Dead Space, Buried Gem in a Year of Big Games

Look back on 2008 and it's not hard to see why it was a gamer's wet dream. A year full of triple AAA titles across all platforms meant that not a single gamer was left hungry. From Grand Theft Auto 4 to Gears of War 2 to Metal Gear Solid 4...the list truly goes on and on. However, amongst these well established titles, all of which have loyal fan followings, it was hard for brand new titles to create some buzz and well, they kinda fell off the radar. One of these games was Dead Space and I must say, I'm glad I made the time to fit this baby in.

In short, Dead Space sets out on a mission to scare the daylights out of you and boy, does it accomplish that mission. At this point, gamers have seen a variety of games trying to make the manliest gamers scream like 4th grade school girls. However, Dead Space brings a level of atmospheric tension that has not been seen in games thus far.

You play as an engineer sent to what is believed to be a distressed ship in order to help the crew. In classic Hollywood fashion, things dont go according to plan. It is soon discovered, and rather violently I might add, that there is far more on this ship than a few space damsels in distress. How and why is what you'll have to find out all the while trying to find a way to escape this hellish place.

Now, as I said before Dead Space shines best in what it tries to do best and it never really tries to stray too far from that formula, which is fine because it works and keeps you on the verge of dropping that duece the whole way through. Sound design and graphics are top notch. The subtle design choices in lighting, sound, and color pallet all add up to work smoothly together. You'll be playing the game from a gears of war style perspective, which suprisingly really works. There'e a great variety of weapons and an interesting set of vicious baddies to use them on. Speaking of baddies, these really are some of the most vicious of I've seen in a game. Their irregular snaggled movement, fleshy rotting potchy pink look, and horrid pant wetting snares make the game a visceral experience.

Something that really resonated with me about Dead Space was just how excellent the level design was. I was worried that being stuck on a ship in space would become stale fast, but it soon becomes apparent that the guys at Redwood know how to keep things fresh and interesting. I was just constantly suprised at how much I was enjoying the enviroments and how believable they truly are. Think the first Alien movie, wheather or not they were going for it, the game totally sends out that vibe and they hit it on the head.

In closing, Dead Space is one of those rare games that sticks in your mind long after playing. From the smaller design choices such as the lack of a HUD and integrated 3d holographic item menus to the to the general tense atmosphere of Dead Space, it is truly one of those games that demonstrates just how entertaining a video game can be. Although there's not much incentive to go back for a second play through, it is a game that must be experienced atleast once. With Halloween just around the corner, Dead Space is that perfect seasonal treat.

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