Interview: Glen Schofield on Dead Space, Sledgehammer Games and the transition from EA to Activision
We don’t have to tell you who Glen Schofield is. The guy’s been cementing his name in the industry for years now, and considering his recent realignment from EA’s banner to Activision’s, starting a new studio in Sledgehammer Games, we all have a lot of questions. Let’s get to it:
You were one of the individuals most responsible for bringing Dead Space to fruition — one of Joystiq’s best games of 2008. How difficult an endeavor was conceptualizing that game, and how willing — in the way of providing resources — was EA to create the game?
Dead Space was an idea I wanted to pursue for quite a few years while at EA. I brought the idea to the previous president when I believed the window was right for the game to fit within EA’s portfolio. At the time, EA was largely leveraging licensed IPs, and getting support for a new IP concept was tough. I really appreciated the opportunity he gave us. Fortunately, we had a passionate team of developers who poured a ton of energy into converting our skeptics into believers. In the end, the critical response by fans and the press is something myself and the entire team are very proud of.
Visceral Games (formerly EA Redwood Shores) is still an EA studio, currently wrapping up Dante’s Inferno. When you began Dead Space, Game Informer #174 — the official unveiling — called you guys a “renegade team.” Who was on that team, and how did you earn that “renegade” status?
Interview: Glen Schofield on Dead Space, Sledgehammer Games and the transition from EA to Activision originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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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.
.jpg "Dead Space: Extraction Review")
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.
Snap Judgment: Dead Space Extraction
Time played: 3 hours
I’m personally a big fan of on-rails shooters, a genre that I think rarely gets its due. I’m not all that big on exploration, and I’m lazy, so having someone else take the reigns for me is a welcome relief, allowing me to focus on the all-important business of murder.
So it’s quite a treat to see a game like Dead Space Extraction that strikes a blow for lazy guys everywhere by finding the strengths of the genre and running with them.
Continue reading Snap Judgment: Dead Space Extraction
Snap Judgment: Dead Space Extraction originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Dead Space: Extraction launch trailer prepares us for the inevitable
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from books, film and - when you really think about it - media of any kind, it’s that man is destined to discover unspeakable evil off-world some day. Such is the case for Dead Space Extraction’s Unitologists who’ve thrown caution to the wind and went out into the verse.
And, as you can see in the trailer above, they’re paying the price, which makes us think two things:
- Humanity needs to prepare for the inevitable. No, we’re not talking about making a bunch of Arnold Schwarzenegger clones, but we could all stand to beef up on our diplomacy skills.
- Necromorphs have an amazing work ethic. They never take breaks and wouldn’t dare dream of calling in sick.
Dead Space: Extraction launch trailer prepares us for the inevitable originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 02:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Want to see the first 15 minutes of Dead Space Extraction?
Well, we don’t. And we imagine the odds are that you don’t either. We don’t really understand these special people that want to see 15 minutes of a game they’re not playing and spoil the experience for themselves, but if that’s how you want to be introduced to Dead Space Extraction then allow us (well, Vooks) to be your vessel.
… Well, how was it? How about that dirt? Is it washing off? No, we didn’t think so.
[Via GoNintendo]
Want to see the first 15 minutes of Dead Space Extraction? originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Here are the victims of Dead Space Extraction
It sucks to be in the Dead Space universe. If you’re not turned into a horribly mutated zombie, then you’re being ripped apart by aforementioned zombies. The upcoming Dead Space Extraction for Wii certainly places its characters between a rock and a really horrible, bloody place. The latest dev diary for the rail shooter reveals the characters of the game, and talks about how each character has their own unique motivations. They are united by one thing though: the incredible desire not to meet a bloody, guts-splattering death.
One key thing to note about Extraction is that it’s far more story-driven than the first game, offering five times the dialogue as the original. Considering you’re traveling with a group of people, instead of exploring solo, that makes a lot of sense. It’ll be interesting to see how the Wii audience responds to yet another third-party M-rated game.
Here are the victims of Dead Space Extraction originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Behind the scribble with Scribblenauts
Sure, the Nintendo Channel may have received quite the facelift today, adding a host of new features and tossing a much needed fresh coat of paint on top of it all, but the best and brightest of the new content on offer is undoubtedly the behind the scenes look at Scribblenauts. We say this because, well, everything Scribblenauts wins. Sorry, interesting and informative Dead Space Extraction video! You picked the wrong week to be new.
Anywho, if you’ve got a Wii, check out the Nintendo Channel for a bunch of new content. Or, if you’re lazy and want to know what’s there before booting up the system, head past the break where we’ve got you covered, baby!
Continue reading This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Behind the scribble with Scribblenauts
This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Behind the scribble with Scribblenauts originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Dead Space: Extraction guest stars in recent episode of True Blood
HBO’s True Blood houses an all-star cast, one of which consistently tops the sales charts throughout the gaming world — of course, we’re referring to the Nintendo Wii. The home console has made multiple appearances in the show, from the main character showcasing his golf skills to its most recent cameo — showing off the upcoming shooter, Dead Space: Extraction.
In last night’s season 2 episode, “New World In My View,” Hoyt Fortenberry’s aggressive mother waggles her way through a slew of Extraction enemies. While the game won’t hit store shelves until September 29, the popular adult drama looks like as good a place as any to get the game’s marketing machine rolling. Check out the clip after the break. Warning: The language is NSFW.
[Via Video Games Blogger]
Continue reading Dead Space: Extraction guest stars in recent episode of True Blood
Dead Space: Extraction guest stars in recent episode of True Blood originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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That’s a wrap: Comic-Con 2009
Last week’s San Diego Comic-Con was one crazy ride. The Joystiq representatives in attendance were trained in advanced interrogation tactics and managed to extract information on a variety of subjects. We’ve got an update from Peter Jackson himself on the Halo happenings, first footage of South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play! and a new game mode for Uncharted 2! Friend, you missed one heck of a week.
But, that’s okay! You can get caught up right here, right now. Simply head past the break for a complete summary of all the headlines.
Continue reading That’s a wrap: Comic-Con 2009
That’s a wrap: Comic-Con 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Visceral explains the controls of Dead Space Extraction
“Working on the Nintendo Wii was a pretty exciting thing for us. We were excited about the unique controls and what they brought to the gamer,” explains Steve Papoutsis in this new dev diary. Extraction, the Wii-exclusive prequel to Dead Space, as with many Wii games, takes advantage of multiple control modes, depending on whether you use the Wii Remote or Zapper. Either way, the game utilizes some clever Wii-specific tricks, like switching to alt-fire by simply turning the controller on its side.
The footage showcased in the latest dev diary highlights some of the best visuals we’ve seen on Wii so far. One of the co-op segments highlighted in the video combines puzzle-solving and monster-blasting in a rather smartly designed (and terrifying) way. Even worse, the two players will have to switch off during the puzzle as enemies continue to jump in. With so many clever ideas being thrown about, Extraction may have a shot at making us all scream in terror.
Visceral explains the controls of Dead Space Extraction originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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