As some may have noticed, I was absent from this site for the better part of three days. I was absent for good reason, however, as I spent the better part of those three days playing Dead Space. These are my thoughts upon completing the game:
I have heard protestations from fellow gamers that the story is plagiarized from the Halo games, and I disagree with those assertions. Let me assure you that, although there are subtle similarities between certain elements of Halo’s story and Dead Space’s story, the respective stories are markedly different.
The exclusion of a HUD is done seamlessly. The health bar and the ammo count do not litter the screen, and the inventory menu is a holographic display that does not interrupt the flow of the game. The game does not pause when you access your inventory, and I enjoyed that. The weapons and combat are fairly unique. The pulse rifle and the flamethrower are the only standard weapons in the game. The two weapons I used the most, the “line gun” and the “plasma cutter,” are actually mining tools. They shoot lines of ionized gas (plasma) that were originally meant to carve rock. The “ripper” is a remote-controlled circular saw that can also fires saw disc projectiles. The combat is also refreshingly unique. No longer is it simply point at the enemy and blast away. No, in Dead Space you must use strategy. This usually involves shooting at the legs and arms so the creature is no longer mobile. Shooting at the head and chest cavity is ineffective and a waste of ammo.
As there are many high-profile games releasing in the near-future, I understand that it may not be feasible to purchase this game. I do, however, implore all of you to at least rent this game.
