After Sally Face, I played Dead Space for spooky season. Talk about a horror game. I was so excited to finally experience this game for myself, especially before the remake comes out next year. Dead Space checked all the boxes for me when it comes to a horror game. I screamed, I cried, I had questions and I got answers. Honestly, I didn’t have any complaints about this one, guys. I usually never do, but still this game was exquisite.
USG Ishimura
The game opens with Isaac and his crew answering a distress call from the USG Ishimura. Not having a clue as to what was going on, the crew was going in completely blind. I’m not sure anything could’ve prepared them, or me, for what was about to happen.
The game is broken into chapters, each more disturbing than the last. Somehow as you gather information on what’s going on, things just get scarier. Each chapter generally takes place on a different part of the ship, seeing Isaac make his way to various places to repair parts of the ship. He is also looking for his girlfriend who was stationed on the ship.
The game sets the tone perfectly, forcing you to go through dark hallways filled with jump scares. As you investigate the ship, enemy appearances become more frequent and significantly stronger. This will constantly encourage you to use everything at your disposal to eliminate the enemies. No matter where you are in the game, you never feel safe or strong, which helped to deliver that classic feeling of helplessness. On top of that, you are constantly on a ship stranded in the middle of space. It has a similar feel to being in Rapture in the first two Bioshock games.
Necromorphs
The main antagonists of Dead Space, aside from Isaac’s mental stability, takes the form of what are called Necromorphs. Once human, these creatures have now mutated into deadly abominations eager to end your life. Some are stronger than others but all are dangerous. You’ll need to upgrade Isaac’s equipment to ensure survival. Not only that, but you’ll need to familiarize yourself with each type of Necromorph as they all differ from each other.
Boss fights in the game stood out to me because they often mixed in puzzle elements. This reminded me of a lot of the Resident Evil games I’ve played where the boss is too powerful for your weapons so you have to find things in the environment to finish them off. This made me feel accomplished more than I would have if I just shot them until they were dead. This formula also reinstated that sense of horror. Knowing I couldn’t take down these enemies alone encouraged me to look for any means of survival.
Enemy design is smart here too, as head shots aren’t the way to go. Instead, you’ll want to cut off the limbs of these creatures. Luckily, some of Isaac’s weapons shoot lines of lasers out to help the process along. Upgrade whatever weapons suit your playstyle best because you’ll need them powered up for the fights to come.
Isaac, Are You OK? Are You OK, Isaac?
No, he isn’t but that isn’t his fault. As soon as he steps foot onto the Ishimura, the same thing affecting the crew begins to affect him and his team. I won’t go into details here as it is better to experience it on your own, but the game does a great job making you feel like you are going insane with him. As the chapters progress, the whispers and hallucinations get more frequent and chaotic. I swear I’m still not sure what was real and what was in Isaac’s head.
I think that is incredibly brilliant because not only is Dead Space a survival horror game, it is a psychological horror game as well. This adds even more unsettling elements into the mix here, blending perfectly together to make an ultimate horror experience. I have played quite a few more games this spooky season, but I have not stopped thinking about Dead Space at all. It stuck with me and it was supposed to.
Make Us Whole Again
I’ve played my fair share of horror games but this one is certainly one of my favorites now. I was blown away by how engrossed I got into its world and lore. Behind every scare was the urge to continue the story. I kept thinking I knew what was going on but there were quite a few twists in the story.
I am glad to have experienced this one on my own. It is truly a staple within the genre and video games as a whole. I can’t wait to experience the other two as well as the remake. I had quite a few games on my spooky list this year, but this one just might be my favorite.
