14 DAY TRIAL // 
The horror survival game genre is a pretty interesting one, with the likes of Resident Evil or Doom becoming the benchmark that other titles need to match. That being said, it's pretty hard for a new game to bring innovation, especially in the very cliché setting of outer space, but the new horror survival shooter from Electronic Arts, Dead Space, manages to offer a very interesting experience.
Part of the game developer's new "quality over quantity" design philosophy, Dead Space, the creation of the EA Redwood Shores studio, manages to get the most out of a pretty dull setting and scenario. If you want to experience the complete package then you really must read the comics and watch the animated movie, both acting like prequels to the action of the game and offering a very unique insight into the whole story of the game.
Story
The story is a pretty standard one; the USG Ishimura, one of the biggest mining space ships, went on a mission in another solar system, but has recently lost all radio contact. Your duty, as an engineer on the USG Kellion, is to inspect the Ishimura and repair any damage that might have been done inside the ship. As you board the spacecraft, you soon find out that it has been invaded by an alien virus that transforms the dead bodies of the crew members into aliens called Necromorphs.
As your teammates are killed one by one, you’re left with only two comrades, who give you different tasks that you must complete in order to make the Ishimura functional and to eradicate the monsters. Sounds pretty standard for any space-themed shooter, right? Well, there are a couple of twists and interesting features that will certainly attract a lot of people, and, as you progress through the story, you will find out a lot of key philosophical aspects and questions raised by the game.
The story is told via text, audio or video logs and, although a bit cliché, it accentuates key aspects, offering you a lot of motivation, besides your own personal quest to see if the one you love, a member of the Ishimura, survived. It engages you and, if you are into exploring, it offers you a lot of areas and challenges to put your mind to work, even a zero gravity basketball minigame.
Gameplay
The gameplay is pretty innovative in a lot of aspects, starting from the fact that you can't kill your enemies in the old-fashioned way, as in, shoot them enough times and they drop dead, because now you have to dismember them in order to eradicate the aliens. Shooting and dismembering certain body parts will make the enemy adopt other strategies during the battle and you must quickly figure out the best courses of action against the different types of aliens.
The tense atmosphere created by the shrieks of the creatures and the realistic environments are certain to keep you on the edge of your seat as you progress through the Ishimura. The aliens appear from every direction and you really should watch your back if you don't want to jolt in fear as your character is ambushed.
Another interesting aspect is the fact that you don't have a traditional HUD (Head Up Display) and that the key aspects regarding your character, like the amount of life or air he has left, are displayed on his suit, called a RIG. Other pieces of information, like the text or video logs are portrayed via holographic projections to Isaac.
Among the other quite innovative aspects of the game is the fact that you have to go out in certain areas of the Ishimura where you don't have gravity and/or air and you can only rely on your gravity boots and limited air reserve to survive. The missions are pretty varied and aren't very repetitive but the game disappoints with the last one and the ending in general, which are very vague and don't really offer a conclusion as expected of such a great title.
Concept
The concept of the game is pretty interesting, and reminds of the classic System Shock franchise, in which elements of shooters and RPGs (Role Playing Games) were intertwined to create a fantastic experience and to immerse players in a very realistic experience. The game is reminiscent of the System Shock franchise and the recent BioShock title, which was dubbed a spiritual successor to the classic space shooter, but in terms of the philosophical questions raised, Dead Space is different, as matters of religion are tackled.
Also, the dismemberment of aliens is a very new concept that has never been explored by other titles, and EA Redwood Shores definitely did a great job with implementing it into the gameplay. The aliens look genuine and the bodies that you leave behind look really gory and might give some people nightmares.
The Ishimura looks very realistic, with certain goth elements implemented into the design of the ship. You won't find any bright colors or sanitary environments; this was a working class vessel that has been torn apart by aliens and you can tell this from the environments. The different parts of the craft are individualized, reflecting their position and role in the ship very accurately. All of the areas have been influenced by the presence of aliens and bear the marks of battles waged by the crew members or their writings in their final moments.
Visuals and Audio
In terms of graphics, the game is very impressive, as the visual engine shines and offers you a gritty and realistic environment in which to fight the horrific aliens. The development team studied real-life accident victims and this shows when you fight the aliens – you can actually figure out the mutations they have been subjected to due to the alien virus, and the bodies you leave behind have very distinct damage marks. The ragdoll physics are very well done, with enemies falling on the floor and hurling in pain after you blow off one of their limbs.
Sound wise, Dead Space is very engaging, the musical scores accentuating the dreaded feeling you get as you explore the Ishimura. The audio is well polished and comes as a finishing touch to the fantastically horrific gameplay. As you progress through the ship, certain whispers can be heard, which will surely send shivers down your spines.
Conclusion
All in all, Dead Space is a very good game which offers a pretty genuine horror experience with fantastic surroundings, a well polished gameplay and a decent story worthy of every gamer's attention. The game can get a bit addictive as you progress through it but unfortunately it doesn't offer an ending that measures up to the whole Dead Space experience.
It really seems like EA is going to new directions with its latest titles and you can clearly see why Dead Space is considered a success in terms of the development stage and the opportunity to be franchised. With the sequel already under development at EA Redwood Shores, we can only hope that it will bring some new insight on the Dead Space series and that it will be a worthy successor to this very entertaining title.
