Monday, February 18, 2013 •
LIFE&ARTS v
OUDaily.com ›› A promotional event for OU’s Dancing with the Stars will be held today at Oklahoma Memorial Union’s first floor lobby.
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Emma Hamblen, life & arts editor Megan Deaton, assistant editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/life&arts • Twitter: @OUDailyArts
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he most recent entry LIFE & ARTS COLUMNIST in the horror game franchise, “Dead Space 3,� takes everything to the next level. From setting and story to graphics and gameplay, “Dead Space 3� raises the stakes and pushKaylan Aksel es further than spiralbluesun@gmail.com the previous two games. Most of “3� improves the experience, but not everything in the game succeeds. Does that mean “Dead Space 3� can’t be a great game? Put on your resource integration gear, grab the nearest plasma cutter and welcome back the world of “Dead Space.� Series protagonist Isaac Clarke is back, investigating the ice planet Tau Volantis in hope of finding a way to end the Necromorph terror once and for all. While “Dead Space� and “Dead Space 2� had superb storylines, “Dead Space 3� isn’t entirely solid. While Isaac was coming to terms with his fears, dementia and guilt over his girlfriend’s death in “Dead Space 2,� in “Dead Space 3,� he’s caught in the middle of a love triangle for half of the game. While “Dead Space 2� saw Isaac Clarke deciding for himself how to escape, in “Dead Space 3� Isaac constantly is given tasks and errands by other members of the group. Thankfully, the story gets better as the game goes on, and the last few chapters don’t disappoint. From the dimly lit corridors of centuries-old spaceships, to the icy slopes of the planet Tau Volantis and beyond, “Dead Space� has never looked more chilling. Visceral Games continues to give endless attention to each detail of the game. Isaac’s visor lines light up dark places in the same design shape, footprints in the snow match exactly where you step and alien screams echo throughout icy caverns and corridors. “Dead Space 3� achieves the perfect horror atmosphere while taking a more cinematic approach. Core gameplay is still the same as in “Dead Space� and “Dead Space 2,� but “Dead Space 3� adds a lot of new elements, weapons-crafting system, co-op mode and a variety of mini games with hit-and-miss results. To survive and fight the Necromorph threat, players must create their own weapons with materials they
find throughout the game through weapon crafting. AT A GLANCE While the crafting system ‘Dead Space 3’ seems complicated at first, it’s actually simple and fun to use. The game takes advantage of Isaac’s engineer status and allows the player full reign when it comes to choice. Want a shotgun with a flamethrower or a line gun with a knife? Or do you want to bypass crafting and settle for the classic javelin gun? This game’s weapon crafting lets the player do all these and more with ease. Co-op mode is another high point of the game. Yes, “Dead Space 3â€? introduces Release date: a cooperative story mode Feb. 5 where one person plays Isaac Clarke while the other Company: EA plays newcomer John Carver. Where most horror co-op Available games fall, “Dead Space 3â€? platforms: rises to the challenge by not • Xbox 360 drilling the side character into the main story. If playing • PS3 single player, Isaac is entire• PC ly alone. Carver will appear occasionally in various cutscenes, but it never feels out of place for the story. However, some of the game’s other additions don’t stand up to the rest of the game’s improvements. Rappelling up or down the side of a cliff is surprisingly clunky, and shooting at explosive barrels caught in a gear becomes a bit of a chore. Thankfully, these mini games don’t overstay their welcome. “Dead Space 3â€? isn’t perfect. Some gameplay elements fall while others fly. Missions tend to be a bit repetitive and don’t feel like they progress a story that has a few issues. Still, the game’s strengths outweigh its weaknesses and make it a great game worth playing over and over. Kaylan Aksel is a film and media studies sophomore.
NEW FREDDY’S
Original
FREDDY
Since opening in Norman last month, we’ve made thousands of steakburgers and just as many friends. Thank you for such a wonderful welcome! We invite you to officially celebrate our opening tomorrow, February 19. Come by for lunch for delicious steakburgers, crispy fries and lots of smiles.
Celebrate Our Ribbon Cutting & M E E T F RE D DY !
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 19 TH
RIBBON CUTTING AT 10:15 A.M. STORE OPENS AT 10:30 A.M.
Meet FREDDY UNTIL 1 p.m. Ä‚Ä…Ä€Ä ĆŤ Ä‹ĆŤ ĆŤ Ä‹ĆŤÄ‘ĆŤ ÄŒĆŤ
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