Thought I'd go ahead and type up the reviews for people to marinate on.
(7-Reiner)
The horror of being hunted in the vacuum of space never quite takes grip in Dead Space: Extraction, a Wii-exclusive prequel to the exceptional Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 space drama. Whether that's due to the perspective switch from third- to first-person, the lack of dynamic lightning, or weaker scripted scares can be debated. One thing is certain: I didn't jump once while playing this game. Without a suspenseful atmosphere, there isn't much to fear, or, conversely, to draw you in.
Dead Space: Extraction runs on rails, pulling the player forward a a scripted pace. Developer Visceral Games did a commendable job of making this experience feel more organic. Shaky cameras constantly distort your field of view, and you can hear your character's labored breathing. As intended, the bobbing camera combined with dancing shadows plays tricks on your eyes, and can lead to a few shots being fired at nothing.
This dynamic viewpoint clashes with the targeting reticle, a gigantic, beach ball-like display that takes up far too much of the screen, hiding the excessive brutality and highest quota of dismemberment per enemy body in any game. If you're playing the game co-op, with two vibrantly colored cursors on screen, you're not going to see much unless an enemy gets on top of you. This another area where the game doesn't retain the charm of its predecessor. Not having to worry about the positioning of your character makes for easier battles. Since the dev team held true to its fiction and hasn't altered the enemies to attack in different ways, their sloth-like assaults are easy to repel.
Storytelling is the only area where Extraction shines, even more so than the original game. The plot implies that other things may be afoot in this universe than players may have thought, and the way this information is doled out - through multiple playable characters - is executed beautifully, especially when you don't know if your character at the time will survive. Several of the story sequences conclude in horrific ways (more than just the chance of a good guy dying), and also connect nicely with the founding tale.
The action doesn't do much for the series, or even the genre for that matter. The pacing is much slower than your typical House of the Dead, and the firefights never feel like a stressful ordeal . Dead Space fans should check it out for the fiction. All other interested parties should look else-where for a suspenseful shooter.
(8.75-Meagan) Second Opinion
A refreshing surprise amongst a sea of unsatisfying Wii adaptations, Dead Space: Extraction's unfaltering intensity and intriguing storyline makes the game worth of the Dead Space moniker. New monsters, weapons, and characters expand upon the groundwork laid by the original thriller, and the realistic execution and pace of gameplay makes it easy to forget that your are on rails. Responsive controls, stellar voice acting, impressive visuals, and noteworthy unlockables make the game's gravitational pull that much stronger.
Minor flaws keep Extraction from making par with its predecessor, most notably the large reticles that obscure the bulk of approaching Necromorphs - making cutting off their limbs more of a gross estimate that a precise task. As with many rail shooters, gameplay is formulaic at times, particularly in the case of boss battles. But Extraction is every bit as creepy as its predecessor - perhaps more so since the game's rails pull you around that corner.
Dead Space: Extraction isn't a simple substitute for those who missed the first iteration. It's a must-play for the fans of the franchise and newcomers alike.
