It won't be much of an exaggeration to say that Dead Space is probably the most epic and inspired Sci-Fi Horror adventure from the times of Alien Resurrection (aka 'Alien IV'). And we cannot talk about Dead Space just as about a 'normal' game- the high production values, depth and exceptionally strong atmosphere are of a 'triple A' film level. The intriguing story is so extensive that it was spread into 6 issues of comics (that serve as a prequel) and the game itself. On top of that there's a feature length animated movie Dead Space Downfall. The list doesn't end here- there are rumours about Dead Space books, big budget film and more (check our News section for the latest updates). And all that means a relief for Sci-Fi Horror fans- they were put on a diet without any major 'dishes' between the original Alien and this Dead Space.

Disclaimer: the following article contains some light spoilers, though they won't ruin your overall experience with Dead Space.

The game itself is simply brilliant and it's a must-to-experience for any Sci-Fi and/or Horror fan. Fear, survival, action, adventure, exploration, exceptional art and level designs are the key features of Dead Space. And most importantly- it's very, very atmospheric. Game developers used all means available to create this experience- inspired sound design, impressive lighting engine, spectacular effects- and everything was polished seamlessly into one fantastic gem.

The plot

In game you play the as Isaac Clarke (that's a tribute to Sci-Fi legendary writers Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke), a system engineer sent with 3 security guys and a computer expert to investigate USG Ishimura. That's a is 'Planet Cracker' class city-sized spaceship that destroys planets and then reduces the rock chunks to component elements and raw ore. Now USG Ishimura is the oldest operating 'planet cracker' with the most experienced crew on the board- what the hell happened there and where all its personnel has vanished? Already in the opening scenes, where rescue ship Kellion approaches USG Ishimura, everything looks very bad (but very spectacular)- debris flying all around, rocks smashing into the body of helplessly floating Ishimura. Even landing goes badly- their craft is destroyed in the crash. But a dozen steps into the spaceship is enough to learn about the real nightmare- Ishimura is infested with very quick and deadly monsters with some human forms. From here all hell breaks loose and, unluckily, Isaac Clarke (heh, that's you!) is separated from the surviving teammates. Without weapons in a falling apart and infested with Necromorphs spaceship, the lonely engineer must to worry not only about his own survival, but to help his teammates to fix technical problems and get another ship up and running. Like it wasn't enough, Isaac continues to search for his ex-girlfriend Nicole that was working on the ship and whose fate is unknown by now...

Prequel to the story- Dead Space Comic

However, that was just a glimpse of Dead Space plot. All the story starts in Dead Space Comic that serves as a prequel to the game. During a mining-as-usual USG Ishimura crew discovers an artifact- The Marker. It looks the same as the one that was found by Michael Altman 200 years ago and served as a basis for a new religion- Unitology- which supposedly unleashes the truth about human existence. All that's sweet, but the problem here is that Unitology has many very loyal followers even among high-standing people. And they decide to take The Marker on board of USG Ishimura regardless facts that strange things started to happen with this discovery. From here everything goes bloodier and crazier with the each page- from a single person becoming a psychotic murderer to the mass-suicide and further. Well, if you're interested in how far such a bloody nightmare could go, then we definitely recommend you picking up Dead Space Comics- available as separate six issues or soon as a hardcover book. Or alternatively you can download them as animated comics for free from Dead Space Official Site, Playstation Network or Xbox Live. Though, the printed version is much more atmospheric and absorbing- and the needless animations don't distract from the unique art style of Ben Templesmith (known mostly for comics '30 Days of Night', 'Fell', 'Singularity', 'Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse' and more).

Necromorphs and Strategic Dismembering

Now let's go back to the most disturbing consequences that you, in boots of Isaac Asimov, are going to face- Necromorphs. These monstrosities are neither human nor alien, but human corpses transformed by virus-like aliens into new, reshaped and deadly forms. Regardless the similar base material (dead humans, huh), Necromorphs could be of very different sizes and shapes. They are very quick, sneaky and can attack in different ways (even shoot you you with something). Even worse news is that Necromorphs can't be killed in usual ways. Shooting their heads or chests does nothing, because of the monsters' nature- basically these are dead tissues 'animated' by aliens. The only option here is the famous Strategic Dismembering, which means shooting off Necromorphs' limbs, so they have no means to move. Easier said than done, huh? More often than not they are attacking in waves and you have to shoot off at least few limbs of each Necromorph...

Weapons

Isaac Asimov is a system engineer, a simple guy, so he doesn't arrive equipped with grenades, RPGs and miniguns. Instead he will be able to use mining tools- Plasma Cutter, Remote Industrial Saw, Line Gun and such (there are 7 'guns' in game, and only 1 of them isn't a dedicated mining tool- that's the triple-barreled military rifle). All of them have alternate modes that are really helpful. As an engineer Isaac can upgrade his tools at benches for more effective 'strategic dismembering'. However, in a falling apart spaceship it's really difficult to find the needed upgrade items- Power Nodes and Schematics.

The Suit

Advantage of a system engineer is the special suit built to survive in toughest conditions (including open space and zero gravity- you'll be able to test your rig there as well). Blue bars on the back indicates the condition ('life') of your suit. Additionally it has built-in Kinesis, Autonomic Air and Stasis systems. Kinesis is for moving things remotely (aka 'telekinetics'). Autonomic Air is needed in no-oxygen conditions, obviously. And Stasis- for slowing things down (don't forget to use it on Necromorphs and in Sport Mini Games!). There is also a system for jumping in Zero-G (zero gravity) environment and a limited inventory system (you start with 10 slots only). All these systems are upgradable (except Zero-G jumping) and you'll have a difficult time of setting your priorities. On top of that, you'll find different level blueprints for the suit itself. Each level not only adds additional inventory slots (max to 25), but also upgrades the design. Now, that's the important bit- Isaac's suit is already a cult design and there are quite a few variations of it- unlockable or downloadable from PSN or XBL. And all of them are design masterpieces (no exaggeration here!)- you must to see as many of them as possible!

The List of Dead Space Suits

The Default Suit- you start playing with this one. Level 1 suit, 4 health bars, 10 inventory slots

Scorpion Suit- that's one of the most awesome suits! (And it looks great in dark corridors too!) It's available from PSN/XBL. Level 5 suit, 9 health bars, 25 inventory slots.

Obsidian Suit- Playstation 3 themed design. It's available from PSN only. Level 5 suit, 9 health bars, 25 inventory slots.

Elite Suit- Xbox 360 themed design. It's available from XBL only. Level 5 suit, 9 health bars, 25 inventory slots.

Military Suit- you'll play the game again just because this suit, believe me. It's one of the best designs that you've ever seen in Sci-Fi games or films! It could be described like a crossover between some techno devil and Star Wars Trooper.
Though, the only way to unlock its schematic is to complete the game. And even then the suit will cost you 99,000 credits. But it's worth every penny- just go for it!

Closing comments

Dead Space is not just 'a game'. Thankfully to the immerse atmosphere, absorbing story and impressive art it gives us the most ultimate and epic Sci-Fi Horror adventure. On top of that Dead Space creators realised that it's impossible to deliver all their ideas using only one media, so they've spread their vision among the comics (story prequel), the animated film Downfall (gore action that visualises the outbreak) and the video game. And all that together remarkably enriches the overall experience. Let's hope that Dead Space 2 is on its way- with all the rumoured books and big budget films!

Verdict: buy or die! :)