s (Scott Jones) takes, but the review is pretty funny and worth a read for that, if for no other reason. So it’s not entirely worthless unless you also don’t think it’s funny. Personally, I can’t quibble about much that Jones says (except Isaac’s walking speed, which is fine, not to mention his ability to also run) as he’s pretty accurate in his criticisms, it’s just that I’m enjoying what’s going on and he didn’t.

I can’t really address most of his specific criticisms since I haven’t finished the game, though his description of the opening doesn’t mirror my experience. It’s more that the review is trying way too hard. The whole thing reads like you’re being talked down to by someone that’s far more interested in proving how cool, smart and clever he is than offering meaningful criticism or insight. There are few things I find less impressive than a reviewer desperately trying to impress me.

Hmm. I didn’t get that feeling at all. I just thought the review was funny, but simply had a different take on the game than I do. Of course, like you, I haven’t finished the game yet, so I can’t effectively address Jones’ criticisms, but so far I don’t agree with his take.

Yeah, the nav beam is a great touch. Without that, the real-time-only map would just be hugely unfair.

I’m not a huge survival horror fan, but so far I’m loving Dead Space.

Even with half the lights on and just the crappy speakers in my TV, it’s super-engaging and creepy. They did an especially phenomenal job with the sound.

To be honest, I don’t even know why I’m worried - it’s a payday buy anyway!!!
Thanks for the impressions.

So my girlfriend got me this as a surprise for my b/d.
Nice going g/f!

I haven’t had a chance to play a lot but I have a few impressions -

“Tonight, we have a rilly big shew.” that was my Ed Sullivan, now on to Dead Space

Very crisp graphics. Really stunning.

Partially due to how familiar the surroundings are - by which I mean every gamer has spent some time walking through futuristic hallways and every movie goer has spent some time on derilict and totally scary spaceships (ocean ships sometimes, space stations ect) - and the great graphics, the sense of immersion is almost complete.

It took just a few minutes to get used to how big Issac was on the screen, I think he is just especially huge at first and then took up less of the screen as he got into bigger spaces, or I just got used to him. But once I was used to the perspective I really liked it.
I liked it because it strikes me that Dead Space is the most cinematic game I have ever played. I feel like one of those guys in one of those movies (almost any scary space movie because the story is so generic), moving slow, jumping at sounds, even semi freaking out when one of the monsters gets to close.

I like the melee moves too, very visceral.

Anyone know if a demo on xbox live is coming out soon?

I’m a sucker for immersive. Buying in 3 hours.

Is it just my drive / disc combination or does this game spin up way louder than most 360 games?

It’s very, very loud Jim, but I have near launch box which I am sure makes a difference.

I just started Chapter 7, and so far I like this as much as anything I have played in the last 6 months or so. Considering I am mired in the worst gaming slump of my life, this is high praise indeed.

I think what immediately drew me into the game (I have quit almost every game I have tried after about two hours for months) was how effectively the graphics, sound, and level design created a creepy, believable atmosphere. The graphics are excellent, and while the sound is a little overdone, it effectively adds to the tension. The music isn’t really notable, and the sound effects aren’t so much creepy or scary as they are absolutely unrelenting. The sound is loud, constant, thrumming, and makes it impossible to forget where you are. I love entering zero-g, and having everything go completely, utterly silent but for the sound of your own breathing in your suit. When you get into combat, you hear the low, muted thumps rather than the typical fake “loud noise in space”.

The level design has impressed me in as much as it does a good job creating areas that I think are believable as part of a massive starship. The engine room, hydroponics, even the exterior of the ship are designed well, the textures are great, and I really felt like I was in this enormous ship wandering around. I really wish it was a little more freeform so I could see more of the ship.

I like the combat a lot too-its deceptively simple at first, what with the limb shooting dynamic and the too-similar types of enemies, but the bad guys actually are different enough and mean enough as the game goes on to demand a change in tactics. I love the weapon dynamics too-they all are different enough to have strengths and weaknesses as well as being useful for different situations and enemy types. I have mostly used the plasma cutter and two other weapons you can buy early on, but the upgrade dynamic is a great touch and something I can see creating some fun and games if you are inclined to play the game over.

The objectives are overly basic and fetch-quest directed, but it hasn’t bothered me. Every objective has fit seamlessly with the story and where the characters are and what they are trying to achieve at any given moment. Yes, it’s a little frustrating that Isaac is the grunt while the others are doing some fun research and all that, but it is after all a game, so I presume we should be actively doing things while we play. I really don’t see much difference between the objectives here and those in Bioshock-I would argue that the last third of Bioshock featured objectives much more tedious than what I have seen so far in Dead Space. As KMG argued earlier, the difference is that Bioshock is a little less on-rails and offers more compelling characters and background to push you towards those objectives.

So far I am enjoying the story and am interested in finding out where they are going with it. They have hinted at some real interesting stuff and there is a creepy doctor guy that I would love to shoot with a plasma bolt, so I am eager to see what is next.

One thing definitely influenced by Bioshock that I don’t think fits very well is the cartoony, faux-50’s themed signs and notices on the walls. It made sense in Bioshock, it makes sense in Fallout 3, in Dead Space it looks like they were trying way too hard.

Good lord, you can tell I actually really like a game for the first time in months-I don’t think I’ve written this much about every other game I’ve played lately put together.

I noticed that as well, and it really doesn’t fit. But I try not to think about it, and most of the time the game does a great job of helping me with that. I’m going for just using the first weapon the entire game for my first playthrough. It’ll give me something to experiment with on hard, assuming I like the game enough by that time.

I almost wish I done that LK-my cutter is my most upgraded weapon, and I really like it, but I got very attached to the SPOILER line gun and bladesaw SPOILER so I have put a few points into each of those and use those three exclusively depending on the situation. If I do play again (and I do think that’s unlikely given my gaming slump) it would probably be exclusively with the cutter. Upgraded its awesome.

Out of curiosity, have you upgraded the suit at all? I think the air upgrade is useless, since there are only two moments in 7 chapters so far where air has been an issue, and I either had an air can or a refill station to ameliorate the problem. I am curious if the 25 extra HP is worth the three nodes that it would take to get it and was looking for some opinions on that.

Am I the only one that really likes the upgrade stuff? It’s simple, but they have arranged the nodes so that its almost impossible to overpower anything early on and you really do have to focus on 2 or at most 3 things to upgrade them effectively. That and the inventory management give me a nice, warm and fuzzy rpg feeling.

I moved my response to the “normal” DS thread, because I’m pretty sure the orthodox NO SPOILERS people are going to lose their minds in a minute.

Is it possible to go back to the original suit once you download and put on the free xbox live suit?

I haven’t tried, but I know I am unable to buy the level 2 upgrade suit now that I am wearing a level 5, so I imagine it’s impossible. The main difference is aesthetic (negative for xbox in my opinion) and inventory slots (huge positive). I kept a save before I switched in case that happened, and then I just embraced the sort of scumbag gamer I am and just saved over it.

Just beat it tonight. Overall, it was a very satisfying experience. The story was good, the final battle was good, the graphics were great, and the combat and environments remained engaging throughout.

Great game.