Story line

Dead Space takes place in the 26th century. The USG Ishimura ("石村" literally "Stone Village") "Planet Cracker" ship, during the process of mining the planet of Aegis VII, sends out a distress signal to the Concordance Extraction Corporation (CEC); the CEC dispatches the USG Kellion to investigate. As the Kellion attempts to dock with the Ishimura, a malfunction occurs and the Kellion is badly damaged, crashing into the Ishimura's dock. The crew then begins to seek another means of transport by venturing into the Ishimura. As they explore the apparently abandoned ship, they are attacked by grotesque monsters, who kill off all but Clarke, Hammond, and Daniels. Hammond recognizes that many of the ship's systems are failing, threatening the ship due to a nearby asteroid belt, and sends Clarke around the ship to fix the core systems to keep them alive.


During these treks, Clarke discovers various text and audio logs scattered throughout the ship and pieces together the events that transpired before his arrival: the ship's captain was actually an agent of the "Church of Unitology", a large and influential religious cult. The Ishimura is assigned to retrieve his religion's most deified relic, known as "The Marker", from Aegis VII, under the guise of an illegal mining operation as the planet itself has been deemed off-limits by the Earth government. Soon after the Marker was extracted and brought to the Ishimura the civilians, first on the planet-side colony then the ship, suffered from mass hysteria brought on by violent hallucinations, before subsequently killing each other. The captain cuts off traffic and communications between the two sides and later goes insane as well, prompting Dr. Terrance Kyne, the Chief Science Officer, to relieve him of duty, only to accidentally kill him in a struggle. An alien organism then began ravaging the colony, infecting the bodies of the dead and turning them into "Necromorphs" - mindless abominations that kill to spread the infestation. It then spread to the Ishimura via a colony shuttle that crashes into the docking bay, carrying several Necromorphs on board. Though Hammond states that he is unaware of what the Marker is, Daniels confides to Clarke that she believes Hammond is lying. Clarke later encounters his girlfriend Nicole, one of the Ishimura's crew, though they are unable to meet directly.

With the critical systems repaired, the three are able to launch a beacon, attracting a nearby military ship, the USM Valor. However, the Valor, having picked up an escape pod launched earlier by Hammond containing a Necromorph, is overrun and crashes into the ship. Hammond then deduces, from the heavy military equipment he finds on board, that the Valor was actually assigned to destroy the Ishimura. The group then decides that they must find a shuttle and escape while they can. Clarke and Hammond retrieve the Valor's power core in order to repair an available shuttle, but Hammond is killed by a Necromorph Brute in the process. Dr. Kyne, one of the few survivors, later contacts Clarke and urges him to return the Marker to Aegis VII, believing that it was a means of restraining the Hive Mind that controls the Necromorphs. After assisting Clarke in loading the Marker onto the shuttle, Kyne is murdered by Daniels, who reveals her position as a government operative ordered to retrieve the Marker for her superiors. She further reveals that the Marker is a reverse-engineered copy of an artifact found on Earth, and was placed on Aegis VII by the government to monitor its effects. She then leaves on the shuttle without Clarke, but Nicole arrives and is able to help him recall it, prompting Daniels to flee via an escape pod.

Clarke takes the shuttle with the Marker back to the colony, and replaces it there. This pacifies the Hive Mind, but also disrupts the gravity tethers holding a large portion of the planet several miles off the surface, threatening to destroy the colony. As Clarke attempts to escape, Daniels appears and starts to take the Marker back to the shuttle. She shows Clarke (through a fully recovered distress transmission) that Nicole actually committed suicide by injecting herself with what appears to be a poison before they arrived on the Ishimura, and Clarke's visions of her had been the Marker's way of attempting to bring itself back to the planet. Clarke makes his way back to the shuttle where Daniels is loading the Marker. Before she can leave, the gigantic Hive Mind kills her, but Clarke is able to defeat it. Leaving the Marker behind, Clarke flies off in the shuttle before the colony is destroyed. As he sets course away from Aegis VII, Clarke removes his helmet and watches Nicole's first transmission again. Lost in thought, he is suddenly attacked by what appears to be Nicole in Necromorph form. The screen cuts to black and the game ends.

Characters



Isaac C. Clarke - The main character and silent protagonist of the game. Isaac is a ship system specialist and an engineer traveling aboard the shuttle Kellion to investigate and repair the USG Ishimura, accompanied by three security personnel and a computer specialist, Kendra Daniels. Unfortunately for them, they are thrust into the middle of the nightmare that the USG Ishimura has become. Clarke is also trying to find his girlfriend, Nicole, a medical specialist assigned to the ship, whose fate is unknown at the start of the game. Throughout the game, Isaac stumbles across a conspiracy involving the Church of Unitology and the government. It is also implied that Clarke's mother is a high ranking member of The Church Of Unitology. Isaac is the only non-speaking character in Dead Space; he only grunts and screams.


Kendra Daniels - Kendra is a technologist and part of the team sent aboard the Ishimura to repair communication systems. She helps the player through the Ishimura in many ways, giving directions and assisting through areas of the ship that would otherwise be inaccessible. She frequently expresses distrust of Hammond, but turns out to know more about the situation than anyone previously thought. Tonantzin Carmelo provides her likeness and voices Kendra.


Zach Hammond - The senior security officer on board the Kellion who travels with both Isaac and Kendra to the Ishimura. Hammond's initial desire to complete the original mission and not immediately abort puts him at odds with Kendra, who finds this suspicious. Throughout the game, he works to fulfill their original mission, but as time goes on, he becomes more disillusioned and focuses instead on getting himself and the rest of the surviving team off the ship. Peter Mensah is the voice and likeness of Hammond.


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Dr. Challus Mercer - A doctor aboard the USG Ishimura, a devout Unitologist and one of the main antagonists of Dead Space. In the wake of the calamity that has gripped the Ishimura, Mercer has become a religious fanatic, attempting to convince the crew of the Ishimura to commit mass suicide. Mercer often works to bar the progress of Isaac and even attempts to kill him outright, sending a "prototype" regenerating Necromorph nicknamed "Hunter" after Isaac several times throughout the course of the game. He may be responsible for getting rid of most the escape pods in the Ishimura in order for the crew to be killed and become Necromorphs, as he eventually allows himself to be killed by a Necromorph "Infector". To Mercer, everything that has happened is God's will; he insists repeatedly that Isaac should allow himself to die and let Mercer's "children" to take over. Navid Negahban is the voice and likeness of Mercer.


Doctor Terrence Kyne -The Chief Science Officer of the Ishimura who appears later in the game and asks for help from the surviving members of the Kellion team. He is suffering from dementia but offers to aid Isaac in stopping the nightmare that has gripped the Aegis System and the Ishimura. Kyne attempted to relieve Captain Matthius of duty during the crisis on the ship, but instead seems to have been complicit in the captain's death either in whole or in part. He regularly interacts with his dead wife, an apparition caused by the Red Marker that can't be seen by the player. He also believes the Marker was containing the Hive Mind, and that the only way to contain the Necromorphs is to put the Marker back into place on Aegis VII. He is then shot and killed near the end of the game by Kendra as she flees the Ishimura with the marker. Keith Szarabajka is both the voice and likeness of Dr. Kyne, and also provided that role in the animated movie Dead Space: Downfall.


Nicole Brennan - Isaac's girlfriend and a medical specialist assigned to the Ishimura. The game starts with a video from Nicole, asking for help after the ship's infestation, establishing one of Clarke's reasons for coming to the Ishimura. He meets and receives messages from Nicole several times as he moves through the ship and she, like Dr. Kyne, believes that the Red Marker must be returned to the surface of the planet, repeatedly asking Isaac to "make us whole again." Her voice and likeness is provided by Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress Iyari Limon. She also appears in Dead Space: Extraction.

Necromorphs
The major threats of Dead Space are a species of violent aliens known as "Necromorphs", most of which are human corpses that have been reanimated by a strange alien microbe. Several logs and other information throughout the game explain as to how it was created or originated.

Isaac battles a Necromorph.The main strategy employed by the virus is the rapid transformation of deceased humans into Necromorphs. This is usually performed by an "Infector" type that latches onto a corpse, penetrating the skull with a proboscis. Other mutations are largely variable, including short tentacles, large tumorous growths, and corroded flesh. This is the main form of Necromorphs, but many others exist, including tentacled creatures called Lurkers, which are made from the converted corpses of infants, and heavily mutated crawling variants, known as Leapers. Some of the Necromorphs are made up of multiple corpses merged together to form very large monstrosities, such as the massive, gorilla-like Brutes. In addition to the humanoid Necromorphs, known as 'Slashers', encountered in the course of the game, there also exists an extensive presence of some biological material seen clinging to the walls of the ship's interior. Furthermore, Isaac encounters several enormous Necromorphs, far too large to have been formed out of human bodies, and which vary greatly in physical composition.

The virus' DNA code was engraved on the Black Marker, an obelisk-like alien artifact discovered on Earth by Michael Altman, founder of Unitology. Experiments with the DNA code for purposes of biological warfare resulted in a polymorphic virus that responds only to necrotized tissue, transforming dead bodies into the ravenous Necromorphs. As it is put in the game, the Infectors' task is to turn corpses into Necromorphs, and the other variants' job is to create more corpses.

Types of enemys


INFECTOR:A bat-like, eyeless necromorph with a stableizer which is a massive stinger, is driven through the forehead, (or a mass of tentacles that seem to have previously been innards is slid down the victim's throat)and the victim mutates into a necromorph depending on hormonal state, age, and even body weight. They will avoid living organisms unless the feel threatened by them, mostly just infecting dead bodies.
On the spot mutations can result in an enhanced version of regular necromorphs, there bodies are more durable to perforation (For example, black slashers).


SLASHER: These are the most common form of necromorph, only because there are plenty of dead humans around to infect and to be infected. their arms have been shifted to their shoulder blades and their hands grow sharp blade like spikes from their palms; an additional set of arms grow out of their abdomen. They can run at high speeds and will try to get new hosts for the alien scourge known as the INFECTOR. Their look may differ depending on their gender, class of officer and the length of time they have been mutated (some wear trousers, have breasts, have darker skin and scream in a different pitch of voice).
Female slashers are not as aggressive as males but they are able to spit acidic projectiles. Black slashers (their enhanced variant) are much more resilient, can't spit acid like the female variant but strike harder and move faster.


LURKER: These necromorphs are dead babies and still retain their infant bodies. They have 3 large tentacles that emerge from beneath their back plates. These can be used to grapple on (and possibly decapitate Issac if his health is critically low) or they can use the barbs on the end of them as a ranged weapon. They crawl on all fours and use suction cups to crawl on walls and ceilings both in normal and zero-G environments, meaning that they may attack from any direction. It has an enhanced variant. Killing them requires dismembering their tentacles, advanced ones require all tentacles.


PREGNANT: These are female and male necromorphs, since these critters are big in size their speed is hindered but they are still quite fast and use blades ( much like the slashers) to strike at Isaac. Their stomach is their deadliest weapon. When shot in the stomach to a certain degree, they release a swarm of tiny necromorphs(made out of dead skin cells.). These will latch on to Isaac and slow him down while his health rapidly decreases. Isaac will have to come to a complete stop to shake them off. (Later on, Lurkers and living body limbs called COMPONENTS will come out instead of a swarm.) If Pregnants are killed without releasing their spawn, their contents die as well.


TWITCHER: Military personnel who had the unfortunate luck to be turned into a necromorph have the joy of being a Twitcher. They have a body that is very hard to take down because of their twitches and are thus harder to dismember. The one thing that sets these apart from normal slashers are their stasis modules, which fused with their flesh during mutation and instead of slowing them down accelerated them to almost unbelievable speeds. Their movements are often blurry and can cross a large room in seconds. Once they have spotted Isaac they instantly spring into eliminate mode. Don't let them corner you!


LEAPER: A necromorph which has mutated its lower half. Its legs are fused into a single, muscular tail which, as its name suggests, allows it to make leaps across great distances. It can also crawl on walls and ceilings. It is not as resilient as other necromorphs and instead prefers to ambush its prey. It is particularly dangerous in zero-g due to its crawling abilities as it may attack from any direction, and in a vacuum there is no sound which makes it harder to detect. It has an enhanced variant.


BRUTE: A truly monstrous creature, the Brute is formed from multiple bodies fused together. It has heavy layers of flesh that serve as armor on its massive arms and head which it uses to protect itself and to ram opponents. It will stop at nothing to kill its prey and will rip and tear without a second thought. Fortunately it is rare and it lacks armor on its legs so attacking its back and legs gives the best chance of victory. And if you have precise aim there is weak point in their shoulders. Shoot these points and you can take it down much easier than a head-on attack. The enhanced variant is seen in the Dead Space: Downfall deleted scene "Graverobber."

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WHEEZER: This species stays anchored to one spot in a crouched position. Its purpose is to transform the breathable air aboard the Ishimura, exhaling a deadly noxious substitute using a large, mutated lungs on its back. Isaac must kill all of these in the Hydrophonics sector to before the life-support systems can go back on-line.


DIVIDER: The divider is a tall-bodied necromorph. When killed it will fall to the ground and seperate into 5 parts: the 2 arms, a head, and 2 legs. The body parts will grow tentacles and crawl after you. The head has a special grapple attack, attempting to decapitate you and then take over your body. This enemy type can be heard coming before its appearance, due to the eerie groans it emits.

COMPONENTS-Mutated limbs and heads parts from a divider.

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SWARMER: These are somehow formed inside of the pregnant necromorphs. They are small and if you do not kill the pregnant necromorph the right way at least 10 of these will burst out of it. They are basically nothing but boneless bits of flesh with teeth. If they get close enough to you they will leap on to you and start to chew on you. Bad news all around.


EXPLODER: These necromorphs have their legs fused into one spindly limb. Their dominant arm is mutated into a huge sack of chemicals, which explode if struck hard enough. If the sack is dismembered it can still attack Isaac but it is very weak. Its head is split in two to create a mouth and can bite Isaac in half. Yes, in half! Before it can do so use your kinesis to grab its exploding sack and launch it right back at him.


HUNTER: Created by Dr. Challus Mercer on the USG Ishimura, the Hunter is a unique necromorph. Towering over Issaoc, if its limbs are lost or it takes damage it can regrow its limbs and head as well. It can only be incapacitated with severe burning or by freezing it. If caught by this creature it will immediately stab you and slice off your limbs one by one with it's massive bladed arms. He'll stare into your eyes as he does it, watching you slowly lifting your hand for mercy. the Hunter or regenerator can only be killed through the accessibility of the environment. such as freezing it, or burning.


GUARDIAN: Guardians are human torsos that have been glued to doorposts and reanimated. Their intestines have been mutated into tentacles; the tentacles of Mature Guardians are a guaranteed decapitation one-hit kill. They can also eject pods from their stomachs and these pods can launch quills from thier single, Lurker-like tentacles. Beware, once you sever the pod tentacle the pod explodes in a final attempt to damage you.

Vulnerabilities Necromorphs have very little weaknesses, they can easily withstand a barrage of bullets and Necropmorphs can only be killed by dismembering their limbs until they are completely dead. Although some Necromorphs require more than dismembering. They also have an origin connected to an ancient obelisk called the Marker, which was built by an unknown race to keep the Necromorphs dormant, until a group of human religious fanatics removed the Marker when they found it inside the planet after cracking it and reawakened the Necromorphs.