Customer Reviews

Dead Space

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(72)

 

 

This is another game I had been planning to order, until I discovered that EA has yet again placed hidden software in the game that is incredibly difficult to uninstall (and has had issues with Vista 64, my OS). I am all for companies protecting their IP, but they should find better ways to do it, such as through Steam or other verification platforms that do not install hidden software that will slow down my computer for the rest of the time I own it.

Went to Best Buy to buy a new Wiimote yesterday and saw this game. I bought both.

Came back and install it on my Dell Dimension 9200, which is about as pre-built as you can get right? No vista driver problems for me, right?

WRONG. 2 + 2 = giraffes WRONG.

First I had to tell my antivirus and spyware software about a BILLION times to let secure-rom install.

Second I installed it and rebooted.

Third my dvd drive no longer works.

I am not sure what changed between Bioshock and this game cause I bought Bioshock and had no problem with secure-rom back then. I bought bioshock full price and don't regret a single cent because I ACTUALLY GOT TO PLAY BIOSHOCK. I finished bioshock without even cracking it (although I eventually did for a second play-through, cause who wants to find the dvd everytime right).

REVIEW UPDATED :

Funny thing. I never did install Dead Space again on my system. I just can't risk having SecureRom on it again since I actually do tons of work on it. So here is a review of a cracked version of the game, as opposed to the boxed copy which now sits next to other games I don't play anymore (poor HL2). I think EA should have an option when you insert the disk that lets you chose between installing their DRM version or downloading a cracked one. I am joking but I totally am not.

The game runs nicely on my Dell Dimension 9200, which ran Bioshock and COD4 on high just fine. If you compare it to PC exclusive titles you can tell the textures in this game is low quality. Nevertheless, it has a nice, polished look.

The controls are fine. I tried it with my xbox 360 control but just can't bring myself to play any kind of fps without keyboard/mouse. The game forces the mouse turn rate so your character can't magically turn 180 degrees in half a second. This didn't bother me, and I actually think it's a nice way to add some realism into the controls.

The overall experience is effective and addictive, if not for the reason the developer stated. They said it was mostly about psychological fear, with help from shadows and music. The game is actually mostly about enemies popping out or dropping down from ceilings. They said it's about strategic dismemberment. It's strategic the first 5 times, by then it's more like habitual dismemberment. Shoot limbs for maximum damage doesn't require more IQ than boom headshot.

Nevertheless, the game just flows very well, and lots of little things are put into it to keep you in the game world 99% of the time. It's obvious the developers put a lot of thought into the interface and controls. It's something new to the genre that future games can learn from.

So now having played the game (I plan on replaying it on Easy so I can just wack the enemies to death, and then on Hard to give myself more of a rush) I think it's worth the money. However, a big part of the reason I think that is cause I played a cracked copy put together by the pirates which installed the game and not secure rom. So I'm very conflicted about the whole thing. I definitely don't want any more secure rom nonsense but at the same time I'm happy I bought the game (to support more games like this on my PC). I guess I'll continue to buy games with secure rom if it's good enough like this one or bioshock, but I'll still be playing the vastly superior pirated copy instead. Everybody wins, I guess. At least everybody who is honest enough to buy the game, and then smart enough to download a cracked copy too :/

When EA keeps giving birth to such beautiful yet stillborn babies (killed by the decision to bundle another infamous SecuROM 7+/LIMITED ACTIVATIONS scheme), one can only ask: WHAT HAVE ITS EXECUTIVES BEEN SMOKING?!

MASS EFFECT can be found in clearance bins only months after its release; SPORE undersold miserably; EA's stock was hit hard because of these failures (way BEFORE the market dive) - and yet, no one seems to be awake at the helm.
By insisting on slipping in such problematic and hated DRM scheme in DEAD SPACE (and RED ALERT 3 in a week) EA proves in how little respect it holds its own customers. Of course, calling "pirates and petulant children" the 3,100 Amazon reviewers that rated with 1-star the, similarly plagued, SPORE should have been an early hint.

SecuROM 7+ has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH FIGHTING PIRACY. Proof: both MASS EFFECT and SPORE (as with BIOSHOCK last year) were pirated ...hours within their release - and if I can find this by simply Googling it, so can anyone.... I would bet dollars to donuts that EA is well aware of this - yet keeps bundling SecuROM 7+ although it severely hurts its sales! Ever wonder why?

SecuROM has always been more about data-mining and reporting back to its occasional mothership than...fighting piracy. That is why even FREE demos contain SecuROM. And that is why completely uninstalling a game plagued with SecuROM will NOT remove SecuROM - which will keep playing havoc with your system.

Lately, these security concerns have been accentuated as known Trojans seem to be exploiting SecuROM's backdoor access for their own purposes. In effect, installing a SecuROM-infected game in our computer will be placing your hardware and data at risk long after having uninstalled the game.

The game publishers that utilize SecuROM (such as EA) realize that they are not actually fighting piracy but use it as a pretext to bundle SecuROM with their product WITHOUT THE INFORMED CONSENT of their customers. A snooping-subroutine would require full disclosure whereas an "antipiracy" scheme can enjoy some more leeway.

Their near future plans (according to interviews given by their own executives) call for turning our computers into their proprietary consoles where we will be playing games for which we will be paying by the minute.
This nightmarish Pay-per-Play future apparently depends in them first consolidating their technological hold on as many computers as possible. After all, they see us as their cash-cows and they just started herding us in.

I, for one, REFUSE TO PAY FOR ANOTHER RENT-A-GAME.

Tell you what EA, you can keep your defective games and I will keep my hard-earned money. Let's see who has more to loose...

I was excited about this game and bought it when it came out, only to be disappointed. The weird third person/first person shooter was interesting at first but kind of got annoying half way through the game, because it blocks a third of your screen. The game plot was way to predictable since it seemed to be based on Doom 3 story line (truly original) and reminded me of a bad Resident Evil. I also found a way to get the DRM off my computer. I just did a reformat because the SecuRom software kept my DVD burner from being recognized by windows. What bothered me more was I just found out that hackers are using a Trojan that uses the DRM to gain access to computers. I am little worried that my banking info and credit cards have been compromised.

*Update: I tried calling EA three times with some questions (15 to 20 min call). And have yet been able to talk to a human. Every time I get through all the Automated B.S. and transfers me, click they hang up. I guess that's where the case by case basis comes into play. I also have been emailing SecuROM and all they did was blow me off. After the forth email they might of suggested that it was their fault, by sending a tool to fix my problem.

If you like software as a service, go ahead and spend your hard-earned cash on a game with no resale value. Others have already told you how much fun it is to fight with SecuROM for control of your own system.

This is brutal, it's unfair, and I hope other companies don't follow in EA's footsteps.

Hopefully, Left4Dead will deliver a fun gore-fest without killing my computer in the process.

The PC version has probably the worst control scheme of any game I've played in the last two year; whoever came up with the mouse controls needs to find a different career path. Add draconian DRM on top of it and you have a recipe for FAIL.

This game has great atmosphere. It can be very creepy at times with the lights off and sound surrounding you. Unfortunately the controls are pretty sloppy for the PC.

But the deal killer is the DRM. What if I want to play this in 10 years and EA is no longer around (it will happen someday!). Who knows if you will be able to get it working then. Also as someone who upgrades their computer a lot the install limit is a pain in the butt. At the very least they could include a revoke tool like there is for Bioshock. And all the morons at EA who think everyone who gives their DRM games 1 star are pirates don't seem to notice that it doesn't stop them from cracking it so why would they bother to complain. Only the paying customers are getting screwed with it, the pirates easily crack it and release it.

I read reviews.. the game looks brilliant.

Like most PC users, I use my PC for all sorts of things - working on photography, graphics, producing video, preparing content for my media center. I simply CAN NOT risk EA installing hacked up drivers on the machines of their customers and offer no way to uninstall to top if off.

By using this technology EA is effectively installing software that has proven to be problematic in the past. Also EA's new systems remove any resale value from the game - so once you have played it, you won't be able to trade it in or sell it. Even if you just re-install your OS a few times over the years or swap out your motherboard you could be faced with your own game refusing to install.

MY opinion - if I buy a game I want to be sure it isn't messing up my machine, I can do whatever I want with it - including selling it once I've played it through and getting some money back. EA is being greedy and not disclosing the full extent of their attempts to restrict how people who pay good money for their games can use them.

And to top it all off -EA has started flogging in game advertising (not sure about this particular game) so you pay for a game, it does nasty stuff to your computer, you can't uninstall the shifty drivers, you can't resell the game and you have to watch ads that EA is making MORE money on.

EA - pull your head in. Developers must be devastated that their hard work is crippled by your desperate attempt to enforce shoddy DRM control mechanisms on your paying customers. You have to wonder when you get a better product (DRM free) when you PIRATE it.

By from other distributors until EA stops abusing its customers.

-=Liperty

This game uses the same horrible DRM scheme that is found on Bioshock, Mass Effect, Crysis Warhead, Spore, Far Cry 2, Sacred 2, and Red Alert 3. I refuse to purchase a game that requires me to ask permission to install the game. There are several games that I own that I have had to install more than five times for various reasons. That is why I refuse to purchase a game that limits the number of times I can install the game, let alone a DRM program (like SecuRom) that could be considered a trojen horse.

As a side note, this DRM method does nothing to stop piracy. All of these games were pirated within hours of their release and in the case of some, like spore, even before their release (with the exceptions of Sacred 2 and Red Alert 3 which have not been released yet, however the developers confirmed that they would use the SecuRom activation DRM scheme). The only thing this DRM does do is prevent this game from entering the used game market.

Yet another game I would've bought if not for securom. Unfortunately I was one of the unlucky few who were uninformed when SPORE came out, and purchased it to my eternal shame. However, after all the hassle I went through due to the presence of securom I've decided never to buy another game that EA will profit from. I'd rather send my money to the pirates that rip games and give them away for free than encourage EA to rent my belongings to me.

Here's a tip. If you really want to play these games that are plagued with SecuROM, I would suggest getting the console they're playable on. It pains me to say it, because I'm a hardcore PC gamer (I don't own a console and never will), but that's probably the only solution for most people. Of course, I wouldn't encourage buying it at all, because that would in fact support EA (which can go to hell).