Electronic Arts Brings Survival Horror Franchise to iPad

There has always been a distinct difference between core console games and those found on web or mobile media. Nevertheless, the gap has been closing as developer IronMonkey Studios, along with Visceral Games and Electronic Arts have brought the survival horror genre, in true form, to iPad with Dead Space HD (as a side note, an iPhone version is also available). Though this iPad version can easily stand on its own, the release has also been strategically timed in tandem with the launch of the anticipated Dead Space 2. Unlike most mobile games, Dead Space is definitely not a game that should be played by everyone. Though it comes from a long list of core EA franchises that have gone mobile - including Rock Band, Command & Conquer, FIFA, Need for Speed, and Madden - this survival horror game is one of the most violent and unnerving titles we have seen on any mobile device. And that’s how we like it. That said, the game controls do get in the way from time to time, and the issue is only enhanced by the anxious mood of the game. Moreover, while the title does have some quality jump scares and atmosphere, some of the tricks become moderately repetitive and predictable. Don’t let the chosen platform fool you. Dead Space HD is by no means a casual game. Though it may not have the visuals of Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 versions, this is a title that brings the survival horror experience, effectively, to the iOS. That disclaimer aside, players control a masked engineer known only as “Vandal” who is on a mission for the church in order to strike against the current government by sabotaging an deep space mining facility. Though Vandal takes on the look of Isaac from the original Dead Space, this new mobile version is a completely independent side story from the franchise, so no worries if you haven’t played the first game. Regardless, as it turns out, Vandal’s sabotage has caused some nightmarish creatures called “Necromorphs” to break free and begin running amok within the station. Whoops. After being abandoned by the church, it’s time for Vandal to make things right. In the attempt to remedy their mistake, players are granted futuristic engineering weapons that are basically glorified nail guns, saws, and so on. All the same, they’re still pretty effective. Controls take the same route as SGN’s EXO-Planet Elite, in that players control movement with the left half of the iPad and shooting with the right. Sliding one’s thumb on the left will walk or run, depending on how much the finger moves, and tapping the right will ready an equipped weapon. It works decently well, though there is no fluid way to lower the weapon aside from forcing Vandal to run or doing a quick 180 degree turn (double tapping the avatar). Most of the time it’s not a problem, but the sliding of one’s fingers just isn’t as effective as a controller, since turning a significant amount constantly requires the user to pick up their finger and slide again. Unfortunately, when a number of necromorphs begin appearing to chew your face off, the slow turning often leads to taking unwanted damage. One of the other issues with the controls is that they can sometimes be unresponsive or will not play nice with the camera. The best example of the former is that shooting is done with a mere tap, yet sometimes it won’t register and will take multiple tries. Obviously, this becomes exceedingly frustrating when some hideous creature is bearing down on the player, and since they often startle users upon arrival, make the situation actually stressful; leading to a few, ahem, profanities. As for the noted camera issue, it’s collision with nearby objects doesn’t always work. All to often, the camera will wedge itself behind a chair, desk, or something when trying to aim. Again, a slight problem when trying to keep one’s self alive. On a more positive note, one of the fun aspects of the game is that players can actually maim and amputate enemies. Depending on the mode of their gun (which is changed by tilting the device), they can hack off the limbs, effectively reducing the enemy’s threat level. This is particularly gratifying with an early weapon, whose primary mode allows users to control a remote controlled buzz saw. What also works well is that whenever enemies get close enough to Vandal, users enter a grapple mode. Following on screen “quick time” prompts, users tap and slide fingers in specific spots to save themselves, resulting in a special attack from Vandal. The are a little repetitive after a while, but as this is an iPad title, that’s understandable. Moving away from controls, one of the most interesting parts of this game is the ability to upgrade weapons, armor, and secondary components (as an example, there is a secondary ability called “Stasis” that players can activate to slow down specific enemies). As users progress through the game, they will find items called “Power Nodes” that they can then use to customize their character’s armaments. What is particularly interesting is that Dead Space HD is a paid app at $9.99. But it also brings in additional revenue from in-app purchases. Players can actually buy varying quantities of these power nodes in a value ranging from $0.99 to $4.99. If this wasn’t enough, for $1.99, players can also pay to boost the amount of money they find in game (Credits), their weapon effectiveness, and their armor effectiveness. On top of all this, players that register their iOS Dead Space will receive one free Power Node for their Dead Space 2, console counterpart. For an iOS title, Dead Space HD is extremely atmospheric. Eerie, claustrophobic, and budding with anxiety, the game does a pretty good job at freaking the player out (especially if you play with headphones - which the game recommends). The sound and music effectively enhances each step of the game, and timely crescendos and sound effects make the user wary about each shadow. Sound aside, the visuals are rather impressive for iPad too. That in mind, this game is extremely violent with a good bit of gore, so it’s not recommended for younger audiences. Nevertheless, these two play into enticing anxiety in the user, as the noted crescendos will often be coupled with a dead body coming to life, a pair of claws pulling a corpse into an air duct you need to walk past, or just some poor victim getting tossed down a hallway you’re approaching. Suffice to say, each one makes the player worried about what is around the next corner. Unfortunately, these tricks only remain effective early on in the game, as Dead Space HD reuses them far too often. The shrill pitch change in the music will cause a minor jump, but it gets less unnerving as the game goes on. Additionally, the appearance of monsters, in any significant numbers, is always preempted by red warning lights and a voice initiating a lock down. There is a little bit of anxiety in that the player may not know where they are coming from, and they do occasionally sneak up on the user for a good yelp, but it’s not terribly scary in the long term. After a while, players just know when something is going to pop to life, crawl out of a shaft, or steal a corpse. What does work well is that as players progress through the game, Vandal will periodically have hallucinations that will depict horrible scenes of violence, messages written in blood on the walls, or even a necromorph in the player’s face. Each successive vision is more creative than the last, and without giving too much away, some examples include rooms with no way out, players transforming, and monsters disguised as something they’re not. In the end, if you are a fan of Dead Space, then this game is certainly worth a try. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely one of the better games on iPad and certainly one of the most mature. It does have some control and camera issues, but neither are enough to truly break the game. From a horror standpoint, Dead Space has a few good jump scares and some moments of good psychological horror, but most of its tools are reused far too much and ultimately become trite and predictable. Nevertheless, the game is still a lot of fun and comes very highly recommended.

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Electronic Arts Brings Survival Horror Franchise to iPad

Christopher Mack

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Christopher Mack