A gruesome, enthralling, captivating, and terrifying experience that will spawn many sequels to come.
The game's storyline is an obvious amalgamation of past sci-fi plots that somewhat dulls the experience if you're looking for a masterful storyline along the likes of Bioshock and the Metal Gears. Isaac Clarke must enter the USG Ishimura (the best mining ship of its class) and find his significant other, who may or may not be still alive on the ship. Despite its close inspirations, the story flows well and it is welded tight with the gameplay, making it inseparable from the experience.
It's high production values are clearly visible based on the chilling presentation alone. From the tall, Gothic-inspired architecture to the lighting to the voiceovers to the menacing necromorphs, every visual aspect of this game will leave players with their jaws to the ground. The atmosphere and presentation itself cannot be separated from the gameplay, because it is the very thing that keeps players immersed in the action. However, about a quarter to a third of the way through the game, enemies become predictable, and because they move so quickly and you're so eager to kill them, perhaps your own focus will take you out of the experience. Though it does not quite give you frights all the time, the irritating suspense is present throughout the game, and even if you're not afraid, you'll definitely be on your toes throughout.
One defining aspect of the presentation is its gameplay. And yes, this time the gameplay has to do with its presentation, and it is a genius addition. There is no HUD. No health bar at the bottom left corner. No ammo count next to a weapon icon at the bottom right. There isn't even a separate menu where you can pause the game to look at weapons and stats. No. Everything in this game is displayed in real time. Health is a glowing meter along Isaac's spine. Ammo is a holographic display on the weapon. The menu is a real-time holographic projection that displays in front of Isaac, allowing you to choose weapons, read received transcripts, search objectives, et cetera. What is so important about this is that there is nothing on the screen that is ever distracting. Everything is in front of you all the time and your focus is always on what's happening around you. You're not constantly looking at the bottom of the screen to keep track of Isaac's oxygen meter. It's right in front of him, and because everything keeps you immersed in the experience, the game is that much more memorable.
The shooting, most of all, is all that a shooting game enthusiast could hope for. The ever-so-loved shoulder buttons are used for aiming and firing, and Isaac can even move and aim at the same time, giving you full control of the movement and never making you feel cramped in or handicapped like the Resident Evil games. The close quarters combat, though, could use some fine tuning. During engagements at such distances, Isaac's only melee attack is sometimes too weak, thus making it futile to knock back a few enemies with it. But, when enemies are downed, Isaac's mighty stomp maneuver will raise eyebrows, since it is a deceptively powerful attack that will save ammunition.
The weapons are amazing, as well. There is a limited selection of weapons to choose from, but each one serves a unique purpose as to how you're going to play the game. The plasma cutter is a mining tool modified to a handgun that Isaac can upgrade to magnum power. The rifle is a mowing weapon that has a secondary fire that's nothing short of useful. The flamethrower sprays and pays. Whichever weapon you may choose, there are benches where Isaac can modify them. Though, it is definitely more useful to upgrade the more practical weapons first because you definitely will not upgrade all of them in one playthrough.
What may be even greater and more ambitious than the graphics and gameplay is the sound. The entire sound design in the game is exemplary, and every game that decides that its presentation is vital must take in account the methods used in this game. In the moments of empty space, where Isaac must trek through areas of vacuum, nothing can be heard. All sound becomes limited to Isaac's helmet and the muffled effects of his boot stomping and his breathing are some of the only things that the player will hear. This could cause a few surprises because enemies sneak up on you much easier. You'll also hear scurrying and scratching through the walls, and smaller, more subtle sounds that keep you that much deeper into the experience.
The boss fights are easy on normal mode. Once you've played the game once or twice, you'll realize just how simple it is to defeat them. But, that does not discount the sheer, epic scale of those battles. These colossal bosses rise stories upon stories high, and even the subtle shift in camera perspective enhances the massiveness of these battles, and each one is eye candy. There will also be a few surprises during the game, too, where you'll become more acquainted with them.
Dead Space is a stellar achievement. Even though it's not very original, every facet of this game has been crystallized to shine brighter than the hottest stars in space. Had the story been stronger and more engaging, this game might even be called a complete masterpiece. Though it is not a masterpiece, it is definitely a benchmark and an excellent achievement in the genre of horror. An important game.