The danger of most games on the Wii is that the console itself is lacking somewhat in performance power and with a game such as Dead Space it was always a concern that the atmospheric environments could not be re-created.

 

It did not take long for me to realise that out of all of the Wii games I have played this along with Resident Evil 4 is probably the stand out title on the system in terms of how it absorbs the player in thanks to the eerie settings and stunning use of sound which comes through the Wiimote at very appropriate times without sounding like a token gesture.

 

 

Admittedly the graphics in the game are far from flawless and often have square edges rather than the rounded smoothness but this is only what can be expected with the power of the Wii. Having said this the developers have put together one of the better looking Wii games and have done a sterling job in trying to replicate the aliens featured in previous Dead Space games on other platforms and in most cases have succeeded well.

 

I do not want to dwell too much on the graphical drawbacks as this is only a minor criticism and to be honest the game offers so much in the gameplay stakes that this can easily be overlooked.

 

 

There is a tendency with many Wii games to try and make use of the uniqueness of the Wii controls by adding something different and it would be fair to say that there are many which have a good try but ultimately fail.

 

Dead Space Extraction is one of those games which uses a combination of Wiimote and Nunchuck to great effect and the controls hardly ever seem confusing allowing the action to flow smoothly. In addition the game can also be used with one of the gun peripherals which may add something to those whom like waving a plastic pistol around but in my opinion it works perfectly well using the normal controls and certainly does not spoil any aspect.

 

 

 

Whilst Dead Space Extraction has provided me with one of my most enjoyable single player experiences on the console the fun can be boosted tenfold with the excellent multiplayer.

As eluded to earlier in this review the multiplayer aspect enables two players to work together co-operatively in the various game modes and this certainly adds longevity to the game. Even once the player has completed the single player game the multiplayer simply gives yet more and encourages you to play through it again.

 

Dead Space Extraction is one of those games definitely suited to the kind of night where you have a few mates around for a games night and I can imagine that with the lights off and surround sound on this will prove to be a terrifying and enjoyable game in equal measures.

 

 

When the original Dead Space was released on the PS3 and Xbox 360 it was a real surprise hit and received a huge amount of praise. As with most games which are re-made for the Wii I was not expecting anything like what I had previously played. What I got however was a game which although differs from previous versions in terms of gameplay it certainly does not fail in the tension packed, enjoyable and fright filled stakes.

 

Whilst the game is rated as an 18 certificate I would whole heartedly recommend the game to any adults whom are looking for a game to breath new life into the Wii.

 

To sum up "Dead Space Extraction" is one of the most enjoyable Wii games I have played in a very long time and is undoubtedly one of (if not the) best games to be released on the system in 2009.

 

 

 

 

- Very atmospheric
- Excellent gameplay
- Superb use of Wii controls
- Cut scenes add a polished feel