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Dead Space
Developer(s)	EA Redwood Shores
Publisher(s)	Electronic Arts
Designer(s)	Glen Schofield (Producer) Bret Robbins
Composer(s)	Jason Graves
Engine	Godfather game engine
Platform(s)	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows
Release	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Microsoft Windows
Genre(s)	Third-person shooter, Survival horror
Mode(s)	Single-player

Dead Space is a third-person survival horror-action video game, developed by EA Redwood Shores for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. The player takes on the role of an engineer named Isaac Clarke, who battles a polymorphic virus infection called the 'Corruption' which turns the crew members into 'Necromorphs', which are grotesque alien like creatures on board a stricken interstellar mining ship. A sequel to the game is already in development.

Gameplay

The player takes the role of Isaac Clarke (named after science fiction writers Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke), an engineer who must fight his way through a stricken mining ship infested with Necromorphs, a hostile virus with the ability to reanimate the bodies of the dead, turning them into grotesque monstrosities. The game features an 'over the shoulder' third-person perspective, similar to games Resident Evil 4 and Gears of War. The interface does not feature a traditional head-up display. Instead, information is relayed to the player via holographic projections, which hover over Isaac's weapons and armor. An ingame store can be accessed where items can be bought and sold.

Zero gravity and decompressed environments also appear in Dead Space, and Isaac can navigate through them using his pressurized suit and magnetic boots. Some levels even lead out onto the surface of the ship's hull. Floating debris presents a hazard, however, and Isaac can lose his footing and simply float off into space. Issac's suit also has a limited amount of air while in airless environments, making him able to suffocate, forcing the player to move faster when in these situations. In keeping with Isaac's profession as an engineer rather than a soldier, weapons in the game are mostly improvised, such as a plasma cutter, flamethrower, and pulse rifle. Stasis can be used in the game to freeze enemies temporarily, and a kinesis module to pick up and throw items. Audio and video logs can be found throughout the game which detail the final moments of the crew, and sometimes provide a bit of information on the story.

Combat in Dead Space becomes complicated when Necromorphs do not simply "die" after receiving a certain number of gun rounds. In fact, depending on how they are wounded, Necromorphs can adopt new stances and tactics, even sprouting new limbs and giving birth in the process. To defeat the Necromorphs, Isaac must use "strategic dismemberment," the methodical severance of specific limbs or sections of the Necromorphs. Dead Space's executive producer, Glen Schofield, has said that "the primary theme of Dead Space is dismemberment," and early previews of the game have noted the high levels of gore.

You can also upgrade weapons by collecting powernodes and using them on upgrade stations located through out the ship, these can turn the weakest of pea shooters into powerful one shot one kill weapons, making even the plasma cutter a deadly weapon to a brute.

Later on in the game, the Necromorphs become stronger and even evolve slightly, also in some areas, the Necromorphs have begun to create a hive similar to the alien films and add a flesh like substance to the walls of some sectors adding to the fear. With the evolution of the Necromorphs, the game becomes a lot harder, some become stronger whilst others become faster and harder to hit, but the most noticeable creature of all, would be the Pregnant Necromorphs. These hold around a dozen of small rodent sized creatures which swarm all over you, forcing the character to tap the action button rapidly to shake them off and kill them otherwise Isaac will die.

Plot

Set in the distant future, Dead Space revolves around Isaac Clarke, a space engineer who works for the Concordance Extraction Corporation (C.E.C.), a company that operates giant mining ships throughout the galaxy. When the C.E.C. receives a distress call from the USG Ishimura (a “Planet Cracker”-class ship that destroys planets in order to extract valuable ore), Isaac and four other C.E.C. employees set out on the USG Kellion to rendezvous with the Ishimura in orbit above Aegis 7. Their assumption is that a mechanical failure is the only problem. At the beginning of the game, Isaac is seen repeatedly watching a video sent to him by his ex-girlfriend, Nicole Brennan, who is currently onboard the Ishimura.

Shortly after crash landing on the Ishimura flight deck, the crew of USG Kellion is attacked by hostile creatures called Necromorphs. These creatures reproduce by infecting deceased human bodies, violently mutating them into one of their own. Isaac escapes down an elevator and kills a Necromorph by trapping it in the elevator doors, but is separated from the rest of the team. At this point, Isaac, Kendra Daniels, and Zach Hammond are the only surviving members.

Throughout the rest of the game, Isaac is tasked with repairing different areas of the Ishimura while constantly under attack by Necromorphs. Eventually, Isaac, Kendra, and Hammond get a S.O.S Beacon sent out on an asteroid, which attracts a military vessel, the USM Valor. Unfortunately, the USM Valor is infected with Necromorphs and crashes into the Ishimura. Isaac, with the help of Dr. Kyne, retrieves the Valor's power core and uses it along with AI disk spread through out the living quarters of the crew. In order to attempt to escape with Kendra and Dr. Kyne in order to return the Marker, a religious artifact that is somehow linked to the infestation, to Aegis 7. However during the retrieval of the power core Hammond is savagely killed by a new type of Necromorph. Doctor Mercer also makes one last appearance trying to kill Issac with his experiment then when all else fails willingly becomes a Necromorph himself.

Just before the ship lifts off, Isaac is betrayed by Kendra, who kills Dr. Kyne and reveals that she is a government agent attempting to salvage the marker, which is actually a recreation of the real marker found on Earth. Isaac, left to die on the Ishimura, is saved by his love interest Nicole, who recalls Kendra's ship and sets it to fly her and Isaac to Aegis 7. After a long transport to the crater, the Marker finally brings the Necromorphs under control; until Kendra removes it and begins to try to bring it back to Earth. She tells Isaac that he is as demented as Dr. Kyne, and urges him to watch the final half of Nicole's message: her suicide. The Marker used an image of Nicole to get Isaac to return it to Aegis 7. Kendra, as a final farewell to Isaac and the Necromorphs, unhooks the large chunk of rock the Ishimura was carrying in an attempt to kill the rest of the Necromorphs by smashing it into the planet.

Just before Kendra lifts off, the Hive Mind rises out of the crater and kills her, attacking Isaac also. He defeats the Hive Mind, and manages to lift off the planet just as the large meteor enters the atmosphere. Isaac, distressed and disheartened at the loss of Nicole, turns off her message before it shows her death.

At the sound of a small noise, Isaac turns and is attacked by a Necromorph looking disturbingly like Nicole. Whether this was another hallucination or a real Necromorph remains unknown; along with Isaac's fate.

Characters

Isaac Clarke - The main protagonist of the game. Isaac is a systems engineer traveling aboard the shuttle Kellion to investigate and repair the USG Ishimura in company with three security personnel and a computer specialist. Unfortunately for them, they are thrust into the middle of the nightmare that the USG Ishimura has become. Clarke is also trying to find his ex-girlfriend, Nicole, a medical specialist assigned to the ship, whose fate is unknown at the start of the game. Through out the game Issac stumbles on to something much bigger then him involving the Church of Unitology, the government and the realm of possibilities. Through logs activated after clearing the game we learn that Isaac's father, Paul Clarke, left for space when he was just a child and the anguish of losing her husband made his mother, Octavia Clarke, into a devout Unitologist who gave all her money to the church rather than finance her son's education. He went to a lesser-known college then the one he strives for but graduates with high honors, taking after his father and becoming a system engineer.

Kendra Daniels - Kendra is a technology expert and part of the team sent aboard the Ishimura once the ship goes silent. She helps the player through the Ishimura in many ways, giving directions and assisting through areas of the ship that would otherwise be inaccessible. She frequently expresses distrust of Hammond, but turns out to know more about the situation than anyone previously thought. In a log after clearing the game, it is stated that nothing really comes up when her records were picked up.

Zach Hammond - The senior security officer on board the Kellion who travels with both Isaac and Kendra to the Ishimura. Hammond's initial desire to complete the original mission and not immediately abort puts him at odds with Kendra, who finds this suspicious. Through out the game he works to fulfill their original mission, but as time goes on, he becomes more disillusioned and focuses on getting himself and the rest of the surviving team off the ship. In a log after clearing the game it is revealed he asked for the information for both Issac and Kendra, the reason for this inquiry is not revealed.

Dr. Challus Mercer - A doctor aboard the USG Ishimura and a devout Unitologist. In the wake of the calamity that has gripped the Ishimura, Mercer has become a religious fanatic, and attempted to convince the crew of the Ishimura to commit mass suicide. Mercer often works to bar the progress of Isaac and even attempts to kill him outright. Mercer sends a regenerating Necromorph after Isaac several times until Isaac finally manages to kill it. To Mercer, it's all God's will what is happening and that Isaac should die and allow their 'children' to take over.

Doctor Terrence Kyne - The Chief Science Officer of the Ishimura who appears later in the game and asks for help from the surviving members of the Kellion team. He seems to be a bit eccentric, perhaps deranged, but offers to aid Isaac in stopping the nightmare that has gripped the Aegis System and the Ishimura. Kyne attempted to relieve Captain Mathaius of duty during the crisis on the ship, and apparently killed him accidentally with a needle to the eye. He regularly interacts with his dead wife, an apparition that can't be seen by the player.

Nicole Brennan - Isaac's ex-girlfriend and a medical specialist assigned to the Ishimura. She sent him a video asking for help and is one of the reasons he came to the Ishimura. He both sees and hears her as he moves through the ship and she repeatedly asks Isaac to "make us(/them) whole again," however, something isn't right about her. In the end, two startling revelations about her are made involving her strange behavior.

Jacob Temple - Jacob is an engineer on the USG Ishimura who is, like Isaac, trying to find his own girlfriend, Dr. Elizabeth Cross. You often find audio logs left behind by him as you progress throughout the game. He is never seen in full person and never makes direct contact with the player. Issac comes across a lot of Jacob's audio recordings throughout the game, especially on chapter three, where Issac must travel down to engineering.

Elizabeth Cross - Originally assigned as a herbologist aboard the USG Ishimura, Elizabeth Cross's experiences after the arrival of the Marker can be heard, like her boyfriend Jacob Temple, through the various audio logs you can find in many areas of the ship but particularly the herbology deck. She makes a short appearance along with Jacob where she gives the character an item before slipping away.

Corporal Chen - Pilot of USG Kellion, the shuttle which crashes onto the USG Ishimura, and one of the security troopers who comes aboard under Capt. Hammond. He is killed by the first Necromorph assault.

Corporal Johnston - The co-pilot of the USG Kellion. Johnston is also under the command of Sergeant Hammond. He is killed in the first encounter with the Necromorphs in which he and other characters are trapped in the flight lounge when a Necromorph jumps in behind them both, killing him nearly instantly.

Captain Benjamin Matthius - The captain of the Ishimura, found dead in the beginning of the game due to what was classified as an "unlawful death", which is later revealed to be a needle in the eye. His body is found in a sealed examination room in the morgue but is soon transformed into a Necromorph which the player must fight to acquire the computer codes for the Ishimura. Matthius was revealed to be a Unitologist who is strong in the belief the Marker belongs to the church.

Development

Electronic Arts first announced Dead Space in September 2007. The game was developed at their studio in Redwood Shores, California, whose other titles include The Godfather and The Simpsons Game. The game's executive producer, Glen Schofield, said that the team aimed to create something 'darker and creepier' than their previous titles: "We are all such huge fans of the horror and sci-fi genres; we wanted to create the most terrifying game we could, and keep the player on the edge of their seat the entire time." The design team reportedly spent time analyzing a wide variety of horror films in order to find inspiration for in-game scares.

Previews of the game have universally drawn attention to the high levels of gore and violence in the game, in particular the tactic of 'strategic dismemberment' when battling the Necromorphs. The aliens cannot be subdued by a single shot, rather they have to be incapacitated by shooting off their tentacles and appendages. A series of developer diaries released for the game had featured one episode about the system, in which developers mentioned that using conventional tactics, such as aiming for the head or torso would only serve to aggravate some of the necromorphs. In order to make the corpses look more realistic, the development team studied photos of car crash victims.

Dead Space went gold on October 1, 2008.

Audio

Dead Space’s credits refer to two different people for the music composition. To be more specific, Dead Space Audio Director Don Veca was quoted in an interview saying “The music credits read ‘Music Composed and Conducted by "Jason Graves". {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help) in Association With Rod Abernethy.’ Early on, Rod...was involved in initial brainstorming, but Jason actually composed, conducted, and arranged all the music.”

DRM

The PC version of Dead Space uses the same SecuRom Copy Protection scheme as Spore and Mass Effect which requires both online authentication and limits the number of times a user can install the game to five. Dead Space has received mixed reviews by gamers regarding DRM.

Marketing

Electronic Arts and Image Comics announced a comic book series based upon the game on February 21, 2008. Illustrated by Ben Templesmith and written by Antony Johnston, the six-book Dead Space comics are a prequel to the game. Set on the Aegis 7, the planet that the USG Ishimura is orbiting, the deep space mining colony pulls an ancient artifact called "the Marker" from the planet which begins to affect everyone in the colony. The first issue was released on March 3, 2008. However, a limited edition version of issue #1 with exclusive cover art was made available at WonderCon 2008 to the first 25 people who went to the convention each day.

Electronic Arts and Starz also announced that an animated movie, Deadspace: Downfall, a prequel to the events of the game, taking place after the Necromorphs invade the USG Ishimura. The movie, being developed by Film Roman, is expected to be released on October 28, 2008.

Electronic Arts released an Ultra Limited Edition of the game limited to only 1,000 copies. The package includes the game, the animated movie Dead Space: Downfall, a bonus content DVD, the Dead Space art book, a lithograph, and the Dead Space comic. People who also bought the game within the first two weeks of the release could also download exclusive suits: the Obsidian Suit for the Playstation 3 and the Elite Suit for the Xbox 360.

No Known Survivors

On August 22, 2008, No Known Survivors was launched, a website similar to an alternate reality game that provides an opportunity for visitors to explore the narrative world of Dead Space. The site depicts two stories, each divided into four chapters and using 3D animations, voice acting, original video, Papervision 3D technology, and various other interactive components. The first, Misplaced Affection, tells the story of an organ replacement technician who falls in love with a capable P-Sec officer and slowly loses his sanity as Necromorphs attempt to break down the door to his shelter. The second, Thirteen, follows a sleeper agent who "makes the wrong decision for the right reason." set after Issac launches the Distress Beacon. The site is less like a typical alternate reality game and more like a PC adventure game, such as Myst.

The site is based around a hub featuring nine severed body parts, each of which represent a content release. The week before a content piece was released, its assigned body part would begin to mutate, finally evolving into a mature Necromorph part. Starting on August 25th, a new Necromorph part became active every Monday, allowing visitors to continue the stories featured on No Known Survivors up until Dead Space's release.

Reception

Reviews for Dead Space have been generally positive. Xbox World 360 awarded the Xbox 360 version a 91% out of 100, stating the game was a "nail-biting experience," driven forward by a "film-worthy" script and "inspired" setting, and that it was "Rapture in space: every bit as disturbing, just as meticulously designed and easily as believable." PlayStation World awarded the game 9/10 and a PSW gold award, stating that Dead Space is the "world's scariest game", saying "This is bold, bleak gaming from the haunting opening credits to the pulse pounding finish." IGN rated the game 8.7/10, saying it was "visually striking, everything from the holograms to the Necromorphs is incredible." Game Pro awarded the game a 5/5. 1UP.com gave the game a B+, saying that it is "incredibly polished", but slightly repetitive. Eurogamer gave the game a 7/10, saying "Dead Space easily delivers on that promise, but fails to turn its polished production values into something truly memorable over the long haul." GameSpot rated Dead Space at 9.0 out of 10 claiming, "An incredibly atmospheric and disturbingly gruesome deep-space adventure that will haunt your dreams and leave you begging for more." Game Informer rated the game at 9.25 out of 10, saying "Although the reasons for most missions are mundane, the game always falls back on its great gameplay and atmosphere." The Guardian gave Dead Space four stars. X-Play has also given Dead Space four stars out of five. Game review site Giant Bomb site gave Dead Space 5 out of 5 saying it was very atmospheric and was very good on the technical side of things as-well. Game trailers.com gave it a 8.8 out of 10 praising the audio, the atmosphere, and the dismemberment, saying that "it was interesting to unlearn the headshot" It's main critisism was a lack of enemy types and no hot buttons for healing items, but claimed that the item problem only amplified it's already frightening atmosphere Initially, Dead Space community manager Andrew Green stated that China, Germany, and Japan had banned the game. However, the Dead Space Blog has posted an entry saying that Germany plans to release the game uncut on November 6, 2008.

References

1. ^ Wales, Matt. "Dead Space Preview" (html). IGN.com. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
2. "Army of Two sequel, Dead Space movie talks, and more on EA's new approach to original properties". 2008-10-22. Retrieved 2008-10-23.
3. Eddy, Andy (2007-10-09). "Dead Space First Look Preview (Xbox 360)". Team Xbox. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
4. ^ Graziani, Gabe (2007-10-09). "Previews: Dead Space" (html). GameSpy.com. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
5. ^ Haynes, Jeff (2008-05-17). "Dead Space Hands-on" (html). IGN.com. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
6. "Dead Space: Strategic Dismemberment Featurette". 2008-6-23. Retrieved 2008-06-23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
7. "EA Announces New Sci-Fi Survival Horror Title" (html). Gamespy.com. IGN Entertainment. 2007-09-24. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
8. Haynes, Jeff (2007-10-09). "Dead Space First Look" (html). IGN.com. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
9. Fahey, Rob (2008-02-08). "Dead Space Preview" (html). Eurogamer.net. Eurogamer Network Ltd. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
10. "Dead Space Team Studied Car Crash Victims" (html). Edge-Online. 2008-10-14. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
11. ^ "Kotaku: Dead Space Gold, Platform Exclusive Suits For Launch Players". 2008-10-01. Retrieved 2008-10-01. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
12. "Dead Space Sound Design". 2008-8-22. Retrieved 2008-10-07. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
13. "A Note to Our Community on DRM". 2008-10-26. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
14. Berardini, César A. (2008-02-21). "Dead Space Comic Book Announced" (html). TeamXBox.com. IGN Entertainement. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
15. ^ "Ben Swanson: The Ultra Limited Edition is Here!". 2008-09-26. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
16. "Dead Space Expanded". 2008-8-22. Retrieved 2008-08-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
17. "Dead Space Review". 1up.com. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
18. "Review: Dead Space - ComputerAndVideoGames.com". Computerandvideogames.com. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
19. EA. "Review : Review: Dead Space (360) [Xbox 360] - from GamePro.com". Gamepro.com. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
20. "Game Informer Online". Gameinformer.com. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
21. "Dead Space for Xbox 360 Review - Xbox 360 Dead Space Review". Electronic Arts. DS. Retrieved 2008-10-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
22. "Dead Space: Reviews, Trailers, and Interviews". MTV Entertainment Group. 2008-10-21. Retrieved 2008-10-22.
23. IGN Review
24. Rossignol, Jim (December 2008), "Dead Space", PC Gamer UK
26. Andy Robinson (2008-10-02). "Dead Space: First verdict spotted". Computer and Video Games.
27. Mike Jackson (2008-10-08). "Dead Space: Dead Space review: "world's scariest game"". Computer and Video Games.
28. http://www.gametrailers.com/player/41717.html
29. "Report: Dead Space Banned in Germany, China, Japan". 2008-09-05. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
30. "Dead Space is Coming to Germany". 2008-10-23. Retrieved 2008-10-24.

External links

• Official Dead Space website
• No Known Survivors
• Official Dead Space: Downfall website

• 2008 video games
• Electronic Arts games
• Horror video games
• Science fiction video games
• PlayStation 3 games
• PlayStation 3 Trophy Compatible games
• Third-person shooters
• Windows games
• Xbox 360 games