Dead Space Ignition
For: Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation 3 via Playstation Network
From: Sumo Digital/Visceral Games/EA
Rating: Mature (blood and gore, strong language, violence)
Price: $US5 standalone, free with Dead Space 2 pre-order
But Dead Space Ignition represents the weirdest venture into this territory thus far.
Nowhere near a third-person horror shooter like the upcoming Dead Space 2, Ignition instead is a series of hacking mini-games glued together by a motion comic-powered storyline that partially sets the table for DS2.
Though gifted with good voice acting, Ignition's animation looks a bit drab even by the loose definition of motion comic animation, and the three mini-game varieties include one that's enjoyably frantic, one that's engaging but simple, and one that's a shoddy tower defense wannabe.
That adds up to selection that's as full of misses as it is hits, which may make Ignition's short length a plus for those who simply want to blow through it and collect the reward (an unlockable suit for main protagonist Isaac to wear in DS2).
Devoted fans of the "Space" fiction stand to gain the most from Ignition, which, in addition to detailing select events from the perspective of new characters, also allows players a small measure of control over the decisions those characters make.
That, and the fleeting fun of the two good minigames, makes this a worthy diversion for those who already plan to get DS2 and consequently get this for free.
If you need to pay $US5 to play this, you probably have no reason to be playing it.
