***SPOILERS AHEAD!***
Typically I'm not too much into horror games. I do tend to scare easy so I usually avoid them. The Dead Space franchise is one exception however. This series is amazing and Dead Space Extraction is one of my favorite games for the Nintendo Wii! :D Released in 2008, Dead Space extraction is a prequel, set before the events of the original Dead Space. The story follows several characters, often alternating gameplay segments between some of them. P-Sec officer, Detective Nathan McNeill, and his old friend, Sgt. Gabriel Weller, attempt to unravel the mystery surrounding a mysterious artifact known as the Red Marker discovered on the colony world, Aegis VII. As soon as the Marker is discovered the citizens of Aegis VII begin to act incoherently and violently, killing each other and themselves. Soon after strange alien creatures known as Necromorphs(monstrous reanimated human corpses) begin attacking and killing everything in sight. As Nate and Gabriel attempt to flee the carnage they encounter a young woman named Lexine Murdoch who seems strangely impervious to the Red Marker's maddening effects, as well as mining company executive, Warren Eckhardt. The group's attempts to flee the horror will take them from the carnage infested streets of Aegis VII, to the Necromorph filled corridors of the mining ship, the USG Ishimura. The plot of Extraction successfully adds mystery and depth to the lore established in Dead Space and the characters all fill there roles nicely, from sympathetic heroes to companions with shady secrets and knowledge of the events at hand.
Nate and crew make for a well rounded cast that fit very well into the established Dead Space mythos
The gameplay for Extraction is where things diverge from the original game. Whereas Dead Space was a third-person survival horror shooter, Extraction is an on-rails shooter. Thankfully the shift in gameplay types does not detract from the Dead Space experience as developer Visceral Games tailor made Extraction for an excellent horror experience on the Wii. Being an on-rails shooter Extraction pulls the player along set paths as you progress through the game. At certain points in the game you are given a choice of several paths to choose from in order to progress, as well as segments where you are given free rain of the camera for a few precious seconds to scour the environments for ammo, health, new weapons, armor and health upgrades, as well as audio and text logs which help to provide more exposition on the Dead Space universe. Boss battles add fun action segments as well as you battle against some truly terrifying foes often in unique battle segments. The controls for the game are very fluid and responsive and feel quite comfortable for a Wii game. The Wii Remote is used to aim your targeting reticule as well as to shoot and look around set areas. Holding the Remote sideways enables the use of a weapon's secondary firing mode. The Nunchuck is used for kinesis to lift and/or throw objects that can be grabbed from the environment. Shaking the Nunchuck allows you to use a melee attack to knock enemies that have grabbed on to you away. Everything about the controls just feels right and makes for one entertaining rails shooter on the Wii. The games difficulty also ramps up at a pretty even pace as you progress through story mode. Extraction also includes co-op for two players, with the second player only using a Remote to shoot while the first player uses a Remote and Nunchuck for all functions.
Being a horror game on the Wii, one usually wonders if the game can successfully translate the horror of the original game on to a less powerful console and in an on-rails shooter for that matter. The answer is hell yes! Extraction certainly delivers in the scare department and features several tense and jump out out of your seat moments that helped to define the original game! The fact that you are being forced along a set path, with no control of when or where to stop and prepare for what may be ahead adds to the scare factor. The shaky camera and hearing the labored breathing of your character in the middle of a battle against several Necromorphs adds to the tension as you attempt to line up your shots to dismember your enemies limb by limb without wasting too much ammo. The scarcity of ammo and health as the game progresses makes the terror more intense as you struggle more and more to survive the hordes of enemies in your path.
O.O *gulp
OH SHIT! *craps pants
Despite being transferred to the less powerful Wii from the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC Extraction is one damn fine looking game. There is a lot of attention to detail from character models to the grotesque appearance of the various Necromorph types encountered in the game. Environments look amazing for a Wii game as you see all manner of details from the used up mines on Aegis VII to the slime and flesh infested confines of the Ishimura, there is a lot of visual detail to take in. Necromorph designs are top notch as they sport unique appearances throughout the different enemy types. Jaw bones gaping open, limbs contorting is grizzly ways, bones protruding from hands to be used as stabbing weapons, it is always a gruesome treat to see the Necromorphs in such appropriate and disgusting detail! Flickering light effects and expert use of shadows only add to the terror as they play tricks on you; you never quite know if the moving shadow in the corner is a Necromorph or just a figment of your imagination until it is too late! The only complaint against the graphics is the fact that the targeting reticule is a bit large and can sometimes obscure your view. Sound effects are also quite good. The ghastly cries of the Necromorph hordes are great to hear, weapons sound off with satisfying punch especially when making contact with enemy limbs. The voice acting is also top notch. All the characters sound right and the voice actor and actresses deliver some really great performances. Hearing Nate scream bloody murder in one late game sequence will stay with me for the rest of my life! The music is classic Dead Space fair, being used more to add to the sense of dread and terror in certain situations. In some cases the lack of music is much more nerve wracking. The game's chilling rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star towards the end helps to make for one of the more terrifying experiences I ever had in a game.
Extraction also packs in with a nice extra as well. As you progress through the game's chapters you will unlock a full motion comic version of the tie in prequel comic, Dead Space. Set roughly at the same time as Extraction, Dead Space serves to add even greater exposition to the mysteries of the Red Marker, the Church of Unitology and the creation of the Necromorph hordes as well as to the events that set up Extraction and the original game. Fully voice acted, this motion comic is pretty fun(and scary) to watch for fans of the Dead Space lore.
Dead Space Extraction does a fantastic job of translating a fresh new franchise to the Wii. Great controls, a great story, fun gameplay and awesome frights help make Extraction one of the best Wii games i have ever played! Fans of horror games, on-rails shooters, and Dead Space should play this game! :D
Grizzly scenes like this help Extraction live up to its pedigree O.O
Always gives me the shivers!
Dead Space Extraction(Wii) score: 9/10
