THE GOOD: DISMEMBERMENT MAKES FOR COOL SCENARIOS

THE BAD: DISCERNING SOME DIFFERENT ENEMY TYPES CAN BE HARD

NOW THAT'S MOTIVATION: DECAPITATED ENEMIES STILL CHARGE!

Blood, guts, and gore - Dead Space has it all! Dead Space exhibits the finest aspects of both the horror genre and third person shooters. Last October, Dead Space was released on the PlayStation 3 and the XBOX 360, and it has met nothing but acclaim! From the excellent soundtrack and lighting effects, to the awesome weapons and gameplay, there is very little to criticize. But let's take it back a notch and start at the beginning.

Players take on the role of Isaac Clarke, a deep-space engineer who is dispatched for what sounds like a typical repair: land on the space shuttle Ishimura and repair their radio. From the outset however, things are not exactly as they seem.

After an unsuccessful attempt at landing, Isaac enters the Ishimura, and to his disbelief is unable to find any members of the crew. After a quick look around however, you discover the crew... mutated and deformed from some alien virus that has changed them to anything but human. Shortly thereafter, you come across your first and primary weapon, the plasma cutter. This weapon fires superheated beams of plasma that are used by deep-space miners for cutting through rocks. But, in the case of Isaac Clarke, it is your defense from these horrid monsters.

In an attempt to not spoil the story, I will refrain from discussing any further plot details, and go on to discuss what Dead Space does right. Perhaps the first thing players will notice is that there is no Head's Up Display (HUD) in the game. This is an excellent feature in making the game scary because you aren't constantly watching a life bar or ammo display, but instead focusing on the blood stained environments, and stressing over whether or not there is a deformed being lurking in the shadows waiting to attack. That's not to say that these features aren't there at all, it's just that they are logically placed in game and are in no way hindering the frights you're sure to experience.

Another of the features that is sure to deliver the thrills is the game's sound. Playing in 5.1 surround sound will send shivers up your spine, as you'll hear noises coming from behind you, and you cannot help but wonder, is that an enemy sneaking up from behind? The sound is also responsible for keeping you on edge throughout the entire game, as every loud noise, whether that be the pop of a downed electric wire, or an enemy bursting through the air vents is enough to make you jump off the couch in fear. There are also disturbingly realistic sound effects that you'll hear when walking through the many mixtures of blood and guts scattered all across the ship.

The combat is spectacular as well. From the outset, you will see crew member's messages written in blood on the wall stating, "Cut off their limbs." To be successful in Dead Space, you must follow that directive.

Using your plasma cutter you'll dismember your foes, and this makes for some of the most interesting combat scenarios seen in a videogame. For example, if an enemy is charging towards you, shoot at their legs and they will chop off. The enemy's torso will then fall to the ground. But it doesn't stop there! They will then begin crawling towards you using their arms, and you have to aim there next.

If you are unsuccessful in this endeavor, or simply try for headshots and chest shots, you'll be seeing the game over screen quite often. But, if you make the most of your weapons, and strategically dismember your foes, you'll find that that is the path to success.

Dead Space is an excellent game, and if you are a fan of Resident Evil or Silent Hill, you are sure to appreciate the horror aspects that Dead Space brings to the table. I give Dead Space a 9 out of 10.