Playing Dead Space should convince those searching for life on other planets is a bad idea. We're not talking E.T. or the passive eggheads in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. They're cute compared to this game's disgusting and twisted monsters that use their human hosts to manipulate flesh and bone into something reminiscent of John Carpenter's horrific film, The Thing. But even they aren't as terrifying as the fear that something dreadful is about to occur, and it's this nervous anticipation that makes this macabre adventure one of the year's most interesting video games.

OK one kiss, but no tongue. OK, some tongue.

Similar to the film Event Horizon, you're sent to investigate a spaceship (in this case, the USG Ishimura), that doesn't respond to radio and video transmissions. You play as Isaac Clarke, an average Joe-type space engineer. He and his crew make a few failed attempts to establish contact, and after noticing that the ship's lights are out, they fly in for a closer look. As expected, something goes awry and they make an emergency landing inside the ship's docking bay.

Isaac's partners exit first, and the game begins with a tutorial that briefs you on the inventory system and one of the most useful actions, how to run (press and hold LB while walking with the left analog stick). In regards to Isaac's inventory, you access it by pressing the Y button, and easily navigate through items, the map, objectives and a database that stores video recordings you pick up along the way, similar to Doom 3. Keep in mind, however, that in order to use items and check out the map, you must do this while playing the game, so it's best to find a safe area and load up on med kits before moving on, lest you find yourself perusing menus while some creature gnaws your legs. You can pause the action with the start button if you need a break, but you cannot view the inventory from this screen.

At first, the menu system seemed difficult to use, but this isn't a persistent world. Scripted events allow you to dispose of the creatures and then safely reload and heal yourself, so thus far, having to do all of this while playing doesn't make the game scarier.

Rest assured, however, that Dead Space is horrifying. Within the first few minutes, EA throws a monster Isaac's way that he must outrun (unarmed) to an elevator, hitting the button just in time so the doors close on the creature's head, instantly decapitating it. This led to a room with a corpse and Isaac's primary weapon, the Plasma Cutter, a 10 round tool that easily cuts through flesh and bone. It also features a secondary fire that lets you rotate it 90 degrees, giving you the opportunity to make vertical and horizontal shots. Over time, you'll collect credits used to purchase new equipment from the Ishimura's store, and it won't be long before you have a pulse rifle, disc ripper and flamethrower.

In addition to firing the Plasma Cutter, Isaac may also use it for melee attacks by pressing the right trigger. It's actually much more effective than shooting, since it lets you easily lop off limbs and heads (the primary way to kill enemies), though that involves getting closer to these creatures than you'd probably like.

Once a enemy or corpse hits the ground, it's your job to stomp it into oblivion, by walking over and pressing RB. Stepping on things is the only way to make sure they're really dead, but aside from that, squashing dead bodies and kicking their appendages around the ship is just fun. EA agrees, since dismembering 20 enemies will earn you the Marksman achievement, worth five gamer points.

As we pressed onward, we marveled at the developers' attention to detail. Dead Space is, without question one of the most atmospheric games you'll play, thanks to an excellent blend of spooky graphics and music. Pneumatic doors open and close erratically, jets of dried blood decorate walls and floors, a fine mist hangs in the air and lights turn on and off. Meanwhile, large machinery emits powerful and creepy noises, unseen enemies slither behind walls and utter hair-raising moans and dark, foreboding music grows more intense, sometimes right before a monster bursts through a grate and sometimes for no other reason than to give you goose bumps. It's the fear of the unknown, and not necessarily the monsters, that'll screw with your head.

We didn't finish the game yet, but we did access two of Isaac's abilities: Stasis modules and Kinesis. The former allows him to slow down objects and enemies, giving him the opportunity to slip through fast moving doors or prevent a monster from reaching him. This gives the game a Matrix-like feel especially when you blast off something's head before it has a chance to react. As for Kinesis, think of it as the Force Push technique from Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Pressing the left trigger and holding B instructs Isaac to pick up objects without physically lifting them, a useful ability for solving puzzles and clearing a path.

Unless the story collapses on itself (it could, since it uses various sci-fi cliches made famous by the movies Aliens, The Thing and Event Horizon) and EA reverts to lame boss battles and mechanics, Dead Space has a shot at being our game of the year. Its wonderful blend of action, gore and sinister music combine to form a nerve-racking but enjoyable survival horror romp. We'll find out just how good it is October 14.

Related Links

Dead Space Xbox 360 Game Guide