Oct 21 2008
Video Game In Review: Dead Space
Tim Falletti
Let me start by saying that I had no backstory on this game. I didn’t read any reviews, I didn’t see any screenshots, I didn’t even know the game was out. I went to the local Gamestop to trade in a few older games and I asked the clerk what he recommended for a fun game. The first game out of his mouth was Dead Space. I asked him what it was, and the only thing he could tell me was that it was a survival horror game in the likes of Resident Evil and Bioshock. He said it was third person, and was absolutely amazing. I have taken recommendations on his word before, and he was usually right so I figured to give it a shot and picked up the game. He was not only right, but he was too modest when he said it was simply amazing.
The story goes something like this: You (Isaac) are an engineer who is on this spaceship that receives a distress call from another spaceship named the Ishimura. The Ishimura is a “mining” ship that basically goes from planet to planet and destroys them to get all their natural resources. So, you dock with this spaceship and realize that something fishy is going on because no crew can be found. The action starts right then and there and you must fight his way through this broken down ship infested with these crazy zombie/alien creatures that used to be the crew. Twist and turns and screams ensue.
The game features an ‘over the shoulder’ third-person perspective, similar to games like Resident Evil 4 and Gears of War. The interface does not feature a traditional heads up display (HUD). Instead, information is relayed to the player via these cool holographic projections, which hover over Isaac’s weapons and armor. It makes the game seem much more terrifying without any distractions away from the main character. And trust me you don’t need distractions because instead of simply shooting the monsters, you have to dismember them. A simple shot to the head of body won’t stop them. Shoot out their legs, and they crawl to get you. Shoot of their arms, and the will try to bite you. You have to start from the bottom, and make your way to the top, shooting off limb by limb by bloody limb.
The visuals on this game are so good, I can say that it might have been the best looking game I have ever played. The design team over at EA really paid attention to minor details and it shows in the final product. Whether it be writing on the walls, to magazines thrown all around, the environment seems very real. The sound of this game is best in the dark, all alone, with a bathroom nearby. Hearing scratching and screaming in the distance and not knowing what or when something will attack you has never been done better. I highly recommend this game to any game fan. 10/10
