Dead Space Extraction

Release Date: September 29, 2009

When the original Dead Space premiered on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC back in October of 2008, it was a game with one goal in mind, and that was to scare the crap out of you. Well for most gamers, that is exactly what happened as they walked the haunted, bloody halls of the USG Ishimura. But not only were gamers scared senseless, they were also treated to a very enjoyable and unique game that quickly grew to one of the better games of the year. This new game, Dead space Extraction is the Wii's shot at the game that brought so much entertainment to 360/PS3/PC owners. Coming from the newly developed EA Visceral Games and third party developer Eurocom.

Dead Space Extraction is not out to create a reformed version of the original game for Wii owners. Where horror was a top priority in the original game, it comes in at a nice third place priority in Extraction behind action first and story a very close second. Dead Space Extraction is also a stand alone game from the original, with it's own story line and characters. In the original Dead Space, players stepped into the shoes of Isaac Clarke, and engineer who is stuck on the USG Ishimura trying to survive while also trying to figure out what happened to the crew and where the monsters trying to kill him came from.

Dead Space Extraction is a different game for the Wii. It is an action shooter with a large effort on narrative, uncommonly seen in the various Wii games. This game is an origins story, putting you in the shoes of a small team that takes refuge in the ship from the original game. The game begins with a colony on the planet Aegis VII. The colony excavates a strange marker and then everything goes down the toilet. After the disaster, a small team looks to find sanctuary on the USG Ishimura. which was responsible for excavating the marker. If you loved the first game, then you must play Dead Space Extraction. From the very beginning of the game you know the ending, the crew is screwed and that's that. You know nobody survives but what you don't know is how it happens, where it happens or when it happens.

The gameplay is unique, jumping you from different player to player. Everybody on the ship dies, including the character you are currently controlling, so absolutely nowhere in Extraction are you safe. The story adds components from the first game like direct narrative, audio logs, video logs and text logs to advance the story. There is a strong cast of characters who have the occasional cliche moment or silly line, but these lines are balanced pretty well with the lines that really work. However, the action is where this game really takes off.

Dead Space Extraction pounds you with action from every angle. The game gives you 9 unique guns to help rip your way through the hordes of enemies. Each weapon has a secondary fire which actually doubles your arsenal. Players are also equipped with a default pistol which also has a secondary fire. Just as in the original, you can upgrade your weapons in Extraction. However, the upgrade system in this game is a little more basic then the one we saw in the original game. The stasis feature is also back and, in this game especially, a necessity. The stasis system uses an auto refill mechanic to keep you armed. Using stasis you can fire at an enemy and keep them in stasis for 10 second intervals. Telekinesis is also an essential part of the game. Using the aim-and-click features of the Wii-mote to grab things such as supply boxes. You can also use telekinesis as an offensive weapon, using it to throw things like crates, explosive barrels and even enemy projectiles back at enemies.

Extraction also adds in a ton of new additions to the game. Things like free look moments, mini-challenges, and hijacking challenges helps to make this game the classic Dead Space transformed into a "light gun" shooter instead of a cheap spin-off created to cash in on a popular game. But, if the thing you loved most of all about the first game was the scary themes, then you may be slightly disappointed with Extraction. This game puts a lot into the action and the story but doesn't have many scares along the journey. This game is fun all the way to the end, it just isn't that scary.

If you are a hardcore gamer, then you may want to jack the difficulty up as high as possible because the game has a tendency to take it easy on the player. The battles, including the boss fights, may appear to basic for the more hardcore gamer. Then again, the Wii isn't a console many hardcore gamers are rushing out to get. However, Dead Space Extraction is one game you'd be hard pressed not to enjoy. It is definitely one of the best light gun shooters on the market and is definitely on of the best games on the Wii to date. The strategic dismemberment, which was the core gameplay mechanic of the original Dead Space, feels more at home on the Wii and it also gives a bigger sense of reward when systematically blow of the limbs of an attacking enemy.

Co-op play is also an enjoyable experience more so than it is in other light gun games. There are certain co-op moments and challenges like the hijacking challenges, where one player repairs a vehicle and the other blasts away the incoming monsters. In co-op, you will have to switch between repairing and shooting with your teammate which pressures both players equally. There is also a lot of depth in this game. A majority of shooters lack depth and variety. However, that is not the case in Extraction's 8 hour campaign and 10 different challenge modes. Dead Space Extraction also comes with the full motion comic book that was created to help promote the first game.

The game looks great, sounds great and plays great. It is definitely one of the best light gun games out and most certainly one of the best games for the Wii. Fans of the original game re sure to find pleasure in this title as well and Wii owners who have been craving a good action shooter with a good story are going to be drawn to Extraction very quickly. This is a game that everybody should pick up and try. You can get your hands on Dead Space Extraction tomorrow, September 29, 2009.

Source: IGN