Dead Space

"Resident Evil 5: Dead Space."

There is a bacteria in Dead Space they call a bio-recombinator, which takes dead tissues, and molds them into the in-game baddies they call Necromorphs.

Dead Space itself is built very much on the same concept -- taking bits and pieces out of genre conventions, and then combining it into something that's a different beast altogether.

Like the Necromorphs, Dead Space isn't exactly something you haven't seen before, but the experience is almost completely different.

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Gameplay: 10/10
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Isaac's abilities:
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The first thing Dead Space takes and copies is the gameplay from Resident Evil 4. Isaac controls almost exactly like Leon Kennedy in RE 4, and goes one further in that he can side step. Fans of RE 4 will no doubt feel right at home straightaway. And of course, copying something that works so well isn't a bad thing at all.

Other than that, Isaac has a built in melee punch and curb-stomp which unfortunately, is just about useless without a stasis shot in conjunction.

That brings us to the trusty stasis module -- a shot of sorts that 'freezes' enemies for a limited amount of time. Depending on your play style, and there are several tactics to adopt, the stasis module can be crucial. Regardless, it is generally a lifesaver.

The other module Isaac has is Kinesis, which is really the game's version of Telekinesis. Again, not a new concept by any means, but the controls are tight, intuitive, and for the most parts work really well.

Isaac's other ability involes a Zero G jump, which allows you to jump to any surface in a zero-gravity environment. This is handy since Isaac is easily most agile in a zero G environment.

Weapons:
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There is only one real weapon in the game -- a military grade Pulse-Rifle. Everything else is some sort of mining equipment that Isaac turns into an impromptu weapon. "Necessity is the Mother of Invention" as they say.

You will no doubt be aware by now, if you're even remotely interested in Dead Space, of the so-called Strategic Dismemberment combat system. Basically, that means instead of just shooting them in the body, you have got to stay calm and literally dis-arm them. There is a marked difference in efficiency between a panic-induced bullet shower into the body and a calm decapitation job, and rewards the player that keeps his head, so to speak.

Enemies
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As far as the enemies go, Dead Space has got some rather unique stuff. The regular goons are straightforward enough, but there are loads of enemies that attack in a variety of ways. There are the little ambushers they call Lurkers, the all-out-attack Twitchers, and the most fearsome of the lot -- the suicide bombers. And something straight out of RE 3. (Hint in RE 3, its name begins with an N.)

The secret of Dead Space survival is how fast you come up with the most efficient way to take each type of enemy down -- knowing where and when to shoot etc.

On top of that, Dead Space simply gives you no breathing room whatsoever. RE4 alledgedly gave you quicker and more hostile enemies. They move like snails compared to the Necromorphs. The moment you see a necromorph, you have about one second to decide what to do about it -- fire a shot (and with what weapon), stasis, or run. Hesitation can be fatal.

The enemies also will try to actively outflank you using the ships' vent systems. This is a good idea at first, and in some cases does catch you offguard. However, on the whole, this works in the player's favour, since there are some very exploitable rooms that forces everything to funnel in from the same vent.

By far the worst case scenario though, is a quarantine lock-down (the equivalent of entering sealed rooms in Devil May Cry) which forces you to dance with a variety of Necromorphs at the same time. This is where Dead Space really gets the adrenaline going, because the enemy literally comes from all directions at once.


Upgrading Isaac
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The game utilizes two systems for an RPG-like Level Up system --

Firstly, there is a store that sells you guns and better armored suits as you find the schematics for them. Of course, being a store, this costs credit, which you will find throughout the ship. Whilst not absolutely necessary, the right tools and a better suit will save you plenty of frustration.

Secondly, you'll find Workbenches where Isaac can, utilizing his engineering expertise, upgrade all his equipment using semi-rare Power Nodes you can either find or buy for a whopping 10 000 credits.

The upgrade paths are similar to Final Fantasy X's node systems. There is some element of strategy here, since you don't have to grab every upgrade linearly, and can opt for more firepower, bigger ammo capacity, or quicker reload times. Also, there is the little problem of WHAT to upgrade -- your favourite gun, your stasis module, or your health and air supply.

On top of that, Power Nodes also open some sealed doors, revealing ammo caches usually worth the Node in price on Hard difficulty and higher. It is advised you at least keep one on your person to open these doors.

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Story: 8/10
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Dead Space's overall story features are strongly influenced by another work -- a certain sci-fi novel and films that were in turn based on that.

For anyone not familiar about its influence, though, Dead Space certainly has a unique story to remember.

Gameplay wise, though, If you've played Resident Evil One, the chain of events where Isaac is concerned is kinda similar: Rescue team sent to Ship; Rescue team gets ambushed, decimated; and then a few survivors try to get off the ship, in the process discovering what the heck is going on.

In the meantime, Isaac goes around solving what seems like random problems as they pop up, wading through waves of Necromorphs as he goes. The story takes a few chapters to pick up, mainly because the first few involve little more than boring errands and a continued bickering between your allies.

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Graphics/Sound: 10/10
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One of Dead Space's main features, where Graphics is concerned, is the immersion into the game world you will feel, due mainly to a complete lack of a traditional HUD. You will not see a conventional lifebar or ammo count. Instead, these are represented by read-outs on Isaac's suit and weapons itself.

On top of that, going into your inventory does not pause your game. Instead, you call up a holographic projection, and can actively walk around while scrolling through your items and menus. This also means you can get attacked in the meantime. There is a hotkey to use a healthpack, but using a Stasis recharge is generally a pain in the ass.

Graphics wise, you're not going to get too much variety in terms of scenery -- after all, we are on a spaceship. Hydroponics is probably the most markedly different due to having some greenery, but for the most part, its sterile corridors, littered with bloody corpses.

Yes, you'd expect bloody corpses. After all, 'Strategic Dismemberment' probably goes hand in hand with that. There is gore aplenty.

Overall, the graphics are as pretty as you'd expect from a decimated spaceship.

Sound is where Dead Space shines, and you can clearly hear Isaac's accelerated heartbeat during and immediately after a shoot-out, him grunting as he curbstomps one to death. In any case, I cannot stress enough that you should really turn the volume up while playing Dead Space.

But more amazing are the environments where there is NO sound. That's right, no sound in a vacuum, and you'll be going into those a few times. The complete lack of an audio cue means enemies can sneak up on you un-heard. Also, sounds inside Isaac's suit are amplified, such as his breathing and heart-rate. It's almost surreal fighting enemies and watching them writhe and die without a sound.

All in all, Dead Space is a very atmospheric game. That is, if you slow down and walk and actually smell the roses.. or, um, decapitated corpses..

The game also tries to freak you out by making you witness to several random lunatics as they off themselves in an assorted manner of gruesome ways. Whilst not frightening, they're definitely twisted and creepy to watch.

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Replayability: 6/10
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Unfortunately, Dead Space uses artificial replayability where this is concerned -- by this I mean enticing you with achievements, etc. If you're not an achievement whore, there really isn't a reason to play it again, except to enjoy the same story again.

That said, a second run with the plot twist in mind always makes you more sensitive to little plot details that you might have dismissed the first time as irrelevant. Always watch a good movie twice, I say.

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Conclusion
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Dead Space has literally taken parts off of the best Survival Horror games and recombinated them into the Dead Space experience. This is not to say Dead Space is a copycat or to bash it for originality. No -- it simply takes what is known to work and uses it again, while adding innovations of its own.

Dead Space is also technically very sound, and is happily free of any game-breaking glitches sadly associated with some games this generation.

EA has gone to some length to create a backstory, and the animated comics on their website is a good tee-up for the Dead Space experience.

Dead Space is the new Resident Evil, at least until Resident Evil 5 comes out and try to reclaim its title as king of the Survival-Horror jungle.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/05/08

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