Dead Space Review: Horrifying in Such a Good Way

App Name:	Dead Space
Platforms:	iPhone/iPod Touch
Publisher(s):	Electronic Arts
Version Reviewed:	1.0.1
Genre(s):	horror
Release Date:	January 25, 2011
Price:	$6.99
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In its first week of availability, Dead Space by Electronic Arts has engendered some quite mixed reviews. I suspect that gamers will respond to Dead Space one of two ways: Some will be thrown off by the unfamiliar control/movement scheme and find it awkward and challenging at first. And others (veterans of Dead Space on Xbox) will feel right at home immediately, and be sporting a big smile after minutes inside the game . . . But however it strikes you initially, those who stick around will come away feeling the same way—exhilarated, terrified, shocked, amazed, and satisfied. Those are big words to use about an iPhone game. I don’t use them lightly.

Let’s get one thing straight right away, this is a game that needs to be played in the dark, and with headphones. You play as a character named Vandal, who is being led around an abandoned space station by other character’s with questionable motives. A cultish church is at the center of the story, and it has everything to do with the necromorphs—deformed, dead humans who have transformed into the worst kind of monster you can imagine, all appendages and sharp claws . . . But when it comes to Vandal and his mission on the ship, you’re terribly alone, treading lightly through quiet corridors, dark spaces, and cavernous rooms until the ventilation system comes alive with creatures, the room gets quarantined, and you’re left to fight for your life.

So goes the game, which has gotten the most valuable criticism for having predictable missions types throughout (unlock this door, shut down this system, find this key, etc., as you work your way through the station). The lighting, level designs, atmospheric effects, and character models are absolutely stunning—looking like exact replicas of the versions we saw on the Xbox 360. How Electronic Arts accomplished such a faithful conversion of the game to iOS remains a mystery, but we’re thankful they did. If wandering through the levels and taking in the creepy story were all we got to do in Dead Space, I don’t think I’m alone in saying that I’d pay $6.99 just for that.

However, you get to fight along the way. And here is where the opinions split. This third-person shooter works just like it does on Xbox, using two control sticks and an on-rails shooting system that allows you to dismember enemies strategically in order to kill them. You’ll use weapons like the plasma cutter, line gun, and plasma saw (to name just a few) as you rip things apart to stay alive.

The main thing to keep in mind about controlling Vandal is that there is definitely a learning curve. In the Dead Space franchise, movements are slow and methodical, and must be calculated so that no movement is wasted while battling necromorphs. Use of “stasis” is a must—it allows you to freeze enemies momentarily while you develop your approach to the situation . . . It’s true that this control scheme—in it’s need for precision and lack of physical (or even visual) controls—goes against what we assume would work on iOS, and yes, there are moments of frustration where you’ll get overtaken and have no recourse but to die a lonely death. But still, there’s no denying the faithfulness of the port, and the incredibly functional job the team did in bringing the complete Dead Space experience to the iPhone. The complexity and sensitivity of touch that it takes to control Vandal and his plasma cutter all pay off when you execute a great kill or escape a close call. Adrenaline is everywhere in this world of mutants and death.

I could continue with glowing praise for Dead Space for some time, but it would continually need to be tempered by asides about the occasional difficulties associated with bringing this kind of game to the iPhone. Dead Space isn’t immune to the inherent problems a third person shooter faces on a mobile device. Sometimes the perspective gets funky and you lose your grip on Vandal’s controls. But for every frustration you’ll have with Dead Space, there are dozens of great moments and visual treats to make up for it. This game ranks at the very top of atmospheric iOS titles, and doesn’t bend it’s standards to conform to the mobile platform. Vandal’s mission is dangerous, scary, and ill-advised. And for less than ten bucks, you should definitely join him.

About the Author

Devin Wieland

 

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