Dead Space 3

Post-Launch Review

Dead Space 3 (PC)

Developer:Visceral Games
Released: February 2013
Played: story complete in 13h20min; Awakened DLC complete in1h15min

About

Some time after the events of Dead Space 2, the Unitologists are inciting rebellions all over the colonies to free the markers and start necromorph infestations. Isaac Clarke is pulled from an outbreak by Earthgov's last military unit, and they set out to find Ellie Langford's research team on Tau Volantis, an ice planet which appears to be the source of the marker signal and which may offer a way to end the necromorph threat for good.

Mechanics and Narrative: FPS

Last time we looked at how narrative and mechanics are intertwined (or not) in horror games, and today we'll take a look at first-person shooters.

At first glance the mechanics of FPS games don't seem to be terribly linked to the narrative except for the fact that you shoot things, which means that the story tends to be about shooting things. That's pretty much a given - they are called first-person shooters, after all. It's kind of like saying that horror games are about scary things.

The interesting thing about FPS games is the camera angle. 

The FPS camera simulates your character's eyes. You see what the character sees, from their perspective, and control where they look. The strength of this camera angle is the sense of immersion it can provide - you're not following some guy around, you are that guy. So, generally speaking, the FPS mechanics that have the greatest impact on the narrative are the ones that affect your sense of immersion.

Mechanics and Narrative: Horror

Horror games face a tricky conundrum: how do you make the player feel vulnerable and scared - and how do you do it without making the game seem unfair?

The most obvious method is to use darkness. Most people are scared of the dark at some point in their life, and for many people that fear takes a long time to fade. For some, it never does. The reason is simple: we can't see in the dark. Our intelligence and imagination are a weakness here: when we can't see what's there, anything we imagine could be there. For this reason, most horror games put you in the dark and give you a limited source of light - a flashlight or lantern, for example. 

Of course, just because everyone does it doesn't mean that everyone does it well.

Dead Space: Extraction

Post-Launch Review

Dead Space: Extraction

Developer: Visceral Games

Released: September 2009

About

Extraction is a prequel to the first Dead Space, exploring the events that led to the Ishimura calling for help. It's a first-person rail shooter – a bit of a departure from the main games. When a team of archeologists discovers an alien marker during a mining operation, the colony starts to break down into madness and violence and monsters. A small crew of survivors tries to make their way off the planet to safety.

Dead Space 2

Post-Launch Review

Dead Space 2

Developer: Visceral Games

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Released: January 25 2011

About

Dead Space 2 is the sequel to the first Dead Space. It's a third-person survival horror game that takes place three years after the Necromorph infestation and attack on the Ishimura. Isaac Clark, the sole survivor, finds himself in a hospital on Saturn's moon Titan, facing another Necromorph outbreak. Isaac fights his way through the Sprawl in order to discover and eliminate the source of the outbreak, contending with Unitologists who believe that the Necromorphs are humanity's salvation through transformation and rebirth.