Dead Space: X Box 360 Review

A Desperate Battle For Survival

Jan 4, 2009 Tim Bolitho-Jones

So terrifying it could be used to cure bouts of constipation, Dead Space is an engrossing and atmospheric game that'll invade players nightmares.

Dead Space, the recent release from EA is one of the standout titles to be released at the tail end of 2008. Very much a game for adults, the sheer amount of bloodletting may put some people off but the impressive graphics, involving storyline and rewarding gameplay make for a memorable experience.

In Dead Space No-One Can Hear You Scream

Set in the distant future, Dead Space sees the player assume the mantle of Isaac Clarke, a systems engineer who is separated from the rest of his team while following a routine mission to an enormous starship; The USG Ishimura. Attacked by a host of monstrous creatures, Isaac finds himself stranded on the ship with no hope of rescue and the crew splattered all over the walls.

With no-one to turn to, he must escape with his life, uncover the secrets of the Ishimura and save the entire universe in the progress. No easy feat when death lurks round every corner in a multitude of unpleasant ways.

Right from the start his mission is skin-crawling. Much of the Ishimura is shrouded in darkness and throughout the game there are plenty of jump-out-of-the-seat scares where barely seen things scuttle past in the shadows. The audio work meanwhile is immediately effective; the ominous growl of the engines combining with an impressive score by Jason Graves to keep pulses racing at a constant high.

Graphics, Interface and Necromorphs!On a visual level too Dead Space is breathtaking. It may all be set on the same ship but there are still a wide variety of environments to traverse. The bridge is a spectacular open-arena with some beautifully rendered asteroids floating past. There's also an overgrown hydroponics lab, the deep bowels of the engineering decks and even a few excursions out onto the hull to keep things fresh.

Isaac himself meanwhile is a formidable presence. The game features an over-the-shoulder third person viewpoint so he is constantly onscreen resembling nothing more than a head-on collision between Halo's Master Chief and a deep sea diver.

In addition, he sports a few innovative add ons: his health is displayed in the shape of a glowing spinal column and whenever he accesses audio logs or objectives, they are shown extending out in front of him as holographic projections. This unique approach effectively removes a traditional heads up display from the game completely and adds an extra notch to the atmosphere: unlike other games of this ilk, he is not safe when rooting through his inventory.

His antagonists on the other hand are equally impressive, albeit in different ways. Where Isaac is a walking technological marvel, the Necromorphs are primal horror made flesh. There are walking towers of bone and sinew, distorted Goliaths with oversized limbs and some genuinely disturbing mutant babies infesting the decks. On top of this are a small but memorable clutch of bosses to make Isaac's survival all the more unlikely.

No Known Survivors: The Conclusion

Dead Space provides one of the finest survival-horror experiences for years. The missions may become a bit repetitive but the game's strengths easily quash this one minor flaw. It provides an unbeatable sense of isolation and raises the bar to a new level. Got a lot of gift cards filling up the wallet after Christmas? This is a must-have.

The copyright of the article Dead Space: X Box 360 Review in Video & Online Games is owned by Tim Bolitho-Jones. Permission to republish Dead Space: X Box 360 Review in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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