Dead Space (PS3) Review

Adventures in space.

 There were some great Survival Horror games during the early years of the 7th generation of consoles. Notable examples being BioShock, Condemned 2, F.E.A.R., and Dead Space. More games would later follow such as Silent Hill: Downpour, Alan Wake, and The Last Of Us in later years. Dead Space, developed by EA Redwood Shores (now Visceral Games) and published by Electronic Arts, was among the hottest games of 2008. Even getting an animated movie around its time of release. Dead Space quickly became a hit, selling over a million copies in 2008. It also spanned two sequels and other forms of media such as comics and movies. Going back to it, how does it hold up today, and does it provide a solid scary experience?

STORY- Set hundreds of years in the future, we follow engineer Issac Clarke and his crew as they make repairs for the USG Ishimura, a large"planetcraker" ship. Little did they know that many of the ship's crew have been slaughtered by alien creatures known as "Necromorphs". His repair mission quickly becomes that of survival, he must figure out how to escape the Ishimura while finding the whereabouts of his girlfriend, Nicole. The main cast aren't memorable by any means, and it's hard to connect with Issac due to his lack of speech. Still, Dead Space's story keeps you engaged with many mysteries to uncover and surprising plot-twists thanks to its writing.

The USG Ishimura, Issac Clarke's hell.

GAMEPLAY- Dead Space plays as a third-person shooter with Survival Horror elements similar to Resident Evil 4. Issac must explore the Ishimura to find any means of escape while dealing with necromorphs along the way. There are a total of 12 chapters, each taking place in a section of the ship. Unlike most enemies in video games, you can't kill necromorphs by shooting their head or torso. Rather, you'll have to cut-off their limbs to kill them. If a necromorph is quickly charging at at Issac, you can shoot-off its legs to slow it down. In later levels you'll meet new types of necromorphs, each having their own weak spots. 

The gameplay is solid and remains engaging thanks
to the necromorphs.

 Thankfully, Issac's mission for survival is made easy with the destructive weapons he can use. By searching the ship for weapon schematics, he can purchase new weapons from the store. The same can be applied to his RIG as well. Issac can upgrade his equipment by using a nearby work bench. "Power Nodes" are mainly used to upgrade his weapons and RIG. There are a total of 3-4 power nodes scattered in each level and they can be purchased from the store for 10,000 credits. 

Aim for the limbs, Issac!

 Additionally, there are some puzzles for Issac to solve. He can use abilities such as stasis to slow down enemies and kinesis to throw objects to help him along the way. A cool aspect of the game are the zero gravity location in which you can freely hop around the room while killing necromorphs. Some sections of the Ishimura are completely destroyed and Issac must navigate through them. Thankfully, his suit can protect him from the effects of vacuum, but he must work quickly since he has a limited amount of air to breathe. 

 With all the good said, there are some disappointing aspects I had with the game. To start-off, Issac's objectives get repetitive pretty quick. "Issac, go here and enter X, but first you must two Y's located in the level". That and add in the fact the scares get a bit stale and predictable in later levels, detracting from the overall horror experience. 

PRESENTATION- Dead Space was a good looking game for its time. Character models are okay, though not as detailed compared to Issac. The environments are dim, detailed, and moody. Necromorph designs are also disgustingly detailed and you'll often get grossed out by them. The voice-work is good, though nothing special. However, the soundtrack was spot-on and blends with the game's atmosphere well. Though Dead Space shows its age, it's still looking good. 

Issac: "What the hell is that?!"

OVERALL- Despite being reluctant to play it at first, I've enjoyed my time with Dead Space. The interesting narrative, fun gameplay, and creepy setting kept me hooked during my 10 hour adventure. While it falls victim to repetitiveness, it's still a great time. If you haven't played Dead Space or just looking for some good scares, give the game a try. 

IMPRESSIVE