Post by boogieknight on Sept 19, 2009 18:48:00 GMT -5
Scenario: You're jonesing real bad for a good horror game, it's about another month till Silent Hill: Shattered Memories comes out, and Rule of Rose isn't satisfying. What do you do?
Answer: Play Dead Space.
This title plays more like Resident Evil compared to other horror titles, so it's easy to acclimate into. However, the game forces you to go against your conditioning in the method of dispatching enemies. Rather than spamming headshots, the fastest way to put down the ghoulish monsters gunning for you is to dismember their limbs. I'm not entirely sure of the in-game logic, but hacking them up deals bonus damage comapared to the body shots. Nevermind how disconcerting it is when a headless creature is charging at you full speed. On of the freakiest moments is when a monster collapses after taking serious damage, but once you get close enough it pounces upon you. It's rare for one of them to play possum midconfrontation, but it'll shake you up. In the age where moral dilemmas are commonplace in games, this one actually presented one unintentionally. Among the monsters you face is a specialized type that turns the corpses of human beings into new monsters, and the only way to prevent the corpses from being usable is to take off the limbs as well. Whether or not to kill innocent people is a little dry, but whether or not to commit an act of desecration when reluctance could spell your doom... that's rough.
Puzzle solving is pretty simplistic, and frankly I like it this way. I fear some atmosphere centred horror games may be making their puzzles too obtuse. While playing Rule of Rose, one goal was to get a pair of scissors that were suspended in the air by a string. The heroine notes that it's too high to reach, but not only is there a chair in that same room there is a nearby sewing room with a... you guessed it, a pair of scissors on the table! Finding medallions to place in specific points and opening up a well sounds a little retarded for a work place. Dealing with the hazards of a space ship gone to hell is easier to wrap the mind around and never nukes the fridge.
Thankfully, QTEs are sparse, and you only have to engage in these when a foe is grappling with you. The rest of the time, the conventional controls offer all you need to get the job done. However, there are some instakills dangers that seem a little too elaborate and the creators seem to like watching thier hero die a little too much.
Overall I'm fairly impressed with the level design and while the zero gravity areas can be challenging as enemies can attack you from any angle, I'm pleased with the thought put into making the ship feel and function like a genuine space ship. If you like horror or action, then I think that Dead Space is worth giving a shot.
Answer: Play Dead Space.
This title plays more like Resident Evil compared to other horror titles, so it's easy to acclimate into. However, the game forces you to go against your conditioning in the method of dispatching enemies. Rather than spamming headshots, the fastest way to put down the ghoulish monsters gunning for you is to dismember their limbs. I'm not entirely sure of the in-game logic, but hacking them up deals bonus damage comapared to the body shots. Nevermind how disconcerting it is when a headless creature is charging at you full speed. On of the freakiest moments is when a monster collapses after taking serious damage, but once you get close enough it pounces upon you. It's rare for one of them to play possum midconfrontation, but it'll shake you up. In the age where moral dilemmas are commonplace in games, this one actually presented one unintentionally. Among the monsters you face is a specialized type that turns the corpses of human beings into new monsters, and the only way to prevent the corpses from being usable is to take off the limbs as well. Whether or not to kill innocent people is a little dry, but whether or not to commit an act of desecration when reluctance could spell your doom... that's rough.
Puzzle solving is pretty simplistic, and frankly I like it this way. I fear some atmosphere centred horror games may be making their puzzles too obtuse. While playing Rule of Rose, one goal was to get a pair of scissors that were suspended in the air by a string. The heroine notes that it's too high to reach, but not only is there a chair in that same room there is a nearby sewing room with a... you guessed it, a pair of scissors on the table! Finding medallions to place in specific points and opening up a well sounds a little retarded for a work place. Dealing with the hazards of a space ship gone to hell is easier to wrap the mind around and never nukes the fridge.
Thankfully, QTEs are sparse, and you only have to engage in these when a foe is grappling with you. The rest of the time, the conventional controls offer all you need to get the job done. However, there are some instakills dangers that seem a little too elaborate and the creators seem to like watching thier hero die a little too much.
Overall I'm fairly impressed with the level design and while the zero gravity areas can be challenging as enemies can attack you from any angle, I'm pleased with the thought put into making the ship feel and function like a genuine space ship. If you like horror or action, then I think that Dead Space is worth giving a shot.