In Defense of Dead Space 3

Dead Space 3 is a game reviled for killing the Dead Space series, often seen as a game that foregoes creative identity to instead chase trends.
I've critiqued Dead Space 1 and 2, and now it's time for my retrospective on Dead Space 3. Together, we'll see if this game truly deserves all the hatred that it's received.
Spoiler: I think it's overhated. Join me on this trip into Dead Space 3 and see why I think it's a game that deserves at least a little bit of appreciation.
Calvin B. Fisher is the author of the Northfield Saga, a post-apocalyptic science fiction series set in a gas-infested wasteland. Mark Northfield faces death or the sacrifice of his soul, when he is blackmailed into an assassination mission. What he doesn't know is that his target holds the key to saving the world.
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[@OrionInSpace]

Hey man firstly I want to say great work on putting this long video together. That's hard work and dedication I love to see (I'd be curious to know what you recorded your footage with). Secondly, in terms of all your points of course you saw my video and know where I stand but the beauty of this is that I totally get where you are coming from and respect that. For me and it's important to reiterate, I don't hate Dead Space 3 or think it's a bad game, It's just disappointing in comparison to the first two. There's a lot I like and love about 3 but there are also things I can't ignore that bring it down a lot. Maybe one day we'll be able to talk about the game more in depth but again good work on this video.👍

[@calvinfishermedia]

Hey man thanks I really appreciate all of that! It’s definitely a game of highs and lows! I’d love to talk more about the game, maybe we can think of a cool collab in the future where we play co op or something!

[@calvinfishermedia]

Also as far as what I use to record - I use an elgato HD60S! Works really nice and I’m able to record on my playstation and pc with it.

[@OrionInSpace]

@@calvinfishermedia that could be cool man and you're welcome!

[@OrionInSpace]

@@calvinfishermedia very interesting, I have one of the older versions of the El Gato. I might have to upgrade in the future.😅

[@calvinfishermedia]

Nice man, I say go for it! The elgato works really well for the price point

[@shreksnow1918]

I agree with you that narratively speaking it makes sense for Issac to fight other humans for the reasons you’ve mentioned. That being said it could’ve been handled so much better. In MandaloreGaming’s Dead Space 3 video he was saying the sections fighting humans suffer from a combination of the mechanics being at odds with Dead Space’s core gameplay, and they didn’t go far enough so it’s in this awkward middle ground. Other third person shooters properly integrate their cover systems by having a button that makes you snap to cover, and 3 lacks this. He also said that in previous games there was always a reverence around guns and they gave the impression that they’d punch right through your armor. In the third game they’re super common and have all kinds of crazy attachments. Something else he mentioned was how in previous games there was a rock paper scissors type dead where Issac can defeat Necromorphs, Necromorphs can take out soldiers, and soldiers can stop Issac (he brought up on part in 2 where you had to shut off the power to get past a blockade of guards who would’ve torn you apart). What they should’ve done was make the weapons LETHAL to you and the enemy, requiring you to really think about how you’ll approach each encounter. Other third person cover shooters have combat arenas be similar to multiplayer maps where they’ll have plenty of flanking routes and cover for the player and ai to use against each other. They also could’ve also implemented a proper stealth system allowing the player to carefully take out enemies, or avoid an otherwise unwinnable fight. They also should’ve had multiple opportunities for three way fights where you’d lure Necromorphs over or open a door/shutdown the defenses to let them in, and clean up the survivors. There’s plenty of cool things they could’ve done with the combat. The ai also should’ve been smart where they’d effectively use cover and flank the player(s)/ai companion, requiring you to outthink them like in FEAR. If done right human enemies could’ve really enhanced the gameplay. That’s too bad that you didn’t play the game with someone else. A cool feature that didn’t get fully fleshed out is the fact that both players will have different Marker visions. Issac has his usual stuff, and Carver has things that are related to his dead son. Something else that’s interesting about the coop partner is early on they wanted to have it be Shadow Issac, and this being is the result of Issac’s fractured psyche. The apparition would appear and disappear at certain parts of the game, and as the story progresses the team would get picked off. It would’ve been vague as to whether or not Issac was responsible for these murders. Also, Shadow Issac appearing and disappearing at random explains why that happens with Carver. I’m assuming by now you’ve probably seen footage of the dlc with the Brethren Moons that basically concluded Issac and Carver’s stories. That has a horror focus and it’s clear that this is the game Visceral wanted to make. Also, for the 4th game you would’ve taken control of Ellie and she’d be surviving on different ship wrecks (that part in 3 with the ship yards served as a testing ground for this feature). They possibly would’ve introduced another force other than the Necromorphs into the game, and it would’ve delved into how you’re oftentimes better with the devil you know than the one you don’t. One of the lead guys behind Dead Space 3 said if given the opportunity he’d want to remake the game using the setting of Tau Valantis, have coop so two players can have different hallucinations, and keep a lot of the lore with the Brethren Moons. You’d see some HEAVY revisions to the story/gameplay. I saw someone saying if they were to do that they should gear the grafting so you have to choose between making stuff that can help you survive in the cold, or have an easier time killing Necromorphs. He suggested that they could repurpose the oxygen meter, but for cold and make it so you have a limited time to do certain tasks before you freeze to death. He then brought up examples of how in some areas you can choose to have lights on and no air, or rely on your flashlight and have air. Dead Space 3 would definitely be the hardest game to remake since if you go too far in either direction people who hated the original or were fans of it would be alienated. What do you think of my schitzo ramblings?

[@calvinfishermedia]

That’s fair on the human enemies! And also an interesting detail on the co op missions, thanks for sharing! It would be cool to see a remake of the game

[@cenocephalo7655]

Criminally underrated channel you got here man

[@calvinfishermedia]

Hey thank you, this was really encouraging to read today! Glad you’re enjoying the content

[@pedrosaabedra5653]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who likes this game.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Yeah, based on all the hate this game received, I really wasn’t expecting to enjoy my time this much. Overall it was a blast!

[@Ghostman223]

I'm gonna be honest: I think the main reason why I, and many others dislike the game or hate it is because dead space 3 was made for a genre it wasn't made for. A shooter, I don't think the game should be completely erased, I had fun with what it was, I didn't really come back, only did so me and my dad played it. It's worth a play, definitely, but I don't think its a great 10/10 game or anything, it's just a gears of war like shooter with necromorphs. It's definitely a good game for co-op. Co-op was a great idea, I feel like it was a good addition, although in the original idea, I prefer more. The original idea was the co-op partner was a hallucination. Fantastic idea.. killed by ea because they were afraid of "using mental illness" even if dead space 2 and 1 used... Overall, dead space 3 was good, but not a good dead space. I feel what they could've done better is just make it scary. That's what brought me into the game. The unique horror of what the game was. So I give the game: a 6/10. Fantastic game for co-op, made for the wrong genre. but I guess you can say if people don't wanna be scared, they can come here. (But the only thing I hate is literally the weapon limit. Everything else is fair game except this one, I am going to build a marker just because of the f**king weapon limit)

[@calvinfishermedia]

Hey man that’s totally fair. You make some great points and I see why you feel that way. I think a large part for me was how low I’d set the bar going into the game, based on all of the negative opinions I heard, and I found myself pleasantly surprised. I can see how longtime fans felt the game went away from what made the prior games great. Thanks for the watch and insightful comment man!

[@knox7945]

EA was chasing CoD players during this time, so they made it more action than the previous games.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Yeah, that is true, a lot of games during that era were chasing the COD audience. I think that influence had some negative effects, but I don’t think it entirely compromised the creative vision of the game. I understand that others feel differently though!

[@teslashark]

The gunplay is okay, though the grind is heavy.

[@Yuukat25]

Another great video! I loved your “ad” haha! Almost got me for a moment!

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks haha! I am glad it landed!!

[@hokogan]

My biggest gripe is enemies spawn in single-player at co-op densities. Fights aren’t scary, just tedious. That’s a bad way for a core gameplay loop to be.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That is fair! I played at normal difficulty so I could especially see how that could get irritating on higher difficulties. Thanks for watching

[@TheKaffeekatze]

Thanks for making this! I don't think DS3 is nearly as bad as some of the _actual_ bad games out there. It had some great ideas like the Brethren Moons and, frankly, the coop wasn't a bad idea on paper at least. The weapon customization was also really cool on paper. The execution, though, was really lackluster in my eyes. The gameplay was not balanced for single player at all, the story was extremely misguided and half-baked up until the last quarter, and the customization was marred by atrocious weapon balancing and a (largely ignorable but still very scummy) microtransaction system. Let's compare it to Wolfenstein Youngblood, which had a very similar set of issues. A lot of the things said above fit with that game but, personally, I find that Youngblood does what DS3 wanted to a little bit better because of a vital component: genre and expectations. Yes, Youngblood incorporates some ARPG elements and systems tailored around coop. Yes, there is a greatly lessened focus on the story. Yes, the main characters are sometimes annoying (though they didn't bother me since their banter is reminiscent of two friends playing the game together, but I digress). But Youngblood still built off the strengths of Wolfenstein and kept aspects like the fast paced combat, satisfying weapon upgrades, and excellent shooting intact. DS3 ultimately suffers from a lack of identity and a failure to live up to any of the things it wants to be. Is it a horror game? Kinda, but there's few real scares in the game beyond startling sounds. Is it an action game? Kinda, but it's not exactly fast paced or fluid enough nor built around its clunkiness to provide for an experience on par with something like Uncharted or Gears. Is it even a Dead Space game? I'd say so, but there's a considerably lessened focus on dismemberment and weakpoint targeting like in past games, so it feels more like a janky clone of RE5, a game that did coop considerably better, rather than Dead Space but with coop. It's a tragic game because you can see the vestiges of what could have been something great. I hope that a DS3 remake comes out some day to really show people the potential this game had. That original launch trailer will live rent free in my head forever. "Take Down the Terror" is one of the most badass taglines I've ever heard and it would be a shame to see it fade away.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for the insightful comment, and for taking the time to watch my video! I definitely see where you’re coming from. One area that I thought Dead Space 3 really nailed was its art direction. It has this grandiose apocalyptic sci-fi feel that provides a unique atmosphere. Other areas certainly lack but this part gave it some identity at least in my eyes. I agree about the tagline, I wish it stuck around today haha

[@TheKaffeekatze]

@@calvinfishermedia Completely agree about the art direction! Minus the human characters, I think the models and especially the environments were gorgeous and brutal, especially the alien city. It did a great job at conveying something truly alien and incomprehensible, both in the story and in the visuals. On a side note, will you be covering Awakened, or did I miss that in the video?

[@calvinfishermedia]

I did not cover Awakened! For this video, I wanted to see what the base of Dead Space 3 had to offer. It’s something I may visit in the future though!

[@teslashark]

DS3's gunplay is surprisingly okay, even better than GOW5 I guess. Though there's too many unskippable scenes and grinds.

[@calvinfishermedia]

I really do like the feel of DS3’s gunplay. That plus the crafting give me an itch to play again. Thanks for watching.

[@teslashark]

@@calvinfishermedia Just saying, it's extremely stress relieving to turn on a trainer and try every crafting combination without the grind.

[@N_0_S_t_al_gicben-zo]

Based... beat this bad boy on impossible mode baked af but you know what they say through all the shit cole there's a shiny diamond

[@calvinfishermedia]

Dead Space 3 definitely feels like a diamond in a heap of coal at times haha. Nice on beating Impossible, I haven’t tried the higher difficulties but it sounds fun

[@RichardM-kv4uu]

Dead Space 3 is a great game, just not a great Dead Space game. THe Co-Op areas should have been playable for single players though, that was just criminal. EA were extremely stupid dealing with this.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Yeah, I’m not a fan of forced co op either. I remember hating it when one of my favorite games, Splinter Cell Blacklist, did the same thing. It’s why I didn’t include the co op missions in the review.

[@onojioboardwalk9748]

Yeaaah no - This game is ok and doesnt deserve AS much hate as people give it. Its not 'Shaq-fu,' At least it's not 'Steel: the movie,' At least it isnt 'Spsce jam ''2'' or things as bad as them - Sh%t that is SO awful that theres no-redeeming them and mankind is forever worse-off because of them existing as long as EVERY copy isnt put into a wood-chipper, The soil SALTED where their remains would be scattered with the only thing left of them is one of their posters EACH left as a reminder 'Of things mankind wasnt meant to see.' 'Deadspace III' doesnt come close to those.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Hey thanks for watching the video! Definitely agree, there’s worse out there. Love the way you put it haha!

[@onojioboardwalk9748]

@@calvinfishermedia ;j Writing over an extended period of time as a prospect-career literally open's-up peoples closed and blocked-off inner voice and creativity towards the same thing (Dont recommend all the wifi-waves though.. ;3) And having a near photographic memory which has absorbed all of the manners and voices of every comedian, Tv host and characters in shows ive watched for constant mental-reuse makes that even personally possible.. Thank YOU for making such a nice-video! There wasnt much to look forward to in terms of an ending like 'deadspace 3,' They were either going to survive and escape earth or die like 'Hellstar Remina' ala junji ito, But your video on it is about the MOST easing-thing ive ever seen about it. More so than the game itself in a way. ;j

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@onojioboardwalk9748 thanks I appreciate that! Hope to keep improving the content in the future!

[@onojioboardwalk9748]

@@calvinfishermedia ;j Great!

[@fadedraider1705]

This game had its own moments, its a great standalome game but just *_"decent"_* when you realize its supposed to be like dead space 1 and 2, its more of a game that just doesnt feel right when considered a part of the franchise which has better games

[@calvinfishermedia]

That makes a lot of sense. I think the view of the game definitely changes based on if you view it relatively to the other Dead Space games, or in isolation.

[@deadman9335]

I always heard how bad this game is and avoided it when I was getting into dead space but when I got a chamce to play it for free, I thought I would try it and see how bad it truly was and while yeah it was bad compared to the first 2 games, it wasn't as bad as people make it out to be.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Yeah, I had a pretty similar reaction. After all of the negative reactions, I was expecting far worse of a game

[@deadman9335]

@@calvinfishermedia I to also enjoyed the crafting system, except that you can't destroy any type of +3 upgrade chips meaning after several play throughs, my bench inventory is stacked with +3, +3 +1s, +3 +2s, and even some +3 +3s I will never use that I can't get rid of. Also Isaac and Carver do bond well if you play the co-op missions, it is just some extra stuff and carver learning to not be an asshole but you don't get to see that journey without a friend. The most recent playthrough was the first time just playing the game without my brother and I realized not only how many co-op missions there are but also dazed by the fact I didn't see carver develop as he just appeared a few times and was gone.

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@deadman9335 that makes a lot of sense. I didn’t play the co op missions because I wanted to see how the game held up purely as a single player game, but I bet they helped his character development. It is a shame more of that stuff wasn’t in the main campaign.

[@nomadictree5795]

For me it just fell flat. Not a terrible game, but not worth buying at full price.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That’s fair! I was surprised at how much content the game had even for just the single player, so I feel I got my money’s worth, but I definitely understand why you feel that way.

[@mrxlvcrft]

I cannot understand the rejection for this game TODAY. At launch day. Ok. All good. It deserved the flak it got. But even looking in retrospect: why is dead space 2 so good while this one does everything 2 does tenfold? Horror games are one thing when you're 9 playing silent hill 1 and even an audio cue was enough to make you turn off your playstation and go to sleep. An horror experience is an entire another thing when you're in your mid 20s or 30s and tomorrow you have to work in 5 hours. It expands the story, it refines gameplay, it goes back to the cause of the outbreaks that haven't been explained in the first two games. And you want jump scares? There's plenty of it in the 3 one. Also, don't like linearity? Guess what: 2 is at least 3 times more linear than 3. The music, the atmosphere. This is the first game in the franchise to have real EVA. DS2 had action pieces in the space. DS3 has real EVA. Really, I don't get it. I may be wrong but I just don't get it. Every dead space is better than the last one. And the first one is already a masterpiece.

[@calvinfishermedia]

I’m with you there, I still don’t quite get the hatred 3 gets. It is a solid game, definitely with a few rough edges, but nowhere near the disaster people say it is. Thanks for watching!

[@RandomWandrer]

DS3 didnt kill the franchise. The haters did. How can anyone expect a sequel when their unreasonable bad reviews persuade people to avoid the game. Dead Space 3 is amazing. It's one of my favourite games (after Mass Effect LE, Deadspace Remake and Deadspace 2). In the decade since DS3, there have been few games that measure up to it. All the b*tching about DS3 is unreasonable and people like that dont deserve to be catered to. I also want Deadspace to return to its creepy psycho roots. But i appreciate that DS3 was trying something new and was well made.

[@calvinfishermedia]

I was definitely surprised when I booted up the game. After hearing about all of the hate, I wasn’t expecting such a fun, polished, and pretty artistically striking game at times