Dead Space 3
Dead Space 3 was released on February 5. Does the highly anticipated game live up to the hype? Visceral Games

“Dead Space 3” was released Tuesday, and is one of the first highly anticipated video games of 2013. With plenty of hype, and two successful predecessors to live up to, the critic reviews are in, and most recommend “Dead Space 3” with some minor reservations.

“Dead Space 3” was released on the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC. Developed by Visceral Games, the game is the follow up to “Dead Space 2,” released in 2011. In “Dead Space 3,” players control Isaac Clark, who is “joined by merciless soldier John Carver, to chase a risky plan that promises to finally stop the Necromorphs. Together Clarke and Carver must explore the frozen planet of Tau Volantis and track down the secret they hope will end the Necromorph plague forever, all while overcoming avalanches, treacherous ice-climbs, and the violent wilderness. Facing deadlier evolved enemies and brutal elements, the unlikely pair must work together to save mankind from the impending apocalypse,” according to the official synopsis.

“Dead Space 3” features weapon crafting and co-op play as well as some new features, and while it seems the game is, for the most part, a success, the critics did notice some flaws.

On Metacritic, “Dead Space 3” scored an 80 for the Playstation 3 version and a 79 for the Xbox 360 version. Game Informer rates the game at a near-perfect 98 saying, “Dead Space 3 is still creepy, but this entry is more action-packed than previous games. … Isaac’s intuitive new dodge roll makes avoiding the larger nercromorph attacks more manageable.” Game Informer also raves about the online co-op where players control Clark and Carver and the exclusive content, as well as added story, which comes with playing with a friend.

Joystiq also praises the game, giving it four-and-a-half stars out of five. The positives of “Dead Space 3” include a good story, great gameplay, plenty of flying, a long adventure and plenty of scares. Joystiq also notes the amount of work Visceral Games put into the co-op features of “Dead Space 3,” including puzzles that reward cooperation and calls the game “an interesting, thoughtfully constructed horror game.”

While not as bullish on the game as Joystiq or Game Informer, other reviewers are mostly positive. Gamespot gives the game 8.0 out of 10, saying the weapon crafting is a great addition and the diverse game environments boost playability, although the storyline falters slightly. IGN gives “Dead Space 3” a 7.8 out of 10, noting the battle system as a positive while stating the game can be tedious to play through due to the lack of a character arc.

In a largely positive review, Gamesradar gives “Dead Space 3” three-and-a-half stars out of five, saying the side missions add value to the game while also saying there are very few truly memorable moments. Eurogamer also falls in this category, giving the game a lukewarm 7 out of 10. It finds plenty of problems but also many good points that cancel one another out, making it too uneven for fans of the series.

There are also some negative reviews. Kotaku does not recommend the game, saying “Dead Space 3” feels too different from previous games in the series and that it’s ultimately a boring experience. While critics have mostly given the game positive reviews, the fans seem to disagree. On Metacritic, 82 users have weighed in on the Playstation 3 version, giving the game 4.8 out of 10, while 125 Xbox 360 users have given the game 5.0 out of 10.