Dead Space (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

Dead Space sets an unsettling atmosphere from the start. Stranded on the Ishimura mining vessel you are soon running for your life weaponless and alone.

It maintains tension with disconcerting locals and background whispers. For my taste it relies too heavily on ‘Boo’ scares rather than the creeping dread of Asian horror movies. EA probably knew they were doing though, two hours of tension is involving but twelve hours is a recipe for angina.

Environments have real function within the world and help the story unfold. Unfortunately the architecture often tricked me into thinking it was one of the ‘Necromorphs’. Such slips are particularly unnerving when you hear something and are forced to slowly rotate only to end up aiming at a bunk-bed.

It creates an absorbing consistent world taking elements of Event Horizon and Silent Hill. Add fantastic controls and if you aren’t convinced this just isn’t for you.

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