One of the scariest, if not the most disturbing, video game storylines ever to be explored is Dead Space. The game uses the fear of the unknown, extreme isolation, major gore, and innocence corrupted to make you shake in your proverbial boots.
As background, our brave hero, Issac Clarke, is a talented engineer recruited to repair a distressed ship broken down near a far off planet. Even if his honor and ethics weren’t enough to compel him to go on this mission, after receiving his girlfriend’s distress call from space, he’s now hell-bent on rescuing her.
The details of the USG Ishimura and why its crew is in space on some faraway alien planet are many and quite complicated—too involved for this simple post, but the anxiety-inducing tactics the game uses to get your heart pumping out of your chest are simply terrifying.
The Unknown
The cryptic video message from Issac’s girlfriend, Nicole, asking for help is utterly confusing, and she’s acting strangely. Issac doesn’t know what he’s getting into. When Issac’s tumultuous journey crash lands him on the Ishimura, he’s not prepared for what awaits him.
Extreme Isolation
During the course of the game, Issac is pretty much cut off from all physical human contact, having less than a handful of scenes within arm’s length of another person.
In the real world, isolation isn’t good for the mind and body, sometimes causing mental health issues, of which I’m sure Issac suffered.
Major Gore
We’re abruptly introduced to the aliens on this planet. The “necromorphes,” as the game names them, are beyond freaky.
These alien creatures attack humans, kill them, and then reanimate them into harrowing abominations with bloody tentacles and slashing limbs—some of them without heads.
Shoot for the head. That’s always the goal with the enemy, right? Not now.
Innocence Corrupted
When you were little, do you remember your parents and friends singing the lullaby song “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” about making a wish?
The makers of Dead Space managed to turn that sweet ditty into a spine-chilling creepfest—not so dissimilar to Nightmare on Elm Street’s eery rendition of “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe.”
Anyway, after playing this game, Issac wasn’t the only person having nightmares! Years later, I still remember gripping the controller with sweaty palms and pausing the game often to allow my heart palpitations to pass. Even writing this post, those same panicked emotions return as if I’m still in the midst of the game.
And… Internet rumor has it that the Dead Space bloodbath will be rebooted soon.
Will Issac be back in all his glory? Boy, I hope so! The first reveal may come as early as this summer.
In the meantime, I’m probably not doing Dead Space justice in this post. You’ll just have to play it for yourself. You’re not scared, are you? Muahahahahahaha!