Dead Space 3 Awakened is the first DLC to continue the story of Isaac Clarke and John Carver as they attempt to escape what remains of the planet Tau Volantis and make their way back to Earth. They were assumed dead after the events of Dead Space 3 but it was also assumed they were successful in destroying the Markers and Necromorphs threat forever. Even Isaac and Carver thought they were finished and don’t have a clue how they survived. Carver thinks maybe it was the alien device that destroyed the moon that saved them but either way he’s glad they’re still alive. But Isaac wonders if they’re really alive and maybe they’re actually necromorphs and this is what it feels like to be one. That question doesn’t stop Isaac and Carver from trying to escape the planet and get back to Earth because if they’re dead they can do anything they want right? Unfortunately they discover that somehow Necromorphs still exist so their mission to return to Earth has even more urgency because Earth has to be warned. Can Isaac and Carver make it to Earth in time or is this some elaborate trick by the Markers through hallucinations to finally break them?

GAMEPLAY

The big change noted by long-time Dead Space fans was the gameplay in Dead Space 3 being more action oriented and less about horror and the feeling of dread. I had no problem with the shift because I felt it was executed very well and still retained certain aspects of the first two games. This was heard by EA and Visceral Games and Dead Space 3 Awakened was supposed to bring the horror back to the series. It does to a certain extent. The tone was set from the beginning with the question of whether or not Isaac and Carver were actually still dead and if the visions were connected to that.

Reunited in life or in death?

I felt it was a good touch and took advantage of the ending of Dead Space 3 and the natural question of how did they survive. The environment was also creepier. The Unitologist sacrifices, rituals and random soldiers muttering in a corner from going insane made it crystal clear if it wasn’t already that this wasn’t a dream vacation.And the music that always warns of a coming necromorph attack or at the very least puts you on edge enough to feel as if one is coming was perfect along with the chants. If “they are coming, they are hungry” doesn’t stick in your head for a little while after playing then the volume wasn’t up high enough. And the hallucinations worked for the most part.

There were no changes to the monsters in this DLC. And even though it took place mostly on the Terra Nova after the changes made by the Unitologists, there were no human soldiers to fight. I will say that if you’re not a fan of the regenerating monsters than the Unitologist cult leader, Randall Carr, won’t be among your favorites. The good thing is you won’t have to use endless ammo. However there are new weapon parts so you can create new weapons to use to destroy the Necromorphs in a variety of ways. And you can use the new weapons if you want to go back and play the full campaign on a different setting. They were nice additions even though there were only a few and the rocket launcher was my favorite addition.  So if you enjoyed creating new weapons and experimenting with the different parts you should enjoy having new parts to utilize.

Although the focus was put on returning the horror element to Dead Space and there were new weapon parts, there were still some issues I had with Awakening. First it was short. I know it’s DLC so it won’t be anywhere near as long as the campaign but it took less than 2 hours on impossible and with co-op it’s even faster. And it’s not so much the time but also certain sequences being reused. I’m not mentioning any spoilers but it’s not good for the same boss sequences to be reused in a short DLC (and it was reminiscent of Dead Space 2). Co-op mode wasn’t any different from the single player mode even in terms of the layout of the stages. Just different in terms of the boss battles when using Carver.  And I wasn’t a fan of the obstructed view situations. One was a quick snowstorm that only made it more difficult to see anything and didn’t add any additional fear. Also the story didn’t clarify how they survived or how (no spoilers here). It did however set up a great premise if there’s ever a Dead Space 4.

We can’t just talk this out?

SUMMARY

Overall Dead Space 3 Awakened was enjoyable to me as a long time Dead Space fan and I appreciated the focus being put more on the horror element to add to the solid action from Dead Space 3. From the tone set by the environment to the doubts expressed by Isaac regarding their actions, it was clear that Visceral wanted the player to feel a sense of dread and fear. There were also good action sequences and the boss battle was enjoyable and tough in single player but wasn’t as difficult in co-op. If you didn’t enjoy Dead Space 3 then this DLC probably won’t sway you even with it being more horror-oriented. The boss battles at the end of each section are still action oriented and there’s no way around that. If you enjoyed Dead Space 3 and want more, then you should give Awakened a shot. Even some short journeys can create an enjoyable experience.