Survival horror used to be all about running for your life, but over the years, developers have upped our arsenal, giving us ample rounds to mow down all of those hungry hell hounds. In Dead Space, however, you’re given alternate tools to take down the creatures you encounter, because you’re usually left with precious little ammunition for your weapons. Throughout the game, you come across automated shops that sell a variety of equipment (your standard health packs, ammo, and firearms), but it all comes at a fairly steep price. You never really feel overly powerful, which adds to that creeping feeling of unease.

The creatures in Dead Space are extremely tough to bring down, making your skill level with the various weapons very important. Whereas most games prompt players to go for the head (the standard one shot-one kill approach), the nasty Necromorphs of here are best dispatched by dismembering them; gut and head shots only seem to tick these aliens off. With arms and legs flying, this game is not for the squeamish, with the resulting explosions of viscera visually referencing the ghastly transformations seen in John Carpenter’s The Thing.

There is also a minor RPG element included. You can upgrade your weapons and RIG suit to increase their capabilities. These augmentations are made by affixing power nodes to the equipment at “forges” found in each area. These nodes can be used to increase ammo capacity and damage totals, as well as more defensive concerns such as hit points and air supply.

At its core, Dead Space aims to take you on a roller-coaster ride and, like the best amusements, it wants to scare the hell out of you while leaving you grinning in the end. Is Dead Space worth exploring or is it full of dead air?