It pays to look past the hype. Take Dead Space, EA’s upcoming survival-horror shooter, for example. The game has been publicized lately by “news” of being banned in several countries. If you take it against the game, there’s a chance you might tune out everything about Dead Space, including this interesting new video preview.

What is most fascinating about the video is the bit about “strategic dismemberment,” which causes the decapitation of body parts. As a result, headshots aren’t always the best course of action in Dead Space because it would just cause the removed limbs to transform into smaller monsters that waste precious ammunition.

Another interesting tidbit: Dead Space seems to have a potential to be a gun porn sort of game, thanks to the option of tricking out weapons. Of course, this would still depend on the number of firearms available. If it would rival Metal Gear Solid 4, then gun porn this game is.

Dead Space is set to come out on October 14 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and would be released for the PC on October 20. Just a tip: stay away from the Windows version. If you know how EA works, then you’re probably aware that its PC games have been using SecuROM, a form of DRM that limits the number of times a customer is allowed to activate a copy of the game. The limit is usually at three, and is currently the bane of Mass Effect PC owners–present company included.

Post from: EveryJoe

Dead Space requires unlearning of headshots

There’s been a lot of noise recently surrounding Dead Space, that survival-horror shooter by EA, and it has something to do with the game being allegedly banned in several countries at once. According to EA community manager Ben Swanson, “Dead Space will be banned in Germany, China, and Japan.”

Interestingly, it’s not quite an open and shut case. GamePolitics somehow managed to smell something foul. Their reasons?

• “Germany, perhaps. They’ve been tough on game violence of late. But Japan? The home of Resident Evil?
• Does EA even distribute console games in China (due to piracy concerns)?
• No announcements from the individual censorship bodies of the three nations?
• All three bans come in simultaneously?
• Also of note, Australia’s notoriously censorious OFLC cleared Dead Space with MA15+
• And the BBFC, which banned Manhunt 2 in the U.K., cleared Dead Space with 18
• No official press release from EA on the alleged bans?”

What’s even more fascinating is that a GamePolitics reader, presumably from Germany, commented that Dead Space has not been banned in the country. According to the reader, products can’t be banned in Germany until they’re actually available. Since Dead Space is shipping on October 24 in Europe, there’s no way it can be banned in Germany just yet.

It’s not just GamePolitics saying that the game wasn’t really banned. Even Videogaming247 revealed that a German-language report by Eurogamer.de says otherwise.

So why the deception? Evidently, any publicity is good publicity for EA’s PR. When gamers find out that a certain game is banned because of its violence, the temptation of getting said violent game seems too great to resist. Makes sense? Apparently so.

Please EA, spare us the crap. If Dead Space is truly banned, then say so. If it’s not banned, then shut up.

Image of Dead Space is brought to us by EA, unfortunately.

Post from: EveryJoe

Crap-Detector: EA announces Dead Space is banned in several countries