Dead Space (2008) Reviews

It's amazing how well the original Dead Space holds up, even after being released nearly 20 years ago. Personally, I find the enemy designs, and dismemberment system in this game to be even more visceral and brutal than in the 2023 remake; in particular, the Necromorph Slashers in this version ACTUALLY put the fear of God in me. The haunting halls of the USG Ishimura feel grungier and dirtier than in the remake, really adding to the general sense of unease and anxiety. The gameplay is intense and stressful. You are forced to reload RE 4-style while aiming, which causes a lot of tension when dispatching a legion of undead. You're forced to think on the spot, relying on the weapons in your arsenal (most of them are repurposed mining tools) to get the job done. You learn real quickly that you can't just shoot the Necros in the chest or head; instead, you are forced to savagely dismember them until their remains are nothing but goop. I feel like this game is more in line with the survival horror formula than Dead Space (2023). Isaac's movements are clumsy and slow; you really get the impression that this guy is way over his head, and is trying the best he can with the tools he's given. You also gain a real appreciation for the CEC RIG suit, since it's the only thing standing between you and a sharp slab of bone between your eyes. I also find some characters are represented better here than in the remake—though that might be a minority opinion. Dr. Challus Mercer, for instance, feels more like a religious madman in this game than he does in the remake. I think the spectacular voice work done by Navid Negahban really brings the character to life. Dr. Terrance Kyne's original voice actor, Keith Szarabajka, is excellent in the role. He captures the "shaken believer" archetype really well, and it's always a pleasure to hear his voice in other media. This isn't to denigrate the remake, but to showcase how, in some cases, the original outpaces the remake (in my opinion). The remake is better in many respects, and I really just think it comes down to personal taste. The remake has Gunner Wright as Isaac; it has smoother gameplay, punchier action, and bigger set pieces; and the space sections are just objectively better overall, incorporating aspects of Dead Space 2's Zero G gameplay. However, if you want a game from the 7th generation that gives a unique spin to the survival horror genre, then look no further.

I luv the combat in this game, and i luv the atmosphere. would def recommend

One of the best if not the best horror sci-fi games ever made. Never played remake i bet its even better.

This game aged really well. It doesn't have that many bugs and holds up surprisingly well for a 2008 game. This game started the entire series and it started it strong. It's one of the better horror games I've played. Aside from the mechanics being great and the story being phenomenal, the horror elements that the developers use aren't worn out. It has pretty neat jump scares and surprises yet they're not used in every nook and cranny, just enough to keep you on the edge. I played this game through to the end 3 times just to unlock and see everything it offers and though it gets pretty easy even on the highest difficulty, it still poses a little bit of a challenge, meaning one mistake can actually lead to your death, so you're forced into a constant state of awareness inside a ship that's slowly delving deeper into the depths of hell.

A classic alien horror game, is there anything else to say?

The remake is great...but I still prefer the OG. There's just something about it that's magic even to this day.

[b]Recommended for:[/b] If you like third-person action games with a space horror theme then Dead Space is worth checking out. It has solid gameplay and the overall atmosphere in the game is great. The game leans more into gore/shock value than it's actually scary. The story and characters can feel a bit generic, but nothing particularly bad. The main protagonist is silent, but the rest of the characters have decent voice acting. In the past I would have recommended this game in a heartbeat, but since a few years ago we now also have [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1693980/Dead_Space/]the remake version[/url]. So which one should you play? As always, this is just my opinion, but I think the remake is somewhat better. The graphics are much improved and the gameplay and level design are smoother (some annoying sections in the original have been reworked to make them less frustrating). The dialogue has also been tweaked so the story and character motivations make more sense. Several characters have been changed, some for the better, some for the worse. The main character can now speak, which connects better with Dead Space 2. Basically, it’s just a slightly more polished version of the original in my view, but the overall experience remains the same. However, the remake has one big problem. For many people the game runs just fine, but for others it suffers from stuttering and there is currently no fix for it. I was able to reduce the number of stutters, but occasionally I still got them. It was a bit annoying, but not to the point where I couldn’t enjoy the game. Still, I can understand why some people find this unacceptable and don’t like the game because of it. I would suggest the following. Try the remake first and if you have no issues then great, keep playing it. But if you do encounter stutters, try some of the community fixes to see if you can reduce them to an acceptable level. Just be sure to stay under the two-hour playtime limit so you can easily refund it if necessary. Since the stutters already appear at the very beginning of the game, you should be able to quickly test it and decide for yourself if this is how you want to play the rest of the game. And if you decide not to play the remake, then just play this version. While I personally think the remake is slightly better, there’s nothing wrong with playing the original. Sure, the improved graphics and other changes are nice, but ultimately Dead Space is about the horror experience and that’s still great in this game. [b]My experience:[/b] I had a great time playing Dead Space. I really enjoyed the atmosphere combined with the great action. And although the game is at the time of this writing 17 years old, I still think it looks pretty decent. It’s a bit of a shame that the story is so generic. While playing, I suddenly kept thinking about [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GpCU76kIRY]this sketch[/url] by Alasdair Beckett-King about space horror tropes. But even if the story isn’t amazing, the rest of the game more than makes up for it in my opinion. [b]Technical:[/b] I had no major technical issues playing this game, although I should mention that many people have problems with mouse lag. Fortunately, you can find multiple fixes on the internet. You’ll just need to experiment a bit to find out what works best for you. [i](Win10,7800X3D,RX7800XT)[/i] [b]Personal Rating:[/b] 4/5

Incredible atmosphere, brutal combat, and immersive design make this one of the best survival horror games ever made. The sound design and limb-targeting mechanics still feel fresh. A few dated controls, but nothing game-breaking. If you like sci-fi horror, don’t skip this.

I got into the game knowing almost nothing about it, apart from knowing that it's about shooting scary looking aliens. Oh boy, it exceeded my expectations wildly. The way it encapsulates both sci-fi and horror is just superb. Overall, this game is excellent, in my opinion. It does a really really great job of pulling you into the world of DEAD SPACE and makes you feel like you're on space ship USG Ishimura. Navigating through the ship really gets me on SUPER ALERT MODE, as just about "anything" can just suddenly appear out of nowhere hahaha! (vents & ceilings...) I loved the customisation that came with the multiple weapon choices, and also the vast upgrade tree available. Moreover, the modules really offered a unique gameplay during combat, I loved it! The game itself is really unique, I've never played a game like this. In conclusion, this game has earned a special place in my heart, I LOVE DEAD SPACE.

One of the best survival horror games out there. Even with a bit of age this first release of Dead Space remains a masterpiece that makes you crap your pants in more than one occasion each playthrough. Revisited in 2025 to beat it on impossible difficulty and unlock the last suit, did it using only the plasma cutter! had a blast! Even with the remake out there this one is worth it. Absolutely recommended 10/10