Dead Space Extraction PS3 preview: Rescue operation
EA is sending in the experts to salvage Dead Space Extraction, left adrift in retail space last year. Although Extraction impressed critics with its threatening environments and frantic action, it never quite found the audience it deserved on the Wii. The on-rails shooter was an essential component of EA's harsh sci-fi universe, trading engineer Isaac Clarke's high-pressure exploration for a briskly paced series of intense standoffs -- that 480p resolution certainly didn't stop it from being a Dead Space game.
The PlayStation 3 version's high-definition graphics are a straightforward (if unambitious) improvement, but the wider distribution via the PlayStation Network, and through Limited Edition PS3 copies of next year's Dead Space 2, offers the greatest opportunity to connect with new players.
%Gallery-102268%
The PlayStation Move works just as you'd expect in Extraction, with Sony's orb-on-a-stick completely replicating the Wii remote's functionality. A loss of precision wouldn't have been acceptable, not when your survival depends on separating enemies from their hazardous limbs as quickly as possible. As before, tilting the controller sideways will activate your equipped weapon's alternate firing mode. Button placement may require more of an adjustment, but at least you're able to ditch the nunchuck entirely.
You can play with a Dual Shock 3 or a Sixaxis too, as long as you don't expect the same kind of swift shooting you'll get from the Move. Even so, it's a practical addition, especially if you want to throw a friend into the campaign or challenge mode without purchasing a second Move controller. The only problem that remains unaddressed is the large size of the cursors -- putting two of those huge crosshairs on the screen can feel obstructive when you're dealing with enemies at a distance.
Dead Space Extraction hasn't seen an overhaul in its shift to PS3, but it didn't really need one. It's a fantastic freebie in the Limited Edition package, and should be worthwhile purchased separately, too. The only thing you'd be missing out on by downloading it is the box ... and thus:
