Perfection in a nutshell
Games can be great in a number of ways. They can push forth new ideas, ones that will manifest themselves as staples for years to come. They can strike a chord with players, generating unforgettable moments. Or they can take what has been done before, and do it better. Dead Space falls into this last category. It borrows the best ideas from some of gaming's landmark titles, and combines it all into a shooter that gets as close to perfection as any game could hope to do.
Dead Space doesn't even try to pretend like it's an original idea. Its story might as well be the definition of cliche, as the whole "something went wrong on the spaceship, go check it out" notion has been used countless times. And frankly, the idea doesn't branch out much from there- it's all the same basic survival horror stuff that franchises like Resident Evil and Doom have been doing for decades. Even the gameplay borrows more than it doesn't from titles such as Resident Evil 4, Half-Life 2, Metroid Prime, and Bioshock. Dead Space wears all of its influences proudly, and while some may scoff at this blatant "borrowing", the fact remains that all of its inspirations were outstanding games. If you're going to take ideas directly from past games, you might as well take them from the best. Dead Space adheres to this philosophy, and as a result is still amazing despite its obvious lack of innovation. In fact, it almost feels like Dead Space is paying homage to its influences as much as it is taking from them, which makes it even easier to forgive any perceived "transgressions".
In the end though, the main reason you'll be able to get over Dead Space's unoriginality is because everything it does, it does with resounding perfection. That's not a term I use lightly, but Dead Space is the rare game that I wouldn't change in the slightest. The story, setting, and overall tone may be cliche, but it's all done at least as well as anything before it. The atmosphere is outstanding, and when combined with stellar voice work and breathtaking visuals (this is one of the best looking games I've played to date) it produces a level of immersion that is essentially unrivaled. The over-the-shoulder gunplay is extremely fluid and robust, and lends itself to great encounters that are as intense as they are varied. You always feel in control, yet the game never feels like it's restricting you in any way. The pacing is also perfect, and moves you from one adrenaline pumping encounter to the next at a rate that never gets stale. I could go on and on about all the things Dead Space does well, but in the end, all you need to know is that every single piece of Dead Space is virtually flawless.
While each aspect of Dead Space is amazing in its own right, what really stood out to me is how they combine to overcome any potential shortcomings. It's no secret that Dead Space borrows more than it creates. But the game's dedication to pushing these tried-and-true mechanics as far as it could produces a seamless experience that rivals each and every one of the games that influence it. And that's saying something. I keep tossing the word "perfect" around, but that's only because it's the best way to describe Dead Space. This is simply as close to perfection as games get, and any fan of shooters would be a fool to pass up this masterpiece.
For additional information on my review style and scoring system, click here.
