Genre : Rail Shooter
Developer: Eurocom
Publisher: EA
Players: 1 – 2
Retail Price: $50
Availability: Wii
The rail shooter is a genre that lends itself quite well to the Wii’s unique control scheme. It’s shocking how few have come out on the system in its three years at market, especially since the ones that had any thought put into them saw mild success at the very least. Dead Space Extraction is EA’s attempt to bring a hardcore brand to Nintendo’s little white box with its capabilities in mind, and the rail shooter is an admittedly inspired genre to build from. Eurocom does an admirable job injecting elements foreign to this style of game, but it fails to create a solid pace or establish a compelling reason for non-fans to care. It’s because of this that those unfamiliar with the Dead Space universe will find little pleasure in the game’s dry, heavy handed story.
Part of the allure of the original Dead Space was the mystery surrounding the setting and how the ship came to be in its tainted state. Dead Space Extraction is not afforded the same luxury due its prequel status. The game tries instead to establish its mood by showcasing the utter chaos caused by the beginning of the infection, and the earlier stages are more akin to a riot than a haunted house. The problem is that the pacing is continually bogged down by five-to-ten minute story sequences where you have little to do but listen while staring at poorly animated faces, a problem only exacerbated by the first person view. Eschewing scene transitions and angle changes for a realistic viewpoint seems like a good idea on paper, and works for a series like Half Life, but only because it keeps things short, relevant and well-spaced. Extraction’s frequent reliance on time away from the action just manages to make things boring.
A common sight on the Ishimura
The game does eventually make an attempt to rekindle the moody nature of its forebearer but it’s too little too late by the time it happens. The player is already attuned to the constant back and forth between heavy action and the complete lack there of making the switch to a more deliberate pace jarring instead of frightening. The developers seemed to realize this after a short time, as the game switches back to its earlier formula for the last few levels. This is bad news for a game where the story is a major selling point. Yes you do get to see the transformation of the Ishimura first hand, but it isn’t nearly as exciting a you imagined. This is a guarantee. It’s a shame too, because the shooting elements are mostly well-designed and a lot of fun. They’re unfortunately most accurately described as sporadic, something that doesn’t bode well for an “action” game.
Extraction makes good use of many elements found in the original game. Enemies are bullet-sponges unless you use your head and tear them limb from limb with gunfire. It’s important to take your time and aim because the ammunition for your specialized weaponry is limited. This is never more apparent than when the game starts to push more enemies into your path — it’s not something you want to tackle with your rivet gun alone.
While the game mostly corrals you from point to point, there are a few moments where you can choose from multiple paths. There are also several segments that make use of antigravity, and require the player to point at a spot and jump toward it. These elements are nice, since they at least feel more interactive in terms of navigation. Sometimes the antigravity areas task the player with puzzle of some sort to solve, and they would feel like a nice break in the action if it weren’t for all the breaks the story forces upon you.
Sure hope that's an arm coming out of his midsection...
Series fans will be pleased to know that the game does offer more backstory than what’s found in the main game. As you play through the levels you unlock issues of the Dead Space comic series that are completely voiced. You’ll also unlock challenge stages where you fight waves of enemies in various locations from the main game. These extra levels are, perhaps predictably, more exciting than the game’s main course. The constant level of high intensity and fast-paced gunplay normally synonymous with the genre is hidden here.
While it’s comforting to see EA try to expand upon the mythos of a new property in a creative direction, Dead Space Extraction sadly crumbles under the weight of its ambition. The bite-sized morsels of action are sparingly doled out and simply won’t be enough to enthrall fans of rail shooters. The story may simply prove tiresome to all but the most ardent series followers. The makings of a great shooter are there, but they’re stifled and hidden by the constricting and pushy narrative that refuses to just let the player play.
