User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1937 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. May 15, 2020
    7
    All the ideas which make this up are good. The thing is it didn't click that well for me, as I am not a big fan of shooters. I prefer the horror games where you are unarmed. It got kind of monotonous.
  2. Nov 20, 2020
    7
    The gameplay is very good and different, it’s not just headshot everyone. Really bad that the game does not have HUD (and it is not needed). The Plasma Cutter (the 'main' pistol) is really cool. Very cool skill tree, it reminds me of FF X, but less deep.

    The story is below average overall but has 2 twists near the end. For the time that came out the graphics were absurd, nowadays
    The gameplay is very good and different, it’s not just headshot everyone. Really bad that the game does not have HUD (and it is not needed). The Plasma Cutter (the 'main' pistol) is really cool. Very cool skill tree, it reminds me of FF X, but less deep.

    The story is below average overall but has 2 twists near the end.

    For the time that came out the graphics were absurd, nowadays it's okay. Some scenarios are repeated.

    The soundtrack adds a lot to the experience, due to the ambience and jumpscares (light by the way), but it's not a big deal.

    I had a very serious bug, which the elevator does not reach and you are obliged to close the game and load your last saved save.
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  3. Oct 28, 2020
    9
    The hardest horror movie I've ever played.
    The feeling of constant threat and intimidation of your companions from the very beginning, almost until the end of the game.
    The terrifying audio-visual setting completes the works of brutal sci-fi horror. Rejecting monstrous abominations that rush straight at you with macabre screams makes each encounter a source of considerable stress and
    The hardest horror movie I've ever played.
    The feeling of constant threat and intimidation of your companions from the very beginning, almost until the end of the game.
    The terrifying audio-visual setting completes the works of brutal sci-fi horror.
    Rejecting monstrous abominations that rush straight at you with macabre screams makes each encounter a source of considerable stress and tension.
    That is why the game is extremely tiring mentally.
    And it would be a perfect horror game, if not for the fact that the game was made typically for the console, and on the PC you can feel the roughness of the character control. The whole thing is completed by a terrible ragdoll.
    After all, it's terrifyingly sensational horror with an interesting plot.
    Rating: 9/10.
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  4. Dec 8, 2020
    0
    As soon as I started playing a game breaking bug occured which stopped me from continuing the story after you I the first pistol. This bug had the worst fix in the history which made me quit the game and uninstall:you needed to have the VSync turned on and not SHOOT the door, but to meele it.I highly encourage everyone to draw the curtains to this **** but not gold game.
  5. Jul 5, 2021
    6
    The story is good. also gameplay is good. but in 3 last chapter, there was some bad bugs that player cant aim and move or move and rotate at the same time. also some music bugs that instantly an audio stop playing while in boss fight or other fights. after all, I like story and gameplay but ost and music, not much. also with some bugs, I cant give higher score.
  6. Feb 15, 2022
    10
    One of the best Horror games ever made, i'm extremely hyped for the remake, hopefully they deliver.
  7. Oct 29, 2022
    10
    One of my favorite video games of all time, hopefully remake will be as perfect as possible!
  8. Aug 11, 2023
    9
    Dead Space one is phenomenal. It is a game full of creatures, blood and loneliness. The controls are a bit clunky at the beginning, but after awhile, it's playable. The entrance of the ship Ishimura is a harbinger of what will come and what you will have to fight against. The atmosphere is gloomy and somber. At the beginning you already are tense and breaking out in a cold sweat. The soundDead Space one is phenomenal. It is a game full of creatures, blood and loneliness. The controls are a bit clunky at the beginning, but after awhile, it's playable. The entrance of the ship Ishimura is a harbinger of what will come and what you will have to fight against. The atmosphere is gloomy and somber. At the beginning you already are tense and breaking out in a cold sweat. The sound design is incredible. The gameplay is good throughout the game, you feel distress and sometimes panic stomping on the necromorphs. The soundtrack is satisfactory. Enemy's A.I is ok. Furthermore, the story is incredible. The game rises the tension and slowly reveals a great inversion of expectation. Learning about the markers and how they affect people was one of the best things in the story. The game is linear, but well done. If a game is going to be linear, it needs to have things to see in detail. It's very enjoyable looking at every corner of Ishimura, without knowing what lurks behind the wall. Therefore, Dead Space is one of the best survival horror on the market. It is a must play game. Expand
  9. ShaunK
    Apr 18, 2010
    8
    Graphics on this game is good considering i'm able to put everything to max setting without much sacrifice with frame rate. Was concerned about this over the right shoulder view people complain about when getting this game but like all games I've adapted to it and don't mind it, if you can't adapt then don't get this game. Storyline is pretty much a classic type, Graphics on this game is good considering i'm able to put everything to max setting without much sacrifice with frame rate. Was concerned about this over the right shoulder view people complain about when getting this game but like all games I've adapted to it and don't mind it, if you can't adapt then don't get this game. Storyline is pretty much a classic type, aliens have taken over, people go insane, betrayals, hope you get the picture. people have complained about aiming issues, i was nerved about that once to until i noticed the first gun i got had three laser points attached to it. As like Doom 3 it's predictable where aliens pop out of and when after a while in the game or as Mike P said after you get to an objective expect to turn around and fight some aliens. Controls aren't terrible just takes some getting use to. Brightness for the game is awfully high for a horror game tried to dim it down but found out the very lowest is still exceptionally bright. If your iffy on getting it wait till it is twenty dollars or less to get it. Expand
  10. MarkJ.
    Oct 24, 2008
    8
    I tend to look at third-person shooter games as a sort of secondary market to the more common first person shooter genre; however Dead Space surprised me. When I was expecting a Hitman: Contracts nostalgia trip, I received a story worthy of publication - and deservedly so with its 7.4GB of size.
  11. ColbyA.
    Oct 27, 2008
    8
    An enjoyable survival-horror. The graphics are good, the gameplay is fun, and I liked the weapons (which felt original) - however, and it is inevitable, there are a lot of unoriginal ideas. SPOILERS: The Necromorphs resemble the Halo's Flood - controlled by a gigantic hivemind, reproduces from dead bodies, etc. I do like the chosen focus on dismemberment, however. Honestly, the game An enjoyable survival-horror. The graphics are good, the gameplay is fun, and I liked the weapons (which felt original) - however, and it is inevitable, there are a lot of unoriginal ideas. SPOILERS: The Necromorphs resemble the Halo's Flood - controlled by a gigantic hivemind, reproduces from dead bodies, etc. I do like the chosen focus on dismemberment, however. Honestly, the game was too easy on Medium, and some of the efforts at making the game scary fell a little short. The low sensitivity,,, wasn't really that sluggish and I quickly adjusted to it. But the storyline was interesting. I clearly see a sequel in the future, and will likely play it. I just still don't understand the ending. Expand
  12. JackB.
    Oct 29, 2008
    8
    I love it, Its a fantastic game for the PC, survuval horror at its best. Some parts get a little 'Ah i saw that coming' but otherwise it has been a great game so far. I am at mission 06 and its great fun nice and scary and the story is really fun. If you get the chance watch Dead space Downfall DVD and it gives you some backstory to the game. Overall 8/10
  13. ArshadS
    Dec 11, 2009
    7
    Scary at first since you will learn what to expect later on during the game. The game is way too short. Would be worth buying it on budget.
  14. Duckman
    Dec 18, 2008
    8
    I don't usually care about what other people say about a game, but today, I will make an exception as I have to use all my power to destroy Bryan T. and his ridiculous comments about this game. I am not criticizing him for not liking this game because everyone has different taste. But to give a completely inaccruate response about the game just made him a liar as he probably never I don't usually care about what other people say about a game, but today, I will make an exception as I have to use all my power to destroy Bryan T. and his ridiculous comments about this game. I am not criticizing him for not liking this game because everyone has different taste. But to give a completely inaccruate response about the game just made him a liar as he probably never played this game at all. Quote: "I don't know about you, but I wanna be able to aim AND side step at the same time. This same problem ruined Resident Evil 4 for me." Are you sure you were playing dead space? You CAN MOVE AND SHOOT AT THE SAME TIME LIKE SPLINTER CELL DAMN IT.. If you have problems with the reticule not moving fast enough, YOU CAN CHANGE THE MOUSE SENSITIVITY IN THE MENU OPTION YOU IDIOT. But even with that said I do agree the control is a bit sluggish and the third person camera angle is a bit wonky expecially when playing this game in a standard 4:3 monitor. I suggest playing this game with a widescreen monitor, I believe the game is designed with that in mind. Now, my opinion. The story for this game borrows heavily from many all too familiar sci-fi horror movies in the past but still manage to make it entertaining and it is decent. The graphic is superb. The environment of the ship is absolutely gorgeous to look. The monsters are so hideous to look at and the animation really made them feel relaistic and they will haunt your dreams for the next couple of weeks. It has all the ingredients for a good survival horror and Dead Space delivers all of them at a high level. Really worth checking out for anyone who like a good scare in the middle of the night. Expand
  15. DanielJ.
    Jan 21, 2009
    8
    This is a really great game! However, at first I was rather dissappointed with the noticeable amount of mouse lag and the third-person over-the-shoulder-camera-view where the main character blocked a significant portion of the view. But after switching off vsync and changing to a widescreen resolution, both of these initially quite annoying problems almost vanished and allowed me to This is a really great game! However, at first I was rather dissappointed with the noticeable amount of mouse lag and the third-person over-the-shoulder-camera-view where the main character blocked a significant portion of the view. But after switching off vsync and changing to a widescreen resolution, both of these initially quite annoying problems almost vanished and allowed me to discover what a thoroughly enjoyable and suspense-filled, atmospheric sci-fi "horror" shooter it really was. The "strategic maiming" sets it apart from many other games and is actually rather fun. It can be quite challenging at times - you need to aim both well and quick since you are often ambushed by several creatures at once. All in all highly recommended for fans of the genre! Expand
  16. Nath
    May 14, 2009
    8
    Great game, but the controls are terrible without a pad. Really wanna give it a 9, but it lacks that certain something which i cannot quite place.
  17. ElginM.
    Dec 21, 2008
    8
    Good: immersive environment, tactical combat (versus mindless blasting), diverse array of enemies Bad: you feel like an intern (Isaac, fix this...Isaac, bring that schematic to me), dreary and cramped environment the entire time, startling rather than scary.
  18. Jun 30, 2014
    9
    This is a very good action packed game and quite scary at times. Great story, scary monsters, decent weapons, etc. However the controls weren't the best (console port) and the FOV sucked. Before playing the game, be sure to hack the FOV so it's not as nauseating.
  19. Mar 26, 2015
    5
    The controls and camera views in this game are just sloppy and slow. The rooms are dark and disorienting. The mission goals are ill defined and you just slog through to new areas. "Wall thingies" light up on the walls and doors and its hard to tell what does what. You start out in the suit, so its hard to tell who you really are. Basically, you stumble around and monsters come from theThe controls and camera views in this game are just sloppy and slow. The rooms are dark and disorienting. The mission goals are ill defined and you just slog through to new areas. "Wall thingies" light up on the walls and doors and its hard to tell what does what. You start out in the suit, so its hard to tell who you really are. Basically, you stumble around and monsters come from the side, where its difficult to sway the camera around and you get attacked. If you are lucky enough to have stumbled into the right room and touch the right wall thing the game seems to advance. There is no real skill involved to play this game. Its not as good as RE4 or RE5. The graphics are impressive I guess, but the levels and controls are bad. This is not a classic at all. I'm willing to bet this series will die out eventually. Expand
  20. Jan 6, 2011
    8
    This game is and will always be for a specific niche. I own it on the xbox and the PC (friends can be generous) I definitely think the console is the way to go just due to the use of 2 sticks rather then a mouse. however I have seen so many complaints about mouse lag, if you experience mouse lag you disable vsync. the game was made for the console but its still quite playable on the PC.This game is and will always be for a specific niche. I own it on the xbox and the PC (friends can be generous) I definitely think the console is the way to go just due to the use of 2 sticks rather then a mouse. however I have seen so many complaints about mouse lag, if you experience mouse lag you disable vsync. the game was made for the console but its still quite playable on the PC. many people will find the games psychological story to be much better then the horror side of it. games today have come to be dumbed down versions in not just controls but story as well. seeing that dead space has a rich lore and history was a nice fresh experience. most of the ships and characters armor are very gothic in styling, while weapons are all improvised from a mining ship. damn good game, scary credits Expand
  21. Aug 22, 2013
    9
    Received Dead Space as part of the recent Humble Bundle sale. Sometimes in life you're hit with a good thing out of nowhere, and this is the case with Dead Space. It's a great mix between action, survival, and horror. The story is a bit cliche, but the atmosphere makes up for it, led by the visuals and sound cues. The game is very well optimized for PC, with one major flaw vsync locksReceived Dead Space as part of the recent Humble Bundle sale. Sometimes in life you're hit with a good thing out of nowhere, and this is the case with Dead Space. It's a great mix between action, survival, and horror. The story is a bit cliche, but the atmosphere makes up for it, led by the visuals and sound cues. The game is very well optimized for PC, with one major flaw vsync locks the framerate to 30 fps. There is a workaround you must force vsync externally using your driver software or D3DOverrider if you want to use it and maintain 60 FPS. The mouse controlled very well in my limited time using it, with smooth movement and good sensitivity, but I elected to use a 360 controller instead. Very impressed overall... caused me to buy Dead Space 2. Expand
  22. May 9, 2011
    8
    Dead Space is a fun horror scifi game where alien meets fear meets a bit of mass effect. While it does have some flaws there is plenty of fun to be had here. The PC port is rather bad comparatively. For all the users who have given the game a 0 or low score due to the established issues with this port (spinning camera, laggy mouse movement, Windows cursor appearing ingame) try using googleDead Space is a fun horror scifi game where alien meets fear meets a bit of mass effect. While it does have some flaws there is plenty of fun to be had here. The PC port is rather bad comparatively. For all the users who have given the game a 0 or low score due to the established issues with this port (spinning camera, laggy mouse movement, Windows cursor appearing ingame) try using google and your brain. It would make me respect you more then watching the froth come out of your mouths. I am sorry you wasted your money but here is a secret... it's not wasted if you fix what's wrong. I had every one of those issues and solved them all with about 5 minutes of online research. That being said, yes... EA loses rep for such a bad port. But with everything working well the game is scary, fun, pretty to look at with all graphics cranked up to High, ambient occlusion turned on @ 1920 x 1200 rez. My PC is no beast and it handles this game extremely well.

    I am not a huge fan of horror games but I am enjoying the atmosphere and the gameplay very much. It says a lot when I turn the lights off and play in the dark when I sit down to run thru some Dead Space. You will have fun providing you can work through the aforementioned bugs in this PC port. It may not be fun to do but it's not hard either, take the time and you will be rewarded with a better experience then the console because, despite what people say... any fps game will be served much better by using a mouse/keyboard then a controller. Even this one, which is obviously riding the line with it's 3rd person view. Overall a good solid game experience. 1 point off for the bad port.
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  23. May 12, 2012
    7
    I'd start off by saying that Dead Space is nowhere near as scary as Penumbra or Amnesia, and neither is it as good of a third-person shooter as the likes of Mass Effect 2, but it's a pretty fun game nevertheless. The game takes place in outer space, on a derelict spaceship, where savage monsters have overrun it completely. The game definitely has some unexpected moments popping up everyI'd start off by saying that Dead Space is nowhere near as scary as Penumbra or Amnesia, and neither is it as good of a third-person shooter as the likes of Mass Effect 2, but it's a pretty fun game nevertheless. The game takes place in outer space, on a derelict spaceship, where savage monsters have overrun it completely. The game definitely has some unexpected moments popping up every now and again and there is an intense atmosphere present, but I won't say that the game is over the top terrifying or anything. In fact it feels more like an action shooter than a horror game. Perhaps the thing that I liked the most about Dead Space is its very unique weapons which you use to kill the monsters with, weapons such as the Line Gun, that shoots a thin slice of energy to cut monsters' limbs off; the Ripper, that brings out a rapidly spinning saw disk to propel through anyone who comes too close; the Force Gun, that shoots a powerful close-ranged shockwave that knocks everything out of its way, and some others. The game also utilises some RPG elements, in that you get to pick up special power nodes throughout the missions and then you get to use the futuristic work bench to use these nodes to make your weapons and armor suit stronger. So I'd say these are the major strengths of the game - unique guns, some RPG elements, intense atmosphere. There is a bit of a story as well, but it sort of always stays on the background. Lastly I'll just mention that I came across two in-game bugs which forced me to have to reload from a previous save point, and that was only in a single playthrough and was sort of annoying. And another slightly annoying thing was that some of the puzzles were a bit too bland. From what I've heard, Dead Space 2 is supposed to be better, so I hope they've fixed some of this game's shortcomings. Expand
  24. Nov 15, 2013
    9
    I really enjoyed this game...has great atmosphere that really sucks you into the game matrix, some interesting variability to the enemies, you have some choices as to weapons...the coolest thing about the game is that you are an engineer and part of the storyline is repairing this huge ship which you have to navigate in order to fix. The controls are a little wonky I will admit. OtherI really enjoyed this game...has great atmosphere that really sucks you into the game matrix, some interesting variability to the enemies, you have some choices as to weapons...the coolest thing about the game is that you are an engineer and part of the storyline is repairing this huge ship which you have to navigate in order to fix. The controls are a little wonky I will admit. Other than that, fantastic game. Expand
  25. Jun 26, 2019
    10
    Still one of the best survival horror action games ever made. Only Resident Evil 4 can really beat it.
    In 2019 looses none of it's creepy and intense atmosphere. As others have said the sound design is outstanding all round but the graphics also still hold up IMO when all options are set to high. Plays well with keyboard and mouse too. An essential game for any horror fan.
  26. Jul 25, 2012
    7
    I remember once saying that Amnesia The Dark Descent is probably the scariest horror game ever made; although I do admit that I hadn't actually played any other horror game before. Unfortunately for Dead Space fans, this game hasn't changed my mind. The game takes place in space and follows yet another emotion-less mute Issac Clarke. On a positive note, the game is very well put togetherI remember once saying that Amnesia The Dark Descent is probably the scariest horror game ever made; although I do admit that I hadn't actually played any other horror game before. Unfortunately for Dead Space fans, this game hasn't changed my mind. The game takes place in space and follows yet another emotion-less mute Issac Clarke. On a positive note, the game is very well put together and I'm sure gore-hounds will probably love the frequent dismemberment and violence. The combat is quite satisfying and the upgrade system feels fluid. However, being a console port, Dead Space is not well-optimised for the mouse & keyboard, with a weirdly floaty mouse and disjointed sensitivity. The biggest problem I have with Dead Space though, besides the controls, is that it's not even that scary: gory yes, plenty of it, but only the first 10 minutes were genuinely terrifying for me. Once you get your mittens on the weapons though, the game just becomes a series of action sequences with occasional padding and tedious repetition. The game just lacks any form of subtlety; the monsters will eagerly display themselves at every opportunity, bringing an orchestral jump every time they appear. Even after a glitch making the difficulty to jump from Easy (don't judge me) to Medium, the weapons are quite overpowered and the levels start to stretch themselves. So in conclusion, Dead Space is a Survival Horror game that slipped up over the whole horror aspect, so it's essentially just a survival action game. Just to be clear though, Dead Space is not a bad game at all; it looks great, sounds great and is still quite entertaining. A popcorn game I'd say, if you're looking for proper survival horror then Google "Slender"; if that doesn't scare you, nothing will. Expand
  27. Nov 1, 2012
    8
    Im writing this review as of nov 1st 2012. From my experience, its a good game, fun, nice upgrade system. The only problem i have is that the first gun you get is pretty much the best for the rest of the game, for a fps fan this isnt cool....storys like a doom 3, characters are fine, voice overs are ok, nothing special. Its scary for the first 10 mins you play, untill you realize how easyIm writing this review as of nov 1st 2012. From my experience, its a good game, fun, nice upgrade system. The only problem i have is that the first gun you get is pretty much the best for the rest of the game, for a fps fan this isnt cool....storys like a doom 3, characters are fine, voice overs are ok, nothing special. Its scary for the first 10 mins you play, untill you realize how easy it is to kill anything that comes your way. I played in normal difficulty, and it was quite easy, plenty of ammo, you should be upgraded fully by chaper 7 which doesnt take long aslong as you only upgrade 1 gun, the first gun, which is the best but otherwise, graphics were good, gameplay good (i hear people had problems with this pc port, i didnt so no comment on that) anyways, all in all it was a fun, was a well done game, id reccomend it to anyone who likes horror fps....The fact that the first gun u get is the best ( yes i tryed them all ) kinda ruined the fps factor for me, but it was still fun. Oh and some said the hude character in the screen blocks everything, its true for the first bit, but after a few hours you dont even pay attention to it and its a fps, atleast i thought so. Expand
  28. Dec 1, 2011
    5
    Bought this on special from Steam, the graphics are really good, and the atmosphere and immersion are unreal, but unfortunately the otherwise decent gameplay is let let down by awkward controls as a result of a fairly average console port.

    My other major gripe is the game mechanic of using the same resource for upgrades as you use for health and ammo, since every time you play out an
    Bought this on special from Steam, the graphics are really good, and the atmosphere and immersion are unreal, but unfortunately the otherwise decent gameplay is let let down by awkward controls as a result of a fairly average console port.

    My other major gripe is the game mechanic of using the same resource for upgrades as you use for health and ammo, since every time you play out an engagement less than perfectly it pretty much gimps your character for the future, and with the clunky controls this happens quite a bit. Add to this the fact that the savepoints are fairly far apart and it can make for a very frustrating experience. I'm just over halfway through it and the story seems very cliché and unoriginal so far. If you've already played through any of the Doom or Half Life series (or a dozen other games for that matter) there's nothing really new or interesting that this offers story wise.

    If you see this on special for XBOX or PS3 it might be worth a look at but I wouldn't recommend it for PC.
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  29. Jan 7, 2012
    7
    At first I hated it, but then I read on some forums to disable V-sync. Wow, that made a massive difference. Goodbye mouse lag. Overall was a fun game. Was satisfied with the length of it. The story was extremely linear and predictable. I didnt find it scary either. It was mostly just the music blaring when stuffed popped out. No real terror like Silent Hill or Amnesia. I really enjoyed theAt first I hated it, but then I read on some forums to disable V-sync. Wow, that made a massive difference. Goodbye mouse lag. Overall was a fun game. Was satisfied with the length of it. The story was extremely linear and predictable. I didnt find it scary either. It was mostly just the music blaring when stuffed popped out. No real terror like Silent Hill or Amnesia. I really enjoyed the weapons. I would have liked Isaac, the main dude, to have a bit more of a character. He didnt really talk...like....ever. Overall: weak story, not scary, slightly clunky controls, awesome weapons and action, good graphics. Overall, above average, but not amazing. Oh, and would it have killed them to put in a quick turn ability! I hope Im not just a noob and never figured out how to do it. Expand
  30. Mar 4, 2014
    5
    I can understand that the purpose of the 3rd person view is to make the game scarier. But to me it's a bad design decision because it badly affects the controls / vision and spoiles my whole experience of the game. That would be my number one problem with the game. Monsters are really scary and creepy. If you like scare jumps games you might like this one.
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 28
  2. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. This is a highly recommended game for science fiction and survival horror fans, with its claustrophobic atmosphere and horrible creatures.
  2. Overall, Dead Space is an extraordinary game with tons of shock value and action to whet any fan's appetite for some time, and with a campaign that lasts a steady 10-12 hours, that’s plenty of time to get lost aboard the Ishimura.
  3. PC Zone UK
    81
    Dead Space is a potentially great game that's hamstrung by an attempt to completely ape a console controller with a mouse and keyboard. [Dec 2008, p.58]