Dead Space (PC) review

October 27, 9:43 PMPC Game ExaminerBryan Edge-Salois

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Welcome to the USG Ishamura. This is your flight
attendant.

If you're looking for a game that might make you soil your pants -- but is still so intensely compelling that you won't stop playing to change them -- Dead Space is the game for you.

It has some minor foibles, but nothing severe enough to stop me from recommending it for fans of the genre.

Dead Space puts you in the role of a lone explorer aboard a badly damaged 'planet cracker' mining ship called the USG Ishimura. You arrive with a small repair team that was coming to fix a communications relay --only to find the damaged Ishimura floating lifelessly in space (and looking like it needs more than 'minor' repairs.)

Everyone on the ship appears to be dead, and you quickly discover that horrific, vile creatures are running throughout the ship -- carving up anyone unfortunate enough to cross them.

The good

The environments in Dead Space are masterfully executed, and some of the best horror any PC game can offer. The ambient sound is particularly nerve-rattling. The wrecked, dead hulk of the Ishimura constantly groans and creaks while you explore its blood-soaked halls -- and the sounds of something else moving around constantly keeps you on edge.

All weapons have a handy laster sighting system to
help you shoot off various alien appendages.

Frequently, that something else (called Necromorphs) emerges and tries to eviscerate and dismemeber you -- so you have to return the favor.

At your disposal are a variety of weapons that include things like a pulse rifle, flame thrower, and (one of my favorites) the Ripper (think of as a sort of ranged skillsaw). Because Necromorphs die easiest when you dismember them and ammo can be scarce, strategic dismemberment isn't just fun, it's important to your survival.

You also have Stasis and Kinesis powers at your disposal, in limited supplies. Stasis is basically 'bullet time' and makes dismembering monsters easier. Kinesis is for moving large objects and it's usually used for solving puzzles.

To add some additional tension to an already intense game, some areas of the ship have their gravity disabled, and some areas have been breached and are in a vacuum. A lack of gravity can make it difficult to get your bearings (especially when you're attacked from an odd direction), and your suit's limited air supply makes running through monster-infested vacuums even more stressful. And yes -- there are some areas that are both in a vacuum and have zero gravity -- which really turns up the stress levels to 11.)

Automated 'shops' and workbenches located around the ship provide places to buy, sell, and upgrade equipment.  Shops allow you to buy and sell weapons, ammo, health, stasis packs, and other items. Workbenches allow you to upgrade your  weapons and other items  -- including your suit's hit points and air supply.

The bad

Buddy, can you spare some innards?

The primary complaint I have about Dead Space (for the PC) is that the interface and the game's save system was not re-worked to accomodate the advantages of a mouse and keyboard -- or the PC platform in general. (And I'll confess that part of me just wishes this game had been done as a first person shooter.)

Because it wasn't adapted to the PC, Dead Space is unnecessarily more complicated and annoying than it should be. The user interface frequently forces you to set aside the mouse and use the keyboard for actions like using inventory items, buying and selling items,  and upgrading items at workbenches.

In that same vein, Dead Space doesn't allow you to save the game any time, any place. Granted, this does enhance the 'survival horror' aspect somewhat, but it can be an annoyance when real life interrupts your game time and you don't want to have to replay the last 10-15 (or more) minutes. Fortunately, save stations are reasonably spaced, so it was mostly a minor problem. 

The ugly

The monsters. Dead Space definitely sports some f***in' ugly monsters -- but I mean that in a good way. 

The bottom line

Dead Space is intense, creepy, and some of the best survival horror available for the PC. It's only (minor) blemishes are the result of being converted from a console format, and not being better adapted to the PC platform.

I heartily recommend Dead Space to anyone that enjoys the action/survival horror genre -- and it's the perfect game for Halloween! 

Visit the Dead Space home page