Dead Space

"7 pairs of briefs later..."

Step one: Buy this game and plenty of clean undies.
Step two: Turn out the lights.
Step three: NEVER SLEEP AGAIN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!

I am a horror game veteran. I have played every US version of virtually every horror game out there. Some say I'm a connosiuer. Some say I'm sick in the head. I even feel somewhat inured to scenes of violence and gore. This game made me scream out loud, turn on the lights, and nearly die of a cardiac arrest. You have been warned.

Dead Space is a combination of Resident Evil, Alien, and The Thing (for those not around in the 80's the latter two are sci-fi horror flicks, rent them) as portrayed through the eyes of Isaac, a tier three engineer and part of a team sent to repair a damaged ship. Before you even land things go horribly wrong, leaving you stranded and, shortly, seperated from the rest of the team. Most of them (ironicly all soldiers) get wiped out before five minutes go by, and you dash headlong for safety, but soon realize there is none. So begins a deeper quest for survival than any I have experienced yet.

Story wise, Dead Space is a masterpiece. Complex but fluid, several subplots underly the main, but all come together before the end. While some plot twists are somwhat transparent, this is no different than the in a movie. An outside observer can see through what the person experiencing the event cannot. In addition, Dead Space the game is act three in a much larger story, of which act two is on DVD as an anime, and act one is a comic series. All of this combines to make you feel as if you are both watching and living a horror movie.

The gameplay is excellent. Corridors, ducts, elevators, even hangers and a tram system make you feel like you are navigating a city sized ship. Zero-G and vacuum (sometimes combined) zones remind you that you are in space, not just in a ship. Empty rooms, desecrated corpses, and the dull hum of machines accentuate just how alone you are. The third person "over the shoulder" view allows you to see what Isaac sees, without actually being in his head, a viewpoint perferred by some, but shunned by others, and permits the "invisible" HUD. All necessary meters are displayed either on Isaacs suit, or on the current weapon when aiming. This adds further to the atmosphere by avoiding clutter on the screen. Aiming is just like in all games with this perspective, with a bright blue targeting lazer attatched to all weapons. Speaking of weapons, you only get one freebie. The basic gun is given early off, and all other guns must be earned, but you get to choose your own arsenal. Enemies apear alone or in small groups, but do so at unexpected times or from unknown angles, creating an underlying paranoia. A money system permits you to restock YOUR way, instead of relying on pre-scripted or random hand outs, although plenty of goodies litter the halls. A simple leveling system rounds out the set, permiting you to upgrade what you want, how you want providing you have found enough circuit nodes to do so.

Combat is solid, with emergency melee moves, effective area or precision weaponry, enemy grapples, and environmental hazards. On top of this, Necromorphs (the enemy species) are quite resilient, with a suprising weakness. Most enemies in games fall when riddled in the chest, or shot in the head. Necromorphs shrug off such blows, but if dismembered perish instantly. This leads to an unusuall set of weapons, consisting mostly of modified mining tools, with wide impact zones. For the first time in recollection, the basic gun given to you is unbelievably useful. And with many "trip-hazzards" a creative player can sometimes win without firing a shot.

Puzzles might be considered weak, but in perspective they are the perfect challenge for this game. A dead space ship, and a stranded engineer. Most challenges, puzzles and objectives consist of repairing or jerry-rigging a system/machine/device to further restore the ships ability to stay in orbit and hopefully get you home alive. In the interim, monsters block your path often forcing you to choose between a quick escape or a dangerous fight. Stasis and Kinesis units offer time stopping and object moving abilities, both for puzzle and combat use, allowing for several choices at a moments notice.

Graphically, this is a fine example of next-gen prowess. Rich light effects allow not only for a moody atmosphere, but sometimes let you see your enemies before they see you. Holographic displays for menus, movies, and even interface consoles allow a futuristic way to keep you in the action at all times, dropping away as soon as you aim. A scary, sci-fi atmosphere is accented by lighting that is often dark, but when the lights come on you'll wish they hadn't

Ultimately, Dead Space is exactly what a waning Horror genre needed. Something flawless, pristine, original, and completely over the top. With DLC on the way, new chapters, weapons, and even enemies could be in the future. Just be sure to go and change your underwear first.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 10/27/08

Game Release: Dead Space (US, 10/13/08)