Like it or not, Dead Space 3 will have cooperative play, though the optional aspect does leave players with the choice of experiencing EA's horror shooter solo or with a buddy.

Player choice is a big deal in the newest core installment, and Visceral Games' senior producer Dave Woldman touches on that in our E3 interview with him. His take on the co-op component is pretty interesting too, as he likens the experience to seeing a horror movie alone versus with friends.

"Drop-in, drop-out allows the core Dead Space loyalists -- the ones who want to be by themselves, alone on their couch -- to have the Dead Space experience that they way. That's the tension, the atmosphere, the Necromorphs popping out of vents, the scare moments; everything you know about Dead Space. But there are some people where horror isn't necessarily the thing for them, and we're not backing away from that because the game is still a great horror game.

"But just like going to a horror movie like Friday the 13th, it's a different experience when you go with a friend. You can elbow him in the ribs, make a joke, lighten the load a bit. The tension and the terror is different for each individual. That's kind of the final extension of horror: what's frightening to you and frightening to me are very different things, because it lives in your head."

Interesting take. The important thing to note here, again, is that the co-op isn't forced on anyone, though EA probably isn't going to take responsibility if you've got that annoying online friend who won't stop bugging you to play with them.

Check out the full interview right here.

E3 2012 - YouTube