If you're one of those people who can't seem to get enough of Electronic Arts' sci-fi horror game Dead Space, then you might want to know that "Upgrade Packs" have just been announced as DLC. These new premium packs will give main character Isaac Clarke new suits and weapon skins to help him carve the Necromorphs into blood-soaked cheese strings, as well as carve a hole in your wallet.
The sheer number of packs that will be made available is shocking, especially when you consider that this is a linear single-player game. Ten packs will be available to both PS3 and Xbox 360 players. That's not including the fact that the consoles will each get two exclusive packs as well. This is actually insane.
Equip Yourself with All New Weapons and Suits to Survive the Horror Guildford, UK – November 10, 2008 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that the critically acclaimed Dead Space™ will be releasing premium upgrade packs* to provide the game hero, Isaac Clarke, an everyday systems engineer, with the ultimate Necromorph-dismembering equipment in his fight for survival aboard the space-traveling USG Ishimura. Players can experience the glory of strategic dismemberment November 13 on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace worldwide and the PLAYSTATION®Store** in Europe. These premium upgrade packs will be available on the PLAYSTATION Store worldwide November 20.
Winner of over 23 critic awards and boasting a score of 89 on Metacritic.com, Dead Space delivers the ultimate in psychological thrills and gruesome action. It is a bold and often-bloody sci-fi survival horror game set 500 years in the future. The innovative combat in the game calls for intense gore and character dismemberment that can be experienced even further with these premium upgrade packs.
The complete list of upgrade packs include:
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Astronaut Pack: Download the Astronaut Suit and Weapon Skin Pack, featuring an amazing Astronaut Suit and new skins for the Plasma Cutter, Pulse Rifle, and Ripper!
-- $3.00 / 240 MS points
-- Big Gun Pack: Download the Steam Punk Force Gun, the ultimate in Necromorph-killing destruction.
-- $1.00 / 80 MS points
-- Heavy Damage Pack: Download the Heavy Damage Weapon pack featuring a cool new look and massive firepower for the Plasma Cutter, Contact Beam, Pulse Rifle, and Ripper.
-- $3.00 / 240 MS points
-- Hot Rod Pack: Download the Hot Rod Weapon Skin Pack, featuring awesome flame graphics for the Flamethrower and Pulse Rifle.
-- $1.00 / 80 MS points
-- Military Pack: Download the Military Weapon Pack for a new look and enhanced power for all 7 Dead Space weapons.
-- $4.00 / 320 MS points
-- Pedestrian Pack: Download the Pedestrian Weapon Skin Pack, featuring a fresh new look for the Contact Beam, Plasma Cutter, and Ripper.
-- $1.50 / 120 MS points
-- Scorpion Pack: Download the Scorpion Pack featuring an upgraded Level 5 Suit and powered up Plasma Cutter, Line Gun, and Force Gun, all decorated in an awesome red Scorpion Skin.
-- $4.00 / 320 MS points
-- Scorpion Weapon Pack: Download the Scorpion Weapon Pack featuring a faster death-dealing Plasma Cutter, Line Gun, and Force Gun in awesome red skins.
-- $2.25 / 180 MS points
-- Speed Kills Pack: Download the Speed Kills Weapon Pack! Includes faster-firing Force Gun, Line Gun, and Plasma Cutter.
-- $2.25 / 180 MS points
-- Tank Pack: Download the Tank Pack featuring an upgraded Level 5 Suit and powered up Flamethrower, Force Gun, and Line Gun, all covered in Unitology script.
-- $4.00 / 320 MS points
PLAYSTATION®3 Exclusive Packs:
--
Obsidian Weapon Skin Pack: Download the exclusive Obsidian Weapon Skin Pack now, available only for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. Includes weapon skins in jet-black PLAYSTATION 3 colors for the Line Gun, Plasma Cutter, and Pulse Rifle.
-- $1.50
--
Obsidian Pack: Download the exclusive Obsidian Suit and Weapon Skin Pack now, available only for the PLAYSTATION®3! Includes an upgraded Level 5 suit, and weapon skins for the Line Gun, Plasma Cutter, and Pulse Rifle, all in jet-black PLAYSTATION®3 colors.
-- $3.00
Xbox 360®-Exclusive Packs:
--
Elite Weapon Skin Pack: Download the exclusive Elite Weapon Skin Pack now, available only for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system! Includes weapon skins in Xbox 360 colors for the Line Gun, Plasma Cutter, and Pulse Rifle.
-- 120 MS points
-- Elite Pack: Download the exclusive Elite Suit and Weapon Skin Pack now, available only for the Xbox 360! Includes an upgraded Level 5 suit, and weapon skins for the Line Gun, Plasma Cutter, and Pulse Rifle in Xbox 360 colors.
-- 240 MS points
Contest:
8:42 AM on 11.10.2008
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It's sad, I love this game but I can't justify holding onto it. It scares the shit out of me too much to play through again.
I know, I know, it's not necessary to enjoy the game, but paying in addition to a $60 game for add on weapons is a a big fuck you from me.
How about instead of 10 stupid, retarded 'equipment packs', they gave us a new episode that was a couple of hours in length where we play one of the doomed Ishimura crew... that would have been cool, right? Running through the ship trying to survive/find someone while leaving some of those messages along the way that Isaac finds. These fuckers should give me a job.
Fucking parasites.
i.e.
Captain Morgan at 11/10/2008 08:48
No way am I buying that crap. The game was fun, but now they're just trying to rip me off.
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If you dont want it, dont buy it.
We're getting complete games from them with original IP's and they're GOOD. Who cares if they still can't come up with good DLC? It's optional.
Are you all really that easily swayed of opinion?
I'm not.
It would be cool to have a Diablo-like system that randomly created dungeons to crawl through. If you think about it, its not that far off. Items and ammo already somewhat randomly drop in containers and off of enemies. If they could some how reconfigure the arrangement of the level structure, it could make for one massively never ending system of rooms and hallways filled with evil that must be purged.
You do realize that the only reason EA is letting Criterion make such substantial DLC for Burnout Paradise is to keep you from trading in the game, right? Less used copies in the market means higher used prices, at which point you might as well buy it new. This is also why they're offering the entire game on PSN, so you can't trade it in. EA is just making strides in combating the used market, as you'll note that buying Rock Band 2 new gets you 20 free songs. Burnout will soon have individually purchasable cars, so it's not like giving you more skin options as DLC is that bad of an offense.
Besides, what are you going to add as DLC to a completely singleplayer game that is a self-contained (ignoring the comic and movie) story? A few random challenges, like Bioshock's bonus room DLC on PS3? It's hardly worth it, in my opinion. These are here if you feel like looking at something different after replaying it a few times, no one's forcing you to buy them.
Resident Evil 4 will never leave my collection, because I can always go back and play the merc missions. I paid less for that game than I did for Dead Space, and I think it's still the superior game.
Limbs and Heads and Goo, Oh My!
Sweet?
Nope.
This game shouldn't have downloadable content period, even if it's free.
I clicked in hoping to see some extra stuff (levels, weapons SOMETHING gameplay) but this is just sad.