The Dead Space franchise is not only a staple of the survival horror genre, but it is also has a story that spans books, comics, and even films in addition to the games. With such a broad and in-depth narrative, it is easy for even the most ardent fans of the series to miss out on some details. Even before the first Dead Space game was launched, a limited run of comics was published to establish events leading up to the start of the first game, and then the story was expanded further with an animated film that was released in the same month as Dead Space in 2008.
With two more games, spin-offs, and books releasing in the following years, fans had plenty of material to devour if they wanted to learn more about the world of Dead Space and its accompanying lore. Not only did the game successfully revitalize the horror genre and bring something new to the table with its sci-fi setting, but it also provided one of the most well-crafted and innovative universes that gamers had seen in a while. With such a complex and thought-out world, it's obvious that even keen-eyed players would miss a detail or two.
How Dead Space Acknowledges Other Franchises
Interesting pieces of trivia, like that the protagonist of the series Isaac Clarke was named after two prolific sci-fi writers, provide fun nods and tributes that players can pick up on. These help to expand the world of the games and create connections to the player's own, but they also serve as intriguing signposts to gamers who want to look beyond the surface. There are plenty of these nods and winks to other franchises as well within the games, including tributes to famous sci-fi and horror films.
Players who have experienced Alien: Isolation or have watched any of the films in the Alien franchise may notice some similarities between them and Dead Space. Firstly, the terrifying creatures in both Alien and Dead Space use the air vents of ships and stations to travel around, making players feel incredibly exposed and tense as enemies could appear at any moment. Secondly, the ending of the animated film Dead Space: Downfall has echoes of the first Alien film, as one of the last survivors, Alissa Vincent, ends the film with a video message similar to Ripley's final log entry as both characters 'sign off' after surviving the horrific events. Both characters also open the airlocks as a way of dealing with the persistent alien enemies, although Ripley's attempt is more successful than Vincent's.
Enemy types are also influenced by famous films, as seen with the stalker variant of Necromorphs in Dead Space 2. These enemies attack by flanking and utilize group tactics, much like the infamous velociraptors from the beloved 90s film Jurassic Park. The developers even referred to them as the "Velociraptors of Dead Space," and players can earn the achievement/trophy Clever Girls from surviving an encounter with them as a direct homage to the famous film line. Those that have watched the 1997 film Event Horizon will also notice some familiar elements. Event Horizon is a science fiction horror film that follows a crew of astronauts as they investigate a mysterious ship stuck in a decaying orbit around Neptune. Once onboard, the crew quickly realizes something terrible has occurred as they discover evidence of a massacre and they start to experience hallucinations.
Why Dead Space's Details Are Not To Be Discounted
Alongside the more macabre and fatalistic writing that players can glimpse on walls and other surfaces, the Dead Space games feature strange alien languages that can be seen scrawled across walls, papers, and other objects. Gamers would be forgiven for thinking this is merely set dressing, or an element to help increase their unease and the games' air of mystery. But these unusual languages, with a little work, can actually be translated, and are in fact Unitologist symbols that reveal more about the sinister and ubiquitous religious faction.
There is a key theme of death, unity, and sacrifice that runs throughout the Unitology graffiti, providing more insight into the religion's beliefs. Phrases like "Unity is forever," "Death is only the beginning," and "Keep us whole" show up again and again, adding to the games' unsettling atmosphere as players learn more about the cult-like mindset of Unitology. This isn't the only incident that pushes players to look beyond the surface when it comes to storytelling within the Dead Space games. The developers actually hid the ending of the first game in the beginning letter of each chapter title, which spells out N.I.C.O.L.E. I.S. D.E.A.D. This reveals that the player's encounters with Nicole were merely hallucinations before Isaac learns of her suicide from Kendra Daniels – a cheeky Easter Egg for players willing to look for it.
The Dead Space remake releases in late 2022 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.