Welcome to the first Overnighter, where I will review a game based on how long it can keep me up playing.  I have a history of getting sucked into overnight marathon gaming sessions when a title is first released.  I had all of the Halo's beaten with in 18 hrs of getting them, played fear on the PC straight through fully in one sitting, and have sat playing Oblivion for 27 1/2 hours (amazingly enough without doing any main story arc quests, I became heads of all of the guilds).  I have many fond memories of long nights playing a game, which has served as a rather accurate gauge of how good it is. 

I will start the overnighter at about the normal time that I would go to bed during a workweek (11 P.M.-12 A.M.), and if the game is good enough to pull a full overnighter I will stop playing at about 8 A.M., when I start to get ready for work or the next day.

Dead Space (PS 3)

EA Games

Difficulty: Medium

Overnighter Playtime:  6 hrs. 2 min.

Feels like:  Bioshock + Doom 3 + Prey (kinda-sorta)

11:00 P.M.--I have downloaded the free suit (Obsidian) that you can get in the PSN Store (In the Game Add-On category) and I am starting up a new game.  I wonder if the new content will be available at the beginning of the game???

12:00 A.M.--I am past the first hour and wide-awake.  This game has some really creepy moments and good scares.  The graphics and sounds, along with the very well integrated HUD, do a superb job of really sucking you into the Ishimura.  The controls feel a little awkward at first, but due to the need to survive you get used to it really quick.  The strategic dismemberment is interesting and requires that you are accurate in order for it to work right.

First encounter with the store (almost an hour into gameplay) where weapons, ammo, health kits, air canisters, and new suits can be purchased, the downloaded content appears in the store.

*Right now (for both PS 3 and Xbox 360) you can download a free level 5 suit with fully unlocked slots.  This gives you a big advantage in the game allowing you to carry more...everything.  As of writing this, I have gotten about halfway through the game and the suits available at the "store" are only at level 3.

Obsidian Suit (DLC) for PS 3

In the past hour, I have also visited a "bench" area much like the weapons modifier in Bioshock.  Here you exchange "nodes" to level your weapons, abilities, and your suit.

Something important to note is that the game does not stop when you bring up your inventory, you have to be a good little boy scout and be prepared for the dangers that wait.

12:28 A.M.--I died for the first time when I encountered things that look like little walking stomachs swarmed all over me and overwhelmed and scared the shit out of me, thus resulting in my demise.

1:01 A.M.--The story is getting intriguing and I am very interested to know what has gone on here.  The different video, audio, and text logs do a good job of giving information to help you figure out what has happened on the Ishimura.  The HUD interface is fantastic and raises the bar on how to deliver information to the player.  

1:15 A.M.--Completed Chapter 2, Trophy Earned: “Lab Rat”.

1:26 A.M.—Personal note:  My wife coughed in the other room and she scared the shit out of me, this game has me on edge just a little.  I jumped about 10 feet just now.

1:32 A.M.-- I died the second time, taken out by the centrifuge.

2:01 A.M.-- Just when I think that I'm done and losing interest something happens and I'm left with a WTF moment and want to play on, I think that this could be the start of my second wind.

2:18 A.M.--Finished chapter 3, Trophy Earned: “All Systems Go”.

2:20 A.M.--Stopped to take a look at the trophies that I have unlocked, which there are a lot of trophies to earn.  I like that the trophies have been added, like the Xbox achievements, they add an extra sense of accomplishment.  Judging from the trophies list it looks like there are 12 chapters and a boss battle or epilogue chapter after that (there is an extra trophy between complete chapter 12 on any difficulty and complete the game on any difficulty).  So based on the pace so far, total playtime should clock in at about 13-15 hours.

2:30 A.M.—Trophy Earned: “Merchant” & “Brute Force”.

3:02 A.M.--Died for the third time, I was apparently taken out by some asteroids while on a space walk in zero gravity, I never saw ‘em coming.

3:03 A.M.—I died again, asteroids.

3:04 A.M.—I died……again, asteroids.

*This area is rather confusing and took a couple of tries to figure out.

3:09 A.M.—I died, I couldn't star wars my way past the asteroids...you'll see when you get here in the game.

3:12 A.M.—I was able to survive the asteroids with 1% hull integrity remaining.

3:20 A.M.--Chapter 4 Completed, Trophy Earned: “Cannon Fodder”.

3:28 A.M.--I am starting to get tired, so I’m going to drink a Mana Potion.  I am in it for the long haul.  HoorayForRobots for the win!!!

3:34 A.M.—I died, I was killed by a man growing out of the wall.

3:36 A.M.—Trophy Earned: “Full Arsenal”.

3:45 A.M.--I died, the horde of little walking stomach guys swarmed me.

3:56 A.M.--I died, the wall-guy again, different spot.

4:00 A.M.—Trophy Earned: “Storyteller”.

4:02 A.M.--I died, horde guys

4:17 A.M.--Chapter 5 completed, Trophy Earned: “True Believer”.

5:02 A.M.—Saved the game.  I’ve hit a brick wall, this objective is tedious (kill 8 poison pod creatures spread throughout this section of the Ishimura) and I am getting tired and sleepy.  The action at this point is somewhat annoying due to the objective.

Dead Space started off strong with outstanding graphics and sound, adrenaline pumping gameplay, and interesting features.  But after hours of play hits a slow spot good for calling it a night at.  Very good game that I am looking forward to finishing.

That’s it for the first Overnighter.  See you next time and look for the full review soon on Gamervision.com.