Dead Space

"If you see this game just keep walking"

This game could of been alot better from start to finish. If anyone has seen the movie Event Horizon, think of that with Resident Evil 4 view and controls. Not too bad right? Sadly EA didnt think throughs with this game at all. The view of your Issac (Main Character) is interesting, its how you see his health, certain views can give it that horror movie feel. Not a bad concept except it gets annoying at times, along with the guy making it look like your tv is missing a bit of the left side of your game.

The fact that this game, like many has said, seems to be a clone of a game wouldnt matter. You see that alot now a days right? Well this ones a little TOO much like RE4 except with less replay value, too short, and everything is already thought out. Instead of being able to get stuck in a part or having to figure out what to do on your own EA seems to of handed you the walkthrough in game.

Story 4/10

The idea behind the story was not a bad one at all. If only it wasnt so rushed and predictable it could of been more enjoyable. You go to help out a ship but first shows you a video of a girl whom you feel something for saying how much she misses you and is oddly enough on this ship that you were sent to fix something on it, not long into it you get separated from your crew and have to run away form something trying to kill you. You find out what they are, where the ships crew went, ect ect. Its too rushed to be enjoyed at times, like the game WANTS you to get to the end right now and not enjoy anything. If they put more effort into it the game could actually attract you into the story and keep you playing to find out what happens, not to just finish the game and return it to the video store.


Gameplay 3/10

The controls are something you get used to quick, while looking at a map or anything else its going on in real time. Meaning if your looking for another place to go to you can be attacked, not a bad concept for making it more realistic but sadly if you happen to kill everything in the room (you will know when, not that hard) your safe. The way they wish for you to kill these things is buy shooting off all of their limbs. Which is made VERY clearly with two or three recordings of people telling you that and writing on the wall made of blood. From a guy who had his chest torn out....how he lasted that long I have no idea.

Makes the game a bit more challenging...unless your like me and just shoot the bloody thing a few times till it stops moving and give it a good old Silent Hill kick of death just to make sure. Speaking of kicking you are able to whack the creatures with your gun or kick their feet. Like any human based creatures in horror games (zombies, forgotten, some demons, ect) just shooting their legs off, if they have any, will make the things come after you in a crawling manner. A decent idea but for the harder difficulty in the game or if you just want to get through it thats the last place you would shoot.

What does get annoying fast is the fact that a corpse can be easily moved by you walking near it. At times it seems like the bugger is stuck to your foot. Thing is EVERYTHING moves when you walk into it. I know they might of been going for realism but I dont want a trail of boxes, body parts, and whatever else you find following my every move.


Graphics 7/10

The graphics in this game are very nicely done. They dont push them to the max but they show you somethings that the system is capable of. The blood splatter affects are decent and your guy can get some on him which will stay for awhile. The creatures move nicely and fluid like as well as Issac. Many have said he moves slow and clumpy but they seem to of forgotten that hes in space with artificial gravity, is wearing a space suit that ways who knows how much, and other things on him. The facial expressions are one of the most decent things in this game, something that others dont focus on, when you see a video of a crew member or recording you can see the mouth move with each word and vowl


Sound 8/10

The sound isnt too bad in this, you are able to hear echos of something when it falls and hear the footsteps of everything moving or crawling. Not much to more to say here really.

Replay 1/10

Unlike a few games out there now nothing special happens after you finish this. As this is the 360 version some of you might want to go back and get a few achievements you missed. For others who dont really care about that sort of thing you might want to find something else to do when your finished. True not many games have things that can keep you playing them, but they could of added just a LITTLE more into this giving the buyers a reason to keep it.

Overall 3/10

I found this game quite boring and see that EA's marketing seem to just slap the "survival horror" tag on this along with a hype to make it sell. Sadly it seems more like a b rated horror movie or a plain shooter with less things to shoot at. Its one of those few survival games out there that can just be skipped and nothing of value is lost. RE series, Fatal Frame, Silent Hill, even Siren are a few well known true survival horror. All having similar yet different concepts, this one seems to of "borrowed" what seemed like the key point in games and a sad attempt of a game.

Rent or Buy?

Really, just rent it if you want to give it a try. Im sure you can have the game beaten and enjoy what there is before you return the thing. I say if your a true long horror game lover, dont really buy this. Waste of money, too predictable, and too short to enjoy and/or be scared a bit before its over.

Reviewer's Score: 3/10, Originally Posted: 11/03/08

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