Dead Space: Extraction Review
Dead Space: Extraction on the Wii, a prequel to the original Dead Space released on the PS3 and 360, is all about story. While there was clearly a plot supposed to be pulling you through the game, many felt the first Dead Space was more focused on introducing the element of fear and new gameplay mechanics, than serving the story.
That can’t be said of Extraction. In fact the commitment to the story the developers are trying to tell is so important that it serves as both the game’s greatest strength and its most significant weakness. You begin the game in a deep space mining colony and it’s three weeks prior to the events aboard the USG Ishimura. Immediately you’re introduced to the game’s central character, Lexine. It’s her that you’ll have to protect from the dangerous infection that’s spreading and you’ll do it from the perspective of several different colonists. Surprisingly, even the characters you play as are not above being sacrificed to serve the needs of the plot. Refreshing.
In order to control your move through the storyline the game plays as a rail shooter, similar to other Wii titles such as Resident Evil. Your direction and movement are almost entirely controlled for you so you don’t miss seeing any of the impressive scripted events. The whole game feels very cinematic due to some great direction and graphics I didn’t think were possible on the Wii’s hardware.
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But while the controlled pacing and great visuals make it look like you’re playing through a movie, they can also lead to a lot of frustration. There’s no shortage of Necromorphs you need to dismember so getting ammo and health are always a priority. Additionally, important weapon upgrades and audio and text logs are scattered around each level. To grab any of these you need to use a power introduced in the first game called Kinesis or TK. Shown as a ball of light onscreen, it allows you to reach out and grab objects at a distance or manipulate the environment in order to solve puzzles, etc. Often however, the game moves you along so quickly that you miss some of these items, some of which can be barely seen just behind a pile of debris or pillar. If you don’t want to miss any of them, its easy to begin a habit of constantly firing your Kinesis off rapidly at anything likely to hold an item because there’s no slowing down and no going back. On the hunt for the dim glimmer of a much-needed ammo crate in the dark passages of a mining colony or amongst the flickering lights of a ship can lead to some great tension, but can also direct your attention away from critical dialogue. More than once I had the feeling I’d missed something important to the plot and had to reload the last checkpoint and play through to that point again - this time making sure to listen to the characters.
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