Dead Space (PS3) - Chapter 11: Alternate Solutions [Easy]
019th August 2009.
That was the last time I played Dead Space, not nearly a year following its original release in arguably what was the best time in gaming for a PlayStation 3 owner. In my Resistance playthrough series, I lamented that having a Sony system back in 2006 was a difficult and challenging time for any early adopter of their high-definition hardware however that truly had changed by the end of the decade. Killzone 2, Infamous, LittleBigPlanet and, ofcourse, Demon Souls had all informed public perception around PlayStation 3 but even third parties finally stepped up to the table and released credible games (like Metal Gear Solid 4).
So Dead Space fits neatly like a glove into this time period. It was a truly compelling high definition survival horror, taking the over-the-shoulder camera and controls of Resident Evil 4, but adapting them for a faster paced experience, with greater mobility (as you can fire and walk at the same time – how novel!) while interacting with your inventory in realtime, and thus, always keeping you on your toes from unsuspecting enemies. And unlike a good number of previous multi-platform releases on the system, Dead Space not only ran suitably similar on PS3 to its Xbox 360 counter-part but visually looked the part as well.
You play as Isaac Clarke, a systems engineer sent alongside his team to repair a despondent “planet cracker” known as the USG Ishimura. Upon entry into this ship, the team discovers not only was the ship completely savaged by some unknown force but have also been assimilated by them: Extra-Terrestial bodysnatchers known only as Necromorphs. With their escape shuttle broken, Isaac finds himself trapped and with only two options: Either to find out the truth, including that of the fate of his girlfriend stationed on the Ishimura, and escape… Otherwise suffer to the same nightmare that was inflicted of the crew of that very same ship.
Dead Space is very much like Event Horizon in set-up, although the obvious influences of the body-horror inducing Necromorphs are not too different from any Cronenberg-esque story, or certainly Ridley Scott’s Alien. The resulting conspiracy and larger mythos around the Necromorphs, religious cults and surrounding life on Ishimura are explored extensively through collectible logs and background details found around the environments presented in Dead Space. Discovering these bits of information is somewhat similar to System Shock, or Doom 3 (another game I have previously uploaded video content for on my channel). The hopelessness of Isaac’s situation and grotesque nature of the creatures make for an effective mood, with the game’s music and sound design playing part in some memorable jump scares and tightening of the cheeks. To say Dead Space, at the time of this video playthrough, is nearly 15 years old is hard to believe considering how well it holds up.
Moreover, in a weirdly hilarious coincidence, the firepower in this game is lopsided because you obtain the strongest weapon in Dead Space right at the very beginning. Isaac’s Plasma Cutter is as iconic in design as it is in dealing damage to the Necromorphs, brutally severing limbs in a manner no tool ever should. The fact that most of Isaac’s weapons are exactly that, tools, is appropriate for an experience set on a space mining rig. You can upgrade weapons as you see necessary too, with finite upgrade tokens and resources, forcing the player in yourself to prioritise one thing over another. It is nail-biting on harder difficulties given how much ammo you need and how much pain you can endure are defined by such smaller margins.
In short, I could gush and gush about how incredible Dead Space still is, and how fantastic it plays despite being bettered by two sequels (and a rail shooter spin-off) and despite survival horror ultimately going in a very different direction in the years succeeding it. Whatever Electronic Arts were working with, at that time, was always going to turn out to be solid gold and that it is has seemingly withstood the test of time at that is proof enough of the game’s quality. I would recommend Dead Space to anyone with a capable computer, or even an old Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 since it is easy and cheap to find in 2023.
With the remake bringing Dead Space fresh into the perspectives of new audiences, maybe it will earn a newfound appreciation from those who never had the chance to enjoy it like I did in 2009. Let us hope this happens.