Dead Space 3

by Electronic Arts

• Team up and take down the terror together - Play the full campaign in online co-op or single player through easy drop-in and drop-out play.
• Head planet side and experience a hostile new environment - Discover underworld cities and accept side missions. Explore the frozen terrain and search abandoned encampments.
• Uncover the past and embark on a thrilling expedition to save mankind - Discover the source of the Necromorph terror and fight to fend off the extinction of the human race.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0050SWVIQ
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches ; 4 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: February 5, 2013
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (310 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #398 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #14 in Video Games > Xbox 360 > Games > Action > Shooter

Product Description

Platform: Xbox 360

Amazon.com

Dead Space 3 is a Third-Person Shooter with Survival-Horror gameplay elements that challenges players to work singly, or with a friend to stop the viral/monster Necromorph outbreak. The game features the return of franchise hero, Isaac Clarke and the necessity of his weapons making abilities and precision skill in using them against in order to defeat enemies. Other game features include, drop-in/out co-op support, the additional character John Carver, evolved Necromorph enemies, a new cover system, side missions, and more.

Team up Against the Necromorph Outbreak

Prepare yourself to scavenge the violent wilderness, build devastating weapons, and take down the terror together.

Isaac Clarke and the hard-nosed soldier John Carver unite in the struggle against the Necromorph outbreak.
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Dead Space 3 brings Isaac Clarke and merciless soldier, John Carver, on a journey across space to discover the source of the Necromorph outbreak. Crash-landed on the frozen planet of Tau Volantis, the pair must comb the harsh environment for raw materials and scavenged parts. Isaac will then put his engineering skills to the ultimate test to create and customize weapons and survival tools. The ice planet holds the key to ending the Necromorph plague forever, but first the team must overcome avalanches, treacherous ice-climbs, and the violent wilderness. Facing deadlier evolved enemies and the brutal elements, the unlikely pair must work together to save mankind from the impending apocalypse.

Key Game Features

• Team Up and Take Down the Terror Together
  • Play the full campaign in online co-op or single player
  • Easy drop-in and dropout play
• Head Planet side and Experience a Hostile New Environment
  • Discover underworld cities and accept side missions
  • Explore the frozen terrain and search abandoned encampments
• Uncover the Past and Embark on a Thrilling Expedition to Save Mankind
  • Discover the source of the Necromorph terror and fight to fend off the extinction of the human race
• New Cover System - Enjoy a new cover system that allows you to utilize any tagged item
• A Whole New Planet - Discover a world of mysteries hidden on the frozen planet, Tau Volantis

Additional Screenshots

An all-new cover system. View larger

Varied gameplay environments. View larger

Visually stunning graphics. View larger

Exciting co-op action. View larger

Product Description

Dead Space 3 brings Isaac Clarke and merciless soldier John Carver on a journey across space to discover the source of the Necromorph outbreak. Crash-landed on the frozen planet of Tau Volantis, Isaac must comb the harsh environment for raw materials and scavenged parts. He will then put his engineering skills to the ultimate test to create and customize weapons and survival tools. The ice planet holds the key to ending the Necromorph plague forever, but first Isaac must overcome avalanches, treacherous ice-climbs, and the violent wilderness. Facing deadlier evolved enemies and the brutal elements, Isaac can choose to team up, not only for his own survival, but for that of mankind’s. Play together with a friend or go it alone as Isaac Clarke using the seamless new drop in, drop out co-op functionality. Each mode offers unique story elements and gameplay.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

129 of 159 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good? Great? Still Dead Space? February 5, 2013

By B. Cravens

Platform for Display:Xbox 360

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

Let me just say that after playing the first two games, watching Extraction, playing the iPhone game, and reading both DS novels, it really is difficult to describe just how excited I have been to get my hands on Dead Space 3 and see the conclusion of Isaac's terrifying tale.

Dead Space has gone from a sleeper hit that got excellent reviews (I'll never forget the first time I experienced that horrifying noise-intro as the bloody EA logo appeared) to a full-blown AAA title/series that many are calling the "Resident Evil" of this generation. So how does Dead Space 3 actually do?

I think it's important to address the notion of change within a game series. Typically, when moving through a series or trilogy, developers tend to hit one of two extremes. The next games in line either stay largely the same, often leaving gamers feeling underwhelmed and bored (think BioShock 2 or COD), or the initial formula changes completely, making many gamers feel angry and even betrayed by the developers (think Resident Evil 5-6). The key is that games shouldn't simply change or remain the same; they should evolve -- keeping core elements of the original game while adding on new ones that enhance the experience of the series as it moves forward.

Does Dead Space 3 evolve effectively? I think so, even if it's not perfect. Let's see why. DISCLAIMER: I am reviewing this as a lone wolf. No co-op for me on my initial playthrough.

TAU VOLANTIS:
As everyone knows, this is the single biggest change in Dead Space 3 -- going from a cramped Ishimura or a doomed Sprawl to a seemingly open ice planet. It's a huge change from dark to (literally) white, right? Well, don't be deceived. You don't spend all your time, or even most of it, walking around in the snow with the sun out.... While chapter 1 will likely catch you off guard as it did me in giving more of an epic-sci-fi-movie feel versus a Dead Space game, you'll spend a huge majority of your time exploring claustrophobic ships and dark, abandoned areas littered with blood, all the while panicking at how few medpacks you have. Yep, still plenty of that Dead Space feel we all know and love.

If you played the demo, you may have been concerned about the blatant action sequences and human enemies. I will admit the action sequences are around noticeably more than in DS2, but this didn't bother me. Also, the human enemies are rare; seriously, you will encounter them only at specific parts of the game. If you've been following the struggle between EarthGov and Unitology outside of the games, it does make sense that Unitology soldiers would finally make an appearance. However, it's nice that they aren't a regular part of the game. That would honestly take a lot away.

ATMOSPHERE:
This leads us to undoubtedly the main question fans are curious about before buying: "Is it as scary as the previous games!?" Yes it is. There were PLENTY of dark hallways and dimly lit rooms where I had to stop and take a deep breathe before moving on through. I still got an overwhelming sense of dread that made me have to take breaks between playtimes like with the two previous games. However, please understand something. After playing two games (likely several playthroughs each) and controlling a Necromorph-veteran of a main character, you are likely going to be at least a little desensitized to many of the scare tactics that are still employed here which originated in DS1. Not only that, but with more action sequences and a certain percentage of the game taking place on the snowy terrains of Tau Volantis, there will be certain levels that maybe do not scare you quite as much as the others. Don't get me wrong, though -- this game still freaks me out. If you want the real survival experience, by the way, be a man and start your first playthrough on Impossible.

With that being said, let me personally tip my hat off to the Visceral team on the audio. The new sounds they've been able to come up with are truly chilling, and I got so immersed in the atmosphere my wife was able to get a few scares out of me when I was playing alone in the dark. Seriously, though, whether it's the deafening blizzards or the near-silent creaking throughout the Greely, Visceral absolutely nailed it with the audio. If you're playing on a high-quality system/pair of headphones, you'll be extremely happy... though maybe not so happy while you play, if you catch my drift.

Something new to the audio is an actual soundtrack of melodies. You'll hear it in the menus, and you'll also hear it at certain parts of the game. Some people may accuse this of dumbing down the claustrophobic feel of the atmosphere, but in my opinion it gives the game more of a rich and even epic feel when coupled with many of the in-game sequences. Some of the soundscapes played during your space explorations are hauntingly beautiful; they give the player that downtime that's similarly needed in horror movies/books (though it's hard to ever truly feel safe or at peace in this game).

An element that greatly adds to the atmosphere are the stunning visuals. Whether it's an icey vista on Tau Volantis or the glowing lights in a dark, cramped corridor, Dead Space has always had a visual allure to it. Some sort of charm in its own twisted sci-fi way, similar to when you watch a movie like Alien. I'm just so glad this visual allure is still apparent in this game as it was in the previous two.

GAMEPLAY:
The gameplay of course still feels like Dead Space, as the combat is basically the same. However, I believe the combat is the game's main flaw (more on that soon). Several things have changed, like the weapon crafting, checkpoint saves, and the bench systems. There is no more store (or save stations), but again from a narrative standpoint it's logical in that your time is spent exploring 200+ year old ships and stations that weren't directly overseen by EarthGov. Being stranded on Tau Volantis gives credence to the scavenging aspect that plays into weapon crafting, and it encourages the player to explore every nook and cranny. One immense change is moving from gun-specific ammo to universal ammo. It can be frustrating at first, since you can carry "clips" in your inventory, but the clip translates to a certain amount of ammo that's different for each weapon. Be sure to take a few minutes early to figure out which weapons get the most/least amount of ammo in a clip. This will help determine which weapons you like for your playstyle, as well as which weapons are the most efficient.

As far as the necromorphs go, I've noticed they are much faster here than in the two previous installments. This is likely to counterbalance the double-weapon firepower, but just keep that in mind. Stasis will especially be your friend! If you are playing on Impossible on your first run, expect to die. I know some reviewers are disappointed with how the necromorphs look, but the devs said they wanted to make necromorphs that look like they've been trapped in space or ice for an extremely long amount of time. Again, to me this is one of those changes that makes sense. And I personally believe that when the newly-designed Puker gets up in your face you won't feel too peachy at all.

Like I mentioned, the combat aspect was the biggest drawback for me at times. First off, depending on your weapon choice you'll find CQC can be awkward as your shots many times miss up close. Secondly, in the latter half of the game I sometimes got the feeling that you would be simultaneously rushed by 7-9 of the same types of necromorphs. Not only was this lack of variety bland, but given the Necromorph speed boost here I generally just ended up spraying to survive versus the dismemberment I'm used to.

STORY:
The decision to be heavily narrative-driven is the backbone of all the changes in Dead Space 3, and it's the best way to go in a new direction without the need to change core gameplay. I mean, Visceral can only use the tool of sheer mystery for so long before it becomes bland; I'm glad they decided to focus largely on Isaac's personal story. While many reviews reveal a polarizing effect of the story, I actually like it just fine. As I mentioned before, the Prologue and Chapter 1 will likely throw you off as you'll literally hit the ground running with Isaac. A lot has happened with him and Ellie since DS2, but as happens in the DS universe, the action kicks in pretty quickly and there isn't much time for explanations. You will notice there are some leaps in the plot throughout the game. However, if you think about it, outside of Isaac, Ellie, and some surface facts regarding Unitology and EarthGov, there is still quite a bit we don't understand about the Dead Space universe. With that in mind, the plot leaps aren't too hard to stomach. Also, being married and working full-time means I don't have too much time for explanations anyways! Seriously, though, I did enjoy the story's conclusion. The final chapter was incredibly intense!

One part of the story I felt was largely left out -- what happened to Isaac's dementia, Visceral? You played around with the idea of using Isaac's dementia to evoke psychological horror for the player, but most of that is missing in Dead Space 3. Isaac has (presumably) gone untreated with all the scarring he's got -- there are so many disturbing hallucinations the poor guy probably has that could have been implemented. If I could change one thing about DS3, I think that would be it; utilize Isaac's mental instability more. It would have added a deeper layer of character development as it did before.

REPLAYABILITY:
There are 19 chapters here, whereas the previous game had 15. If you beat both previous DS games in 10-15 hours on your first playthrough, you're probably looking at about 15-20 here if you like to explore and do side missions. I beat my first playthrough in 21+ hours. In addition to the various difficulties, there are four additional game modes to keep things fresh: Classic, Pure Survival, Hardcore, and NG+. Vintage fans will like classic mode as there's no crafting -- you need full weapon blueprints to get new weapons (just like old times!). Pure survival means the opposite and forces you to craft everything from scavenged parts. Hardcore will give you one life, just like real life, to beat the game with. Die once and you're back to square zero. Couple all these with jump-in-jump-out co-op to keep you and your friends busy, it's more than obvious you'll get a good bang for your buck with Dead Space 3.

So that's it. There's my review. Dead Space 3 still feels like good ol' Dead Space, even if the different lighting levels in various areas tone things down at times, and the combat has its times of frustration. Still, if you're playing on Impossible for your first round, I wouldn't worry about not getting creeped out. Just turn up the volume, turn down the brightness, and play in the dark.

Would I recommend DS3 to a first-time gamer to the series? You can definitely pick it up and enjoy it, but you're probably going to get lost with some of the narrative jumps. Besides, the Ishimura is a classic! Go back and start on DS 1 & 2.

I just want to say thank you, Visceral. You've managed to evolve the game in a way that expands the lore in a near-epic way without dissolving the Dead Space roots. Dead Space has been a truly incredible experience since 2008, and I'm excited to see where things go from here.

*****UPDATE 6/13*****
After heavy contemplation and spending more time with both DS2 and DS3, I have decided to lower my overall rating by one star. I still stand by everything mentioned above, but with the combat flaws I noticed, some parts of the game did feel like a slight step back in terms of gameplay. Regardless, I still think this is a great and ambitious conclusion that every DS fan needs to play. Read more ›

57 of 73 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Going out with more a sputter February 6, 2013

By theWanderingANBU

Platform for Display:Xbox 360|Amazon Verified Purchase

Fun: 3.0 out of 5 stars   

Dead Space has been a franchise that always shined in one area of video games; atmosphere. The first Dead Space created tight corridors, a non-invasive HUD, and enemies that were aggressive. There were moments where you wished you had more ammo amidst the many necromorphs coming at you, and you wished your health was not in the red as well. The character's actions were clunky, uncertain, but fit someone who was not used to having to face an adversary in their everyday job of being an engineer. In the second one, we get the symbolism for how much bigger the conflict has become 3 years after the first Dead Space. We traverse through a place known as the Sprawl and see the devastation the Marker has wreaked. The action is faster, streamlined, and our main hero is able to fight them with ease. The only thing to note that might be a bit worrisome was the transition from being survival horror to action.

Story has always been a great part of the franchise as well. Isaac Clark, our main protagonist, started out on this journey to see his girlfriend while coming to repair the ship she was on. From there, things only got worse. Our journey started with a man who was dealing with the guilt of never proposing to his girlfriend, to a man who was exhausted from the battle with the spread of Necromorphs. Here was a man who felt so broken, hollow and yet felt obligated to make sure the Markers could never bring about what they did on the Ishimura (ship) and Sprawl (colony). Overall, Visceral has done a good job highlighting the evolution of Isaac Clark amidst an unfortunate situation that he is kept in. In truth, there's no way Isaac can get away from the Marker and what it's done.

That's where Dead Space 3 comes in, and it's liked a mixed bag of goodies.... One of the things I felt happened since the beginning of the game were how forced relationships were. Carver felt like a typical 'bro' soldier who had to be a hard ass when in realities he has his own problems. Isaac just felt like the writers only focused on one part of his personality/behavior, whereas the second one did a good job highlighting various parts of his personality. Ellie felt nearly like herself but at some points did not. The love triangle that exists in the game even rings hollow. However, there are moments where it feels like the classic Dead Space people have come to know and love, but it just seems to come in spurts. The story itself has many problems and just seems to not give me the impression that this game is Dead Space.

Atmosphere, while very well-established in 1 and 2, feels like it works in some places and doesn't in 3. The thing is, 2 did a very good job incorporating some new enemies into the game while also finding ways to make the old refreshing. 3 just seems to give off a feeling that the developers just figured people already knew how to play. At times the mechanics seem lazy, but at times they bring out what made Dead Space work. The game becomes a lot more action oriented and relies on shocks and gore. It just doesn't give a real lasting impression for me personally like the other two did.

The bottom line of this is that there are moments when this game feels like Dead Space but there are many more where it doesn't. It just feels like another game that was made that does well with the action. The action and gameplay took way more precedence over the story. Overall, the game is still fun in the sense of action and mechanics, but it just feels like Dead Space lost a little something along the way.

It was a good run Visceral. Read more ›

14 of 19 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Fetch quest galore. Elevators, sliding doors, Fetch quests. February 22, 2013

By Ratboy55

Platform for Display:Xbox 360

Fun: 2.0 out of 5 stars   

It almost feels like Visceral pulled a Resident Evil 6 and threw everything that made Dead Space so paramount to the side and turned this game into an action shooter with little or no real creepy horror elements. Dead Space and Dead Space 2 had that creep factor with chilling random noises that built tension. In Dead Space 3, you're basically FETCHING this from point A to B to C and back again. And the elevators. Good gosh. I mean, there was one chapter that had me going up 4 or 5 elevators and rappel up a side of 5 different mountains. The game got pretty darn annoying and became more of a chore than it was fun. Practically each time Isaac finishes reaching a certain point, he's attacked by a small army of Necromorphs. In DS and DS2, there was tension built up and the element of surprise was not so obvious. In DS3, you can almost EXPECT an army of Necromorphs attacking you each time you reach a specific checkpoint or you're about to fetch yet another thing. It got downright annoying that basically this is 90% of the game. FETCH QUESTS. Simply a ton of FETCH QUESTS. Halfway through the game, I was wondering if there was an option to yell at the NPCs and say "Get it yourself!!!!!!" What a horrible way to make a game following 3 excellent games (Dead Space, Dead Space 2, and Dead Space Extraction for the Wii). It was just downright horrible in my opinion.

20 of 28 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Just another forgettable game. February 13, 2013

By Omar R. Elizondo

Platform for Display:Xbox 360|Amazon Verified Purchase

Fun: 2.0 out of 5 stars   

Dead space 3 is a game which seems to take the route of Resident Evil. A game series that started off as the new survival horror game for all to play has swung into the action spectrum and seems to have lost a bit of its soul.
While playing DS3, I found myself wishing I could just finish this game and move on. I was bored and wanted it to end quickly. I played it just to justified the price I paid to play it. Like a bad show on television, I just wanted it to end because I found myself surrounded by annoyance, backtracking, and boredom. I constantly asked myself "when does it get good or at least change?"

The Story: There is a story but it's rather dull and redundant. There is no real need to get into the story because it's just about getting from point A to point B. The main characters are predictable and rather vapid. Any opportunity for emotion is void and feels forced. The one character I did like was a secondary character. However, even though I liked her, when she is "pushed to her breaking point" I just thought it felt forced. Issac is really a man who has zero development. He is just a lap dog doing what everyone else is doing and shows little emotion. In fact, when he does need to show actual anger or sorrow, I don't believe it. While he had arching development in the first two games, he's just walking through the motions in this one. I often found myself asking "why the hell am I doing this again? Does it matter?"
The story itself is empty and dead. And in all honestly, why the hell does he keep getting into these damn situations? He keeps doing the same thing over and over and still expects different outcomes. That is the definition of insanity. At least that is what Far Cry 3 taught me.

Environment: The game takes you to various places.... Of course, in space, the game does a good job of recreating the environments. I like space exploration, and the way the game incorporates new elements in space. However, when you reach the planet and snow levels, I found myself just running around trying to get to the next point. What I hate about this game is the fact that the developers constantly place speed bumps to create a lengthy game. You constantly are aware as to when you will run into a short shooting gallery. It's obvious when you get into large areas with a bunch of conveniently placed boxes which will act as cover. There is also little fear in this game. I did feel some fear when I was about to run out of health or ammo and there were 15 necromorphs running towards me. But, that is fear based on trying to survive, not the environment.

Graphics: The graphics of the game are great! Nothing new really, but I can just summarize that it is a beautiful game.

Gameplay: This is where I felt the most desire to simply stop playing this game. I can't stand games where you are constantly having to take the long way around. For example, any room that has a puzzle is typically round. You need to run to one side of the room, solve a short puzzle, run to the other side of the room, finish a puzzle, run back to the other side, repeat. It's just inflation to a simple puzzle.
Next, I certainly don't like when a game also intentionally creates more speed bumps that are not necessary just to lengthen the game. For example, in one section, you need to go up a ladder. Simple enough, but no, the ladder breaks in half and you need to take the long way around. Of course, you run into more shooting galleries, and reach your destination. This is unnecessary. The developers didn't need to do this. It's annoying! Now, multiply this by the entire length of the game and you've got a 10 hour game, which is really just 2 hours of true gameplay had you simply eliminated this illusion of an actual game.
Next, many puzzles are solved by Issac alone. Yes, I know this is supposed to help Dead Space, but the story places me with a bunch of people who are zero help and are only conduits to the vapid story line. I hate being surrounded by other characters and they all say "Hey, YOU go solve this problem and we'll just stay here and do nothing."

Additionally, there are way too many damn necromorphs after you. Do I really need to fight 10 or more necromorphs? That doesn't scare most people just creates anxiety. It's as if Michael Bay contributed ideas to this game and said "more is better." No...no it's not. Fear is knowing when to be subtle.
Also, I need to make a comment on the fact that this game has so many elevators and lifts. I will literally enter a new area, take an elevator, walk into a new area, fight 6 bad guys, take an elevator, enter a new area, enter an elevator. Dammit, am I playing a game or shopping in a mall? How many loading opportunities does this game need? It's one of the most annoying things I have seen in games.

In summary, the illusion of a story, character development, and game length force me NOT to recommend this game. If you analyze my review, you will see that a lot of the review is based on "small stuff," however, those small things are so annoying and overused that it overshadows the game. Because of these details, I don't feel fear. I can't enjoy this game. It's just doing the same thing over and over, hoping it will end soon.
If you do feel the need to play it, I would wait until it hits around a $15 price point. It's just a waste of time, boring, and dull. It's the McDonalds of games. It's abundantly available, some may love it, but it applies itself to the lowest common denominator and you can do better. Read more ›