Dead Space Extraction (PS3) Hands-On

At EA's well-packed Naughty or Nice event, I finally got to play a small chunk of the PS3 version of Dead Space Extraction, last year's Wii rail shooter (and one of the best looking games for Nintendo's console to date) headed to PS3 owners as part of Dead Space 2: Limited Edition. Visceral Games along with super-talented developer Eurocom (Goldeneye 007) have done an excellent job porting over their game to Sony's console, adding Playstation Move support and effective Dolby Surround sound to go along with the higher resolution visuals. In case you haven't played Extraction previously, all you need to know is that it's the prequel to the original Dead Space and features a compelling story, some intriguing characters and fast-paced gameplay that's packed full of Necromorphs coming at you from every conceivable direction.



PS3 owners will be getting exactly the same content as found in the Wii original, so if you happen to own a Wii and have already played the game, you're not going to see anything different other than the upgraded graphics. While you can play the game solo, DSE works best when you team up with a friend (and have two Move wands, of course). The game support jump-in/jump-out co-op play, so when your buddy comes over, just hand him or her a Move wand, Dual Shock 3 or older SIXAXIS controller, sit back and have a blast. Of course, you may find yourself seeing the drop-out portion of co-op if your pal is easily frightened, but feel free to yank them out from behind the couch before a boss battle or area where you can use a hand (no matter how shaky).

Movement through much of the game is automatic - all you need to do is point and fire away, selecting weapons on the fly and using TK powers to open supply crates and grab dropped items. The game delivers its scares in small and large doses, initially through the bizarrely mutated monsters trying to eat your face off and also through a number of close-up encounters designed to make you jump off the couch. In addition to adding the game to the DS2 Limited Edition, EA also plans to make Extraction a standalone PSN download at some point. Me, I'll take the LE package just to get both games in one shot. In fact, I'll more than likely play through the original game at some point before the sequel/prequel pack hit just to get my fright level good and ready. then again, the latest build of Dead Space 2 pretty much made me want to go hide under a table...

With Dead Space 2 looking to be one of the best blends of sci-fi, horror and action genres, having Dead Space Extraction on board the PS3 should only make the series all the more worthy for fans who want the complete saga. 2011 is creeping up mighty quickly and EA certainly has quite a few memorable titles headed your way, so absolutely keep an eye peeled for Dead Space 2: Limited Edition or Dead Space Extraction once it hits the Playstation Store. We'll have more on both games as news comes in - stay tuned...