I still remember the lead up to the release of Dead Space. The marketing team did a phenomenal job selling the sci-fi horror game and setting up player expectations for the sort of world they would be visiting it. Some of the earliest trailers were stark and terrifying. The Twinkle Twinkle Little Star trailer in particular.
We’re now about 15 years later, and the magic of Dead Space is about to be experienced by a new generation of gamers – and revisited by those of us who were there when the first one launched. Before it gets here, I’ve decided what better way to prepare for this than to dive head first into as much of the content and lore as I can, so I’ve started reading the novels.
I’ve just clocked Dead Space Martyr, which provides plenty of revelations into the past, including Altman and the start of Unitology, the religion that worships the Marker. Though it is a simple book, it does well to set up every bit of lore and canon those familiar with the games would have long wondered about. Better yet, it manages to subvert some expectations and ideas you might have had about characters’ motivations.
Other than the novels, there’s also a graphic novel or two to check out, set around the time of the games. On the topic of comics, my next port of call will be to rewatch the animated comics that were released in the lead up Dead Space’s launch. I still remember waiting to download the video from the Xbox Live Marketplace each week. Check out the supercut below.
Something about the Dead Space universe is so appealing to me. The gothic architecture of the ships, the hostile and dark appearance of the world you explore, and the twisted way the monsters take human hosts and grind them into the forms they need. It’s deliciously horrific.
Now, the question is whether or not I play through all the games again. Dead Space and Dead Space 2 were fantastic, but I never played Dead Space 3, despite it sitting on my shelf. It got a lot of negative press, but perhaps it’s not as bad as they all say? Either way, this journey into the Dead Space universe is as terrifying as it ought to be.
