A few weeks back, EA announced that their successful new IP, Dead Space, would have a turn on the Wii. They did not give specifics as to what form this game would take, so rumors popped up all over the Internet. Was it going to be a port of the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 versions? Was it going to be a new game, built from the ground up for the system? Would it be a prequel detailing the fate of the Ishimura and its crew, prior to Isaac Clarke’s touching down on the mining ship?

Today we get our answer, as EA and Redwood Studios announced Dead Space Extraction, a Wii exclusive that will utilize the controller capabilities of the console. Dead Space Extraction is set to be an on-rails shooter, set in the first person viewpoint, which is markedly different from the original game. With the IR pointer though, on-rails shooters have seen something of a rebirth on the Wii. Given that Dead Space is one of EA’s new babies as well, it’s hard to see them doing a shoddy job with it.

The promise coming from EA is that Redwood Studios plans on pushing the capabilities of the Wii for this game, and not simply cashing in on the series’ name thanks to the large install base of the system. They also plan on pushing the on-rails horror genre in general; if they can top the amazing effort that Sega and Headstrong Games just rolled out with House of the Dead: Overkill, I don’t think they will have any problem earning themselves a strong following for this title.

I’m interested in playing an on-rails game that can scare me. When Dead Space released, I reviewed it and gave it a five out of five stars (our old scoring system still existed back then) in part because of the gameplay, but mostly because of the immersive atmosphere that made you feel like you were Isaac Clarke, and you were always one missed shot away from death. It was a phenomenal game, and I hope that the team can pull it off again in a new genre on a new system. Adding in co-op should be points in the game’s favor as well; more local multiplayer is always appreciated.

We will have more info for you as it releases. For now, check out this trailer for the title. Sadly, there’s no information as of yet as to whether this is gameplay or a cutscene, but it sure looks good.

From EA:

EA Announces Dead Space Extraction Exclusive for the Wii

All-New Hero, Story and Characters Extend the Dead Space Universe

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today revealed Dead SpaceTM Extraction, an all-new chapter from the studio that delivered the award-winning action-horror Dead Space game. Built from the ground up and developed exclusively for the WiiTM, Dead Space Extraction is a prequel that reveals the events leading up to Isaac Clarke’s mission on the USG Ishimura in the original Dead Space game released in 2008. Dead Space Extraction will marry the innovative motion controls of the Wii Remote with a frenetic first person perspective to create a new action-packed horror experience.

Dead Space Extraction tells the story of a handful of space colonists desperately struggling to escape from a horrific infection on the Aegis VII mining colony deep in the furthest regions of space. The game introduces a new heroine to the fiction and as the crew fall victim to a mysterious contagion aboard the ship, it becomes clear that protecting her may be their only hope for survival. Dead Space Extraction introduces all new characters, weapons, enemies, puzzles and co-operative multiplayer gameplay.

“We could not be more excited to extend Dead Space into an experience exclusive to the Wii. Nintendo has a wonderful history in the horror genre and we are thrilled to build on that tradition with Dead Space Extraction,” said Glen Schofield, VP and General Manager of EA Redwood Shores studio. “As we were developing Dead Space, we realized that there was so much of the story going untold. Dead Space Extraction tells that story with all of the intensity, blood and gore that fans would expect.”

Dead Space Extraction is an EA Redwood Shores title and is scheduled to ship in Fall 2009. This product has not yet rated by ESRB or PEGI.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS FreestyleTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Freestyle, POGO and Dead Space are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Wii is a trademark of Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About The Author

Marc Normandin was gaming editor of Blast from 2008 to mid-2010. You can reach him via e-mail at [email protected], or follow him on Twitter @Marc_Normandin

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.