Good Grief: The Turrets of Dead Space

Ever been playing a really good game and suddenly run across a section that just makes you wonder what the designers were thinking? Maybe the plot takes a turn for the ridiculous, or maybe you run across a gameplay mechanic that seems unfinished or out of place. It doesn’t ruin the game, but it does make you wonder just who thought it was appropriate for this game.

That’s the idea behind the Good Grief feature. Basically, we look at those really bad segments or decisions in what are otherwise really good games. In the first article, David Lange explored the absurdities of the skull collecting in Halo 3. In the second, I looked at the flag collecting in Assassin’s Creed. This time, we are going to look at a gamplay decision that just jars you out of what is an otherwise immersive experience: the turret sections of Dead Space.

A Game of Precision

If you have read my review of Dead Space, you know I was rather surprised by how much I liked this game, since I am not really a fan of survival-horror games. There was something about the game that just really set it apart. The developers did a great job of setting the tone on the Ishimura, making you move carefully from corridor to corridor, expecting to be attacked at any moment. The atmosphere drew me into the game much more than I truly thought was possible.

A major part of the appeal of this game is the precision with which you have to play it. Headshots are not the goal of this game. As a matter of fact, many of the enemies in Dead Space adapt rather well if you hit them in the head. The developers called the strategy for dealing with enemies “strategic dismemberment;” since the “Necromorphs” are already dead, you have to remove enough of their limbs to render them harmless. The tools you use as your weapons force you to deal with your enemies with a precision that is almost akin to playing a puzzle game.

As you progress though the game, you become more aware of just what items and methods of attack work for what enemies. You also find yourself in a more precarious predicament: the Ishimura, a planet-cracking mining ship, is drifting into the debris of the planet it was harvesting, and the auto defense cannons that would help eliminate that debris are off line. You find yourself leading Isaac across the outside of the ship, doing your best to take cover when the debris comes your way and deal with any enemies before you run out of air as you make your way to the cannons. Once there, you are informed it will be a little time before the automated system comes back online, and so you have to take manual control of the turret and try to keep the ship from taking too much damage before the system resets. You sit down to take control…

…and all that time you spent getting immersed in the story goes right out the window.

Turret Mini-game? Really?

The first thing you notice upon taking control of the turret is how sluggish the controls are. Gone is the precision of the plasma cutter or the line gun. What you are left with is a lumbering gun that makes it really difficult to actually shoot the debris that is threatening the ship. Add to that how easy it is to overheat the guns and the fact that much of the debris has to be shot multiple times, and you have a recipe for frustration.

The horrors don’t stop there, however. You are covering a very wide area with a slow moving gun. You simply cannot shoot debris on one extreme end and then try to swing to the other side and shoot more. After your third or fourth playthru of this segment (I can almost guarantee you will play it that many times through), you learn it’s not a matter of keeping the debris from hitting the ship; it’s a matter of keeping too much debris from hitting the ship. You will learn to not worry about the smaller pieces that are on the extreme ends of the screen, as it is a better idea to let them hit you than miss the larger pieces that can really cause damage. Maybe the designers intended to force you into making this choice. I sure hope not, however. That would almost be sadistic.

To add insult to injury, you are in communication with Zach Hammond, the security officer who is trying to activate the automated defenses, during this segment. He keeps telling you he needs just a little more time, and about the third time he tells you this, you start to think he is a blithering idiot who could not restore the automated defenses if his life depended on it, which it does. What’s worse that making you feel like you are caught in a hopeless situation? Continually giving you false hope that things will be getting better soon.

It seriously took me about ten times to finally get past this segment on my first playthru. I almost stopped playing the game; it just seemed so out of place it what up to that point had been a very enjoyable experience. It did not take long, however, for the atmosphere and return of the precision gameplay to draw me back in.

At least until the next turret section.

That’s right! As if this first atrocity was not bad enough, the developers decided you needed to use another turret to deal with one of the larger enemies in the game. I was so close to walking away from Dead Space when I saw that second turret, but I decided to give it a chance. I was pleasantly surprised to find this segment was not nearly as bad as the asteroid defense section, but it still really does not fit the rest of the gameplay.

Perseverance Pays Off

In the end, I am glad I muscled my way through these two really bad segments of gameplay. If I had not, I would have missed out on what was really one of the more inventive games of 2008. Dead Space‘s use of zero-g segments, creepy atmosphere that keeps you on your toes and intense battles make it a game any sci-fi or survival-horror fan really should experience. I am even really looking forward to playing the sequal.

I can only hope the designers will not include any turret segments in Dead Space 2.

Retail Rewind: Dead Space

Last year was a huge year for games. Grand Theft Auto 4, Fallout 3, Fable 2, Gears of War 2, Little Big Planet…the list of great games in 2008 goes on and on. In the midst of trying to save up for all the big titles, it is easy for gamers to miss some of the non AAA titles liek Dead Space.

I have to admit, I was not interested in playing this game at all at first. If I had not seen the game in action on my friend’s PS3, I probably never would have rented it from Gamefly. I put the game in Saturday night thinking I would play it for a bit and then send it back.

Imagine my surprise when, several hours later, I was having to pry myself away from the game so I could get to bed.

Dead Space’s stunning graphics, unique gameplay and creepy feel make it a game worth giving a second look.

So what makes the game so much fun? Addicting gameplay surrounding the “strategic dismemberment,” forcing you to learn how to take out the variations of necromorph. Inventive puzzle solving taking advantage of zero g and vacuum conditions. Inventive weapons add to the mix, and the great if not extremely original story and haunting atmosphere will keeping you wanting to “complete just one more chapter.”

As good as Dead Space is, the game is not without it’s faults. The guideline your main character can call up to lead you to your next destination does not work well in zero g areas. There are times where the overall precise controls break down a bit, like when trying to use your kinetic energy device to plug in batteries for broken electrical systems or an asteroid defense segment that was nearly a game killer for me (don’t worry, the rest of the game makes this horrid part worth slogging through). Also, there is what should have been a twist in the story, but the names of the achievements kind of gave it away.

All in all, Dead Space is a great game. One word of warning, though: the game is rated M for a reason. It is dark, gratuitously gory and in no way intended for kids.

Dead Space is defenitely worth playing if you missed it the first time arround. It’s not for everyone, but it if you can take the grim storyline and want to know just what it would be like facing an alien undead horde, I think you will enjoy it.

Dead Space

With so many games safely hiding behind their sequels does EA’s new IP have what it takes to deserve your hard earned dollar?

EA, in recent years, has positioned itself as a brand gamers love to hate. Micro-transaction fiascoes coupled with annual title releases, ad-nausea, give you the feeling EA has gone to the well too many times. Dead Space is definitely a step in the right direction for EA. Brand new IP’s are few and far between these days, which is why Dead Space is a welcomed entry into the survival horror genre, however new and interesting does not always equate to worth playing. Is Dead Space worthy of finding a place in your game library? Let’s find out!

On the surface, the story masquerades itself as a throw away. Gigantic interstellar space ship gets taken over by an alien life form that threatens the human race, Event Horizon anyone? Dig a little deeper and the story becomes very intriguing, with details begging to be discovered (I’ll leave that up to you). You take control of Issac Clarke (clever combination of science fiction writers Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke) a futuristic engineer sent on a routine maintenance trip to the USG Ishimura. The “planet cracker” known as the USG Ishimura harvests precious raw materials from planets throughout the galaxy, aka mammoth sized space craft. Along for the ride is token pretty girl/technical specialist Kendra Daniels and hardened security office Zach Hammond. Both supporting characters lend to the story nicely, never feeling out of place. Isaac’s love interest is also stationed on the ship which adds to the tension. After executing a less than desired landing on the USG Ishimura you quickly realize all is not well.

Dead Space sends a clear message right from the start. You are the prey not the predator. These predators, kindly referred to as Necromorphs, are mutations of their human carriers sporting organic, razor sharp limbs. Rather than a traditional headshot, Necromorphs must be relieved of their aforementioned limbs, know as “Strategic Dismemberment.” The AI is extremely resourceful and intelligent. During the early stages of the game I found myself running low on ammo and trying to flee the scene. Retreating into a previous “safe room” proved fatal, as the Necromorphs can take advantage of the ships ventilation system and track you down. Which is a nice change from the enter room, kill everything, door magically opens mechanic of several games. Not to mention, when the AI feels out manned they will retreat into these vents for a strategic flanking maneuver. Controlling Isaac takes a little practice but those used to Resident Evil 4 will have no problem as the controls closely mirror Capcom’s gem. Unlike Resident Evil 4, Isaac’s movement is very agile and responsive; you never feel like a lumbering tank trying to adjust position. Dead Space is devoid of any HUD system which really adds to the immersion of the game. Everything you need to be aware of is displayed on Isaac’s gear or from holographic images, all in real time. Weapons are not your standard fare either, consisting of engineering tools rather than traditional firearms. One unique tool, known as the ripper, suspends a rotating saw blade perfect for slicing and dicing Necromorphs. Projectile weapons are not your only resource; the stasis module grants the ability to slow enemies and objects allowing for some nice puzzle solving scenarios. The kinesis module allows Isaac to pickup and shoot objects, a la Half-Life 2’s gravity gun. Weapon and gear upgrades are handled through “work benches” spread within the game world. Power nodes are required in order to upgrade your equipment which can be found or purchased in the various store locations. Zero-gravity sections are dispersed throughout the story leading to some very interesting and exciting game play moments.

Everything about Dead Space screams polish. The visuals are amazing, the audio is incredible and the lighting is some of the best I have seen. Due yourself a favor, play this game with the lights off and the volume cranked to 11, your neighbors will forgive you someday. After completing the game, around 10 hours, you next play though keeps your current upgrades. One major design flaw; is the inability to change the difficulty level while keeping your upgrades. I still can’t understand why EA would cripple this particular feature.

All in all Dead Space in a refreshing new look at the survival horror genre. If grinning from ear to ear, while your heart is pounding out of your chest sounds like good fun, then look no further. Don’t get me wrong it is not without its faults. For many the lack of multiplayer, amount of backtracking (which fits within the story), and numerous you fixed this, now this is broken moments may deter you. Another thing worth mentioning is how the difficulty level is handled. Hard is the new normal. If you are looking for a challenge start there, while the normal difficulty will satisfy the casual gamer. I encourage you to look past the flaws as clearly Dead Space was developed by gamers for gamers. This game is easily a rental, if survival horror is your thing, you can feel confident in adding it to your game library.