Sun Dec 11. 2022
When Dead Space: Extraction was announced, fans of the series immediately split into two groups – on one hand there were those grateful for the continuation of the series, while on the other there were the PC gamers who didn't own a Wii or PS3 and wouldn't get to enjoy the new title. And even though Dead Space: Extraction didn't come out on the PC like its predecessor, its popularity somehow managed to surpass even that of the first game.
Gameplay
The gameplay isn't exactly similar to that of Dead Space. The game takes place before the events of the first game, serving as a prequel to fill in some of the gaps in the storyline so far. The story isn't directly tied to the one of Dead Space though, in the sense that the game doesn't leave off precisely where the first one begins.
You no longer play from the third perspective, and don't even control your character directly – the game is now a “rail” shooter, where the character moves on a predetermined path and you simply control their movement and kill the enemies as they show up.
New weapons have been added, as well as several new monsters. The controls have obviously been geared towards Wii players, as they can aim much more conveniently by pointing the controller at the screen directly, or even using the Wii Zapper if they own one. PS3 players shouldn't feel let down though, as they can still enjoy the game in its fullest, only with a slightly more clumsy aiming system.
Graphics and System Requirements
Due to the nature of the level design (lack of possibility for backtracking by the player, etc), the game has been designed in a very detailed manner, with the levels featuring some impressive, breath-taking scenes that push the capabilities of the aging Wii's hardware really far. Despite the predetermined nature of your movements, the animations don't feel stiff or too unrealistic, and on the contrary, the game feels very smooth and easy-flowing.
The blood effects seem to have been toned down, but that's somewhat understandable – being unable to avoid obstacles easily, coupled with the copious amounts of blood that is sometimes on the screen at once, could've easily make the game look cluttered.
Other
Dead Space: Extraction also offers a multiplayer mode where you can try to beat the game with a friend of yours. It's only limited to two players, and it's played in a manner standard to this type of shooters – you both share the same screen and compete against each other for points, but are also trying to help each other to succeed, of course.
Conclusion
If you're a dedicated PC gamer, you won't get to play Dead Space: Extraction and that's a fact. Are you missing out on a lot? Possibly – but if you're a true fan of the series you can grab a second-hand Wii and give it a shot!