Dead Space: Extraction Review

                                     Dead Space: Extraction

A literal ran 'n' gum

                          A Journalistic Review by DefiantParrot
                                *Warning: May Contain Spoilers*
                               Originally Written: 07/14/2019
                                                                                             
Developer: Visceral Games, Eurocom
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platform: Nintendo Wii
Genre: Rail Shooter
Release: September 29, 2009



Before I get started with this review let's get one thing straight. Electronic Arts IS the bad guy in the video game industry.

I absolutely loved playing Dead Space back when I reviewed the game at the tail end of 2017, and while it ultimately fell short of my Gold Seal of Satisfaction, I still found it to be a great horror game and if you have not played it yet... Do it. Now, go play Dead Space then come back and apologize.

I got quite a bit of blowback on that review actually, had a number of people tell me that my review was awful because I didn't give it a perfect score. Just thought I'd mention that.

Anyway people have told me that as good as Dead Space 1 was, the sequel would be even better. But when I told them I couldn't do DS2 yet there was a game in between them, they looked at me like I had three heads.

That is our subject of today's review. Released a year after the original and made specifially for Nintendos money printing machine, the Wii. We have ourselves a prequel and a spinoff here. Lucky me.

We've got company!!

Now I know there's plenty of other material explaining the events on the Ishimura or Aegis VII and whatever in this series. Theres comics, an animated movie, hell included with Extraction are actually some motion comics if you feel so inclined to experience them yourself. I have not however the Dead Space Cinematic Universe is not something I have partaken in.

So when I saw that this was a prequel I was kind of interested, then a bit worried when I saw that this would be an On Rails, Light Gun Shooter.

I never played many on these save for Duck Hunt I suppose, and motion controls and I don't normally get along at all. So I was apprehensive to say the least but I am nothing if not fair, so I centered the Wii motion sensor, picked up another Wii Mote, and recruited the aid of my brother for this playthrough, yes ladies and gentleman it's the return of HandGun Moses, Co-Op mode away!

So the game begins and you play as french engineer Sam Caldwell who is part of the engineering team to excavate the Marker from Aegis VII.

We see a conversation between Sam and his fun, cute and loving girlfriend Lexine and the banter between them was so sweet my brother and I guessed that he was going to die, and let's just say we're never wrong about these things.

Lexine, honey... DUCK!

Anyway after seeing firsthand what the Marker can do to someone, and seeing the unfortunate events of Sams time on Aegis VII, we start the next level and meet our actual main characters. Detective Nathan McNeill and P-Sec Officer Gabe Weller.

Having some pretty fun dialogue with each other before running into Lexine who is now freshly single and obviously douchebag Warren Eckhardt. Matter of fact if you really enjoyed the whole 'Nicole is Dead' thing from the original Dead Space you should look into that here too. Pretty cool, if predictable and not carrying anywhere near the same weight as the original.

Shut up, Nicole

Anyway I'd say that the story and interactions with the characters here makes up a good, at least 65% percent of the gameplay. In between action set pieces the characters will be conversing with one another, or moving towards their next objective which when replaying levels can slow the pacing to a crawl.


Of course I enjoyed it but I liked these characters. The optimistic yet badass McNeill, the smartass battle hardened Weller, and I don't know why but I fell in love with Lexine almost immediately. Maybe it's the voice acting which is done fairly well throughout the game. The main characters sound fine, with some of the side characters sounding ridiculous at times and one character in particular *Cough* Nicole *Cough* sounding bored out of their fucking mind.

But I haven't really talked about the gameplay here and folks it's a light gun game. There's not much to say I think, you don't control yourself as On Rails specifies.

The gameplay includes firing at the Necromorph horde as it approaches you using your reticle on screen to aim. Dismembering limbs is stil a big part in this game as that's the most effective way of killing these abominations.

Every gun has a secondary mode of fire which you can access by holding the Wii mote sideways.

You can still Stasis enemies which is essential at some points in the game, particularly during a certain boss fight. It now works on a cooldown period with three slots that works fairly well.

These I really enjoyed

Something I do really like particularly in Co-Op is the hacking moments. There will be times when you must hack a panel, with motion controls of course! But as you do this the enemies don't stop coming and you have to fend them off, while attempting to hack through these little mazes.


In Co-Op the line you have to move changes color, for instance if we start hacking and the gears are blue I have to hack it while Moses sends these fuckers back to what hell they come out of. But once I finish mine it turns yellow meaning we have to quickly switch on the fly and he hack the system, while I hold back the demon horde.

It actually takes some coordination and teamwork to get this right and I really dug this, of course not every hacking section has enemies attacking you but still it was really fun.

While moving through the game ammo, health and various different logs can be picked up with telekineses which is mainly how you'll keep ammo in this game. There's also weapon upgrades and I do like how the audio logs play through the Wii mote to add to the immersion.

The Nunchuk functions as how to use Stasis and reload but it's main purpose is melee, shaking it will activate melee which does piss poor damage but can stun enemies and can be used while reloading or switching weapons.

Take 'em out Bro!!!!

It took awhile to get used to the camera, I know it's a light gun game and being in control of the camera is not an option most of the time. But first there are moments where the game lets you freely look around whatever room you are in and second this game can move so fast at times that collecting items in the background can be damn near impossible at moments.

Oh and the fucking glowlight we laughed at this thing. In dark areas of this game if you shake the Wii mote you'll activate a glowlight tio easier see as you move through your surroundings. But the glowlight can be used at extremely random times. Sometimes you move through a dark area and can use it, sometimes you can't hey this whole fucking game is dark!

I shit you not there were times when we could use the glowlight only to walk a few steps and not be able to use it again, sometimes lasting less than thirty fucking seconds what the hell? Made us wonder why they bothered.

I mean, one of my biggest issues was losing my retical on screen, they do diversify P1 and P2 reticals by color. I was blue and Moses was yellow, but even with that there were many moments where I'd be firing off in the corner before realizing I wasn't the retical I thought I was.

Gimme a hug, you son of a bitch!

I don't know maybe it's just me but I think more could have been done to help keep track of yourself here.


I mean the game functions just fine I suppose, it looks good. Not as good as the HD Dead Space games of course but I thought it looked alright. Character models didn't look that bad, the enemies looked okay and the environments. But if too much starts happening on screen this game can dip from about 30 frames per second to like 10.

I know I think that's another light gun staple but it did annoy me.

I mean, I didn't hate this game by any means, in some regards I had fun here. I did like the story and the ending was a downer for me, but I did feel something seeing what became of McNeill. There are multiple difficulties if you wish to go back through it and there is a challenge mode that admittedly I didn't try once. But they are there if you want more.

But upon speaking with my illustrious brother and hammering out our thoughts we did decide on something.

Dead Space: Extraction receives my Bronze Seal of Acceptance.

For when you're a decent spin off

The game is fine. it is absolutely fine. But it is a game that we both said that we would never play again.