Just remember that in space no one can hear you scream! However the same can't be said for your living room! The newest addition to the long line of survival horror games is finally here in the form of Dead Space from EA. To say this game is cool is a huge understatement!

The game quickly throws you into the role of Isaac Clarke, a repair man sent to the large mining ship, the USG Ishimura. You find the ship in need of communication repairs and aside from that nothing out of the ordinary. As soon as you arrive you are quickly greeted by the mutilated remains of the ships crew. Apparently a previously undiscovered alien virus has taken over and all that remains are well, the remains of the crew and man do they want to take you down, but more on that later.

One of the neatest features in Dead Space is the lack of a HUD and it really gives you a sense that you are actually part of the game and not just playing the game! It's a really unique experience and I hope to see more games do this in the future. Even the menu system is not a screen that pops up and interrupts your game play but rather a holographic menu that your character looks at and in turn reacts with.

Following the precedence of a few popular survival horror games is the idea that your character is just a normal person. Isaac is not a marine, he has no special powers, no special fighting ability, etc and as such that really adds to the fear element of the game. You don't have that warm fuzzy feeling inside that everything is going to be ok because your character is a total bad ass. Instead you are constantly on the edge of your seat hoping to keep him alive to the best of your abilities. Although Isaac is not a superhero of any kind, he will come across some modules that can make him fell almost "jedi-like" in nature. These come in the form of Stasis and Kinesis. Stasis will slow down the environment and your enemies. Kinesis, on the other hand, can allow you to pick up objects and move them to where you need it. Kinesis can also be used to throw items especially in battle situations where they can come in handy. These abilites need to be recharged from time to time either at recharging stations or at the store.

Speaking of weapons don't expect to find big guns that devastate anything you point them at here in this game. Instead, sticking with the idea that you are a repair man sent to fix a mining ship you will come across less traditional weapons. Isaac will find mining weapons and tools, which also serve well at dispatching your enemies in more often than not, extremely gratifying violent ways! When it comes to taking down the less than friendly remains of the previous crew the game adds a neat element. Simply inflicting damage on your enemies won't be enough to keep them from coming after you.

They will continue to hunt you with everything they have so its your job to dismantle them as best you can. As you would expect from any similar game you find that as you progress in the game so do the creatures. The many different creatures are each incredibly unique and original. Their unnatural animation often times will send a shiver down your back and serves to reinforce the idea that you do not want to end up like them.

Isaac will also ocme across stores where he can buy and sell items needed to help him complete his objectives. There you can purchase weapons, ammo, new armor rigs, power nodes and more. There is also a safe where you can store items when your inventory is full. Isaac will also come across work benches where he can upgrade his weapons and armor rig with the power nodes you find or buy. Each weapon and rig has a skill tree system where you link nodes to connect to an upgrade. Armor upgrades can be for health and oxygen. Weapon upgrades can be for ammo clips, damage, and more. Stasis and kinesis upgrades can help you use the ability for longer periods of time. Even when you complete the game, you won't have Isaac maxed out on everything so choose wisely on what you want to do. EA has assured us though that when you start a new game, all your upgrades will follow you. This adds to the game's replay value.

Dead Space features twelve terrifyting chapters, each taking around an hour or more to complete. Each chapter takes Isaac to a different part of the ship. Your job will involve repairing specific areas to navigate as well as dispatching the creeps in your way. These repairs will come in the form of puzzles to complete where your stasis and kinesis modules will come to the test even in zero gravity sections. The sense of danger is high throughout as in one minute the lights are working just fine to pitch black the next. Each chapter will offer a rising level of fear because you never know what could happen. Getting lost can also become a factor because there is no linearity here except for the end of a chapter. At times you'll also find yourself doing a little backtracking, but not alot.

Gore filled violence has never looked so good. Dead Space looks amazing in every aspect possible. From the cold hard dark metal corridors you often find yourself in, to the incredibly grotesque creatures that fill them. Every piece of this game looks great and the animation flows really well. The controls feel nice and smooth and react exactly as you would expect them to. One of the neat elements this game offers up is the zero gravity parts. These parts will really test your ability to think three dimensionally and put your patience, as well as your dizziness, to the test. Aside from just the amazing graphics and look of the game the sound plays a really big part. Having surround sound really lets you hear all the ship has to offer from its creaks to its shrieks as a creature suddenly comes flying from around the corner to attack you! You will find this happens pretty often in the game but its mixed up enough to keep you constantly jumping each time it does. Every weapon has a unique sound to them and as such, the resulting sounds you hear when you land a shot on your enemies is extremely nice.

Dead Space breathes new life in the ailing survival-horror genre which breaks the monotany found in the Resident Evil and Silent Hill games. It also delivers a horror experience better than most B-movie horror flicks. This game is truly terrifying in every aspect and will have you jumping out of your seat in fear. EA has really delivered on this original title and gamers should not pass on this experience. Who knows, I bet down the road Dead Space could even become the next big hit movie. Cross you fingers on that one.