Dead Space

LBJ covered most of what Dead Space is about for the most part previously. I completed my first run through last Sunday and absolutely loved it. I would like to say something which I am not sure if I had mentioned before with games in general for me. If I had said it previously then I'm just clarifying the point yet again. There are very few games that I genuinely dislike, I end up enjoying and loving most games for whatever unique or tried and true aspects they bring to the table as another memorable experience. So for the most part I end up liking most games and then these varying degrees of appreciation are set apart by how many details of a game bothered me or resonated with me negatively.

That being said, I personally found very little to be discontent with in Dead Space. It had a fair share of sections that were genuinely difficult due to the large quantity of necromorphs that come at you. Yes the bosses were not that difficult, but in terms of shock value and terror and relevance to story I found them delightful. One issue I felt they had a nice balance with in the game is the necessity to use various weapons. With the differing types of necromorph anatomies that you face as well as limited ammo you learn the many scenarios to best implement your tools. This forced me to actually acknowledge the lack of a "best" weapon so that I had to use particular tools for separate situations. In most games the need for a particular weapon in your arsenal often feels forced or constrained to a specific section and never used again. I didn't feel that was the case in Dead Space.

What appeared to almost be an atmospheric aura around any of the creatures helped raise tension before they sprung out. This let you know they were nearby in most cases but you never knew when they'd make their move, as the ball is almost always in their court. The art direction of the ship and outfits and most everything I found delectable too. I was inducted into the Aliens series when I was in kindergarten, it scared me half to death while at the same time beginning a slight obsession with the lovely bastards. While almost unable to handle the fright at the young age I was all for playing the awesome toys they had of all the aliens. What ultimately sells me on Dead Space being so fantastic is the oddly nostalgic value I felt while playing.

I saw a TV spot for the game where one of the development members highlighted the difficulty with Sci-Fi Horror in that Horror relies on a grounding in realism so that you are genuinely scared while Sci-Fi naturally relies on a jump into the impossible. My favorite type of Sci-Fi has always been one that has had deep roots in fact and scientific laws while making occasional stretches beyond fact. To me Dead Space managed to pull this off astronomically well. I think it payed homage to the greatest of the great in Sci-Fi and horror while being an original and unique incarnation in its own right. From my perspective I found it to be nearly flawless, so much so the lasting effect completely erases any problems I had with it, and I can't wait to play through it now on the hardest difficulty.