Commenter Cursed Frogurt demonstrates the perils of playing a game without reading / having access to the instruction booklet, making Dead Space just a little more deadlier in the process.
Have you ever accidentally created your own difficulty level in a game? Perhaps in a way that dramatically changed the way the game felt?
When I first rented Dead Space, I didn't realize all of the lockers/crates with white lights held ammo and supplies until I got to chapter 5 or so*. Same thing with those green boxes that you have to throw or stomp on to get their goodies. I actually restarted my file because I had missed so many of those nodes used for upgrades in the blue boxes. Anyway...
I remember running out of ammo after almost every encounter, running from many enemies, and usually being on the brink of death. I was wondering why so many reviewers were saying the game was more action than horror and it occurred to me, all it takes is less supplies and the game more-or-less becomes a survival horror game. That's it!
I wonder if game testers are asked to play games in different ways (use only one weapon, don't use any magic, avoid this entire area, etc.) just to see what really makes a game. I believe Dead Space would be a dramatically different game if supplies were just less abundant.
*I don't actually care about your own "accidental no-[something] runs", I just want to feel better about being so freaking stupid. The face-palm I self-administered when I pressed A in front of one of those lockers would've killed most people
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