Dead Space Video Game Review for the Xbox 360

The highly anticipated horror/sci-fi game, Dead Space, was released on October 14th of 2008, and banned in Japan, Australia and Germany. Yes, there is a lot of the blood, guts and exploding body and creature parts you would expect, but Dead Space has so much more going for it than that. There is an intensity in the storyline and an atmospheric tension that makes this game a winner for fans of this genre. It helps that the overall game play is easy to catch on to, yet the game itself is still challenging. This makes this game a great choice for both experienced and less-experienced video gamers, as well as an excellent Christmas gift.

The sci-fi story itself isn't remarkable, but it is well told and interesting. You are Isaac, and you are just a regular dude sent to repair a mining ship on a distant planet where something has gone horribly wrong. After you crash there, you and two team members discover that the mining crew released something while digging, and the whole crew is now infected and have become "Necromorphs". They are not pretty, and oh so vicious! If you really want to get more involved with the story line, you can rent the animated DVD, "Dead Space, Downfall" that is a prequel to the game play action.

One of the reasons that Dead Space has been so highly anticipated is that it incorporates a new aspect to taking down your enemies: Strategic dismemberment. What this means is that you can't just mindlessly blast away aiming for the head to stop these monsters, you have to target specific body parts. This calls for calculated aiming and timing, and adds to the game enjoyment. It also takes it out of the "same old thing" realm that many shooters tend to be. This doesn't mean that it is frustrating and annoying - you can kill these guys. One note however is to stay out of corners. This game gives a whole new meaning to getting stuck in a corner!

The look of the game is excellent. There was a lot of talent and time that went into making the graphics look this incredible. The design of the creatures and ship - while not the most unusual you have ever seen - is done very realistically. It is easy to get lost in the game, and the creatures will terrify. The audio helps to keep you in the game as well as the beasts roar and screech and the music subtly adds to the tension. If you play this with the headphones on - warn other household members not to sneak up on you!

There is also a lot of life in this game, so you do get your money's worth. If you are an expert gamer, you can probably beat the game in about 9 hours. If you are still fairly new to gaming, or less-experienced in this genre - you may take around 12 hours. Once you beat the game on easy, medium or hard - you unlock "impossible". This is when things get exciting. For those experienced gamers, you can expect to get an additional 13 - 15 hours of game play at this level. Also, those sometimes elusive achievements that you unlock while playing are a lot smoother in this game; you don't have to jump through so many hoops.

Overall, Dead Space is worth the hype that has surrounded it for the last year. If you are a fan of horror/sci-fi, survival video games or shooter video games, you will want to put this at the top of your Christmas list - for you and a friend! Dead Space is the best survival/horror game since Resident Evil 4 - do not miss out.