LogFAQs > #949787423

#58 Dead Space (Playstation 3, 2008)

Dead Space took all the ideas and improvements that Resident Evil 4 brought to the genre and polished them up for one of the most chilling and thrilling Survival Horror games ever made. When I think of the perfect game in the genre, Dead Space is pretty much it.

The setting is fantastic. Isaac Clarke is trapped on a derelict space vessel with a horde of Necromorphs, members of an alien species that combine with and reanimate the human dead in horrifying ways. Isaac is not much of a talker, but the story is told through messages for him from other crew members, or from logs, messages, diaries, etc., that he finds throughout the game. The user interface for the game is almost entirely in-universe, and great care was taken in the design to avoid breaking the immersion. It can be one of the most isolating and immersive game experiences ever, and for much of the game you are completely alone with these monsters. And I cannot overstate how tense encounters with the Necromorphs can be.



Dead Space took advantage of the high definition capabilities of the 360/PS3 and the result looked better than pretty much any horror game that came before it. The environments are crisp and detailed and look good even with the suitable lack of lighting that you deal with for most of the game. The dynamic soundtrack and sound design really heightens the creepiness of the environments and, at the risk of sounding repetitive, heighten the level of immersion even further. Many of the enemy encounters are random so that there is no way to just advance through an area from memory.

Really, Dead Space is an overall superb game and the best interactive horror experience that I have ever had. If anyone is looking for an intense and immersive horror game, this is easily the first one I would recommend.

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At least your mother tipped well