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DEAD SPACE: EXTRACTION REVIEW Posted by PlayDevil.com Staff on Nov 20, 2009 11:48 (Nov 20, 2009 11:48) |
Written by: Mark
 Dead Space:
It would be fair to say that the majority of Xbox 360 and PS3 games which have made the transition to the Nintendo Wii have not always been made a flawless step and often have been disappointing affairs.
With this in mind it was with slight trepidation that I fired up the Wii version of the surprise 360 and PS3 hit Dead Space, entitled "Dead Space Extraction". Obviously I was knew that the game would feature a number of changes but being quite a fan of the original game I was still hoping that the game would maintain the edge of the seat tension and various scary moments.
What I never expected was a game which acted as a prequel to the previously released game and this time played as an on rails light gun style blaster with a few twists along the way. Needless to say I was somewhat surprised with the outcome and what a pleasant surprise it was!
Game modes:
'Dead Space Extraction' has been broken up into three different game modes the first of which is the excellent story mode which sees the player attempting to guide four survivors through the different and well presented chapters in the game. As you progress the player is graded based on how well they have done throughout and this leads to upgrades awarded which enables the player to boost their abilities for future plays.
 Secondly is the challenge mode which to put it simply is a shooting range as the player has to fight off endless swarms of aliens to gain the highest scores possible.
Finally we have the very enjoyable co-op play which enables two players to work co-abortively throughout the various in game stages and like other games such as the excellent House Of The Dead Overkill works very well and adds an immense enjoyment to the package.
Gameplay:
I started this review by saying that the game was a light gun shooter with a twist and that is exactly what it is with the twist being that instead of simply blasting your way through to progress you also have to interact with the environment.
In comparison to other light gun based games the action in Dead Space Extraction is not as frantic as the enemies do not constantly attack. This allows for more exploration and certainly adds tension as this makes you unsure just when the next attack will happen.
The action is interspersed with some tension packed cut scenes which further adds to the atmosphere in the game and although some players may find the odd one or two a little on the long side they never feel out of place and certainly give the game a more polished feel.
To add to the usual weaponry the game features some pretty cool items which can be collected and theses make for some very enjoyable battles. In addition the player also has a telekinesis ability to allow them to move items with their mind. This is useful particularly for moving objects, opening doors, clearing paths and most importantly throwing items. Needless to say that this too works well and never once feels out of place in the game.
 Probably the most interesting aspect is the dual fire ability which is determined by how the player holds the Wiimote. The primary weapon is fired by holding the controls as you would on most games where as a secondary line gun which shoots a laser beam is achieved simply with a twist of the wrist and turning the control on it’s side. To say that this is a stroke of genius could be an understatement and certainly shows the efforts put into to making the game as good as it is!
The one drawback regarding the gameplay is that the AI of the console controlled players is not too great and when it comes to the action it seems that all of the killing is left to you. Whilst this can be expected it would have been nice to get a little support in the more difficult fights.
There is no denying that Dead Space Extraction is a tension filled, exciting rollercoaster ride and I struggle to thing of many current games available on the system which offers this level of enjoyment and playability.
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Nov 21, 2009 18:25:28 (Nov 21, 2009 18:25)
