With a lot of game releases tending to appeal the "casual gamer", it's getting harder to find games that have quality within them. Yes, there are a number of good games, but to me, the best of the best allows you to delve into the game and become a part of the world.

On that note, welcome aboard the Ishimura, be sure to have your boarding ticket handy upon entry and make sure your plasma cutter fully reloaded for some limb cutting action, because Dead Space takes you into the shoes of Issac Clarke: Literally.



The Unknown



At the beginning of the game you and your team are sent to the Ishimura (a massive mining ship) after receiving a distress signal. Not knowing what exactly the reason is, you and your team enter the ship blindly, only to discover majority of the ship dead and overrun by some alien lifeforms.

What happened? Why are all the crew members and civilians aboard the Ishimura dead? What the FUCK are those creepy ass aliens roaming around?!

The lack of explanation and, as the sub-heading implies, the unknown of a situation can be one of the easiest ways to immerse a gamer into the story. As you roam the gigantic mining ship looking for answers you can't help but feel like you really are a part the whole situation, struggling to discover the truth and ultimately
survive the necromorph attack.

No HUD? No problem!

People can argue that Dead Space is a Resident Evil for wannabe (gameplay wise) or stole it's version of story telling from Bioshock, but what gave Dead Space the full immersive feeling was the fact that the game lacked a HUD.

You don't have to worry about that big ass life bar hiding that monster running at you full speed. Instead, all of the annoying out-of-game life bars, ammo supply, etc. are hiding in plain sight.



Isaacs health bar and stasis energy (a special ability Isaac obtains) are located on his back, and ammo is displayed above the weapon when Isaac aims. This makes the HUD easy still easy to see for the gamer, and it also gets rid of the nuisance that the out-of-game HUD that takes you out of the "i'm a part of this world" feeling.

This allows you to get the full effect dark and gruesome setting of the Ishimura and its deadly inhabitants.

and lastly...


Dead Space's 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' theme song



Don't lie...when all you here is the rumbling of the elevator as you travel deeper into the Ishimura and you faintly hear that damn woman singing that song, you get goosebumps.