Horror video games are part of a genre that has been disappearing over time.

As Resident Evil became more and more action-oriented and Silent Hill’s quality began to reduce, it seemed a good horror game would be hard to find.

That is, until the first Dead Space game came out in 2008, bringing with it a new kind of horror gameplay. But has it prevailed through the series in its latest installment?

“Dead Space 3” continues its story with main character Isaac Clarke, an engineer with all the bad luck in the world. Isaac tries to keep himself alive after discovering creatures known as Necromorphs, which are born from human corpses. In the past two games, he has destroyed two alien artifacts known as Markers; the Markers caused changes in the physical and mental state of the game’s civilians. He barely survived the effects of the Markers and is almost on the brink of insanity as a result.

It doesn’t help that there are Necromorphs around every single corner, waiting to kill him.

In “Dead Space 3,” Clarke reluctantly heads to an unknown icy planet. He journeys with a group of soldiers who are the last of the government’s strength. It is believed the planet is the Marker home world and the Markers could be destroyed for good, thereby ending all the madness Clarke has gone through.

The gameplay is similar to the past two games and will keep a player on the edge of his or her seat. Players will walk through corridors with their weapon pointed in the dark, not knowing if danger awaits. Using all the controls, players can either aim, fire or change weapons. Players can move heavy objects with a kinetic module or put things into slow motion with a Stasis module to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. It’s fun, as always, and while a little difficult to understand at first, the controls are easy to get the hang of. Several changes have occurred in the game. Spare parts are collected to create upgrades and weapons instead of gathering cash to a shop.

Speaking of weapons, there are numerous options that leave the choice in the player’s hand on how to upgrade or create what he or she wants with the game’s weaponry. This easily makes it the best new part of the game. There are endless combinations, like shotguns with bayonets that are charged with electricity or flamethrowers that sling saw blades.

Another option is the ability to play co-op with a friend as the game’s new character, John Carver, in order to take down the horror together. While it is fun to traverse through the multiple environments with a friend, there is one major flaw in this: You can only play multiplayer online. It is impossible to play with a friend on a couch, which is an extreme disappointment.

The overall campaign is a good, long one with 19 chapters, plus a number of side missions that make gameplay last a long time. “Dead Space 3” also offers a large amount of replay value.

While “Dead Space 3” is a fun and enjoyable game, it seems to have lost some of its horror charm. No longer do you experience dementia, wondering if whether or not everything around you is real, and no longer does something grab you and try to drag you to your death. While there are still moments where you might jump and grip your controller, hoping you survive, the main feeling of isolation and truly being alone in the vastness of space no longer seems to have an impact.

4/5 Stars.