Video Game Review: Dead Space 3

A few months ago I was able to download Dead Space 3 for my PS3. Tonight was the first time I have been able to play the game and so I thought I would give a quick review. The PlayStation 4 and XBox One are selling well but there are still a number of games for the older generation consoles that can be found at very low prices. My hope is that this will help you pick an inexpensive Christmas gift for that gamer in your life.

The game starts with a number of quick videos giving you some background. I can only assume they surmise the activities of the first two games, seeing as I never played them. It is enough to get you interested. Game play begins as a soldier in a snowy world looking for something. I have been playing games on the PS3 again and so the graphics look pretty good. Had I gone from a PS4 back to the 3, I probably couldn't say that. I especially like how the transition from video to game play is seamless and that the videos are not done at a higher quality. You get to find your way through the snow with the help of a path control that shows you where to go. I thought it was well done and helps first-timers get to where the real action begins.

I have to admit that I have only played the game for an hour or so but found it very entertaining. There are a number of zombie-type monsters that can be rather difficult to kill even on the easiest or "casual" setting. The graphics are also pretty gruesome and quickly became a turn-off to continue playing the game. I have decided that I will probably go back to Mass Effect for the time being but may continue with Dead Space 3 afterwards.

Dead Space 3 is published by EA and is available for the PC, PlayStation 3, and XBox 360. I would recommend the game for older teenagers and young adults. If you are looking for that family game that everyone will enjoy, this is not it.

New Video Game Consoles

Tomorrow Sony PlayStation is expected to make a big announcement. The general consensus is that it will be regarding their new console unit which theoretically will be called the PlayStation 4. This brings up the question regarding if we need a new console or not. Both Microsoft and Sony seem to think we do as do a lot of industry experts. According to some, the PS3 and XBox 360 are over half a decade old and a new console will reignite the industry. Others think phones and tablets are the new gaming platform.

I think it all boils down to content. If you can create a compelling game on a basic console, then there is no reason buy an expensive next generation one. Sony sold a great many PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles because of a number of great games. Microsoft did the same for the Xbox and Xbox 360 simply because of Halo and a few other exclusive games. Publishers like EA and Activision don't care which console you own and create games for both. That is a lot of content.

With next generation tablets and smartphones, it is only a matter of time before they become powerful enough to play current console games. So what can the console creators do to make their products more compelling than the tablet and phone manufacturers? Perhaps we will find out tomorrow.

Need for Speed: The Run

I am supposed to be off on vacation but we had a disk go bad on one of our arrays and it required me to do a bit of maintenance for the office. The process of rebuilding the bad disk is about as exciting as watching dots get painted to the screen. Actually that is what was happening and so I took the chance to crack the cover of another EA game: Need for Speed: The Run. I had my laptop logged into the computer at work painting dots on one side, and my 32-inch HD TV showing the game on the other. Sometimes it is nice to be able to multitask.

Once again, EA uses the Frostbite 2 engine for this game. It is also used for Battlefield 3. My two sons love playing the Need for Speed games and so when I was down having lunch at EA at the beginning of December, I made sure to pick up a copy of the latest installment. I have to say that I have not been disappointed. You start the game duct-taped to the steering wheel of a Porsche 911 that is getting put in a car crusher. You have to escape and then are invited to drive in a race across the United States. You start in San Francisco and then try to get to New York. The only unbelievable part of the game is that you don't take Interstate 80 the whole way. Instead, you are relegated to back roads, which makes for a better video game.

I have never played another Need for Speed, but I have seen my sons play countless hours of the different versions. The Run has a lot of the same elements: you have to make certain time cutoffs, evade police, as well as pass a number of other racers over a given distance. You also have various cars to choose from. I naturally chose the BMW M3 to start as I am sort of a fan of BMWs in real life. However it was a bit tough when I kept crashing my car, especially since I really was rear-ended in my BMW yesterday. Luckily there was no damage to my car, but still, watching me destroy a virtual BMW almost brought tears to my eyes.

Need for Speed: The Run is rated T for language, mild suggestive themes, and violence. I didn't think it was nearly as violent as MotorStorm Apocalypse but there are a lot of car crashes. I also have not heard any foul language, but I am only a couple of hours into the game. I am playing in 720p resolution and the graphics look great. I wish I could play in 1080p, but the game doesn't support it. As it is from EA, you can get the game for PlayStation 3, XBox 360, PC, Wii, and Nintendo 3DS. I would recommend this title for anyone that likes driving games. Parents just don't base game play on whether or not you will let your kids ever get a driver's license.