Nice to see Dead Space get a gong, even if just for its masterful audio - I would have had it down as a runner-up for best visuals, too. Can't understand your love-in for LBG planet, though, EDGE...
Whilst I find your top 10 games wearily predictable, I am glad to see the likes of Space Invaders Extreme, Dead Space and TR: Underworld included in your Top 30 pick. All three games were thoroughly enjoyable titles for me this past year, each of them seeming to revel in their exquisite production values and sheer playability.
I cannot agree that either Far Cry 2 or Fallout 3 should enjoy such favour in your list - both titles were huge disappointments for me, neither of which I bothered finishing due to boredom and indifference. Ah well.
I remember listening to a UKGamespot podcast at around the same time Haze was being released. Rob Yescombe was 'guesting' on the show. It really was very embarassing for all concerned (except, perhaps, for Mr Yescombe, who no doubt imagined he'd been extremely witty and highly entertaining to all). Sometimes a very large ego can be a very large problem.
Sad to hear of the other redundancies at FR. It's never a happy thing for anyone who cares about and understands the games industry to see so many talented professionals put out of employment - and at this time of the year it's just abysmal news for all. Hopefully the new year will see many of them finding new positions with other developers.
"...Taking Event Horizon and Resident Evil 4 as its starting points..."
At least I finally get to take issue with EDGE over this. I can see where you get the references from and how you apply them to Dead Space, but in my experience with the game, Dead Space's closest influence is, without any doubt, Doom3. But look for any mention in this 98% of professional reviews of this game and you'll be searching in vain.
And I really need to ask "Why?".
Dead Space borrows most heavily from id's Doom3 in so many ways it's almost laughable how most critics seem to be going out of their way NOT to mention any of it.
Well, allow me, EDGE:
Ancient relics
Video, audio and text logs setting out the back story
A time-manipulation device (see: D3:RoE)
An organic infestation
Dead crew reanimated as mindless killers
A high-tech, brilliantly designed SF environment consisting largely of linear 'corridor play'
Fantastic use of light and shadow
Cloying, relentless atmosphere, enhanced by clever use of sound
Etc, etc...
How did you NOT see any of this, EDGE? My God, there's even - if you look closely - a direct reference to a certain 'Carmack' in one of the text messages picked up by Isaac (Carmack is referred to as 'a scientist').
This was a disappointing review - not for the score, which I think is fair - but for the shabby and almost wilful decision not to include the most obvious game reference applicable. If EA Redwood Shores' own dev team saw fit to pass a nod to John Carmack in their own game, I find it beyond belief journalists of the calibre of EDGE could miss such an obvious shadow (if you'll forgive the pun) cast over the game.
The fact that in the self-same issue you carried the rather excellent retrospective on Doom3 kinda evened things out - but I'm still, as you can no doubt tell, chafing.
It's good to hear from Splash Damage - I've always liked their work and ET:QW (I have the 360 version) is a very enjoyable game (online or off). It would be good if EDGE posted up the full interview - Please?
Network now...
Dogstar060763's Comments
Nice to see Dead Space get a gong, even if just for its masterful audio - I would have had it down as a runner-up for best visuals, too. Can't understand your love-in for LBG planet, though, EDGE...
Whilst I find your top 10 games wearily predictable, I am glad to see the likes of Space Invaders Extreme, Dead Space and TR: Underworld included in your Top 30 pick. All three games were thoroughly enjoyable titles for me this past year, each of them seeming to revel in their exquisite production values and sheer playability.
I cannot agree that either Far Cry 2 or Fallout 3 should enjoy such favour in your list - both titles were huge disappointments for me, neither of which I bothered finishing due to boredom and indifference. Ah well.
I remember listening to a UKGamespot podcast at around the same time Haze was being released. Rob Yescombe was 'guesting' on the show. It really was very embarassing for all concerned (except, perhaps, for Mr Yescombe, who no doubt imagined he'd been extremely witty and highly entertaining to all). Sometimes a very large ego can be a very large problem.
Sad to hear of the other redundancies at FR. It's never a happy thing for anyone who cares about and understands the games industry to see so many talented professionals put out of employment - and at this time of the year it's just abysmal news for all. Hopefully the new year will see many of them finding new positions with other developers.
"...Taking Event Horizon and Resident Evil 4 as its starting points..."
At least I finally get to take issue with EDGE over this. I can see where you get the references from and how you apply them to Dead Space, but in my experience with the game, Dead Space's closest influence is, without any doubt, Doom3. But look for any mention in this 98% of professional reviews of this game and you'll be searching in vain.
And I really need to ask "Why?".
Dead Space borrows most heavily from id's Doom3 in so many ways it's almost laughable how most critics seem to be going out of their way NOT to mention any of it.
Well, allow me, EDGE:
Ancient relics
Video, audio and text logs setting out the back story
A time-manipulation device (see: D3:RoE)
An organic infestation
Dead crew reanimated as mindless killers
A high-tech, brilliantly designed SF environment consisting largely of linear 'corridor play'
Fantastic use of light and shadow
Cloying, relentless atmosphere, enhanced by clever use of sound
Etc, etc...
How did you NOT see any of this, EDGE? My God, there's even - if you look closely - a direct reference to a certain 'Carmack' in one of the text messages picked up by Isaac (Carmack is referred to as 'a scientist').
This was a disappointing review - not for the score, which I think is fair - but for the shabby and almost wilful decision not to include the most obvious game reference applicable. If EA Redwood Shores' own dev team saw fit to pass a nod to John Carmack in their own game, I find it beyond belief journalists of the calibre of EDGE could miss such an obvious shadow (if you'll forgive the pun) cast over the game.
The fact that in the self-same issue you carried the rather excellent retrospective on Doom3 kinda evened things out - but I'm still, as you can no doubt tell, chafing.
It's good to hear from Splash Damage - I've always liked their work and ET:QW (I have the 360 version) is a very enjoyable game (online or off). It would be good if EDGE posted up the full interview - Please?
All Dogstar060763's Comments