1UP: Dead Space Afterthoughts

[Emabulator]

1UP has done a postmortem interview with EA Redwood Shores executive producer Glen Schofield. The subject at hand is their new survival-horror game, Dead Space.

1UP: It seems that fewer publishers are taking chances on original intellectual properties these days. Did this make Dead Space a hard sell?

Glen Schofield: Not really. It wasn't easy, but I talked with the execs about the concept, and it was a solid idea -- a known yet underdeveloped genre, in my opinion, and one which Electronic Arts wasn't in yet. There was also a groundswell of talk within the company that we needed more new IPs. They also saw the passion the team had for making this game, and that goes a long way. Put these things together and it's a daring call to green light a game like this. But everyone was on board. Once people saw our first playable vertical slice [of the game], I think they all breathed a huge sigh of relief, knowing we made the right call.
Warning: The interview (http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3172279) contains some spoilers.

[Greeble]

Dead Space was great. The only thing I really would have changed was to make the flamethrower not useless and to have Issac speak/react more.

[Emabulator]

Dead Space was great. The only thing I really would have changed was to make the flamethrower not useless and to have Issac speak/react more.The flamethrower was useless. I used the ripper much of the time, it kicks ass for up close slaughter. :D

Overall I do love the game though. There's a great atmosphere, good action and intuitive puzzles.

[Rafer]

I think the sequel would be better served if they didn't make it a direct sequel but more something "thematically related" like the interviewer suggests.

I think a lot of survival horror games (and movie series as well) lose their power to scare after the first 1 or 2 installments because the horror gets too familiar, it's the same monsters over and over and you don't have that sense of mystery or that fear of the unknown because you already know the backstory.

[Apushmataha]

I'm glad they agreed that the turret stuff was a little tough. I thought it was just me sucking.:D

[Wyrm]

I thought Dead Space was a fantastic action game with survival horror trappings. The environments, especially the zero g and no-oxygen parts, were extremely well done. A game without much combat, more in the vein of the first Resident Evil, where those puzzles are expanded, more numerous, and more difficult, is the game I want to see it become. I like the dismemberment gameplay, but I didn't buy Dead Space to play an action game, and they did not advertise it as one.

Of course, the survival horror elements do tend to work better at higher difficulties, but I found that I could power up one or two weapons all the way, and horde ammo for them easily enough that I was never hurting too bad to shoot at things. And the kinetic stuff was kind of arbitrary, but at least they let you use it to do some pretty cool puzzles.

All in all, I'd happily buy a sequel, provided they give us more of everything, except action. I think there is plenty of that already. I want some different gameplay elements, like the turret part, except not so shitty. That part was difficult and not fun, at least for me.

[92miata]

still waiting to try this one. waiting for the bargin bin. this is still one of the games i think of daily, can't wait until i can afford it!!!!!

[drakkarim]

loved the game, speaking of which, i have the ultra rare edition up for sale on ebay if anyone got their tax rebate check early ;)

[Bacarat]

Dead space was a solid game. Loved it. Dont cry about the turret part tho it wasn't that hard, I love how anytime there is a bit of difficulty in a game people complain about it.....

[riposte101]

Dead Space was one of my favorites from last year. Once I bought the line cutter, I ruined a lot of the challenge. That gun is overpowered.

[Emabulator]

Dead Space was one of my favorites from last year. Once I bought the line cutter, I ruined a lot of the challenge. That gun is overpowered.That is a devastating weapon. It's like a triple barreled shotgun with range.

[Ozena]

Dead Space is definitely among my favorites from 2008, and ranks up their in all-timers, too. I had a blast with the game and I'll for sure go back to it eventually.

Beating a dead horse here, but I gotta say it. The stupid asteroid part brought an otherwise phenomenal game down a peg or two. Even if it wasn't so damned frustrating, I still hate segments like that.

[vallor]

Dont cry about the turret part tho it wasn't that hard, I love how anytime there is a bit of difficulty in a game people complain about it.....

I don't know how any sane or rational person can defend the turret experience. Someone musta gotten dropped on their head a lot as a child and was told it built character to have brain damage.

The turret was the lamest gameplay-system I have seen and I nearly put down the game right there (with the possible exception of the CoD:WoW tank mission "look, we can do smoke and dust particle clouds... A LOT OF EM!"). Difficulty is one thing, ultra-lame mechanics are entirely different. I know people that quit playing at the turret. That is a customer lost forever for pretty much any new products for that franchise because the dev can't implement decent controls and apparently decided not to run that little piece of crap through a usability group.

I was totally into the game (playing at night with all the lights out... the only way to play Deadspace!). When I saw that turret thoughts of Starwars came rushing in. I couldn't wait. Then I played it, and lost. Then lost again, and again, and again. And then some more, then some more. Finally I managed to beat it on about the 20th try and instead of a rush of joy or triumph I just felt relief that I got to the save device quickly enough. That fucker needs to learn better how to estimate time "One more minute and I'll have it" my ass.

My enjoyment of the game was trashed at that point, plus the difficulty ramp up in general during chapters 5+. I am gunshy of investing a bunch more time in a game that may have other as poorly thought out systems as the turrets.

I already pretty much figured out the story (though I am not going to spoiler sites just in case) but at the rate I play after the turret I may never finish the game. From what I understand that is a shame.

[Brinstar00]

I was playing on normal and beat the turret on the first try with 47 % shields left. I had more trouble beating the slug boss though. Great game! Really enjoyed it although I was dissappointed at the end because I wanted the feel good ending.