Many may not realize this, but the simple logistics of a question can be solved by pure mathematics. It's true. Particularly, they can be used in the instance of Dead Space. I hadn't really thought about it, but @patrickklepek and someone else bringing it up on Twitter has helped make a lot of sense out of things for me that I previously didn't think about. For instance, let's start with this question: "is Dead Space better than Dead Space 2?"

If we're going on a pure game-to-game ratio, we would have to start from the equation of "Dead Space = Dead Space 2." From here, we must look at all of the modifications in order to determine whether or not this statement is true.

Dead Space: one animated movie, one comic book series - as a formula, we'll say it's (DS)(Downfall + DS comics).

Dead Space 2: one animated movie, one graphic novel, one regular novel, one downloadable game - as a formula, we'll say it is (DS2)(Aftermath + Salvage + Martyr + Ignition).

Immediately, we can subtract the downloadable game from the equation of Dead Space 2's modifications, as it does not truly add anything to the overall experience and lore. Therefore, the new Dead Space 2 formula looks something like this:

Dead Space 2: (DS2)(Aftermath + Salvage + Martyr - Ignition).

This seems like an unfair advantage overall right off the bat, as Dead Space 2 offered a larger budget to the game. Therefore, we must look at the difference in budget and use that as a percentage applied to the overall modifications for Dead Space 2. In turn, we now find ourselves with the following:

(DS2)(Aftermath + Salvage + Martyr - Ignition X .4)

In turn, this brings us to the point where the formulas are no longer quantitative, but rather qualitative (given the percentage is factoring in how DS2 would work within the same realm of possibility as DS).

This leads us to the following conclusion:

(DS)(Downfall + DS comics) > (DS2)(Aftermath + Salvage + Martyr - Ignition X .4)

That is if we go by pure numbers. However, there is still the Y factor, which is Extraction. That has not been added into the equation at all. Technically, it fits with DS more than DS2, so we will add it into the DS formula.

(DS)(Downfall + DS comics + Extraction)

This creates another lopsided force of momentum, as it causes Dead Space to be outweighing in a quantitative manner. Therefore, we must add a percentage to the DS formula now as well in order to reflect the qualitative capabilities over the quantitative.

Thus, we end with the following formula, which I think everyone can agree with overall:

(DS)(Downfall + DS comics + Extraction X .2) = (DS2)(Aftermath + Salvage + Martyr - Ignition X .4)

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What was the point of this blog and all of its zany madness? It's simple, really: some people dig one game and some people dig another. Both are rather different in their qualitative states, and everything outside of the main two games should be considered as part of the game it is representative towards overall. If you don't care for any of that outside stuff, then on a pure game level, Dead Space > Dead Space 2. However, if you are someone like myself who cares a lot about the lore in this franchise because they have actually created a great, strong, fleshed-out world, you will see the games as equals because the supporting materials to go with them make them worth being invested in.

I'm hoping Dead Space 3 will do the same thing all over again for me.

Thank you for your time.