So what its not as focused as the "survival horror" as the others it still and incredible game with a great story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. the boss battle thingys can be annoying but its still easily up there as one of the best games to start 2013 so, if you like dead space or third person shooters pick it up!!!

For better or for worse, this is Dead Space. Less scary.....yes. But just as intense as DS2. They have packed this game with more epic moment that the first two iterations had as well. The availability of microtransactions is a little bit of a let down. But you do NOT have to purchase them. They are optional and can be earned through natural progression. IMHO, this is not the best Dead Space game. But it stands proud as a worthy entry into the Dead Space universe. I would compare it to the difference between Killzone 2 and 3. 3 was a really good game and technically superior. But 2 had that little extra magic and lore. At the same time, both earned there place on my book shelf and in my system for different reason. Bottom line, if you loved DS1 and DS2, you won't be disappointed in 3.… Expand

Does a video game need to have horror to be good? The answer is no, but people will argue "It's not horror anymore so it sucks!" too which I will disagree. Just because it changed from pure horror to a mix of action and horror doesn't mean it's bad. I bought the game and retrieved it on release day with my friend so we could play it online, and while we have not yet beaten the game, we enjoy the gameplay thoroughly. The customization of weapons is quite fun, along with the need for resources and overwhelming number of necromorphs to keep you on your toes, as well as keep your eye on your ammo counter. The fear doesn't come from unkillable enemies or freaky enemies, but rather from the fact you might die soon and have to start over from that checkpoint. Does it have jumpscares? Yes there are some, but are they needed in mass amount like in DS1 to make it scary? No, the waves of enemies do that for you. Is co-op a necessity? Kind of, and thats why I don't consider it a perfect game because it has a necessity for you to FULLY enjoy the game. With that in mind, you definitely need a friend to team up with. The graphics are great still, and there is an atmosphere just like DS 1 and 2, with the blood and writing on the walls, the side missions that give you a story for places, and rewards you for exploring it, as well as the environment being torn and battered from the damage done. Overall I consider the game to be a new experience, and if you just want horror, go play Dead Space or Amnesia, because by now you shouldn't be scared because you KNOW these enemies, and you KNOW how to kill them, so without mystery the horror could not be repeated, and was instead set to a side with some action and gunplay that makes the game enjoyable and fun for 2 people to get together and in the words of the box art "Take down the Terror Together".… Expand

A tip to everyone, DO NOT LISTEN TO NEGATIVE USER REVIEWS, people often don't understand the meaning of 10 or 0, so just don't listen. Now to the review, in short, Dead Space 3 is the classic Dead Space you've come to know and love through and through. The story is still excellent, the visuals this time around are impressive, and the gameplay is still as grossly satisfying as ever. The new weapon system provides excellent variety, and the co-op mode is not intrusive. Co-op, in fact, adds to the story line making Dead Space 3 a much more worth while experience. The only problems I had were a few backtracking moments. The game is scary, a little less than previous installments, but is still satisfying. If you are a classic DS fan you will love this, if you are new to the franchise, you will love this game. Worth all the money, and if the game doesn't seem scary enough, play hardcore, you only get 3 saves for the entire game and if you die you go back to your last save. It is extremely intense.… Expand

It is a solid 3rd person action shooter. It is not a step in the right direction for dead space franchise. It is not scary at all and does not create an eerie atmosphere like the first two games. It feels like a bloated attempt to reach more action based gamers as opposed to survival horror gamers. There are very few good survivial horror games that are actually scary and now the dead space franchise no longer fits that category. It is sad. Again a good game just not a good survival horror game.… Expand

While the scares are nowhere near as abundant as Dead Space 2, we still come out with a solid game. A little more cinematic and action driven game gives a good third entry in the Dead Space series. The graphics are outstanding, the sound is perfect in almost every respect, and the gameplay is familiar. The only thing that stops Dead Space is that its pacing is off, where certain sections keep you on the edge of your seat, and others just drag on, especially towards the end of the game. Co-op works surprisingly well too, at the end of the day it's still a good game, but not as great as its predecessors.… Expand

First of all this game is not a 10, 9, or 8. But it is definitely not a 0, either. After finishing Chapter 11 today, the game is definitely the worst in the Dead Space Trilogy. However, with that being said, it is still a satisfying game, albeit 'actiony'. Worth a play for fans, but maybe for a cheaper price. I cruised half-way through the game in a morning and afternoon session. Solid 7 score is what this game honestly deserves.… Collapse

It's a really good game. It is NOT a great game though. As a gamer who is a big fan of the first two games, I was excited and willing to give this game the benefit of the doubt since it seemed to carry more action and less horror. Good News? It is a fun game, with some good action and tons of replayability. The Co-Op is fun and actually well done and presented, its hard to find a good Co-Op game in today's market and this game does it right [IN THOSE ASPECTS].

Cons? There are a few. The horror isnt there. Jump scares do NOT make a horror game and sadly, the game seems to try to rely on this rather than atmosphere. The atmosphere is well done and feels gritty and dangerous, but the hopelessness felt throughout the previous games is lost since all your weapons are there to take down dozens of necros with no problem. You are a badass, and while this doesnt hurt an action game, Dead Space was NEVER about the action, but about the survival. Overall, the story here is pretty good. Its a bit tedious at times since you seem to share the luck of a turd in terms on how anything and everything seems to go wrong, but since this is Dead Space, I can accept this. The story may be cliche for some, but if you accept the universe and story-telling from the previous games, this is honestly fine and quite a bit of fun. The cool parts are the ''insanity sections'' [particularly Carvers] since they do add a depth especially if you do Co-Op.

What everyone needs to understand is that this is a fun action game with some good replayability. Personally, RE6 shouldve taken a leaf out of this games book in terms of co-op and mission design. But it should be noted that this game is NOT SCARY. It's tense because you can be fighting 15 enemies all at once and getting swarmed and on occasion something might pop out of the ground and give you a jump. The horror, however, the tactical survial is completely gone. It is worth to still play this game. You just need to have realistic expectations on what to expect when you start playing this because this is a fun game. This isnt the Dead Space we have been enjoying before however. Different, still good, but not scary is the short answer.… Expand

Unfortunately one of my favorite franchises of the last few years has taken a huge misstep. Dead Space 3 followed the recent RE6 model and tried to be much more of an action game. I was maybe scared once or twice during the entire campaign...and I scare very easily. Instead of great pacing and subtle changes throughout the levels, DS3 became a shooting gallery. Tons of enemies is NOT the answer. The story is awful, with a recycled and laughable main villain. Unlike in the past, the secondary characters are paper thin and made me feel nothing for them. Not to mention Ellie was trashed in this, with her magically grown back eye and noticeably enlarged chest....sweet there goes a strong female character! Like I mentioned earlier there was not a single shred of horror in this newest entry in the series. Then there was the new gameplay format. Optional missions were added to obviously inflate a weak, severely lacking main quest. LINEAR works for Dead Space. The first two games proved this with excellent level crafting, pacing, and plot development. The only saving graces about DS3 were the great environments, sound design, and co-op campaign. There were some cool moments, but they were fleeting. The Dead Space franchise should definitely take a break after this game, and should be reevaluated to see what made the first two so fantastic, before moving onto a four or even reboot. RENT RENT RENT… Expand

i want to start of by saying that if you are playing dead space solely for the horror aspect then you may want to not play it at all. I'm sorry to say but the horror aspect of dead space 3 is just not apparent. when i open a door I'm not crapping in my pants over what lies beyond (although there were some very well placed jumpscares). all of this EA padding and money whoring really does not effect game play at all. neither does co op hell it just immerses you into the story even more. besides horror being dull the good things about it are plentiful: even though its not scary there is a lot of tensions and an eerie ambience. the weapons crafting system is pure genius. i love the fact that i can look for parts and make awesome new weapons with so many combinations and permutations. the combat is immersive and overall amazing. it feels like a top notch sic fi survival. un summation, you should look at dead space 3 as more of a sic fi survival than a gut clenching horror. this game with no doubt deserves a fair 8. only since dead space lives to be a horror game and is not scary. but the combat, tension in atmosphere, (combat can be scary and brutal on you) redeems the quality of the scariness. the story itself feels a little padded with pointless drama but does not detract from the marker lore. such minor details should not keep you away from a great played game like this with so much replay value. a solid 8 from me and is worth your money… Expand

First off I am a long time, die-hard, 100% Achievement in both DS1 and DS2, faithfull fan. However...
I cannot wait to see the day when EA crashes and burns like any third installment in their franchises.
Once again, like so many unfortunate developpers before them, Visceral Games have allowed their beautifully crafted, rich, compelling, niche title to be bastardized, reduced, simplified, and "cookie cutter'd" by EA's pursuit of money and sacrificial expediancy. I am writing this review not even having completed the game yet, which is a first. I have about 20 hours in, with a co-op partener, and have experienced everything from intense frustration, to sheer apathetic bafflement in regards to many aspects of the game.
Atmosphere and Setting: While a serious departure from the previous two titles, DS3's arctic setting is actually quite refreshing in most aspects. The weather is believable and the buildings and ships are satisfactorily done. The best part about Dead Space was suspense about when an attack was coming. While several upcoming encounters were obvious there were always completely unexpected jumps between the snail speed crawls through corridors and corners. The overall feel sufferes intensly at the hands of non stop, almost labourious combat, and LITTERAL "copy pasted" levels such as the side missions. All the same corridors, the same encounter timing, the 3 step lowering of the supply pallet at the end... Even nintendo in the 1980's would facepalm at such repetetiveness. The soundtrack: Both musical and ambient noises, are inaudible over the constant fighting. Dead Space one's elevator and door noises still make me scream in side my head "SHHH SHHH SHHH BE QUIET YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE ME AWAY :S" That sense of trying to sneak around and not be found was epic... and totaly lost when Isaac, now apparently profficiant in millitary weapons and their design, runs around with rocket launchers and bulpup rifles. World credibility: Remember the time when each enemy type had a backstory or at least an origin? The normal Slashers were everyday people, the Lurkers and Crawlers we're infants and toddlers, the Twitchers came from hosts with stasis, The Pack were children... There are so many missing peices to some of these enemies and the world itself. If this was a super top secret military research zone where are the children coming from? Why can't a door malfunction and not be followed by an attack? Or better yet, not magically un-malfunction the second the attack is over? And wasn't this game supposed to be about scavenging? There was a time when I never used the safe, never sold ammo (for the one or two guns I was using), and actually had a chance to run out if I didn't MANAGE MY INVENTORY properly. I remember that being a selling point of the earlier installations. Now, even on Hard, I am leaving stuff behind because I can't carry it all. Other Frustrations: Autosaves vs Save Points: I really hope there are manual save points in single player. Several times now I have been set back two or even three whole missions, yet kept my gear from them... Bugs and glitches: Can't say I've had any deal breaking problems here. But lets say the stories of some other people's bugs are more frightening than the game has been so far. New Weapon system: Took a bit to get used to. Overall I miss when Isaac was an engineer, not rambo with a welding ticket. A lot of trial and error to figure out how it all worked. The blueprints were quite confusing and the lack of a more well laid out tutorial was a setback. But since I'm always complaining about developpers dumbing things down I really can't make a stink about this now can I? Quick time events Instant deaths Enemy Generation Enemy Reactions.
-QTE's are for games that lack developper talent to create open, intelligent combat scenarios. I'm getting way too sick of "mash (A) to not die" -Instant deaths are a real let down in a game. They fail to reward quick thinking and ingenuity and make you grind through a multi step scenario where you learn from one death how to get to the next death until all the steps are over. The rappelling sections and Snow Beast are perfect examples of this. I've had several occasions where he runs at me undodgeably, hits me, and stomps on me non stop till I die without even the slightest chance of even getting up. -While I've been avoiding the "Gears of Space 3" whining, since when could Stalkers pop out of the ground like locust? -Apparently being hit by anything short of Contact, Force, TK impale, Rocket or Grenade causes no reaction in enemies. Didnt we used to have trouble shooting their limbs off with bullets? Hence the Plasma Cutter, which is unsuably weak despite a plethora of +2 Damage circuits. I'm running out of space here but you all get the idea. While the game is begrudgingly frustrating it's still somewhat fun. But this is NOT my Dead Space. Hey EA, do better, suck less.… Expand

I'm fairly disappointed with this game. too many bugs and glitches just make this game not fun..infinite ammo just from save quitting from the practice room? how did this pass QA? the scavenger bot going missing, again how did all this miss QA? oh but the micro transactions seem to working just fine.

it really shows where companies priorities are these days. back then when you couldn't hot fix bugs with internet/DLC/online services, your game HAD to be in top condition before release or you suffered harsh criticisms and ratings from the public. nowadays it seems like they care more about monetizing than actually making the game playable because they know they can hotfix it "later"...and that's bullcrap. I do not want the future of gaming to turn into this.

this game is fun, and i already guessed it'd be coop considering they had to do something different. But there's too many cons that outweigh the pro's in my mind.… Expand

this game is great albeit the horror is toned and critics are bashing it but that is expected when they listen to the casual gamers instead of the hardcore fanbase. i dont know why people are hurt u ddnt have to buy the game but i will cause i love the series since its inception

I don't understand all the hate that is coming from people about this game. Is it more action? Yes. Does it have the same atmosphere as the original games? More so with Dead Space 2. The first game was amazing, I don't disagree, but people had reservations about Dead Space 2 before it came out. A common comment I would see is, "Oh why has Isaac turned into Iron Man". But when that came out everyone had got past the little things and embraced it. Here in lies the issue that most are having with Dead Space 3. Co-op.... Now don't get me wrong, Dead Space has always been a single player game(with the exception of extraction) but there is always potential to improve an I.P. in many ways and the developers felt that co-op would add to this. What they could have done is make two Isaac's or a throwaway character. Or even more terrifying they could have added an A.I. partner all the way through. But what they did was innovative and had it been a different I.P. I'm sure Visceral would be lauded for it. As it stands this game didn't reinvent the wheel, but it did try to innovate it, and in that respect I feel that this game is great. It improves weapon crafting while also adding a slew of altered enemies to fight in the process. Not only that but it also increases playtime with optional missions to undertake.… Expand

This is not the Dead Space we used to know, but still the same Dead Space that we love
This time I feel more like watch a horror film rather than playing a game. The research by the dev on horror films surely helped the game in this aspect.
The crafting system is new, a new way to add more personality in this game.
The game feel more dynamic and it's really fun.
One thing is that the Necromorphs doesn't seems to get stunned after being attacked. This is a good way to increase difficulty but I'm not sure if it's a good way to do it.
The enhanced graphic amazed me, especially on the first chapter of the game. It's really a enjoyable game for me, as a hardcore Dead Space series gamer who played every game and most of the comics and novels
At last, I know that some people may think negative to this game because of the DLC. Just one thing to say, they are not necessary and are addition to an already great gaming experience. I'm pretty sure that you will enjoy what you already have without those DLC suits and weapons.… Expand

You're gonna see a lot of negative reviews for this game since some people hate EA so much, but this game does not deserve it, so far I'm up to chapter 4, and having so much fun, great story and the gameplay is very addictive. Dead Space 2 got a 90 overall from the critics, so far Dead Space 3 has a 79. that makes no sense, this game is equal to or better than it's predecessor. Seems that the critics from overseas are giving this game lower scores.… Expand

Is it just me or are fanboys as well as critics really reluctant to change? I feel Dead Space 3 succeeded where RE 6 failed: to provide a good combination between Survival Horror and 3rd person shooter. The control feels better than RE, the set pieces are better integrated into the game. Sure, it becomes more action oriented but Visceral Games have outdone themselves this time by increasing the scope of the Dead Space Universe. I was one of the few people that never got hooked on Dead Space, but now I am. If critics and fan boys are whining so much these days, why didn't they buy critically great shooters such as Binary Domain? or if they really liked the Survival horror genre, why didn't they gave Shadows of the Damned or RE Revelation a chance? Maybe because we're spoiled with choice?… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a perfectly good game, but it could have been so much better. Coming from someone who loved 1 and adored 2, this isn't about the horror aspect of the game and I don't give a about the DLC stuff. This is about the quality of the game and its value.

Good: 1. Weapons crafting is great and innovative, allows for great variation. 2. Beautiful atmospheric environments. 3.Some great new enemies designs and ideas sprung from Alien3 and the Hal-Life such as headcrab controlling necromorphs, humans turned necromorphs through eating dead flesh, necromorphs growing new limbs through battle if you don't kill them quick enough and necromorphs taking over the dead bodies of other animals. 4. Co-Op is fun and has some great features, once again this isn't about the horror, its about the enjoyability. John Carver is a great character. 5. Story through logs still done fantastic. 6. The design of the 200 year old technology of the Southern Colonies works great in the context of the DS franchise, making it feel very natural.
7. Side missions are fun and create good little side stories.

Bad: 1. Big jump in story from DS2. Completely ignoring the tease of the overseer at the end of DS2, DS3 jumps ahead to EarthGov being overthrown by Unitologists. While not a bad idea, seems to be glossing over some other stories that could've come first. It ignores key story components that could've been used to build a stronger story that could've led to this a variation of this one eventually.
2 Enemy variety is down. While the new designs are appreciated, you only get to see many of the same ones for most of the game. DS2 had great variety all the time, but DS3 throws the same ones for most encounters. 3. The feel of combat is different. Necromorphs are much faster, and the shooting on your end doesn't give the same feel of dismemberment fun. Everything is too high paced on both ends to enjoy the combat as much as you used too. Upgrading both Isaac and the necromorphs abilities makes sense but it seems to have taken away something that made the combat special that I can't quite put my finger on. Still, it's not bad combat, but it feels different from DS1 and 2 in a distinct way.
4. Too many door malfunctions and quarantines to trap you in rooms to kill more necromorphs.
5. Norton, just too cliche and I could see where everything about him was heading.
6. Unitologist fights seems pointless. They're humans so they take damage anywhere.

Still while it has its faults, its still a good game. Just not the sequel I wanted it to be.… Expand

Is it better than dead space 1 or 2 hell no but is it a bad game hell no. Honestly people are over reacting so much with these low scores the game is great fun and just as good as the first 2.

This certainly isn't the Dead Space we used to know. It's much more Action oriented than the first two.
This paired with the fact that the whole story seemed to be kind of standardized in every way turns this into an utter letdown. Even Ellie, who in DS2 was pretty much the most badass female in any videogame ever has been turned in to a standardized damsel in distress for the main characters to fight over, without any significant influence on the story whatsoever. What a disappointment.

While I at first welcomed the more expansive storyline and universe of Isaacs tale I have to say that it severely dilutes the classic horror aspects of Dead Space. Nothing beats the terror of being in the middle of some horrible outbreak with no idea how to deal with it and no possible allies in reach. Nothing is more horrifying than complete and utter desolation. n DS3 on the other hand everything is explained from the start, and every five minutes one of your buddies calls you and tells you what to do and if you don't play coop it leads to weird situations when carver (the coop PC) suddenly pops up from nowhere, insults you for no reason and then disappears again.

What's left is a standard actiongame with nice graphics and a standardized and occasionally ridiculous story. The action is solid but soon enough looses its excitement. At least after you have descended to the planet and walked through the 50th recycled bunker-corridor and killed the 500th monster jumping out of a suspiciously placed air vent you just can't help but feel exausted.

And don't you dare spend any money on the microtransactions! Shame on EA for insulting its customers with crap like that!… Expand

I just want to state the differences between Dead Space 2 and 3, so you can draw your own conclusions. I have only played solo on hard so far. +Graphical improvements +Incredible production value +Replayablity +Upgrade/Crafting system overhaul +Faster, more deadly enemies +Enemy variety +Unintrusive Co-Op +Atmosphere (More like Promethius and 80's thrillers than previous dead space atmosphere)
+There are a few, though less common chills and scares
+Environmental variety
+Side quests
+It's incredibly fun and addicting

-Less scares
-Atmosphere (It's not terrifying)
-Dementia is not present in Isaac's story arch. (I have not played as Carver.)
-Isaac's character qualities have changed for the worse. He's less interesting and more generic.
-Intrusive, guiding story. This is only a negative because the story isn't anything special, and doesn't feel anything like previous dead space games.
-Frustratingly boring quests. (Go fix this, oh it needs another part, oh wait its still broken, did I mention you needed to gather this for the same broken ship?)
-The fighting vs human enemies is very poor. The mechanics just aren't there.

The game overall feels like it was put together to be a blockbuster, and that is probably why the focus on story was added. Even though there have been changes to the game it is an incredible game, that feels that it should be more of a spin off to the dead space franchise to me, than a core game. It is definitely worth playing once, if not a few times for fans of the previous games.… Expand

This game has definitely hopped on the action shooter bandwagon.. What happen to survival horror games The levels in dead space 3 are short with alot ..I mean alot of backtracking and most all indoor levels look identical, just because they have the lights off doesnt make it scarry this is there attempt to scare.....Enemies hardly ever change only a few types in the game What makes the game is the fact that you can upgrade weapons you find parts for this., However most stuff you pick up is worthless and it seems like every 20 seconds your picking up something you have so much of, it becomes exhausting. If your looking for a action shooter to play with a friend its not to bad, the game looks great I just wished i would have waited to get it used..… Expand

I love this game!! I just started playing but the beginning already has me hooked, game play is solid, graphics are excellent, the story is toying with my emotions in the best way possible making me hate the villan even more. Was disappointed my gamestop didn't have a midnight release, but my anticipation, and expectations were all met with this amazing game and then some! I play black ops 2 but its hard to believe it has a higher rating even though it has became so repetitive, its boring. Not DS3 though this is a game that will have you on the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen next. A excellent addition to your gamer library. The Dead Space series is a must buy!!… Expand

Dead Space 3 is spectacular to newcomers but I downside to veterans of the series. But, if you are new you will be definitely please with the stunning visuals, awesome sound, excellent game play, co-op and tons of weapon customization and RIG suits. Its absolutely fun to play especially with a friend. All in all I will be playing this game for a while until GTA 5

One major positive aspect is the ability to disassemble and re-use weapon parts, meaning you never have to worry about consuming items in the crafting of a gun. It would have been easy for Visceral to inflict a penalty on players every time they built something, but instead you'll only lose resources by making objects from scratch, not from building guns out of components you already own.

Read more at http://www.destructoid.com/review-dead-space-3-243873.phtml#GHp9wf1kqS5SrvP6.99… Expand

Sure we could go into this game being the DLC scumbag of the year, but the real star is the fantastic scripting and the wonderful combat scenarios that make the last two games in the series feel like a fever dream. Such rich dialogue, such fantastic love trianglezzz, such amazing encounters that make you feel like you are in action filmzzzz. While I deeply understand that there is a great sense of external pressure from a publisher and the things that they want to be included in a 2013 triple A title, go find your COD's and your MOH to vent your monetary frustrations. (And if you make me pay 60$ again only to find out that you want an additional 5$ for silly robot voices on the scavenger bots, you can go yourself).… Expand

I really liked Dead Space when it first came out and waited patiently for Dead Space 2 after that, which had a few improvements, but was not as scary as the first game. When EA announced that DS3 will be the scariest game of the trilogy, it immediately became my No.1 game in my wish-list. But what did I get for waiting? MASS EFFECT 1. I have nothing more to add. The game isn't scary at all, Necromorphs just run like crazy at you and do almost no damage, just as Husks do in ME. The game dropped all the horror elements and went full action.… Expand

If you enjoyed the previous Dead Space games, you'll be sure to enjoy Dead Space 3. The most polished, well-paced entry in the excellent sci-fi horror series yet. Bringing a friend along for two-player co-op is a blast. Snow crumbles beneath Isaac’s boots, necromorphs are disgustingly detailed, and the backdrops are stunning. Solid voice acting sells the drama, and the cries of enemies arere appropriately unsettling. The new weapon-crafting system and roll dodge make it easy to play the way you want to play. The environments are moody and the gameplay is without a hitch. This is one of the best horror games I’ve ever played. A fantastic game.… Expand

Don't get me wrong, I'm a HUGE Dead Space fan, but this one just didn't have the magic that the first two had. The story wasn't as personal this time around and Isaac was flat throughout most of the game. There weren't any 'Wow' moments, clever gameplay moments, or awesome lead ins to the next chapter this time around. Think back to how scary it was when you first encountered a Stalker in DS2, or how disturbing it was when you saw that mother cradling her dead necromorph baby? Or when you finally fought the Tormentor that had been stalking you for half the game? There weren't any of these incredible moments in DS3 that captivated me or had me dying to know what happened next as in DS2. Aside from story complaints, this game was predictable and boring as well. How many times did they make you back track? How many environments looked EXACTLY the same? And just how many times did you walk into a room, and fight a bunch of necromorphs, walk ino another room, fight a bunch of necromorphs, and so forth and so on. Part of what made DS1 and 2 so great in you never knew when or how many necromorphs you'd be fighting... DS3 just made it a tired, predictable formula.

If there's another DS game in the future, let's hope they bring the magic back.… Expand

First, I should say that the last two Dead Space games were pretty fun for me. I pre-ordered 3 for a day one pickup. I was looking for ward to the game. And I can't say it disappointed. 3 has better graphics, a more detailed story and game universe, and more to do...but is it better?

Despite all the improvements, I found myself slightly bored with this game. The added side quests are nice to expand the story, but they distract from the plot in a way that seems really unneeded in what's supposed to be a "scary" game. Same with the collectible parts for weapon upgrades. A lot of reviewers have been going on and on about the new weapon system, where you find various parts and circuits to improve or make new weapons. They seem to like it. But it's not for me. It just took me out of the story and added a layer of complication that I didn't expect from a game of this nature. I just wanted to creep through the halls, killing baddies and solving some puzzles in zero g. Crafting didn't really fit into this game for me.

For those who care about multiplayer, this game has drop in and drop out co-op. I didn't try it.

Overall, I can't really suggest this game to everyone. It is a cool sci-fi universe and the stuff on the screen looks great, but the game sort of has turned away from the purer version which offered more thrills in an exchange to give players more to do, and I can't say the series needed that.… Expand

What a shame. After the Resident Evil series took a nose dive away from the horror survival genre into a poor man's GOW with RE5, Dead Space was a welcome surprise for fans craving some genuine tension and scares, and most importantly, a genuine feeling of loneliness and dread. The second one upped the ante in terms of action set pieces but still managed to be a highly effective and trim piece of survival gaming. This third installment has unfortunately forgone any attempts at tension and horror and replaced them with pointless fetch quests and hop-in/hop-out coop shooting with barely a tenth of the tension of either 1 or 2. This isn't a terrible game by any means, it's just a VERY disappointing one for fans of the series as now it's just about shooting, backtracking and collecting within the context of a fairly cliche and plot-hole ridden story and an extremely miscast location, which is unfortunately reminiscent of Lost Planet. It also has some serious love handles when compared to its predecessors and roughly one third of the game could've been sliced off and it wouldn't have been missed. It's not the biggest disappointment of recent times (that accolade still belongs to the chaotic mess that is RE6), but it runs a close second. These decisions were probably EA's rather than Visceral's making EA my most loathed Publisher of all time. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME AT FULL PRICE. Shame shame shame.… Expand

I thought this would be a disappointment equivalent to Resident Evil 5,6 but I was wrong. Dead Space 3 is a good game.

Skip this game unless you you enjoy running down repetitive hallways fighting the same uninspired enemies over and over again. Case in point, you are only ever attacked when a necromorph comes out of the ground or out from a vent, over and over again and again. Dead space 1 was by far the best game, good survival horror with a fun story. Dead Space 2 was a bit of a departure from that combination and a little less fun. EA has since taken over and made this into an average 3rd person shooter with no personality. I don't see the purpose of the multiplier it seems like it is tacked on so EA can make more in micro transactions.

All in all this game was unnecessary if they were going to make Dead Space 3 in this fashion. Without the survival horror aspect of the game it has become an mediocre 3rd person shooter... maybe worth a rental but not worth buying.… Expand

As a big fan of the first two installments, I had Dead Space 3 ear marked as one of the contenders for best game of 2013. Wow, was I wrong. The game is fine as a shooter, but just not what I had come to love about the first two Dead Space games. This felt like how I anticipate Star Wars is going to feel in the Disney era. Also very disappointed in Game Informer for their 98 rating. They've officially lost all credibility in my opinion.… Expand

A great game, just the tension that existed in the first, and thus ceased to exist as Resident Evil became an action game, a good thing is also the time duration, the plot is not as well worked.

Well worth the purchase!

I will start off by saying the first Dead Space is considered one of my top five games of all time. There is some negative reviews from critics but let me say they cannot be far from there mark. Dead Space 3 not only meets my expectations but exceeds them in every way possible. It is even more tense than the second and I will say even scarier. The weapon crafting is so addicting that you will spend hours trying to find the right combination that fits your play style. Want a machine gun with a flame thrower on the end like I got. You can do it. You even get little robots that you put down and they gather resources for you. If you loved the first Dead space buy it now. If you did not love the first Dead Space why are you even here or reviewing this game. I am 29 so the top sentence about my top five games of all time means something. Dead Space 3 is amazing. PERIOD… Expand

Although playing DS1 and DS2 has slightly de-sensitized me to Necromorphs. This is still an awesome game. The anticipation that something is about to jump out at you is what makes this game so exciting. I’m halfway through the campaign and can’t wait to get home from work to play some more.

HUMAN ENEMIES you hear that and you think "OH THIS WILL BE LIKE HOW RESIDENT EVIL EVOLVED INTO No, dead space 3 is a good blend of action and scares in one I didn't take the trolls on metacritic's word and decided I need to try myself and IT'S A GOOD GAME, its multiplayer, suit upgrade, weapon craft and a variety of side missions and coop only side missions will keep you entertained for a quite a while, my only complain is the side mission environment is TOO DAMN REPETITIVE just recycled cells over and over again… Expand

Gun construction is fun honestly I could spend hours just messing around (I have spent hours) with the weapons.
Gameplay same as any dead space with the exception of a few more action spots and some explorable spots which are nice breaks from the intensity of the rest of the game and really helps one get a feel for the world they are in.
Graphics amazing probably best on Xbox
Co-op honestly it;'s fun it takes away a good chunk of the horror factor but I treat co-op and solo as two separate games like multi-player and single player on any other shooter you can't play multi-player on ANY game and expect a single player experience anyone who did was a fool. However Co-op is really well done and the unique concept the creators came up for players to experience (especially if you are playing as the second character) brought me and my friend some true entertainment I don't want to give spoilers but he thought I was going crazy and that has never been done in game before!
A lot of people bash on it being less of a thriller and more of an action game. Honestly it's no less thrilling the other Dead space I find my heart racing quite a bit (dead space 1+2 weren't more thrilling or scary you all know it just want to complain that they were) Plus this game has so many replay option to play in traditional style dead space or hardcore etc.

All in all they did some unique things never done before in any game ever. Many of the things they did they did better than any game ever. Prime examples, best co-op, best graphics (on xbox) best weapon design/ creation, best mix of linear and sandbox and it still gets my heart pounding just as much as the last two dead space games.… Expand

In my honest opinion, I think dead space has gone and done a "Resident Evil" and turned to action based game because of the success of war games in recent times. After playing the demo I know its only a beta and its still not fully finished but from the 30 Mins of gameplay i think it still has great potential but not nearly as much after that demo. Horror fans will still like this game I think but not nearly as much as Dead Space 1. To keep this short I think it will be a decent game and I do look forward to it but not expecting a massive thrill. 7/10… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Dead Space 3 is not a bad game at all. It's a good game that lost its way by trying to appeal to a larger crowd and forgetting what it was, a horror game. There are a few scary parts in the game, the very beginning is set piece heavy it doesn't feel like a dead space game, but later on there are ships that you get to explore and it brings back the classic dead space feel, the beginning of the game is the strongest once your set loose to explore the space ships. Then you crash on the planet. When you crash on the snow planet the game quickly looses any horror aspect and becomes and repetitive and annoying shooter. So many enemies are thrown at you that when you hear them you can't help but roll your eyes. There are also some interesting side missions and some are co op exclusive and they add to Carvers back story. The co op, while it destroys the fear, is fun and has a lot of neat perspective tricks, Carver can be seeing marker visions and Issac won't see what Carver is seeing, and the story bits and dialogue are good and some of their back and fourths are funny. The other characters, however, annoying and are there just to die, you don't care about them and they are stereotypes, Ellie's jealous boyfriend etc. The ending is also very annoying, it makes it appear that Clarke is dead, I believe that Carver Died and it was a cheap way for his character to go (He flew off screen), and Ellie leaves him behind because she doesn't get any response from Issac or Carver, it is a sad moment and the music is fitting, then Issac says "Ellie" after she leaves! So he's just going to freeze to death? Either have him leave with Ellie and Carver make a heroic sacrifice to save them and stop the markers, or have Issac die! Stop doing this, every dead space game ending is annoying and doesn't feel finished even in the ending of Issac's story! There is however a terrific weapon crafting system, while the micro transactions are annoying, you can ignore them. There is a lot of customization and replay ability you do get your moneys worth but I don't think that this is a proper ending to Issac's story. I recommend you get Dead Space 1 and Dead Space 2 they are far better. I recommend you only get Dead Space 3 if you have a friend to play with or else you'll miss story bits and wont enjoy the game as much.… Expand

Don't listen to what the critics say, this game is one of the most amazing experiences I've played in over a year. The story is great, and while it isn't as much as a horror Juggernaut like the first game was, it defensibly has a great amount of action to replace it. The developers have said that this is exactly where they wanted to go, and it's a great direction to take. The story is greatly unique, and game-play is smooth and intuitive. It remains to have that movie like, minimalism style HUD, where all of your information can be found on your suits RIG. The story is very lengthy, taking me 3 nights, for a total of at least 19 hours to beat the game on the hardest difficulty (prior to new game+) and I am currently about 5 hours into the Hardcore mode. The beginning of the game gives you a nice, brief summary of the events of the 1st and 2nd games, so newcomers will find it easy to pick up, and automatically know what's going on in this universe. Overall, i give it a 10/10.… Expand

I honestly get a bit tired of reviews that focus on the game not being just like the two that came before, or that it's just another sign of what is wrong with games these days... don't listen to it.

Dead Space 3 does a few things differently. Upgrading your rig and weapons uses scavenged parts and new workbench and weapon options. I am not so fond of the interfaces, but the concept works. The Suit Kiosk is fairly similar. You use special scavenger bots to accent your resources, which creates its own issues, like searching for appropriate places to let loose your bot.

The game is FAR more expansive than previous games, and has more side quests to keep it interesting. You hear about the much maligned snowy portions, but they only occur hours into the game and the setting is in context and fitting. It's not as claustrophobic in these sections, but the tension is high when you know they can and will be popping out of the ground at just about any time to ruin your day. It is different, but it works. The cold gives new parameters to be considered and the snow fall helps to reduce view distance, essentially acting like the dark, but a whiteout instead.

The story opens up Issac's suit to his face, his voice, and let's you get to know him. He's not a whiny b$%#% nor is he a over the top toughguy, which makes him more endearing. He's got severe issues, but he isn't making it everyone else's problem all the time. His major motivation is still helping his girl and dealing with immediate issues. I really liked getting to meet Isaac. He is played well and gives the game more life.

The weapons are so varied as to be difficult to get a grip on. I didn't like the weapon build system. You may think a weapon looks and stats out well before you build it, only to find out it's kind of crap after you spent your hard earned resources on it. I found one or two weapons that did all the work, but I liked them and was satisfied even though I wondered what I might be missing. My favorite uses a single shot rifle type projectile with an underslung shotgun.

There are two discs and the content is extensive. The new additions work nicely, like the two person co-op, either with friends or online matchmaking. There is a newgame+ feature, although I have not started into that yet. This is a great game that aspires to expand itself from it's earlier incarnations. If you don't expect it to be just like the last two games, then you will probably enjoy it. If you want the first or second game again, you'll probably have to load them up and play them over.… Expand

Why people rate this game so low is exactly why they will never get a job in the game industry. Dead Space 3 does everything that the other 2 did and it does it better. The few problems i have with this game such as the pointless rolling system, no more store and (by far the most disgusting) is an online pass. An online pass for a co-op game!? EA really need to stop being money hungry with all this pathetic day one DLC and online pass for a CO OP game. However all of this doesn't make DS3 a BAD game because it is actually a damn good game. People are just too blind because of rage to play it for what it is.… Expand

The good: Game play is solid. Controls are very responsive and the Graphics are top notch, even with the little details of the light from your mask reflected on walls Gun creation makes for a more in depth experience into Dead Space Lore. Co-Op is real fun with a friend Lost to explore and find High replay value The Bad: (may contains some small spoilers) Story is kind of weak and the love triangle felt very forced and primarily, boring
not so scarey anymore. I had a few moments of jump, but nothing compared to Ds2
Kensis is not what it use to be. Seems to miss the mark on impaling random items at enemies. I found it harder to find things to pick up... and when you could, it wasnt very useful. Rappelling parts are pretty annoying. buggy in some areas. At times textures didnt load. Clipping would occur or Items would not disappear after pickup.. Boss battles (if any) were kind of easy on Normal. overall:
I did enjoy playing it as a game and am already moving into new game But its not the dead space I love. It is a solid game and worth playing with a friend. It has some great moments. score of 8… Expand

Dead Space 3 have a really great atmosphere that fill you with emotions and sensations that not a lot of game can accomplish. The sensation of terror is always present around you and you never know when you are going to get attack. The level design is very well design and beautiful, i keep getting myself lost to look around :P. Also, the storyline go through very exciting stuff and there is also some twists that you don't expect. Overall a great game and a must buy! (before you play Dead space 2 … Expand

A lot of people are and thinking ''the horror is gone, and it sucks.'' That is NOT true!
It takes balls to focus on the action and less on the survival horror, and i respect that.
First off, graphics are amazing! Really dark and gritty. It is true though, that the horror has gone lost somewhere. But it doesn't bring the game down. It's way too impressive. The story may be a bit forced, i get that. But it's all about the gameplay and the visuals. The visuals are stunning by the way. It's a great sequel to the dead space franchise, and i can't wait to see what they have on their sleeves next time.… Expand

Sadly, the atmospheric haze and exquisite pacing of the previous games have been replaced by run-n-gun action, wall-to-wall music and a relentless din. It's a disappointing addition to two great pieces of work. I liken it to the difference in feel between the original "Alien" and "Aliens" movies. The first was a masterpiece of rawness, suspense and emptiness; the latter, a slicker, monotonous and loud mainstream film, though good, just very different and not to my taste. In addition, I found the weapon building to be creative, but unbelievably tedious, and immersion-busting. I appreciate the masterful work that went into this, but am disappointed in the direction. Not having much fun on this one.… Expand

Even if it falls flat as a horror game, the new crafting mechanics, great atmosphere and fun co-op make for a solid experience, what is worth checking out.

Dead space 3 has solid bones with a story that is as impressive and engrossing as its predecessors but like many in the horror genre it has become blinded by the need to appeal to everyone and has sadly become more about reeling in the punters with gimmicky co op and poorly envisioned weapon customization that has you begging for power nodes, creating a game for the fans rather than the masses would have appeased this player but being under the thumb of EA it was inevitable that micro transactions and its ilk would snake its way into a series that once rendered me speechless in fear.

For a more in depth review visit http://eccentricgamertheramblingsofoclane.blogspot.co.uk/… Expand

I have major issues with this game. I'm a veteran Dead Space player and am disappointed with DS3. Where do I begin? The weapon crafting system is awful in my opinion, the game does a terrible job of explaining it and I found it complicated and boring (maybe cause I'm not an RPG fan?). I don't want to spend 10 minutes at a time crafting weapons and figuring out what parts go where, just give me my damn line gun, plasma cutter, and pulse rifle and let me continue. Also, there are very little new necromorphs, and the ones that are new are not that different and unique. Some have been "re imagined" but that does not really help in creating that sense of wow that came with DS2. I wont say much about the story, since I've always thought it was pretty dumb, but I don't play Dead Space for the story anyway. Lastly, I don't like co-op games and DS 3 is definitely meant to be played on co-op. I was hoping they would make a solo mode that would stay loyal to long time DS fans, but they clearly built the game for co-op and just threw single player in at the end. In solo mode you will find yourself outnumbered by enemies in a small room more than once, and clearly these parts are meant for two people to play. Bottom line, if you love co-op action games, you'll probably love DS 3, but if you're a long time DS fan like me, and were hoping for a polished single player experience, look elsewhere.… Expand

I always up for calling EA out when they screw up (which is a lot) but this isn't one of those times. The original Dead Space took the reigns from Resident Evil 4 as the best survival horror game around. It was fresh and exciting. Dead Space 3, like Resident Evil 5 and 6, shifted the focus from a rich atmospheric world that one revels in to a more action heavy experience that one blasts their way through. It is no longer the best survival horror game (that honor goes to Alan Wake and/or Deadly Premonition) but, instead, it will have to settle for being a quality if not mind blowing action title with a deep weapon system and engaging (enough) story. That's not acceptable from the looks of many other user reviews and I can respect that opinion but it's not one that I hold. Do it wish it were more like DS1, sure I do, but that doesn't mean I can't be happy with what's here. I'm not sure where this franchise is heading as the new generation approaches but after three solid games I'm going to give Visceral the benefit of the doubt. Unlike Bioware, they somehow figured out how to keep EA from ruining their brand.… Expand

Great game. Don't listen to people complaining it's too "shootery", it's still the classic Dead Space and the location/tone suits the different weapons and customizations. You're going to finish the game and already be looking forward to your next play through! The setting is fantastic. The combination of space and frozen wasteland adds for a very creepy, and classic Dead Space environment. The plot is great, though many of the sub plots become annoying and silly. I really enjoyed playing this and looking forward to the DLC missions coming in the future. Oh and be sure to give Co-Op a try!… Expand

Dead Space 3 is a landmark in modern gaming. With the series having been branded by several big names the 'best new IP this generation', Dead Space 3 has a lot to prove to close of the series fittingly. Picking up 2 months after Dead Space 2 Isaac is in hiding, however when he is contacted by Robert Norton and John Carver of EarthGov Isaac is quickly whisked away from another Necromorph outbreak to search for his ex-girlfreind Ellie Langford. Upon finding her they also discover a way to destroy the markers and end Convergence once and for all on the frozen planet Tau Volantis. However the race is on as the Church of Unitology has also found this information and plan to stop Isaac and the team from achieving their goal.
Dead Space 3 makes some pretty big mistakes in its new weapon crafting, currency and combat mechanics however these in shadow of the amazing story, mind blowing presentation and some of the best closure to a series I have seen in years makes Dead Space 3 an unmissable game.… Expand

I am a die-hard Dead Space fan. I didn't expect this game to "scare" or "make me jump", that's the experience I enjoyed from the first and second game. Dead Space 3 is a perfect addition to the series, an expansive experience built on the atmosphere and story created by the original two games. All these new "features" that people are complaining about are mostly optional, so as not to deter from solo play, and they were a welcoming change of pace. It's the third game in the series and I found myself taking my sweet time progressing through the story, finding every little hidden item etc., tinkering at the workbench till I felt my weapon was suffiecient for killing even the toughest necromorphs. If you're a fan of Dead Space and it's awesome story, you'll love Dead Space 3.… Expand

And we finally got a 3rd DS, seems legit. DS3 is probably the weakest although I did not play DS2 so I can't say its the worst, but comparing DS3 to DS1 isn't fair because, both of them are good in their own way, Im gonna go DS1 on this. Now lets talk about the game, The Graphics are pretty neat but a lot of people say its the same as ME3, and that it's third-person like ME, to me the argument is really stupid, they are both different games. The solo campaign is a 50/50, some of it was really cool and the other sometimes it was really boring. That's about it, my verdict: 7/10.… Expand

While the focus seems to have been shifted from "Survival Horror" to an "Action Horror", Dead Space 3 still deserves a spot in your gaming library. With superb combat, great AI and enemy design and and overall gorgeous looking game. Dead Space 3 is a great game, whilst the story may fault at times it doesn't ruin the game enough to tell people not to buy it.

This franchise is among my favorite in the entire industry. This first game was one of the scariest thing I've ever experienced and the second one was a great game but I did find my self scared a jump scare or two got me but that was it. This game had quite a lot of attempts at scare but, much like the second, not many got pass. The overall mood of the game is mildly tense in a scary way but there is a large amount tension in not knowing what is going to happen next. The mood of the game best shows through during solo play, save co-op for your second play through. Overall, much like the second game, it does less than stellar in the horror genre, unless you are easily gotten by jump scares. On the earlier mention not of co-op, it works great when you have no one in your game then there is no AI to follow you around leavening the feel of the game intact, rather than making you fell like a babysitter for your AI partner. The combat is as great as ever and the weapon crafting system is easy and one of the most fun this about the game can be making new weapons. If you like the old weapons than have no fear they all make a return. There is even a mode unlocked upon beating the game that is unlocked where you can only use those guns. Speaking of other modes there are 4 in total, not including new game that add in things that make the game more interesting, like hardcore where you have to play the game without dying once or pure survival where you must craft med-kits and ammo as you find none through. This helps to boost replay value even higher which is amassing considering that this games cut-scenes are short and none feel unneeded. The pacing of the story is great if you like to explore your game worlds, if not it might be a little slow, the last two chapters, out of the nineteen in the game, felt a little rush as the story accelerated towards the finale. Exploring is rewarded in this game with not only achievements but in game rewards every time you complete a set, which range from text log to weapon parts and even artifacts.

So to summarize if your looking solely for a horror game then look elsewhere but that is not to say the game is not great. The combat and mechanics are great and work flawlessly. The atmosphere is mildly tense and will keep you guessing on what will happen next. the graphics and sound design are beyond stellar. Replay value is high.… Expand

Dead space 3 was a good game, best as far as gameplay for the series, but without as many opportunities for instant death, the horror aspect has declined, is it a bad game? No, it's really fun as they have don't almost the opposite of mass effect by going from a 3rd person shooter and have added more rpg-like aspects to the game like crafting. I'd say it's worth the money if only for the extra game modes, and fun gameplay, but if you're looking for a horror game, stick to amnesia.… Expand

Best Dead Space to date!! Sure its not the survival horror that i have know to love.. BUT the CRAFTING and the Torque bars to unlock certain doors, the Co-Op, the ability to replay levels to 100% everything, the extra new game modes as well!! Wish it would be scarier but overall im 100% happy with the Game its self.. The Micro Transactions are Pathetic.. But that is EA for ya... Milking their customers.. But overall i love it!!… Expand

i was a big fan of Dead Space 1 and 2 but this one is just boring. You can customize the weapons which is kind of fun but it is a hassle to get the necessary resources and then they offer to sell you whatever you need if you give them real money. Give me a break! The real world and real money shouldn't intrude into my video game experience. E.A makes some good games but they are greedy. They are too focused on making money with D.L.Cs and other crap. Also it used to be a good horror game but is now just an average third person shooter game.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'll start off by stating probably the only positive thing about this game: the graphics are stunning and the environments appropriately desolate and grimy. Having said that, this is one of the most dissappointing follow-ups to one of my favorite games of all time. Pretty much everything in this is a step in the wrong direction, either completely out of left field or backwards. At the end of DS2, Isaac defeated the Marker both from without and within, and with his new friend Ellie, rocketed off to freedom. Well, in this game, Isaac has not only hooked up and boinked with Ellie (because in video game storylines what else are you supposed to do with a woman), but they've split up because Isaac has become a self-pitying recluse who is thrust back into the fray at gunpoint and spends the game complaining, wondering what the hell he's doing here (I can relate). When the game lets up on the Quicktime events to actually let you start playing, Isaac starts shooting at...dudes with guns. In a franchise that was supposed to be about shooting zombies to pieces, you start out by ducking behind cover and shooting dudes with guns in the face. Welcome to Call of Duty: Dead Space. The Unitologists, who made for great enemies with their methods of infiltration and subterfuge in past games, are now dudes with guns. They've managed to take over all of Earthgov, who were the totalitarian enemy in DS2, and have now reduced them to a SINGLE SQUAD. Wow, for a game that features alien monoliths that turn people into zombies, this game is making all this VERY hard to buy. So after the intro to Army of Isaac, he reunites with Ellie, who proceeds to lock lips with one of the jarhead military guys right in front of him. And now the zombie shark has officially been jumped. Ellie is Bella and Isaac is Edward. With the fate of humanity in the balance, Isaac now gets into p***ing contests with Military Jacob over stealing his girl.

The rest of the game is a tedious fetch-quest much like the 1st game, but whereas you felt put upon with the two other NPCs sending you here and there, now you fly through space and trudge in sub-zero terrain while a crowd of token characters like Bald Chick, Old Guy, and Redneck Jarhead tell you where to go while they sit back do jack squat. Meanwhile, you get to grab this thing and open this door and start this engine while you collect "resources" and "spare parts." Remember how players complained Dead Space didn't have the best weapons? Well the developers have passed that job down to us as we now construct guns like rusty Legos and find out that they're all still just as weak as ever, only now you, the player, have seen how fruitless your efforts are. That's pretty much how you experienced Dead Space 3; you don't play it, you work on it. You know, I can practically see the stiff-suited market researchers sitting around thinking how much crap they could cram into this game for the sole purpose of hooking more sales. We need that Twilight dollar, let's put in an overly dramatic and unneccesary love triangle! We need that Walking Dead dollar, let's add more useless NPCs that will serve no purpose other than to die at some point! We need that Mass Effect dollar, let's make the players pretend this is an RPG all of a sudden and collect parts!

I never quite understood why EA was painted as a money-grubbing, artistically-bankrupt company, but now I know all too well.… Expand

Being a big fan of the first two games, i have to say i still love this one too. I have been mostly playing in Co-op with a friend and while it takes a lot of the scares away, it's a very very fun experience. The new crafting system is great and addictive. The gameplay is indeed more action based, but even then it really still feels like a dead space game. Or at least the atmosphere. Audiovisually it's again really impressive. I like this new approach to DS series. And if i want the survival horror experience, i can just play the previous two games. But the co-op is just tons of fun. Me and my friend are already looking forward to a second playthrough.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. By now you probably know that Dead Space 3 isn't a survival horror game like its predecessors, but rather a third person action shooter. This isn't necessarily a bad thing if it's done well, unfortunately in Dead Space 3 it is a complete failure. Most of the combat (and there is a lot of it) follows this pattern:

-Isaac enters a small, cramped room.
-Room gets locked down.
-Wave of necromorphs spews out of vents.
-Another wave of necromorphs.
-...and another.
-...and another.
-...and another.
-Room opens up.
-Move on to next room, repeat.

The strategic dismemberment that was so enjoyable in the first Dead Space game is completely gone. Each of these waves has so many enemies charging at you so fast, that you will repeatedly end up backed into a corner while you mindlessly empty clip after clip into an undifferentiated mass of arms and legs and tentacles. Impalement is also of little use, since there is no time to stop shooting at the dozens of enemies who are mobbing you, and if your telekinesis picks up the wrong object from the gigantic pile of limbs and items, then you're as good as dead.

Not all the combat is atrocious. The end boss is one of the most epic I've ever seen, and there's another memorable boss fight around the middle. Unfortunately most of the boss fights will be against the Snow Beast, who seems to have no shortage of respawning tentacles. Perhaps the combat is more enjoyable in co-op, since the game was clearly not designed around solo gameplay, but I don't know. Both of the co-op partners I found in message boards have flaked out. That's another thing that is extremely frustrating about this game; if it was designed to be played by two people on two separate consoles, why does it include no tools for finding a co-op partner?

The game has other flaws, such as generic, one-dimensional characters; formulaic dialogue; a clunky weapon-crafting system; and an in-your-face microtransaction system. The game also froze my XBOX 360 a few times. As extremely annoying as these things are, they are small potatoes compared to the epically bad and frustrating combat I've already mentioned. I could overlook these other flaws if I actually enjoyed playing the game, but the bottom line is that the combat is so pointlessly long and repetitive that it ultimately turns Dead Space 3 into a game that is just simply not fun to play.… Expand

I think the scores are too low. I'm a picky, hardcore gamer like many of you, and I believe they improved the game. Sure, they didn't give us the goose bump feeling from the first game, but that's hardly because the game is worst we just now what to expect. So instead, they gave us more action to compensate and the co-op is a bonus. It's fun and worth buying.

Dead space3 makes for a good 3rd person shooter with fantastic graphics and combat that can provide some nice moments of frantic on the spot re-thinking tactics as well as sporadic moments of high pressure. but as a "Dead Space game" its only a solid entry that strays to far from what made it the reason so many of us loved and hoped would continue to be, and that reason was horror. Now if you had any concern for the new entry into the series to be even more action focused and less nightmare driven then the previous Dead Space2 then congratulations, you where right! Dead space 3 continues the story of Isaac Clarke and boost a few new characters then the last game including a new villain Unitologist that for the life of me can not remember his name (which i am not surprised due to the flat cast of characters throughout) and returning support character Ellie (now with a magic eye ball) as well as a few others but most importantly John Carver who will act as isaac's new bro and function as the other player in co-op. Now, for the sake of not having any spoilers bleed out i am not going to say anything about the plot, events, story ect. that happen in the game however i will go on record to say that i was able to play through the whole game in co-op with a friend and although its not the direction i wanted to see the franchise go i can vouch for the games co-op as being "a lot of fun" ether with a personal friend or a complete stranger over Xbox Live. Dead Space 3 also sports a new weapons craft system that is in the form of the previous games "work benches" and are peppered throughout the game for you to ether sell, upgrade or craft all of your new found junk into making med packs both small, medium or large, ammo (which is now universal no matter the gun) weapon parts and finally weapon mods or "Circuit's" which by finding or crafting is what gives your gun stats like increased reload speed, damage, rate of fire or a combination of the bunch. Necromorphs are back and are as pissed as ever but in a much less terrifying way, i could not put my finger on it but there was something about them that seem to me as a little weak on the scares and lacked any and all of that gut wrenching feeling i got from previous titles though never the less they are still satisfying to brutally rip through. Also the environments lack that character that the other games nailed but that's not to say they are boring to move through just don't expect to see buckets of blood everywhere. At the end of the day Dead Space3 is a pretty fun 3rd person action game with some "gotcha" type moments tied into dark hallways, brutal gore and violence, the emptiness of space and a nice cheevo list with a really fun co-op mode not to mention a campaign that is really freaking long and you have a really nice package overall. Just remember the not so good things i said. Dead Space3 does NOT suck rather the direction they took it does. Thank you for your time… Expand

The game was great! If i had to rank the games i would say dead space 2 is the best, followed by 3 and then finally the original. While others have complained the game has gone full action it hasn't, the scares are still there but occasionally there are sections where you feel like its a shooter. In my personal opinion i like it when developers innovate as i think games that don't change at all aside from story get boring. The crafting is amazing makes the combat more varied, and i liked the addition of the side missions, you didn't have to do them and they filled in the back story a little. My only complaint would be pacing there were times when i felt the game was dragging but other than that it was fantastic. Hopefully there will be another dead space.… Expand

Loved Dead Space 1 and 2 and I loved 3. Yes, it's not as well paced or atmospheric as the first two games but it is still a great game! The campaign length is amazing. How people complain its too long are crazy! Go back to you 5 hour campaigns then.. Recommended!

If you've played Dead Space one and two dont come into Dead Space 3 expecting it to be more of the same. This time its longer, less linear, and as a player you have a lot more freedom. People are knocking this game because its not very scary, well thats not entirely true. The first half of the game your aboard a space ship like the first two games, necromorphs come out of crates, floors and vents with a disturbing vibe walking down corridors is as scary as its ever been. When you hit Tau Volantis your more on your seat than ever before, your racing to kill necromorphs while monitierng your body temp. Now you pick up parts and blueprints to craft your very own weapons, you can make one from scratch or simply modify guns you already own, and if your not into that pick up the right parts and you can simply craft a preset weapon. The game is at least three or four times as long as DS2, its around 15-20 hours long, and now there are side missions that are both lengthy and a nice distraction from the main story. It may not be the case with everybody but to me i thought most of the first half of the game wuz a bit slow and a little uniteresting, you may disagree and there were a few parts in the first half that kept you on your seat(one in particular), overall most of the critisism this game is getting it doesnt deserve if your a Dead Space fan and your unsure if you should pick it up, Buy it its still survival horror and not action oriented and your gonna love it.… Expand

Dont listen to all the negative crap about this game, Iv been a fan since Dead Space 1 and have loved every minute of every game. This third game is no different. Awesome from beginning to end. The addition of weapon crafting in this one is probably one of the best things they could have done. So much fun!! This game is well worth picking up.

Great game. Better than the 7/10 some people are giving it.
Found this to be a great addition to my co-op games which is my preference with great graphics and exceptional sound. Die hard fans probably wont like the co-op as it definitely takes the scare out of the game but for a shooter excellent. Found the making up guns fun and always having to go back to a bench and changing my new gun after finding my new colossus to be a squib. Give it a try as its miles ahead of Aliens colonial marines which is dire.… Expand

6.1 really... 78 critic review score really... sometimes people baffle me, if you were a fan of dead space 1 or dead space 2 you should feel right at home here, i say "should" because before the game released there was people moaning about co-op, your on an ice planet there's know more dark hallways this isn't dead space.... first off the co-op is optional, so if you don't want to do co-op then don't pick it, the second thing is 70% of the game your still in dark hallways so it has the same DS feel, it's still creepy, there's still scares people need to relax... is it a little more action focused then DS 1 2 yea, does that change that this is still an awesome entry into the series... NO... the only downside for me personally is this game has a lot of backtracking but that's nothing new for people that played DS1 (quick tip if u beat the game sit through the credits cause there's something not to be missed at the end) Dead space 3 starts 2013 in an awesome way.… Expand

It's hard to review this game objectively as a fan of the first two Dead Space games (in particular the horror elements of those games). A lot of the hate is coming from the fact that the tension and atmosphere of the first two Dead Space games is very reduced in this latest iteration, and us gamers (ever a fickle bunch) don't seem to respond well to change. That said, for what it is the game is..... decent. It took me quite awhile to force myself to play through this game, and that alone should say something: a quality game should not feel like a chore to play. The story (at least to me) was uninvolving, and I repeatedly asked myself why I cared about what was happening. The presentation is a shining point of the game; the graphics are good with excellent lighting and particle effects, and the sound design is top notch. The biggest problem I see with the game is the focus on 3rd Person Shooting. Fine, the wanted a more action oriented game. I can deal with that. The problem is that there have been no significant changes to the gameplay formula to accomadate this shift in focus, leaving the game to fall flat under other 3rd person shooters on the market. This game is good enough for me to recommend to Dead Space fans, but if you're a survival horror fan, steer clear. If you're a fan of 3rd person shooters, play Gears of War or Uncharted. Dead Space 3 is decent enough game, but it's a game that has lost its identity.… Expand

don't listen to the fanboys, Dead Space 3 is good game.

This is not the best Dead Space game, but that's not to say it's a bad game, it's still a great game and a worthy entry in the Dead space series. Dead Space 3 has introduced human villains with guns and that's a major point of contempt for some people, though it should be pointed out that their presence in the game is kept to a minimum, this is still a classic Dead Space game where Isaac Clarke must survive against the necromorphs and it's still a very familiar Dead Space game in that regard. Another point of contempt for others is that the game has traded its horror elements for an action focus, in that sense the game isn't as horror focused as Dead Space 1, but like Dead Space 2 the story ads a great deal to the experience. Also, not a terrifying horror game but it's still a horror game, and a thrilling one at that; I'm aware people out there really want to tell others how they wear their big boy pants and weren't the least bit shaken by any of the Dead Space games, I myself make sure I get the most out of them, I play alone, at night, in the dark, with stereo headphones with the sound cranked, no XBL party chat, no playing with friends watching, no company period, no distractions like music playing in background or watching Netflix on my laptop, no turning down the volume when things get tense... doing all that, this game is scary, not as scary as the first but scary enough to make me jump when I get surprised, and remains a very thrilling game throughout. Though one point worth bringing up is this game doesn't introduce you to Unitology like Dead Space 2 did at the Titan Station, it gives you a quick introduction to the story so far and takes things from there, it doesn't do much through the game of painting a picture of what Unitology is and what role it plays in the universe, I personally didn't mind since I played Dead Space 1, Extraction, 2, and was familiar to the universe when I began Dead Space 3; it should be noted that it's not a great idea for someone who hasn't touched a Dead Space game to try getting into this third game without having played Dead Space and Dead Space 2. Many are aware this game does take place on a planet, but they didn't avoid the space in Dead Space, a good portion (maybe 1/3 or more) of the game takes place in orbit above the planet,, the protagonists are marooned and must salvage a working ship in order to descend to the planet, in this time you get to spend a great deal in space salvaging parts, moving around to other destroyed ships to salvage a working spacecraft, it's very cool in this regard. People are also iffy about the presence of weapon crafting, I was even skeptical at first and didn't want to stray away from familiar weapons, then after some experimentation with crafting new weapons I finally made some really cool weapons unique from other Dead Space games, it felt very rewarding to do so. As far as difficulty goes normal difficulty feels like normal difficulty at first, but as you craft more efficient killing weapons the game does start to get easy, but still enjoyable, fans wanting a more traditional survival horror experience should play on harder settings for more scarcity of ammo and medical items and deadlier enemies. If you enjoyed the previous Dead Space games, don't pass this one up, if you haven't played a Dead Space game yet, don't start with this one, get the others and work your way to the third game.… Expand

The game is great and the plot is amazing and blew me away, but being a fan of the other 2 games i saw some great features be left behind, such as saving at a save station, power nodes and the store, I love the bench and the way so many guns can be built but the whole universal ammo idea though it was completely nesscary left out the inventory arangement the other 2 had, i played on hard and had so much ammo I didn't need, with this ammo stituation the game became a lot less scary as I knew I had enough ammo to be able to expand 3 stacks and still have plenty, and although the idea of the suit rack was awesome I did like how once you upgraded your suit every suit would be the same as the other suits, it made them feel more like a visual effect rather than something that would actually give you a special bonus for wearing it, and I know I am probably whining a little here, no lies the games great I love it and it stands proudly as a worthy third installment, i just wish some of the other games features had appered in this. At least you can't go through the whole game using only the Plasma Cutter on hard.… Expand

Dead Space 3 was innovative, fun, and offered a slightly different experience to it's predecessors. While definitely a more action based installment, the horror element is certainly there and well done. I found myself at times dreading the next room or jumping at the next enemy surprising me, wile not as fearful as the first, it did have the action part more well done than it's predecessors.

The action portion was great, being able to customize a huge number of elements on my weapons from upgrades, to barrel combinations, I was never short of a fun, new way to massacre necros. In addition, moments of empowerment are quite exciting, being able to use your (assuming you're accurate) solid aim and superior intellect to crush groups of enemies.

While I wish it was more horror (like the first installment) I think in and of itself DS3 was very well made, and very fun. I personally think that reviewing this game in strong comparison with the first is foolhardy, as it is *meant* to not be as much horror and much more action.

Although I rate this game a 9, I am going to give it a 10 to offset the ridiculous fools here that leave crappy *opinion only* based reviews and are upset because *their* personal desires are not met (I also see many of them seem to be "hipster gamers," apparently it is just plain cool to hate on big game companies).

I highly recommend this game for anyone looking for some good scares, and lots of gruesome, gory, and exciting killing.… Expand

Don't let some negative reviews fool you. This is a great game. It has enough horror elements to still keep the Dead Space feel to it, but has enough changes to keep from feeling like more of the same. The co-op alone makes this game worth a purchase. There's also a ton a re-playability with the different difficulty levels, and the new awesome gun creations. The only negative thing about this is game is the final hour or so. It was so tedious and boring that it gets to the point where you keep saying to yourself "I really wish this game would just end already". That's never a good thing and by the time the story ends you really just don't care anymore. This last portion of the game was enough to lower my score from almost a 10 to more like an 8.5 or so. Yeah, the last hour is that bad. I rounded up my rating to a 9 because a lot of these lower scores are just not fair to the game. It's just more people jumping on the current gaming bandwagon, which is to hate games that make changes from their originals and cry that the developers "aren't being true to their loyal fans".

This game is definitely worth checking out, and is an early game of the year contender for 2013.… Expand

Dead Space 3 was fun and engaging and just a bit scary when it was supposed to be. The action was faster and fluid. The environments were beautiful and the effects well done.

By far the worst game in the series and plainly, just a bad game. Saves load you an hour before the last point you should be (guess the fathers of the creators didn't teach them numbers correctly). Also a fact as I am Greek, the producer's surname (Steve Papoutsis) means his d|ck is a grandpa, mine on the other hand (KOKK-IN-EASS) means something much better. Games like this make me feel good that these people are just so inadequate. To the next failure, losers. :D… Expand

this game just falls short, overall. I mean, yes, the gameplay is upgraded, a useless cover system just like in RE6 was added, but the game is just a huge meh.

Great game. A good addition to the Dead Space saga. I am just fed up with online passes and micro transactions. I have been renting and buying used games for almost thirty years and I do not want to stop. If publishers want to make more money make better games, quit nickle and diming people.

Currently Im in chapter 15 and absolutely love the game, looking forward to finalize it and then play the new game+ classic mode, for the better DS experience. This game is pure fun and still the thrill is there I am playing Solo campaing during night time on 50" TV with home-cinema surround system and for sure the creepy atmosphere is there. Again this one is not the same pure horror experience as in DS1 when you needed to explore the dark, creepy locations of the Ishimura starship, it is more like horror/adventure with some more action but still with a lot of creepy, dark corridors/rooms mixed with outside areas with atmosphere similar to John Carpenter's "The Thing", with limited view due to permanent snow storm and necromorphs jumping out from the ground...The gameplay is very smooth giving you great control of each Isaac's movement, mostly you will fight the necromorphs with some soldiers occasionally, as I have mentioned ealier the weapon crafting is fun, no need for microtransactions, I stick to two or three favourite guns which are working well against any enemy. This game is a blast, will keep you at the edge of your seat from the beginning, would recommend it to any action/horror game fan!… Expand

4 hours into the game, I ran into 4 bugs, this didn't happen when I played previous Dead Space games. Also, although having necromorphs jumping on me still has the thrill it used to give me, but now the psychological fear is nowhere to be found; Isaac now suffers significantly less dementia: I used to enjoy this alot, despite the fact that I've got scared sh*tless for a few times. All in all, I'd say EA did a good job keeping most of the successful features of previous games, and managed to keep Dead Space 3 a satisfying game and a worthy entry to the franchise.… Expand

ds 3 is a great game fulfilling the dead space story. too many negatives from so called survival horror game players, who cannot see the tension building within the game. lets remember visceral developed the game, and did a fantastic job. not all survival horrors are based in a haunted mansion or an asylum. i have played hundreds of games, and my love is survival horror, and the dead space trilogy still stands out as some of the best games i have played. well done visceral, come on ds 4, and you lot of whinging girls, grow up, stop moaning and play the game the way it was made to be played. you never know you might actually get it!… Expand

Disappointment is the single most relevant word to Dead Space 3. If it were only that it wasn't a survival-horror game, but still a fun action game it would be great. Instead it plays like an unfinished game; designs get reused too frequently, details and character interaction is missing, and a certain level of polish is absent. Most of the action is walking into a room and fighting a huge wave of enemies, followed by a similar room with another wave of enemies. Backtracking is quite frequent, and during these quiet moments there's nothing to fill the void except boredom to get out. Side missions are especially prone to this, and because of this the game feels both small and dragging on for too long.
The story is easily the weakest part. It begins confusing as so much of the game world has changed radically since the last installment, and important character development fails to pull through. By the time changes start happening it's hardly effective as the level of involvement from the additional human survivors is minimal, and relies much on the players own assumptions. Worse is the dialogue, it is cringe-worthy awkward, and at times uncomfortable to sit through. Unfortunately there is no button to skip cutscenes.
Overall the game feels rushed out of production to meet a deadline; hopefully future installments will have a larger team, a smaller scope, or a longer time table to complete the game.… Expand

They killed the scary experience with DS3, made the game for CoD newbs that just want action and nudity (Ellie's "upgraded" rack) and care nothing about a good story and atmosphere. Same thing happened with Resident Evil 5 and also with Hitman Absolution (less stealth and poor story, shallow characters) Unfortunately, these ignorant people far outnumber the original fanbase of the Dead SpSpace franchise and thus, games are e being shaped to please THEM. At the end of the day, corporations are out there to squeeze every cent out of each product and Dead Space fell victim to that. Kudos to franchises that manage to keep their uniqueness despite that fact.… Expand

As a fan of the series, I loved Dead Space 1 and 2, I had high hopes for Dead Space 3 when I initially saw it, but then I actually played the game and noticed not only flaws in the gameplay itself, but flaws in the story, writing, and even the graphics in a many places. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate this game at all, I do however, hate what Visceral and EA have done with this game, Microtransactions for weapon parts and resources, DLC on day 1, achievements for future DLC already in the game on release, all of these are hallmarks of EAs cancerous, greedy touch on the series. Gameplay is much, much easier than any other game in the series (even on impossible). Graphics are improved by a fair bit, but graphical glitches in many areas detract from these improvements. Weapon customization effectively breaks the game within 5 chapters of starting it (about 1-3 hours of gameplay), the force gun and shotgun makes every normal enemy in the game a joke. Story was interesting, but could have been executed better. Overall, this doesn't feel like a Dead Space game, it lacks the scares, the psychological horror, even the simple but difficult gameplay that previous games executed flawlessly. I will note, however, that if you have a co-op buddy to play the game with, this game can be tons of fun. Buying it is up to you, but I personally wouldn't recommend it… Expand

Being a horror lover, I've been a fan from the start, placing myself in a dark room alone with headphones turned up to 11, enjoying the first Dead Space experience in a way that I'll never forget. Since then, two iterations have emerged and I have thoroughly enjoyed both. Both sequels however, have not met my expectations pleasantly in regards to the 'true' horror experience that the first release was. That fact however, should in no way affect the score for the later titles as Dead Space 3 is a superb game. As many have pointed out, Dead Space 3 weighs in heavily on the action front but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's completely devoid of the horror that the series is known for. The catch here is that it's only a scary experience if you want it to be. The shooting mechanics are as they've always been though slightly more fine tuned. Strategic dismemberment of the Necromorphs is ever present and important as they are much faster and aggressive this time around. The fights against the human 'Unitologists' aren't nearly as tense or gratifying and can be at times a little detrimental to the overall atmosphere but let's face it, when you've played all the games and appreciate the story and lore, who doesn't want to unload a plasma cutter into one of those fools?
At the normal setting(not recommended), you will breeze through the campaign easily, your inventory filled to bursting with health packs and ammo, necromorphs falling left and right to your overpowered arsenal. Turn up the difficulty however, and you're more likely to enjoy yourself if you seek that good ol' desperate feeling.
I started off on hard and met a respectable challenge, at times damning myself for not stocking up on supplies properly and at other times feeling like the damn hero that Isaac Clarke, the most unfortunate engineer in the history of man, has come to be. For me, the perfect experience in DS3 was playing the game in 'Pure Survival' (a mode unlocked upon completion), where all ammo, health, upgrades and stasis etc had to be crafted manually with the resources you find lying around.
Optional missions pop up here and there and are a welcome addition, in particular because aside from one, they were some of the most frightening missions in the game and serve to enliven the atmosphere of the various locations. The weapon crafting system albeit confusing at first glance, is quite frankly excellent (again, on harder difficulties) as it is truly gratifying, especially when you've evaluated your situation and find a combination of weapon parts that really save your hide under certain circumstances. Spend enough time here and you will be thankful for the opportunity to do so.
A lot of flack has been thrown at DS3 because of EA and most notably, a modern trademark of that company: Payed downloadable content that will help you on your world saving conquest. I had read about this before I played the game but admittedly, I didn't even noticed the feature until my 3rd playthrough. If you dislike this kind of thing then fret not, it is in no way an imposing mechanic nor a requirement to play, complete or enjoy the game.
Co-op, the most recent and potentially worrying addition to the franchise works as expected. The mechanics are solid but aside from a larger insight into Isaac's partner Carver, it doesn't offer much in my opinion. It should be noted however that I play the Dead Space games for isolation, horror and atmosphere purposes, others may take great pleasure in teaming up with a buddy for the murder party.
I enjoyed the story despite the fact that at times, it's a bit on the clichéd side with some truly corny 'love' moments. That being said, considering Isaac's journey from one awful situation to another, I completely accepted the more 'heroic' turn of events this time around which are naturally followed by a more 'grandioso' style of storytelling. Besides, anyone who questions Isaac's 'bad-assness' at this point should just play a barbie game. Overall, I would recommend Dead Space 3 to anyone who enjoys either action or horror. Both elements are ever present in the game and the mechanics are, after 3 iterations, very tight and the game performs admirably. I don't consider graphics a necessity in the creation of good games but they look great here and the expansive space areas are fantastic. Get this game. And if you prefer to buy used games then worry not, the online pass/co-op is in no way critical to your enjoyment of this excellent gaming experience.… Expand

If you feel the Resident Evil and Final Fantasy series have continued to slump into some awful abyss, then you will likely find the third installment of Dead Space to fit the same category. They have destroyed a strong environment of survival and horror, and changed it for some 13 yr old kids shooter style; albeit in third person.

-1 for traveling in 1000 elevators
-1 for lack of boss fights

On the whole its what fans will want. Another narative with a protagonist who builds everything because he's the only engineer going from floor to floor killing necromorphs like a Metroid without having to shoot the doors...oh wait you have to shoot them with your hand.

Dead Space series finally completely ruined, why oh why must EA insist that developers strip out the soul and atmosphere from games and replace it with generic cut and past levelsenemy's. I thought dead Space 2 was bad enough having made it an on rails shooter this is even worse. In an effort to make it feel more open world you now have endless repeating corridors and the same axe wielding? zombie enemy's spawn behind you every two minutes. An non-required crafting system that just feels like its there so they can add in micro transactions. I couldn't even be bothered to finish it and it will be the last Dead Space game I play.… Expand

With Dead Space and Dead Space 2 being some of my favorite games of all time, I desperately wanted to like Dead Space 3, and for the most part, I did. The gameplay, visuals and sound design are as solid as ever, and at the very least it's great to be back in the DS universe again. However, DS3 has some serious issues, and at the end of the day, one can't help but feel like the series has severely derailed itself as of this current installment for a few big reasons.
The biggest problem that DS3 has given itself is that it simply isn't scary. There are a couple of parts that start to hint at the classic DS atmosphere, but these moments are brief and quickly over-shadowed by action sequences. Now, in all fairness, I don't think DS was ever truly a survival-horror franchise in that it has always been pretty action-oriented, but seriously, DS3 is almost never scary. I think all of the subsequent flaws play into this lack of scariness in one way or another.
This might be seen as a nitpick, but by the end of the game this was seriously bugging me: all of the character models for any given enemy type in any given location are EXACTLY THE SAME. The previous DS games had a good variety of character models for the slasher necromorphs, but seriously, every single slasher you run into on the old space stations and ships is IDENTICAL to the last one. The same goes for the slashers down on the ice planet as well. This may seem minor, but it gets really old feeling like you're fighting the exact same alien over and over again for three hours. Of course there are the twitcher slashers and the lurkers and pukers and whatnot, but the generic enemy type that you see for the majority of the game has maybe three different models.
The first DS did a good job of making each stage of the Ishimura feel distinct, even though 95% of the game took place on that ship. DS3's level design feels incredibly repetitive, even though the first third of the game takes place on space ships and the second two thirds takes place on the Tau Volantis. I felt like the developers were trying to cover this up by adding useless gimmicks like climbing ladders into the mix. I think the problem is that the environments of DS3 feel less lived-in than previous games in the series. I was very excited to learn that there were multiple space ships to explore this time around only to find that they all look exactly the same on the inside. As for the other environment in the game…
Tau Volantis just isn't very interesting, and you spend the majority of the game there. For one thing, it's all ridiculously derivative of the Lost Planet series, only there isn't the same sense of epic scale. An ice planet just doesn't lend itself to horror like the corridors of a space-ship do, and the developers seem to know this because the interior sections of Tau Volantis are obviously trying to emulate the feel of DS corridors and environments, except they still suffer from the repetitive designs that the REAL space environments already suffer from.
One final note (and there are many more but I have 5000 characters to work with here) is that the game has a very imbalanced sense of difficulty. In many ways the game is far too easy. I never ONCE came close to running out of ammo or health (I played through the whole campaign on hard) and the crafting system is far too forgiving. In other instances the game can be difficult, but not in the right ways. DS3 has a terrible habit of just throwing a million enemies at you at a time. The fights often stop being fun and move into the zone of ridiculous tedium, and this is not helped by your never-ending stream of ammo and health packs. You won't die much, but you will be forced into far too many fights that just don't seem to end.
After all of this, one realizes that Dead Space 3 is just boring. I didn't even talk about the clumsy writing or the laughably ridiculous final boss fight, but the repetitive enemies, locations and encounters all add up to a very sleepy, unambitious tone. The game is a little scary here, a little action-y there, but there's nothing really bold about it. It's very clear that EA has finally got its hooks firmly planted in the franchise, which is now bleeding out from trying to cut itself up into enough bit-sized pieces to not offend anyone too much. The game can still be enjoyed, but in the end, you might as well just play through the first two games again because they surpass this misstep of a sequel in every single regard.… Expand

As a huge fan of Dead Space 1 and 2, this game isn't quite as good in single player compared to its predecessors. However it is still a good game and very faithful to the series. It's been developed with co-op very much at the forefront. This creates a myriad of small issues in regards to the single player. The negative impact is much less than FEAR 3's implementation though. The good news is that the co-op is actually quite enjoyable. I played through solo on hard, skipped most side missions. Came back to play co-op and the side missions have been more action orientated. These are satisfying to play through with a partner. Trying out different weapons is a good way to keep me playing.. Carver's hallucinations, however rare, are a smart way to use the universe. Visuals are quite good, attention to detail is very high in the world and cut scenes. Environmental variety and snow setting is a good choice for the series There are a few jump scares, some great space exploration. Ultimately, co-op is a pleasant surprise and single player is still pretty good.… Expand

This third instalment may have went for a more action approach, but it still manages to successfully scare the out of you! Along with stunning graphics and a great storyline, Dead Space 3 is a great second sequel that isn't just a thrilling ride but also an incredibly tense action-horror-sci-fi game. The only flaws in this game are that it can be frustrating at times and the fact that the crouch button is the same as the location-tracker button, which can lead to confusion.… Expand

This coming from an original dead space fan, this game plays more like "whack-a-necromorph" than dead space. Plentiful ammo, unfamiliar/complicated resource systems, and predictable ambushes are the main issues. Feels like a shooter rather than a survival horror game. Regardless, I still love this series, and I love this game. I'd get it used or at a reduced price if you aren't sure about buying it new.… Expand

When A Great Genre Game Went Mainstream

There comes a time in every game series lifespan were they begin to slowly degrade the lifeblood of a franchise as they slip farther and farther from the greatness it use to be. Dead Space 3 is the perfect example of a franchise in a state of flux as we leave the world of quite suspense for a world of crashing explosions. While I enjoyed Dead Space 3 for what it was (a third person shooter with the standard amount of suspense to keep it interesting) I could not help but long for my 8 hour play sessions of Dead Space the original in the dark with my Turtle beach's listing to the deafening silence as thing skittered through vents and shadows that made you question if you had just saw something or if it was just your imagination playing with you. Instead met with with Isaac Clarks non stop ramblings over the fact that is ex gf was with some other guy a point that seems entirely irrelevant as creatures continually try to murder him. I longed for the long dark hall ways of the ishimura were you could shine your flash light through the darkness and be greeted by horrific face of a necoromorph lunging towards you as you scramble backward and fire the last 10 shots you have with careful precision. This is all but lost in Dead Space 3 replaced by open planets with cover placed strategically through many sections of the world with soldiers shooting at you with reckless abandon as you hold the trigger down firing the nearly endless amount of ammo that you have which also now works for every weapon I truly thought I had some how switched from playing Dead Space 3 and some how had ended up in Gears Of War. While the game does have some redeeming qualities and is worth a play through it really no longer part of the Dead Space series in my eyes Dead Space 2 began to break away but kept enough of the original that it still could be considered part of the horror genre Dead Space 3 completes the break from the true roots of the original game

The Verdict: Overall a well made game but far fallen from what the franchise once was new players can play with ignorant bliss while veterans of the series long for better days!

Game Play:
7 Core mechanics are the same ammo and health concerns have been eliminated in normal mode many missions and environments are used way to often

Graphics:
7 Are on par with the current crop of AAA games but nothing special

Story:
6 Fairly underwhelming story

Sound:
Single Player 10 Coop 9 (Coop takes away from some of the ambient sounds in my opinion)

Replay Value:
7 Many different modes to choose from replay as opposite Isaac in coop for some extra stories… Expand

I was surprised at how well this game turned out. All I had been hearing before buying the game was that it was Resident Evil 6 2.0. I personally hated RE 6 with a passion so I was very weary going into this. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. First all, there almost zero change the core gameplay, which I love in a game like this. The emphasis on horror was lowered but, believe me, there are still plenty of spots in the game that get you to jump a bit sitting there. The story is actually pretty good but I'd highly recommend playing the first two before jumping into this one unless you want to be totally left out of the loop. The biggest issue I had was with the new checkpoint system, especially in regards to doing the optional missions. There's too much of a gap between checkpoints and if you want to do any of the optional missions, you need to make sure to set aside the necessary time to complete them or else you'll have to start all over from the beginning if you need to quit midway through. While I do wish it still had the emphasis on horror, I can't say this was a disappointment. I think it's a good game, easily worth the 30 dollar price tag you'll find it having this summer. It's not something that will blow you out of the water, nor will it be better than most, if not all, of the blockbuster hits coming in March. But it's a decent shooter that will occupy your time.… Expand