Dead Space slower than Resident Evil

Strategic dismemberment slows down Dead Space when compared to other survival horror games, but that's not necessarily a bad thing for the upcoming title.

Protagonist Isaac fighting creatures in the dark

Protagonist Isaac fighting creatures in the dark

Dead Space will scare the crap out of you. It is one of the goriest games I've ever seen; it boasts insanely detailed graphics; and it has an eerie soundtrack to top it off. But if you were hoping for more Resident Evil in this game, you may want to check your expectations at door.

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Slow your roll

There are two primary factors that make Dead Space not only slower than Resident Evil, but more of a challenge. After turning the corner of an alien infested space vessel, in a level I'm told was half way through the game, I was greeted by a nasty looking octopus-like creature mounted on the wall. But rather than merely gunning him down, Dead Space requires precision aiming with a variety of weapons to dismember the limbs of any alien before killing it.

The more finicky gameplay creates a greater sense of difficulty, but it also turns killing an enemy into more work, consequently slowing down the speed of play. Granted, Resident Evil and the like are by no means fast-playing games, but the ability to take down hostiles more easily keeps the action moving, unlike in Dead Space. I suspect, however, that many gamers will appreciate the aliens' resilience.

Beautifully crafted
It takes more than just heavy fire power to befell enemies

It takes more than just heavy fire power to befell enemies

In terms of presentation, EA's Alien-inspired sci-fi horror game is a looker. The third-person shooter is shiny, gritty, slimy, bloody, dark, and gruesome -- all in one. There are tight corridors, large hanger areas, and lots of corners for the infestation to conveniently hide behind. What's more, there is no default heads-up display, so nothing interferes with the impressive visuals.

Contrary to earlier reports, Dead Space will support pausing, but accessing your in-game inventory doesn't magically stop time, meaning you can still be attacked by enemies if you're not careful.

Closing thoughts

If there is one issue I took with Dead Space, in addition to the more strategic nature of kills, it was that the game feels light on ammo, at least in the E3 build I played. I'm not sure if it was my being a newbie Dead Space player, or if EA purposely limits ammo to create a greater sense of desperation. In any case, the difference is worth noting.

"Is there any feedback you'd like to offer?" producer Chuck Beaver asked me after the demo. "Yeah -- can you make my player run faster?" I responded, noting the challenging difficulty. "We'll consider it," Beaver says with a smile.

Dead Space arrives on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC on October 21.

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Comments [18]

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cmac155

this game looks alright but not my cup of tea its coool how re4 set the bar for so many games to come capcom's doing something right,now how about a port of dead rising to the ps3 cant believe its coming out on the wii of all console's

GeneralGamePlayer

we need to stop comparing games to resident evil. I'm absolutely in love with resident evil and hope they never quit making games but give other games a chance. I think Dead Space is going to be great. It's nice to have a change from Resident Evil.

pixelsword

When I think of Dead Space, I think of Dead Space...

I don't think about Resident Evil, they don't even compare... and Dead Space looks to be the more original and interesting of the two.

AANTHUNDER

pixelsword Posted at: 07/18/08 at 12:02 PM PST When I think of Dead Space, I think of Dead Space... I don't think about Resident Evil, they don't even compare... and Dead Space looks to be the more original and interesting of the two.
Dead Spce reminds me of the Dreamcast game called Carrier. Same premise, rescue mission on ship ,crew is missing and bunch of ceatures have taken over. Carrier game play was slow, characters looked like they were running 20lb. boots, weapons were almost nonexistant. Lets hope that DS is as good as it looks.

AntiAmericanArmy

This looks like it could help with the LONG wait we still have untill Resident Evil 5 comes out. I think I might rent this, it looks scary and fun. Although I still havn't rented Alone in the Dark. I played some of it at my friends house, and watched a good part of it. Hmmm??? 60$ dollars though???

greensabre

Well Resident Evil 4 is one of my all-time favorites, and I'm eagerly awaiting RE5, but I'm happy to hear that this game is sticking to its guns and not mimicking what has worked in the past. The game really reminds me of horror movies like Event Horizon and The Thing, and I much prefer to have something different along those lines than a Resident Evil clone.

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