The magic of a good title can’t be ignored. Too many great action, horror, and science-fiction movies pick generic words or phrases and wind up at the bottom of a bargain bin.Dead Spaceis originally a medical term. It refers to the small percentage of air that enters the lungs without reaching the bloodstream. In 1991, producer Mike Elliot slapped it on the low-budget remake of a no-budget classic, and Visceral Games picked it up 17 years later.
TheDead Spacefranchise is something of a permanent hot topic in gaming spaces. Its first two classic titles were perfect arguments against the industry’s turn toward exclusively producing always-online multiplayer shooters. The same corporate myopia ruined its third entry.Years later, a remakewould reintroduce its glory to a new audience. They remain a story about the games industry failing to learn lessons or show restraint and an example of what good can come of the medium.
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Dead Spaceis a loose remake of the Roger Corman-produced classicForbidden World, shot in three weeks with aneven smaller budget thanthe original.Forbidden Worlditself was one of severalAlienknock-offs produced by Corman, featuring special effects recycled from one of his earlier works. This cannibalistic chain of ownership continues asDead Spacealso reuses shots from the same old Corman film. Bizarrely,Dead Space’s working title wasBiohazard. That would’ve been a less original choice, notably becauseBiohazardis the originalJapanese title ofResident Evil. Producer Mike Elliot would’ve picked the title of a beloved horror game either way. It makes one wonder what other titles he might have tried. Did he considerThe Evil Within?Bloodborne? Did it ever cross his mind to call the filmPrey?
Title and bizarre pedigree aside,Dead Spacefollows Commander Steve Krieger and his robot sidekick Tinpan as they respond to a distress signal on the planet Phablos. Scientists have unintentionally created a deadly virus in a research facility on Phablos. Victims transform into terrible monsters who go on to attack whoever happens to be nearby. Fans and critics celebrated the film’s monster design. The special effects team set out to create something different from other movie monsters, as opposed tothe endless Xenomorph knock-offs. The horrific monster resists Krieger and Tinpan’s weapons. The scientists devise a solution, but it may be more dangerous than the problem. It’s a schlocky action/horror film with a strange sense of humor and plenty of pointless sex and violence. Of all the fascinating details inDead Space, fans are typically most interested to learn that it contains Bryan Cranston’s fourth-ever live-action film role.
No,Dead Spaceis not based on the 1991 film that shares its name. The two works have some similarities, but their comparable elements are incidental.Dead Spacefollows anarmed space traveler as he’s summoned to a facility overrun with monsters. The antagonists are human corpses twisted and broken into horrific new forms by a viral infection. They both use a ton of gratuitous gore as their central design aesthetic. The monsters can only be killed through non-traditional means. The heroes are way over their heads. There are several decent points of comparison. The 1991 film plied its audience with sex scenes to go along with its gore. The game featured a deeper story, fleshing out its details over its much longer runtime. Looking at both works, it’s easy to explain their similarities.
Dead Spaceisn’t based onDead Space. Both works are borrowing from the same handfulof beloved sci-fi horrorfilms. The 1991 film is indisputably a rip-off of Ridley Scott’sAlien. Corman produced at least oneAlienknock-off per year throughout the late ’80s and early ’90s. The game borrows heavily from the atmosphere and iconic presentation ofAlien. Both works also enjoy a healthy helping ofJohn Carpenter’sThe Thing. These sources of inspiration ensured that bothDead Spaces had a lot in common. The game enjoyed 17 years of advancement in sci-fi horror cinema, taking notes fromEvent HorizonandSunshine. They’re similar because they’re riffs on similar material.
Dead Spaceisn’t a very good film. It’s got a good monster and a few strong scenes, but the plot is utterly perfunctory, and none of the characters matter. It’s an excellent game. It’s one of the defining momentsin modern horror gaming. Fans ofDead Spacemight like the 1991 film, but they should set their standards of quality much lower than they might be used to. The era of Roger Corman’s never-ending cavalcade of low-cost garbage is long over, but there’s a lot of fun to be had in those schlocky old messes.Dead Spacemight only be notable because it happened to pick the same title as a team of game designers, but going back to watch it suggests even that spotlight was a bit generous.
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