Given the overwhelming violence and psychological terror of Dead Space, it’s critical and commercial success is a little worrying. But if it means we’ll keep getting awesome games from the franchise, then they’re more than welcome.
The problem is when things get stale. If Ubisoft and Activision have taught us anything, it’s that doing the same thing repeatedly will eventually wear on people, especially if the same scares are recycled.
Visceral’s general manager and executive producer of Dead Space 3 agrees. In an interview with CVG, he stated that “one of the biggest challenges for us is to continue to keep things fresh. We’re at the third instalment, and the sheer shock value of seeing the dismemberment, and some of those things that have become staples of the franchise, aren’t going to continue to scare people the way they have done.
“I’d say our biggest challenge is keeping it fresh, mixing it up so it doesn’t become predictable. There’s no obvious cadence to when we’re gonna scare you.
The create-a-weapon system and new co-op gameplay, along with a brand new setting, should also give the game enough to distinguish it from it’s predecessors when it releases in 2013.