Dead Space Vs. ShadowGun

Smartphones are the latest leaders in gaming platform; their reputation has risen to an extent where critics claim that: "[some] iOS games make games from NDS and PSP look bad..." This is - by no means - an overstatement, with such amazing games such as Dead Space and ShadowGun. Read the summary section for an overview of these great games. In-depth discussion of the two games are provided in the body of text. 

Summary:

Dead Space by E.A., and ShadowGun by Madfingergames are both 3rd person shooters, that boast great gameplay, graphics, sound, replayability and controls... GREAT controls. I personally own these games on my iPhone, unlike most games that get deleted after a few hours. It is almost saddening to comparatively rank the two masterpieces, but let's stay faithful to the 'obective' of Appversus eh? :-) 

With no doubt, Dead Space is one of the best iOS games ever published to date. The unique atmosphere of the game, and the experiences of horror and adrenalin are of console quality. For a phone, the graphics are great but there have been better, such as Infinity Blade. However the most outstanding features are its sound quality & controls. The game provides good replayability with different levels of difficulty, Chapter select Replays and Survival Mode. [Unlike Dead Space,] ShadowGun is a fairly recent game with better graphics than Dead Space. The quality of controls are very up to par with Dead Space, but the general experience, depth of atmosphere and sound quality is less immersive [than Dead Space]. Also unlike Dead Space, replayability of ShadowGun is very limited as you can only play the game's Story Mode in different difficulties. However there are some leaked sources saying that Madfingergames are preparing for a Multiplayer mode for ShadowGun, but the developers' official statements are yet to come. 

In conclusion, Dead Space > ShadowGun.

I recommend that you get Dead Space first, but only if you can handle the grotesque visuals and the intimidating atmosphere of the game. [Know that EA frequently discounts their titles down to US $0.99]. ShadowGun is on discount as of today [12th Oct 2011, $7.99 $4.99 ], and it would be a good idea to purchase it now while it's cheap and wait for the multiplayer update. Although this is a personal opinion but again, discount or no discount - Dead Space should be your first choice.  

Dead Space

ShadowGun

These are the in-game screenshot of the two games. Maybe not so evident in these pictures but Dead Space graphics have more of a 'polygonal' feel, while ShadowGun is much more 'smooth' with its contours and details. ShadowGun's high-end graphics are definitely it's strength, earning its title of "Gears of Wars of iOS" (although some would argue). 


Other than in graphics, Dead Space seems to out-stand ShadowGun in every other aspects. Both titles provide great controls, yet controls in Dead Space are much more intuitive than in ShadowGun. For example - in Dead Space you can quickly turn 180 degrees by double tapping the suit (aka RIG) giving you more control over gameplay. However in ShadowGun some of the controls (such as taking cover) are automated which limits the users' ability to manoeuvre the character. 


Sound is much more delicate and effectively utilised in Dead Space than in Shadow Gun. In Dead Space, sound plays a crucial role in setting the atmosphere of gameplay, it even asks to wear headphones for the best experience! However in ShadowGun a fast-paced punk-rock music is played whenever you get involved in a fire-fight -, and that's pretty much it. 

Furthermore, replayability is greater in Dead Space than ShadowGun with is Survival Mode.  By playing Survival Mode, users can strive to set highscores and earn 'NODES' which can be used in the Story mode to further upgrade equipment. However the replay value of ShadowGun is bound to change if a multiplayer mode gets released. We will just have to wait and see. 

It seems that I have highly favoured Dead Space over ShadowGun. Although subject to personal tastes, most people who played both games to some depth would agree with me. Nonetheless both titles are masterpieces that raised the quality bar of iOS games. There are a lot of shooter games out there that boast great gameplay and graphics, but Dead Space and ShadowGun is a match to none.