Dead Space Ignition is a survival horror action

Action game

Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...

 puzzle video game developed by Visceral Games

Visceral Games

Visceral Games is a video game development studio internally owned by Electronic Arts. They are perhaps best known for the critically acclaimed Dead Space series.-History:...

 and Sumo Digital

Sumo Digital

Sumo Digital Ltd. is an independent game development studio based in Sheffield, United Kingdom. Set up in 2003 following the closure of Infogrames Studios Sheffield/Gremlin Interactive...

 and published by Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...

 for the Xbox Live Arcade

Xbox Live Arcade

Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...

 and the PlayStation Network. It is a midquel to the survival horror third-person shooter

Third-person shooter

Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...

 video game Dead Space 2

Dead Space 2

Dead Space 2 is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed by Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the sequel to Dead Space. Unlike its predecessor, Dead Space 2 has a multiplayer mode. A Collector's Edition is...

(accurately an interquel between two main games), which was released on October 12, 2010. The game takes the form of what executive producer Steve Papoutsis describes as an "interactive comic-style game" and is written by Antony Johnston

Antony Johnston

Antony Johnston is an award-winning British writer. He is known for the post apocalyptic comic series Wasteland, his graphic novel adaptations of Anthony Horowitz' Alex Rider novels, and his work with Alan Moore.-Career:...

, the writer for the Dead Space games and comic book series

Dead Space (comics)

Dead Space is a 2008 comic book prequel to the game Dead Space: Extraction and to the film Dead Space: Downfall. The video game Dead Space continues where the film ended. It is published by Image Comics and is written by Antony Johnston, who also wrote the game's dialogue, with art by Ben Templesmith...

.

After completing the game players will receive bonus items for Dead Space 2, including a hacker-themed suit with 15% armor and 15 inventory slots, as well as a bonus to the hacking portions of the game. Players also receive a hacker-themed Contact Beam weapon, extra power nodes, health packs, ammo, and audio logs. These bonuses are found in "conduit rooms" unlocked with a Dead Space Ignition completed save file.

Plot

The official EA press release outlined the basic plot of Dead Space Ignition, revealing that the game "takes place on the Sprawl [the setting of Dead Space 2] and challenges players to survive the initial Necromorph outbreak", which then sets up the plot of Dead Space 2. Executive producer Steve Papoutsis suggested that the game, the first of a number of related additions to the series, "will give Dead Space fans a unique perspective on the events leading up to Dead Space 2, and will also introduce the storyline to a brand-new audience of gamers."

Story

Dead Space Ignition takes place before the events of Dead Space 2. An engineer named Franco Delile (the player character) and his partner Sarah are called to fix an elevator on the Sprawl, only to discover evidence of sabotage. They are then called to fix a computer mainframe, again finding that the damage was intentional. While traveling between jobs, they hear distant screams and investigate, only to encounter people being attacked by grotesque monstrosities dubbed "Necromorphs." Franco and Sarah escape using the tram. From there on, they are sent across the Sprawl in an increasingly desperate attempt to repair station systems and assist other survivors, all the while under attack by Necromorphs. Depending on the player's choices, Sarah may be killed by asphyxiation, Necromorphs, or by Franco after receiving a coded message. The story ends with Franco reaching the Sprawl hospital, and reviving Isaac Clarke, leading up to the opening scene of Dead Space 2

Dead Space 2

Dead Space 2 is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed by Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the sequel to Dead Space. Unlike its predecessor, Dead Space 2 has a multiplayer mode. A Collector's Edition is...

.

Gameplay

Dead Space Ignition is a puzzle game and as such features a variety of logical puzzles and puzzles that require dexterity.

Reception

Ignition received largely negative reviews with many criticizing the comic book style cutscenes, and several gameplay elements. Gameinformer gave it a 2.5/10 criticizing it for feeling like "the next Fuzion Frenzy

Fuzion Frenzy

Fuzion Frenzy is a launch title for the Microsoft Xbox. At its core, Fuzion Frenzy is a four-player party game featuring 45 different mini-games . A demo of the game was included with some other launch titles in the US, including Halo, Munch's Oddysee and Amped...

"