Why do you find Dead Space scary?

[Verkula]

This is an easy thread to get lots of comments for, since everyone wants to jump in how a horror game "DIDNT SCARED ME, HAHAHA!"

Different people find different things scary. A mutated dead body with claws screaming might not be scary for you, but it might be scary for someone else, I know I would shit my pants in real life thats for sure, even if I have every weapon I need to take it down, its still a fucking dead guy screaming at me on a fucking spaceship where im usually alone to take care of something. So I guess the atmosphere does it.

In the end, for me, Dead Space was on the same level as Silent Hill 2, Fatal Frame 1, and Amnesia, all for different reasons.

By the way I only remember one real jumpscare, in the ending.

 

[the doom cannon]

it's the jump out at you kind of scary, the actual thing isnt really all that scary. amnesia is more real scary to me than dead space, but i still jump out of my chair when i play dead space

 

[Darquenaut]

Although I'm probably the minority here, I love the Dead Space series. I played alll three console games (DS:1, DS:E, DS:2) on the hardest settings, I've watched the movies (both... not that great), read the novels (actually pretty decent), read the comics, etc.

And yet... I don't find the games "scary," or at least not the same way people find Silent Hill or the older Resident Evil games scary (for the record, I don't find either of those all that "scary," but that's another yarn altogether). The reason I play the games is because of the sense of immersion and outright dread the games cast. This was one of the first games that I can recall that you had to manage your inventory in real-time- there was no "pause the game and take a breather" in it. There wasn't any "get to the safe room" to be found.

Further, more often than not (unless you just played it on Easy) you would find yourself outnumbered and woefully underequipped to handle the situation. For some, when they found themselves staring down an Advanced Brute with only half a stasis and four shots left on their plasma cutter, I suppose they could turn off the game and write it off. I'm the type of stubborn fool that would take on that challenge and find myself deeper in Necromorph hell and only have a little bit of time to prepare for the next bunch coming along down the corridor.

And of course there is the sound. I play all the time with headphones on and really, with a game like Dead Space, that is the only way I could play it. If this series is remembered for anything, it would have to be for the sound design. They know exactly how to play with your mind and keep you from being too comfortable.

But I digress. Do I find the games "scary?" No. Do I find them to be some of the most tense and atmospheric games I have ever played? Yes.

 

[sethisjimmy]

Dead Space does a lot of things right. It's not the scariest horror game out there, but it's certainly scarier than its cousin Resident Evil 4.

The main thing is that the atmosphere is amazing. Very, VERY nice science fiction vibe, the ship feels fully realized, moreso than just levels designed by someone, it feels like it was once an operational ship, with a medical bay, hydroponics, a tram system, etc. You really get the sense that you are miles and miles away from anyone else, out in deep space. The lighting is pure creepy bliss, and the sound design is absolutely some of the best in gaming. Not to mention the unique OST filled with creepy strings and blaring horns. The whole game was quite obviously heavily influenced by Event Horizon and other movies like Alien, but it doesn't feel like a ripoff, it feels like a tribute that was perfectly executed.

So that's the main deal, but it also has several other things going for it. For one, I really like how Dead Space does not underestimate the creepy power of loud ambient noise. Just as silence is unsettling, the loud blaring of machinery is often used here to drown out all other noises, so the player can't hear anything creeping up on him. I like that.

And while it definitely had its share of jump scares, people often forget that it could be subtle at times too. Like the time you come across a solitary survivor banging his head against the wall until his slumps over dead. Or moments where you simply see shadows, or hear noises that never amount to anything. And I always remember how when you finally return to the medical bay, all the body-bags that were previously lying around are gone. Which reminds me, Dead Space is one of those games that does backtracking well. Going back to the medical bay felt like playing through an entirely new area.

There's also the hunter, the enemy that is literally unkillable, and you are forced to run from it several times until you get locked in a room with it and several other necromorphs and have to survive until you can get the door unlocked.

It's not perfect though. It does have a lot of jump scares, and after the first time a necromorph pretends to be dead only to jump up at you, it gets extremely old and you see it a mile away. Also the turret sections where you have to shoot meteoroids and later monsters. Those were pretty goddamn terrible and out of place.
Another criticism I have is that there's little to no build up. Five minutes into the game you have a gun and are blasting away at monsters left right and center. C'mon guys, give me some credit, I won't get bored if you just spend a little time atmosphere building.

While Dead Space 2 was definitely a little more action-y, I was surprised to find that the large majority of the game is still spend slowly making your way down dark empty corridors alone. The main problem I had with DS2 was the monster gauntlets. It becomes increasingly evident as you progress that the developer's idea of introducing new gameplay means "spawn 6 more monsters than last time" until you are spending hours just mowing down packs of enemies at a time.

Dead Space 3 looks to be going the way of Resident Evil 6 unfortunately. Monsters that use guns, big action set-pieces and the hilarious bare-faced lie that is "better with Kinect".

 

[HellbirdIV]

I have to ask: Do video games ever really scare you?

No, don't mention Amnesia. Don't go talking about Silent Hill, or Slender, or Condemned. That's anxious anticipation - the "fear" of knowing something's out to get you, somewhere, and you don't know when.

... Sort of like when you're walking around in Doom 3 or Dead Space, waiting for the next time some horrible screaming abomination bursts out of the airducts and tries to drink all of your blood.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that "jump scares" are just as "genuinely" scary as any other video game scares, in that you're not really scared. You're startled. Excited! Maybe a little anxious. It's like riding a roller coaster (assuming, of course, you're not legit terrified of roller coasters like I used to be, courtesy of a fear of heights) - It's the illusion of fear with the security of knowing subconsciously that it's really going to be fine.

Now maybe that's just me - I'm far from a horror enthusiast.

To me, Dead Space is just as good when it's creepy as fuck waiting for the next thing to go wrong, as it is when something does go wrong and I enter "OH GOD A HORRIBLE SCREAMING FLESHBEAST MADE OF MURDER AND HATE AND IT WANTS MY BLOOD! KILL IT! KILL IT WITH FIRE!"-mode.

I just don't see why the transition between the two - the "jump scare" - is somehow reason enough to claim it is "less scary" than games that have the monsters shuffle around in the dark somewhere.

 

[NightmareExpress]

I don't find them scary, but I will admit that the first game does have some nice atmosphere here and there.
Second one also has it, but somewhat less.

Dead Space kind of violates two points in my horror game philosophy.
There exists moments where you are being swamped with enemies (true horror makes the presence of just one enough).
Predictable jump scares were littered everywhere to the point of me never being surprised.

Though with all that said, the hardcore mode is well done.
Ammo is no longer given like candy, it's less effective and each different conflict really is a battle for survival.

 

[Radoh]

Because in Dead Space 3 there's a co-op partner to Isaac Clarke.
We have a guy that is to rely on the expertise of a man dubbed clinically insane.
His life is in the hands of a madman, and you could be that man.

Jokes aside it isn't as much scary as startling. Mutilated bodies that reflect car crash victims, overly gruesome death scenes and Cedrics (DeliciousCinnamon references) don't make for scary as just an oppressive atmosphere.

 

[Gitty101]

There were times during the first Dead Space I was unnerved, but never properly scared. I would attribute this to the effective use of the feeling of isolation and the use of lighting and sound. In some segments where ammunition was scarce and enemies were plentiful a great deal of tension was created as your survival was very clearly in jeopardy.

Dead Space 2 on the other hand was too over the top to be even unnerving and played much more like an action game. I enjoyed it immensely, but I couldn't accurately label it as a successful 'horror' title.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

I played through the game straight-faced, except the moments when I was enjoying the scenery and futuristic feel to it. I thought it wasn't that threatening like Call of Cthulhu.

 

[aXFireXHeartXa]

I only found it scary at first, when I didn't know exactly what I was doing, and if a necromorph was going to jump out of the walls or the ceiling at any given moment. About half way through everything sort of became repetitive and it only startled me.

I don't think "scary" is the word to describe Dead Space. More like "creepy".

And yeah, Isaac talking in the second one sort of sucked. I like him silent.

 

[Vladimir Eremeyev]

Dead Space isn't scary.
It makes you startle, but even bird which bumps into your window can startle you and that isn't scary.
Cheap jumpscares also doesn't count.

As for DS3...
HORROR CANNOT BE "COOPERATIVE".
That is all.

 

[Alandoril]

Now, you say it's not scary but...imagine yourself actually being in that situation. You'd be terrified beyond belief.

That's why the Dead Space games are scary for me.

 

[Sordin]

I don't. Never found it scary, maybe a bit tense and it occasionally startles but I never found it scary at all.

 

[Daveman]

The constant creaking and whispering in the background ratchets up the tension nicely. The limited view and irritating controls just make it worse. Then when you go into space and you're suddenly robbed of one of your chief senses and given a timer all the while your breathing getting more and more strained.

I'll be honest, like most things it's only scary if you let it be. I played in a totally dark room on my own late at night after about 4 cups of coffee so my heart was absolutely pounding but obviously if you play it with all the lights on with a sandwich and a bottle of mountain dew you're not going to get the same effect.

 

[Venom 3135]

- Snip -

Amnesia scared me briefly in the first half of the game, but towards the second half of the game, it really stopped scaring me. I was so disappointed with Amnesia, everyone said how scary it was, I was expecting it to be the scariest game I'd played, but nope. Just more jump scares.

 

[aguspal]

Ok, so I personally have never found "Dead Space" or "Dead Space 2" even the slightest bit scary. But of course, I've seen a lot of people saying they think it's scary on the internet. The only thing I find even remotely creepy about the game is the fact that the only sound you ever hear from Isaac is screaming (In the first game). I think Isaac's voice in the second game ruined that, but I won't go into that now.

Basically, all I'm asking is, if you find "Dead Space" scary, why is that? I'm curious.

I dont.

Anything thats suppused to be scary is either indifferent or hilarious, depending on a lot of factors, such as my mood, the game´s own mood, and all of that crap.


Dead Space was more on the hilarious side with its deaths, with the exception of a couple of ones that were hilarious and a also creppy.

 

[Darzok]

Dead space is the most unscary game since hello kitty online.

 

[Ashadowpie]

i actually cant play the game because its too scary. ghosts, im not afraid of cuz i think i saw one as a child, thus i know they exist. monsters on the other hand, well they derive from the twisted imagination with no rules and holy shit is that scary most of the time. I've watched people play and i've watch videos on youtube ect and to me its scary cuz the damn terrifying looking fucked up monsters are out to slaughter you. also, the death by the end boss, Issac's screaming when he gets his leg broken....i was actually scarred by that. god do i hate the feeling numb and staring blankly at whatever disturbed you. while you're brain is racking itself asking 'wtf did i just see!!??'

yah....and oh god Dead Space 2, the freakin eye thing....man there should be a law against games that force you to pit a needle in you're eye! * shudders horribly * i cant even WATCH a video of it! but then again ^_^" i have a phobia of needles and anything going wrong with eyes so....yah...not a game for moi.

 

[MortisLegio]

Is it scary? I will have to go with kind of scary. At points, there is a good jump scare that was led into well or that moment in 2 where you go back to the Ishimura, but for the most part it's not subtle enough. I remember one part where a bunch of the exploding necromorphs charged me and found it to be a boring shooter segment. I think if the game had less weapons (like the plasma cutter, flame thrower, pulse rifle, and maybe another "tool" like weapon) and more sections where you are alone (no enemies or com chatter) the series could have been a really scary game. EA and Volition chose to go more action game with a really good setting.

 

[Mr.Squishy]

Dead space 1 had at least some atmosphere and pacing.
The sequel didn't even have a fraction of that.
So I guess I don't find them straight-up scary.