Game EXP: Deadspace (PS3)

(Deadspace!  you can also read Jaconian's 2013 review of Deadspace )



I’m having a hard time writing a game exp about Deadspace.  And I think I know what the reason is, and it’s a complaint I have a lot with games:  It was too long.  I was having a great time for the first 3/4 of the game, I had the impression I was getting close to the end, and then it was another 3 hours before it actually ended.  The game became a little bit of a chore at the end. 

This is really frustrating because I really liked Deadspace!  It had excellent design, I really enjoyed running around a giant  industrial spaceship.  It was evocative of all of my favorite space/horror films.  It was terrifying!  The sounds kept me on edge or scared me half to death. I actually played the game on ‘super easy’ mode at times because the sound was often turned down (Jane couldn't stand the sound of it).  

I actually enjoyed a lot of the non-combat missions, I think in part because they slotted well into the great sci-fi imagery.  Starting up engines and the like.  Fitting space contraptions into other space contraptions.  Glowing lights.  Good times. 

***Okay, time for some spoilers.  Spoilers, spoilers spoilers, you got that?  Big time spoilers. ***

The final task I thought was really cool too.  Physically moving the artifact to return it to its home.  Unfortunately, this is also where some burnout happened.  Once I had like the third wave of baddies to fight against, slowing the process down, making it into a chore.  It because just another cycle of what the game had shown me dozens of time already:  Non-combat task broken into steps by waves of enemies.  In the middle of the game, I had no problem with this.  But by the end I just wanted to finish the damned thing, and these enemies were only annoying and not fun. 

I think this was especially annoying because I really loved the twist: the idea that ‘make us whole again’ was a real plea, and not a sinister mind game.  I thought it was a fantastic twist, but it was really disrupted by enemy attacks.  I had hoped maybe they would just let the final push of the artifact be allowed to just breathe, and be a real scene with some real catharsis.  The moments surrounding the final stage were the best in the game, I thought.  I even felt pretty bad killing the final boss. 

I didn’t really need the final twist of ‘you’re actually crazy isaac’ –  it kinda fell flat.  It seemed pretty clear that doctor-lady was only vaguely real at best.  In addition, Isaac was such a total non-character, that I thought he might be an android for like half the game.  It seemed like he lived to follow orders and didn’t have anything to add to any of the conversation.  The same is true of doctor-lady who, we are told, loves Isaac.  There was the message at the beginning, but it made virtually no impact on me.  And her appearance in the actual game was only occasional, it seemed like she was supposed to be important, but I would just forget about her.    

I know it seems like I’m trashing this game, but I do think it’s a great game!  I think the reason I’m so critical is in large part because I loved it.  I want it to be perfect.   I loved the graphics, world design, creature design, I love the combat, I love the non-combat.  All of those things made for a fantastic play experience.  I loved the story design, but not necessarily how it played out.  The characters were just okay.  And I wish the game were about ¾ the total length.  I’d even accept half. 

-D

P.S. read Jaconian's 2013 review of Deadspace