Dead Space ending [SPOILERS]

[bryan]

I enjoyed the whole game, and the ending was really well done... except the bit where zombie Nicole pops up. I thought that's a bit cheap - and it's not like Isaac is gonna be taken down by it anyway. He just killed the towering hundreds of feet tall Hive Mind after all. Just a bit of a bit cheap shock. But that aside, kudos to EA for giving it a proper ending instead of leavings thing hanging for a sequel.

[J'onn J'onnz]

I don't think that it's was her, still might've been under the influence of the artifact, I mean she had been dead for a while yet she was still recognizable as a necro-morph even though others are transformed quickly into the various forms you saw. When you put the artifact back it looked like it killed all of the current necro-morphs (or at least the ones on the planets surface, which is where the ship was. . Also, she was on baord the ship the whole time and didn't attack the doctor or that chick that betrayed you? Of course it could've been her and ignored all this for dramatic effect.

[bryan]

Yeah I had pretty much the same thoughts as you. Not only that it's not like there was any place to hide in that cockpit, so I figure it was a figment made by the Marker.

[jpublic]

I don't think Nicole ever was a necromorph. I think she was a hallucination caused by the Marker. That last bit was just Isaac going nutsy.

[Deadend]

Damn, the ending is really creepy when you think about it. That the marker was manmade and it was sort of controlling Issac.. to replace it and seal itself away?

Creepy mindfuck device.

I also think that if that was a real Necromorph at the end, Issac is dead, he has no helmet for protection and he put his gun down. Most of the game I survived because I could shoot shit, but the few times I died it was because a foe got in close and got me fully by surprise.

[bryan]

Yeah but it didn't show any claws or anything, pretty human, just those creepy eyes. Just needs to push her away and grab his gun. Heck he could probably pummel her to death with the Level 5 suit since it's so armored.

[H.Bogard]

Its most likely that he died by having no protection on his head nor any weapons equipped.

I hope the sequel is actually a prequel that follows the story of the Unitology religion martyr guy... that would be the most interesting premise for them to explore story-wise.

[bryan]

He had no protection, but

1. She could have just been a figment. (Which I think is quite likely seeing as she looked so human still in compared with all the other Necromorphs.)
2. No visible lethal appendage.
3. Isaac, throughout the same, has shown to be able to grapple with necromorphs and fend them off. Maybe he won't have any luck with NecroNichole cause the E prompt didn't show up? Heh.


Which Matyr guy, Mercer? That'd be boring. Zealots are always uninteresting.

[H.Bogard]

He had no protection, but

1. She could have just been a figment. (Which I think is quite likely seeing as she looked so human still in compared with all the other Necromorphs.)
2. No visible lethal appendage.
3. Isaac, throughout the same, has shown to be able to grapple with necromorphs and fend them off. Maybe he won't have any luck with NecroNichole cause the E prompt didn't show up? Heh.


Which Matyr guy, Mercer? That'd be boring. Zealots are always uninteresting.

He wasn't a zealot. The people who believed him turned the idea into a religion.

[bryan]

Oh you mean Altman. I thought you meant that lunatic on board the ship with you.

[H.Bogard]

Oh you mean Altman. I thought you meant that lunatic on board the ship with you.

Yeah, I'm not too good at remembering names. It'd be a great scenario if you think about it... we all know he gets killed at the end.

[bryan]

It could be a good adventure game, but I don't see how it'd fit into the game style as Dead Space. Very X-Files, conspiracy stuff.

[Spigot]

I figured that while it was a proper ending (finally) it left things open as the shuttle could be going along with NecroIsaac and NecroNicole inside having NecroBabies.

Once it reaches known space, it would make the Ishimura look like Club Med...

That's assuming that was a Necro. I actually kind of thought it was Kendra. After she gets womped by the Hive Mind, you don't really see her body. She would have had time to get infected and crawl into the shuttle though she likely wouldn't have sat still for as long as she did before jumping at Isaac.

I never thought of it being a hallucination but that would probably be the most satisfying interpretation for me.

Whatever way you look at the ending, I enjoyed the game from start to finish, which isn't always the case. Has anyone looked at the backstory logs yet? I'll probably take a look at them tonight.

[Zrikz]

I just finished my first play through and it was great stuff.. I thought the ending was also kinda meh, but I enjoyed it and kinda jumped =/

Beginning my 2nd play through already so I can check out different guns / get the military armor.

[NoName]

I agree with Zrikz, the ending was sort of meh. It's not like you couldn't tell Nicole wasn't misleading Issac from the very beginning, I didn't want to do what she told me.

[Spigot]

I agree with Zrikz, the ending was sort of meh. It's not like you couldn't tell Nicole wasn't misleading Issac from the very beginning, I didn't want to do what she told me.I think that it was very clear that there was something going on with Nicole. I was actually rather surprised near the end when you were in the same room as her, as I figured she was either a figment of Isaac's imagination or something far more sinister.

I'm still not 100% sure what she was. Was she just a hallucination or some kind of simulacrum created by the Marker or what? There was that one section where you have to guard her while she fiddles with switches about midway through the game. That couldn't have been a hallucination.

[Zrikz]

There was that one section where you have to guard her while she fiddles with switches about midway through the game. That couldn't have been a hallucination.

Did you ever actually let the monsters touch her? Cause I sure didn't.. I was too scared to find out what would happen, maybe nothing?

[NoName]

I don't think she was a hallucination, I think she was a dead body being controlled by the hive mind. While most dead people turn into the strange creatures we killed throughout the game, there was nothing that said that was the only option.

I think the girl lunging at you at the very very end was probably the real Nicole, just deteriorating now the hive mind was gone.

[pheriannath]

Kendra got womped to pieces, baby.

[Spigot]

Kendra got womped to pieces, baby.I thought she was still somewhat non-pulped.

And I did let Nicole get munched by the monsters. I had to redo that section when she died... If I remember correctly...

[jpublic]

I don't think she was a hallucination, I think she was a dead body being controlled by the hive mind. While most dead people turn into the strange creatures we killed throughout the game, there was nothing that said that was the only option.

I think the girl lunging at you at the very very end was probably the real Nicole, just deteriorating now the hive mind was gone.

I believe you're incorrect, sir. This is the way I see it:

There were two non-human forces playing here:
1) The Hive Mind, which was behind all the necromorphs and wanted to infect humanity;
2) The Marker, which was trying to contain the Hive Mind.

Nicole was a manifestation of the latter. She was the Marker's attempt, much like it attempted with several others as you discovered, to convince people to take the bedamned thing back to where it was so it could contain the forces behind the necromorphs.

The problem is, I suspect that all the stress of his experience, and the fact that he had an external force playing games with his mind, caused Isaac to be a little unstable. Thus, the end scene was him hallucinating the attack - perhaps even a bad dream (after all, he never slept).

[pheriannath]

I thought she was still somewhat non-pulped.

And I did let Nicole get munched by the monsters. I had to redo that section when she died... If I remember correctly...

Kendra's heartbeat monitor went flatline, and you see her lose several limbs after said whomping.

[bryan]

Yeah whenever someone dies for real you hear them flatline. Hammond, Kyne, and Kendra.

Which reminds me, the Level 5 suit must have some crazy armor. Could take one of those massive tentacles on.

[Spigot]

Kendra's heartbeat monitor went flatline, and you see her lose several limbs after said whomping.Oh, I'm not saying she's alive. I just thought she was in enough of one piece to have possibly been infected by the Necromorphs and then crawled onto the shuttle.

But I guess I was wrong :)

And Bryan, you're right. I was shocked to see how much damage my level 5 Scorpion suit could take while fighting the Hive Mind. I wish it had been that sturdy against the other Necromorphs...

[Dukefrukem]

Has anyone seen the Dead Space: Downfall anime?

[Spigot]

Has anyone seen the Dead Space: Downfall anime?Not yet. I didn't really care for the still images on the back of the box... the style of the characters just looks like cheap animation.

That said, I'll definately rent it and see how it is.

[bryan]

I read a review of it and it was pretty damning, so I haven't bothered.

BTW what did people think of the weapons? The cutter pretty much did everything for me, and I used the force gun to blast off the Twitchers and anything else that got too close. I didn't bother with the other guns as I didn't want to carry more than two types of ammo.

[Zrikz]

I'm on my 2nd play through and checking out the flamethrower right now. Its okay so far.

[Dukefrukem]

Ugg the flamethrower sucks

[Spigot]

I read a review of it and it was pretty damning, so I haven't bothered.

BTW what did people think of the weapons? The cutter pretty much did everything for me, and I used the force gun to blast off the Twitchers and anything else that got too close. I didn't bother with the other guns as I didn't want to carry more than two types of ammo.I love the Cutter but I started to haul out the Line Gun a little more near the end. That and the knock-down gun (whatever it's called) were very helpful during some of the swarms near the end of the game.

[bryan]

Knock down gun is the Force Gun. I'll have to try the other guns when I replay it, which will have to wait till I get from Singapore.

[Spigot]

The contact beam was pretty useless, what I tried of it. The ripper wasn't bad either but I have the feeling that I'd need to completely max it out to really have fun with it.

[Ten19]

Just finished it, and I was really impressed with Chapters 1-10, but the last two seemed kind of weak... also the last boss was a bit too easy. I had more trouble with the one in the zero-G food storage area. For weapons I spent most of my upgrades on the Ripper, Plasma Cutter, and Force Gun and found the Contact Beam and Flamethrower to be less effective.

Not sure if I'll play through it again, maybe just to look at the backlogs.

[Dukefrukem]

Just finished it, and I was really impressed with Chapters 1-10, but the last two seemed kind of weak... also the last boss was a bit too easy. I had more trouble with the one in the zero-G food storage area. For weapons I spent most of my upgrades on the Ripper, Plasma Cutter, and Force Gun and found the Contact Beam and Flamethrower to be less effective.

Not sure if I'll play through it again, maybe just to look at the backlogs.

Play the ending boss in hard or impossible when he picks you upside down. I bet you'll think different. Its a great boss though. I also loved the Leviathan!

[Ten19]

Play the ending boss in hard or impossible when he picks you upside down. I bet you'll think different. Its a great boss though. I also loved the Leviathan!

He did pick me up, that was probably the only real challenge, trying to aim upside down.

[jpublic]

I played a lot of the game with the Pulse Rifle. That thing pimped out is ludicrous.

[bryan]

I played a lot of the game with the Pulse Rifle. That thing pimped out is ludicrous.

Yeah? I thought it was weak and too inaccurate so I dumped it pretty quick. Will have to give it another try.

[jpublic]

Yeah? I thought it was weak and too inaccurate so I dumped it pretty quick. Will have to give it another try.

100-bullet clip.

1 word: HOSE.

[Deadend]

I found the pistol to be a really good gun in almost any situation.

What I found most amusing was that if I only carried around 2 guns... I only found ammo for those 2 guns. It made it really easy to game the system to give me the ammo I wanted.

[bryan]

I found the pistol to be a really good gun in almost any situation.

What I found most amusing was that if I only carried around 2 guns... I only found ammo for those 2 guns. It made it really easy to game the system to give me the ammo I wanted.

The game actually gives you ammo based on your weapon loadout.

[Deadend]

The game actually gives you ammo based on your weapon loadout.

Yeah, so when I see all the complaints about low ammo... it's their own fault. Only carry around 2 or 3 guns... and you get more ammo for both.

If I ever rent the game again, I could see myself doing a run using just the pistol as it really well balanced.

[Ten19]

If I ever rent the game again, I could see myself doing a run using just the pistol as it really well balanced.

For the most part yeah, but I would also take either the Force Gun or Ripper to handle the "swarm" situations.

[Urizen]

Line Gun/Industrial Saw and Pulse Rifle are all you need.

Flamethrower gets a big negative mark for being unusable in a vacuum. Contact Beam is useless. The game is also frustratingly stingy with Power Nodes. I don't want to have to play through the game six times to see what all the permutations are of a maxed out rig versus a maxed out plasma cutter.

[bryan]

Line Gun/Industrial Saw and Pulse Rifle are all you need.

Flamethrower gets a big negative mark for being unusable in a vacuum. Contact Beam is useless. The game is also frustratingly stingy with Power Nodes. I don't want to have to play through the game six times to see what all the permutations are of a maxed out rig versus a maxed out plasma cutter.

I don't get that - it's about choice, isn't it? You can't have everything. If it came down to it, why bother giving you the choice, just let your armor and weapon auto level up per chapter.

[Urizen]

I don't get that - it's about choice, isn't it? You can't have everything. If it came down to it, why bother giving you the choice, just let your armor and weapon auto level up per chapter.

Oh I know. Unless I missed half the available Power Nodes when I played, you can barely power up one gun all the way after an entire playthrough. Doesn't make much sense to me. I like the mechanic. I don't like the execution. At the same time, it also bugs me that you can buy Power Nodes at the store, but can't sell them. I'd rather have the cash than the Power Nodes given the implementation.

But if we're nitpicking, the game does a lot of silliness that destroys the suspension of disbelief like the semiconductors you can sell at stores. And the fact that they rely on money at all in a game like this. It becomes absurd that they call the currency 'credits'. What is this - Space Invaders?

DS is not a bad game, but I am disappointed in it. Comparisons to RE4 are inevitable, and RE4 has it beat. Where, after all, are the dozen boss fights? Where are the variety in enemies?

I enjoyed the story enough but a lot of the characters came across as caricatures. I was looking forward to DS more than any other Fall release, and I have to take solace in knowing that I have other stuff to look forward to.

[JayVe]

If I ever rent the game again

You may be charged $20 for the ending. :cool:

[bryan]

Oh I know. Unless I missed half the available Power Nodes when I played, you can barely power up one gun all the way after an entire playthrough. Doesn't make much sense to me. I like the mechanic. I don't like the execution. At the same time, it also bugs me that you can buy Power Nodes at the store, but can't sell them. I'd rather have the cash than the Power Nodes given the implementation.

But if we're nitpicking, the game does a lot of silliness that destroys the suspension of disbelief like the semiconductors you can sell at stores. And the fact that they rely on money at all in a game like this. It becomes absurd that they call the currency 'credits'. What is this - Space Invaders?

DS is not a bad game, but I am disappointed in it. Comparisons to RE4 are inevitable, and RE4 has it beat. Where, after all, are the dozen boss fights? Where are the variety in enemies?

I enjoyed the story enough but a lot of the characters came across as caricatures. I was looking forward to DS more than any other Fall release, and I have to take solace in knowing that I have other stuff to look forward to.

Credits is a sci-fi staple, not an arcade game one. :)

As for the semi-conductors, yes, I agree with that, why would the store be interested in purchasing semi-conductors.

However, after my first play through, I had 90% plasma cutter powered up, with a few into my rig for HP and a few into the force gun. So I could have at least one weapon fully powered up. I think it's ok as long as the game doesn't punish you for it.

[Spigot]

I was selling Ripper ammo like it was going out of style and stocking up on Power Nodes in the stores. I think I had my cutter and rig maxed out and had started to sink a bit into other areas but yeah, I think you'd need to play through at least twice to max everything out.

[Savok]

If you're clever and only take the Plasma Cutter, Force Gun and Contact Gun with you (though drop the Force Gun if you're on a Cutter only run), you'll make a fortune selling the excess ammo so you can buy nodes (Contact ammo sells for 4k a stack). I'd completely maxxed out my nodes early in my 2nd run.

[bapenguin]

finally finished last night. I had maxed the Pulse Rifle and it made the final boss uber easy.

Overall I enjoyed the game, though it was a bit frustrating at times, a little crampy and cheap.

Also the end part with the zombie Nicole was the only part that actually scared/freaked me out. Never saw it coming - jumped and goosebumps on that one.

[Dukefrukem]

finally finished last night. I had maxed the Pulse Rifle and it made the final boss uber easy.

Overall I enjoyed the game, though it was a bit frustrating at times, a little crampy and cheap.

Also the end part with the zombie Nicole was the only part that actually scared/freaked me out. Never saw it coming - jumped and goosebumps on that one.

I loved the ending music... right after you find out that nicole was a hallucination (which was so obvious) the music when you run back to fight the final boss was perfect...

[Purple Santa]

Beginning my 2nd play through already so I can check out different guns / get the military armor.
You don't get the military armor after the first playthrough?
Play the ending boss in hard or impossible when he picks you upside down. I bet you'll think different. Its a great boss though. I also loved the Leviathan!
When I was battling the last boss, hangng upside down...I thought some psycho out there is enjoying this on hard or impossible...give you props that you can play it on hard/impossible.


Overall I enjoyed the game, though it was a bit frustrating at times, a little crampy and cheap.

Also the end part with the zombie Nicole was the only part that actually scared/freaked me out. Never saw it coming - jumped and goosebumps on that one.

The crampy and cheap parts were just enough to almost make me put it down. But i'm glad it wasn't just my imagination...there were some cheap moments.

And I didn't see that ending either. I found the whole game creepy...I scare easy, I admit it. But the ending was really satisfying since it was a fitting ending to a game that was so steeped in atmosphere.

[Spigot]

Purps, you get the Military Armour once you beat the game but you have to make your way to a shop to equip it.

And it looks dead sexy.

koHpn3KtpjE

[Purple Santa]

I thought you get it once you beat the game. It was one of the items that popped up...just the way it was written it sounded like they were going to play again to get the suit. I guess they meant play it to equip it...

[jpublic]

THe Mil suit looks cool, but they should have worked it a bit better. Some of the status displays look odd against the backplate.

[Mortis]

I just finished this last night after putting it down shortly after release. I did my first run with only the plasma cutter, that way when I play on impossible it will still feel fresh having the new guns to play with. Really enjoyed the last boss, the story still lacked emotional punch due to the fact that Isaac and Nicole's relationship was not better developed early on with any sort of flashbacks or intro. Still it was a pretty satisfying ending to a good game.

[DangerousDaze]

Just finished it on medium. Loved the ending. The big monster was pitched just about right (killed on second attempt). Twatted it with the contact beam for the first round and then ordinary pulse rounds for the second.

The last part of the story was pretty good, too. You knew something wasn't right about his girlfriend but that didn't make him insane, it just made him grieving. He'd blocked out her death but knew it had to be made right. Then right at the end he turned off the video, thus beginning the healing process, but then saw her again as a monster - which probably meant that he was insane after all. :)

I enjoyed everything about the game except for the asteroid "mini-game" but even that couldn't harm what was, for me, an excellent experience and well worth the money.

[Purple Santa]

I need to go back and play with the other weapons. I think I tortured myself using the plasma cutter with that last boss but obviously there were better ways to kill the thing. I did find the flamethrower useful to kill those small monsters that were often "birthed" from a creature. They looked like small spiders...and moved way fast...some heat on those suckers...toasted spider creatures.

[Spigot]

I did find the flamethrower useful to kill those small monsters that were often "birthed" from a creature. They looked like small spiders...and moved way fast...some heat on those suckers...toasted spider creatures.The flamethrower was good but you should try the Force Gun. Insta-spider jelly.

[Purple Santa]

I found the only use for the force gun was the creatures that looked like they were glued onto doors/walls. The one with "faces" in the middle? Otherwise I wasn't accurate enough with it. I haven't sent it back yet...now there is a shocker...i'm tempted by another play through to get more achievements.

[Spigot]

The pregnant monsters on the walls?? I never tried using the Force Gun on them. A variety of other weapons, but never the Force Gun.

The Force Gun was an invaluable part of my armory by the end of the game. I'd use it to knock the blackened necromorphs either off the wall or just knock them down and then I'd have time to take them apart. I didn't use my stasis to slow monsters down as often as I should have. Oh well.

[Purple Santa]

The force gun with one or two shots killed the pregnant monsters. I thought the game suggested that was the only way to kill them. That or you needed to throw one of those fire extinguisher tanks lying around to kill them. I tried with other weapons...never worked. See how good my weapon skills are ...

[DangerousDaze]

The force gun with one or two shots killed the pregnant monsters. I thought the game suggested that was the only way to kill them. That or you needed to throw one of those fire extinguisher tanks lying around to kill them. I tried with other weapons...never worked. See how good my weapon skills are ...

I killed them with the Plasma Cutter. They had tendril-like ligaments that attached them to the walls. You just had to cut each one and, bingo.

[Spigot]

I killed them with the Plasma Cutter. They had tendril-like ligaments that attached them to the walls. You just had to cut each one and, bingo.Exactly. It took a little longer than just blasting them with something that went BOOM but that's how I did it. You'd just have to kill the babies they spat out before they shot you. Those little buggers were evil.

[Purple Santa]

Well the developers made some very easy and tempting achievements to be had. So i'm going to be taking thise suggestions and use them...I can't believe i'm going back to a game that had me frothing at the mouth a few days ago...just call me the bi-polar gamer...

[Spigot]

One of us!
One of us!

[JayK47]

Finally finished the game. So I can now enter this thread;) Like a lot of you, the ending confused me a bit. They leave it up to you to decide.

My friend and I played through the game handing the controller back and forth. At first we upgraded the default plasma cutter. That was always a good weapon. We never purchased the rifle. We purchased all others, and I would have to say one of the most useful weapons was the line gun. We picked it up later in game because it just didn't sound that useful. The flamethrower really needs to be upgraded before use in combat. Otherwise it is really only good for the swarms of small enemies. We also were heavy users of the ripper. That was good as long as you could judge the blade distance to make sure you were even hitting an enemy.

After playing the game, the only reason I would want to go back is to toy with weapons some more. And I don't know if I would want to play through the whole game again just for that. So basically I am getting rid of the game. I'll gift it to my brother so if I really wanted to play again, I could borrow it. I would say the game is worth a play through, but not necessarily a purchase.

[Spigot]

Yeah. I got rid of my copy after I finished it. I loved the game but can't see myself ever going back in the next year or so and if I really want to, I can probably find it cheap at that point. It's definately worth playing through though.

[Vyzov]

I've found the flamethrower to be very useful even against the bigger and faster guys. (Black versions of enemies, the speedy guys on the other ship) I've only upgraded the damage up to 1, but that seems to be more then enough.

[H.Bogard]

My brother's beaten the game thrice now.

[Adam Blue]

Just beat it. Awesome. I guess you can't play through on impossible with all your gear?

[Narradisall]

Just beat it. Awesome. I guess you can't play through on impossible with all your gear?

I just completed my second playthrough last night (for the One gun achievement).

Adam, if you kill the last boss, then DON'T save the game, when you go back to the menu start a new game you'll start with the suit you had, I don't know if you keep weapons and upgrades but I've been told this works.

When I do my impossible I plan to do this so I have my medium playthrough Military suit, yay!

Also, loved playing through the second time as I kept picking up things I missed before. Like really early in Chaper 3-4ish when you take an elevator in the Bridge and you hear 'twinkle, twinkle, little star' being sung very quitely...

[Purple Santa]

Also, loved playing through the second time as I kept picking up things I missed before. Like really early in Chaper 3-4ish when you take an elevator in the Bridge and you hear 'twinkle, twinkle, little star' being sung very quitely...

I caught that. Creeped me out...which is one of the many pluses of the game. I'm going to pick this up again when it drops next year in the bargain bin. It might be the only game I actually will get close to 1000 score for the achievements.

[Narradisall]

I caught that. Creeped me out...which is one of the many pluses of the game. I'm going to pick this up again when it drops next year in the bargain bin. It might be the only game I actually will get close to 1000 score for the achievements.

I would highly recommend for a playthrough turning off the music and putting the sound effects very high. Gun shots make a lot of noise, but there is a LOT of very quiet whispers in that game and freaky bits.

I'm going to save my impossible playthrough for the holidays, starting from scratch and just scraping through the game on low air and life.

Still freaky..

[Purple Santa]

I did catch a lot of whispering but playing with the music off is interesting. I'll try that when I eventually play again.

[Narradisall]

Just think of a happy place when you do the asteriod bit.

That part still makes me stop playing sometimes in disgust. What a stupid fucking idea that was. I cannot stress how much of a game breaker that is for me and I've played the game three fucking times! FUCK THOSE ASTERIODS AND ITS SHITTY RANDOM DIFFICULTY GENERATOR!

[Infected2321]

Hey doods, Just wanted to throw in my own two cents....

First of all... The title of each mission, From "New Arrival" to "Dead Space", If you take the first letter from each of them it spells out "NICOLE IS DEAD", Supprise!
Secondly, Can't remember what stage it was on, but i found a data pad that had something on it about Unitology, Saying something about having Hundreds of Ships with the remains of their followers on it...
And third, considering how big the Ishimura was and how many escape pods were most likely ejected durring the massacre with the necromorphs inside...

Deffinantly one of my all time favorite games...

[H.Bogard]

Hey doods, Just wanted to throw in my own two cents....

First of all... The title of each mission, From "New Arrival" to "Dead Space", If you take the first letter from each of them it spells out "NICOLE IS DEAD", Supprise!
Secondly, Can't remember what stage it was on, but i found a data pad that had something on it about Unitology, Saying something about having Hundreds of Ships with the remains of their followers on it...
And third, considering how big the Ishimura was and how many escape pods were most likely ejected durring the massacre with the necromorphs inside...

Deffinantly one of my all time favorite games...

Welcome to the Colony, comrade!
I got the bit about the chapter initials. What many people don't know is that the weird language you find on most walls in the game actually has a key that you can find easily on the internets and unveil a lot of backstory for the game with.

[Dukefrukem]

Welcome to the Colony, comrade!
I got the bit about the chapter initials. What many people don't know is that the weird language you find on most walls in the game actually has a key that you can find easily on the internets and unveil a lot of backstory for the game with.

yup.

http://www.straferight.com/photopost/data/500/The-360-image2.png

[Infected2321]

Nice, couldn't find a picture until now, though i've heard alot of the words make up alot of madness... like the circles of the unitologist language mean 'Forever'

Oh, and thanks for the welcoming...

[Deadend]

Oh man! That is fucking cool to know.

Even though I figured Nicole was already dead. As what are the odds of her surviving?
Also the idea that the other characters KNEW that Issac was fucking insane the whole game, it makes the silent protagonist bit work. As you are this creepy dude who they can't see the face of, but have to rely on.

[Purple Santa]

Oh man! That is fucking cool to know.

Even though I figured Nicole was already dead. As what are the odds of her surviving?
Also the idea that the other characters KNEW that Issac was fucking insane the whole game, it makes the silent protagonist bit work. As you are this creepy dude who they can't see the face of, but have to rely on.

I agree that is really cool. And I really like your interpretation. That makes a lot of sense. I want to track down the comic and anything else that provides more background on Dead Space. Says a lot about a game that I finished two months ago but still willing to find more about.

[Narradisall]

Deadend.

I don't think Hammond and the others all 'knew' (they may have, but I don't know).

Hammond hand picked the team, but it was clear that other woman (I forget her name) was a plant by the government and knew a whole lot more of what was happening than Hammond and the others. It is possible only she knew of Nicoles death besides Isaac pre-insane.

Watching the comics and seeing the film a lot of it works on even those 'in the know' seem to only really know a tiny fraction of whats really going on.

[Deadend]

Deadend.

I don't think Hammond and the others all 'knew' (they may have, but I don't know).

Hammond hand picked the team, but it was clear that other woman (I forget her name) was a plant by the government and knew a whole lot more of what was happening than Hammond and the others. It is possible only she knew of Nicoles death besides Isaac pre-insane.

Watching the comics and seeing the film a lot of it works on even those 'in the know' seem to only really know a tiny fraction of whats really going on.

Well, Issac kept watching that video of Nicole at the beginning of the game, and at the end of the game, it's shown she was already dead when the video was made... or was it a different video of her? Either way, fairly fucking awesome.

I still love the idea of the rest of the crew deciding to just humor Issac as they need him.

[bryan]

It was the same video, but the people that sent Kendra edited her suicide out so they could manipulate him.

[Narradisall]

It was the same video, but the people that sent Kendra edited her suicide out so they could manipulate him.

Yea, I thought something similar along those lines.

Kendra was the only one out the whole group that actually 'knew' the whole truth.

[H.Bogard]

Yea, I thought something similar along those lines.

Kendra was the only one out the whole group that actually 'knew' the whole truth.

That's fucking sick. But doesn't it imply that they're paying a bit TOO much attention to someone who's nothing more than just a lonely engineer?

[Talanvor]

Really? I only had two or three guns on me, and I kept getting ammo for shit I had back in my locker. Basically I'd run out of the ammo I was using, then I'd switch to another loadout that I had ammo for, then I started getting ammo for the stuff I had before!

Maybe there was a little Director in my game? ;)

[jpublic]

The game gives you ammo for any weapon you own - whether or not its in your inventory.

[bryan]

That's fucking sick. But doesn't it imply that they're paying a bit TOO much attention to someone who's nothing more than just a lonely engineer?

Mmm that's a good observation - perhaps he's involvement was prophesied?

[Deadend]

I thought Kendra was just telling Issac to look again, not at the uncut video.. but at the one he had. As I thought the Creature was manipulating him from the outset.

[Gerbs]

The game gives you ammo for any weapon you own - whether or not its in your inventory.

On my last playthrough I only carried the Plasma Cutter, Line Gun, and Force Gun. I found ammo only for those weapons except the rare time I would find something for another weapon, and in those cases it was weapons I had never purchased (and never did purchase.) So I think there is a mix of both but for the most part it's only the weapons Isaac has on him.

[Narradisall]

I thought Kendra was just telling Issac to look again, not at the uncut video.. but at the one he had. As I thought the Creature was manipulating him from the outset.

You are correct!

Although its debateable.

I didn't mean to imply they were paying overly attention to Isaac (although he was requested by Hammond for some unknown reason). Kendra was a plant and the other 3 were just expendale marines whom thought the mission was a simple repair job.

The only whole I can see is when you fly in his watching the video and Kendra may (or may not know) she is dead. However you would assume Isaac watched it before, and thus knew she died, but obviously the Markers manipulation covered that. How soon did this thing manipulate him? As I doubt it could reach across lightyears to earth, so was it the moment there ship 'jumped' in or what?

it left lots of unanswered questions and issues like that which weren't addressed and are open to interpretation.

The main one that gets me is whether the Necromorphs were there before the marker, or whether the marker made them. none of the reports made it clear when the marker was placed as to why and what really happened.

Ah well, hopefully DS2 will explain...

[Iron Past]

You are correct!

Although its debateable.

I didn't mean to imply they were paying overly attention to Isaac (although he was requested by Hammond for some unknown reason). Kendra was a plant and the other 3 were just expendale marines whom thought the mission was a simple repair job.

The only whole I can see is when you fly in his watching the video and Kendra may (or may not know) she is dead. However you would assume Isaac watched it before, and thus knew she died, but obviously the Markers manipulation covered that. How soon did this thing manipulate him? As I doubt it could reach across lightyears to earth, so was it the moment there ship 'jumped' in or what?

it left lots of unanswered questions and issues like that which weren't addressed and are open to interpretation.

The main one that gets me is whether the Necromorphs were there before the marker, or whether the marker made them. none of the reports made it clear when the marker was placed as to why and what really happened.

Ah well, hopefully DS2 will explain...

There were a bunch of diaries that unlocked after you beat the game. Isaac is supposed to be an extremely apt engineer, if I remember correctly. He's searching for his dad, who took off and led his mother to become a Unitologist. IIRC, that is; I probably need to go back and look.

Also, the red marker on the planet was a copy of the original black marker that was found by the government and subsequently covered up. One of the people assigned to the project of interpreting the markings on it ended up leaving the project and starting the Unitologist movement to tell people the truth after he found out what it could do. The red marker was placed on the planet for experimentation that got out of control and was just abandoned and the planet marked restricted; when the Ishimura stumbled across it, the government took the opportunity to get the marker back.

I may have gotten the details wrong/mixed up but that's the gist of it.

[Narradisall]

There were a bunch of diaries that unlocked after you beat the game. Isaac is supposed to be an extremely apt engineer, if I remember correctly. He's searching for his dad, who took off and led his mother to become a Unitologist. IIRC, that is; I probably need to go back and look.

Also, the red marker on the planet was a copy of the original black marker that was found by the government and subsequently covered up. One of the people assigned to the project of interpreting the markings on it ended up leaving the project and starting the Unitologist movement to tell people the truth after he found out what it could do. The red marker was placed on the planet for experimentation that got out of control and was just abandoned and the planet marked restricted; when the Ishimura stumbled across it, the government took the opportunity to get the marker back.

I may have gotten the details wrong/mixed up but that's the gist of it.

I know all that (I read the logs). I was under the impresson the Red Marker was a government backward engineered version which they were experimenting with, it never made it clear if the experiment 'made' the Necromorphs (one would assume so) at which point they abandoned it.

They only came back to cover it up after learning the Uni's found it and not wanting it to fall into their hands. Why Isaac is requested (past seemed irrelevant) is not made clear.

I think they left it deliberate vague. The whole Nicole 'ending' too could be multiple things.

[Iron Past]

I know all that (I read the logs). I was under the impresson the Red Marker was a government backward engineered version which they were experimenting with, it never made it clear if the experiment 'made' the Necromorphs (one would assume so) at which point they abandoned it.

They only came back to cover it up after learning the Uni's found it and not wanting it to fall into their hands. Why Isaac is requested (past seemed irrelevant) is not made clear.

I think they left it deliberate vague. The whole Nicole 'ending' too could be multiple things.

Oh, I see what you're saying. Yeah, they don't implicitly say the marker made the virus that led to the necromorphs, but since it can control them with that hive mind, I'm inclined to think so. I do recall that the first Infector was the result of experimentation with the virus on human tissue. Like you said, there was much left open to interpretation, at least for now. :)

No, wait. Wasn't the marker trying to get Isaac to put the marker back on the planet? Crap, I'm all confused all over again.

[Purple Santa]

No, wait. Wasn't the marker trying to get Isaac to put the marker back on the planet? Crap, I'm all confused all over again.

I've loved reading the analysis of this game. Although i'm there with you, now i'm confused and I am keeping the temptation away to find the other souces to read/watch on DS then replaying it. No, I must finish other games first...

[H.Bogard]

Here's what I've concluded :

Video transmission sent via the Ishimura was 'cut off' near the end where she dies by the marker, so the received video mail was trimmed to begin with. Kendra finds out later, but figures out the marker's manipulation strategy (being familiar with it due to being involved with the Govt. that made it) and used Isaac as a pawn, 'cause he and the other guy were the only survivors among the crew. He wasn't special and wasn't getting 'hero attention' before that.

Government wanted the marker back, and not to fall into Unitologist hands, and the marker wanted TO BE WHOLE AGAIN with the giant thingy on the planet. Watch the animated movie and you'll see the marker manipulating the crew into working for this agenda as well.

[jpublic]

From what I got, it was as follows - the gov't found the original marker on Mars, and reverse engineered it into a second marker. Using the tech they discovered along the way, and the second marker as a control/catalyst, they performed their experiments on a hidden facility on the planet in the game. The experiments went...poorly, and to hide their actions they used the marker to seal up the necromorphs, cleaned up their shit, and quietly left.

Mining colony shows up, starts mining the planet, finds the marker. They remove the marker, releasing the necromorphs, which then proceed to process the ship/colony.

When Isaac shows up, there's multiple forces at play:
1) The necromorph hive mind, which basically wants to convert everything. Assisted by the mad doctor.
2) The marker intelligence, which wants to be returned to the planet so it can seal up the necromorphs again - that's who is showing Nicole to him.
3) The chick who works for the gov't (probably a renegade black ops group) who want the marker, thinking that as long as they have the marker they can control the necromorph spread, so who cares if a few people get eated?
4) Isaac.

[Shrinn]

From what I got, it was as follows - the gov't found the original marker on Mars, and reverse engineered it into a second marker. Using the tech they discovered along the way, and the second marker as a control/catalyst, they performed their experiments on a hidden facility on the planet in the game. The experiments went...poorly, and to hide their actions they used the marker to seal up the necromorphs, cleaned up their shit, and quietly left.

Mining colony shows up, starts mining the planet, finds the marker. They remove the marker, releasing the necromorphs, which then proceed to process the ship/colony.


There's only a few questions I still have.

Why was the marker able to so easily control Isaac, but just caused everyone else to kill themselves/eachother? And why did they start going batshit crazy before the marker was removed? (religious fervor?)

What was the gov't doing when it made the necromorphs? (I guess it was trying to bring back the dead or gain immortality, but maybe someone has a better idea.)

How did Kendra know that Nicole killed herself in the video? If she edited it, why did Isaac get such special treatment and why did she get to watch it first? If she didn't intercept it, how did she know? I have a feeling the marker implanted control into the video, enough to make it appear as if it cuts off, Isaac then stops the video himself. This allows the marker to have a person to use to control Isaac.

Why was Nicole able to open the door for Isaac in that one chapter (I think it was in the mining sector) and unable to work any controls for herself later when the shuttle needed to be brought back?

[jpublic]

There's only a few questions I still have.

Why was the marker able to so easily control Isaac, but just caused everyone else to kill themselves/eachother? And why did they start going batshit crazy before the marker was removed? (religious fervor?)


I've got a couple ideas for this.

First, dualing telepathies drove people nuts. You had the hive mind telling people to join it, you had the marker making people see their loved ones tell them to put the thing back.

Second, I get the feeling that no one was particularly stable in that brave new world. Religious/social instability seemed to be at a high boil at all times. I suspect it wouldn't take much for them to go off anyway.


What was the gov't doing when it made the necromorphs? (I guess it was trying to bring back the dead or gain immortality, but maybe someone has a better idea.)


Weapon research? You have to admit, a weapon that goes out and uses the enemies (and allies) who have died as fodder to continue fighting is pretty badass.


How did Kendra know that Nicole killed herself in the video? If she edited it, why did Isaac get such special treatment and why did she get to watch it first? If she didn't intercept it, how did she know? I have a feeling the marker implanted control into the video, enough to make it appear as if it cuts off, Isaac then stops the video himself. This allows the marker to have a person to use to control Isaac.


I believe that the video was given to Isaac by someone in the government just before they went on that rescue mission - perhaps all personal mail from such a ship is censored automatically - and they removed the death scene as leverage on him.


Why was Nicole able to open the door for Isaac in that one chapter (I think it was in the mining sector) and unable to work any controls for herself later when the shuttle needed to be brought back?

Umm. Shit. I dunno. Perhaps it was all a hallucination? The door was perhaps open and the marker was playing with his mind.


That's my biggest criticism with the game - they weren't consistent internally.

[bryan]

All this discussion is making me wanna play again. Been meaning to have a second playthrough with the military suit.

[Narradisall]

All this discussion is making me wanna play again. Been meaning to have a second playthrough with the military suit.

Do it! Go insane and try the one gun (its nto massively difficult as the cutter kicks ass).

[Grifter]

I just completed my second playthrough last night (for the One gun achievement).

Adam, if you kill the last boss, then DON'T save the game, when you go back to the menu start a new game you'll start with the suit you had, I don't know if you keep weapons and upgrades but I've been told this works.

When I do my impossible I plan to do this so I have my medium playthrough Military suit, yay!

Also, loved playing through the second time as I kept picking up things I missed before. Like really early in Chaper 3-4ish when you take an elevator in the Bridge and you hear 'twinkle, twinkle, little star' being sung very quitely...

Just beat it. Awesome. I guess you can't play through on impossible with all your gear?

I just beat the game last night and tried this but it didn't work.

[Morangie]

What was the gov't doing when it made the necromorphs? (I guess it was trying to bring back the dead or gain immortality, but maybe someone has a better idea.)

Been a while since I played but as I recall from the files you get after completing the game, no one planned to make the necromorphs. The goverment scientists found a genetic structure on the marker and when they put it together it was a simple bacteria, that didn't seem to do anything. Then one of the scientists accidently exposed the bacteria to some dead tissue and found it recombined the dead cells into a new form of life.

Further experiments with bigger things like corpses went... poorly.

[walkstheplanes]

Kendra got womped to pieces, baby.

Kendra had a gigantic and wonderful rack.

[Narradisall]

Kendra had a gigantic and wonderful rack.

That giant tenticle sure screwed her good.

[Gerbs]

I just beat the game last night and tried this but it didn't work.

I heard this only works on the EU version?

[yeti]

Just completed this and thoroughly enjoyed it. I've not jumped or been scared in a game like this since the first Silent Hill game. Awesome.

I'd like it if/when DS2 comes out they have a new protagonist. As much as I enjoyed playing as Isaac I'd like to think he prolly did go insane. Also the fact he's just an everyday kinda guy means he shouldn't find himself in this situation again as the odds should be relatively small on him stumbling onto this again (although I know this didn't help Ripley :)). However it would be cool if maybe two or three sequels down the road they revisit him when basically all of humanity is under threat of extinction and see how he's surviving.

[Ink Asylum]

I just beat this game recently, too, and thought it had a very satisfying ending. You could see the "his girlfriend is a hallucination" angle coming from a mile away, but that was ok because you were supposed to slowly realize that Isaac was going insane.

I hadn't expected the double-cross from Kendra, thinking instead that the crazy Dr. Kyne was the one who was going to try stealing the marker at the last minute. It was quite satisfying to see her get torn apart by the final boss. In a similar vein, I was bummed when Hammond got crushed.

It was surprising to see Isaac's face at the end. Up until that point he had been a very Freeman-esque character. It was a satisfying reveal, though, as I think Isaac as a character wasn't supposed to be a purely empty vessel like Freeman.

I kept expecting to have to fight a boss monster that was the religious doctor after letting himself be converted into a Necromorph. Do you actually encounter him and I just killed him like any other baddie?

[Food Nipple]

I just finished the game last night. I saw both Kendra's betrayal and Nicole's death a mile away, but that last scare still startled the hell out of me.

As far as weapons went, I used the Ripper mainly, as I thought it was the most ammo efficient. I used the Line Gun when shit hit the fan, and the Contact Beam severed the giant tentacles in a single shot.

Regarding Isaac's face, you can also see his face during the opening cutscene if you rotate the camera.

[Ink Asylum]

I could never get a handle on the Ripper so I traded it in for the Flamethrower, which turned out to be horribly ammo inefficient, so I tossed that too and went around with the Cutter as my primary, the Line Gun for big groups, and the Pulse Rifle for the tiny baddies. Once I got all three of those guns updated to max damage it was a cakewalk.

One of the funniest moments for me was when the religious doctor vented a part of the ship trying to kill me. I run through the halls, see one of those groups of tiny-morphs, and just try to dash through but they overwhelm me. Second try I pull out the flamethrower with a confident smirk only to realize too late that flamethrowers don't work all that well in a vaccuum. Doh.

[Grifter]

I feel like playing through this again, wish I hadn't sent it back to Gamefly.

[Ink Asylum]

I'll probably go back for a second playthrough with the military armor and try some different weapons.

[Narradisall]

I kept expecting to have to fight a boss monster that was the religious doctor after letting himself be converted into a Necromorph. Do you actually encounter him and I just killed him like any other baddie?

Do you remember the bit where you get a video from him being turned into one?

On the way down that corridor the door opens and theres one of the black ripper guys.

Thats him.

[Ink Asylum]

I figured that's what happened, he was turned into a standard enemy and I didn't notice it was him. I was anticipating a mini-boss fight, so I was on edge for a bit.

[Narradisall]

Yea, it was a bit anti climax. I was expecting a miniboss fight or for him to inject himself with some crazy stuff and go all uber.

Alas I just cut his legs out from under him then stamped on his head. Least it shut him up.

[Wedge]

I just finished Dark Sector (ok game) and figured I'd give Dead Space some replay love before starting a new game (Bully or PoP) from scratch. Got my maxed out achievement and tried a chapter or two on impossible.

Man this game is good. I had forgotten how good the sound is, and going through it again I notice stuff i did not notice the first time around. For example: I got freaked out by a box. I turn a corner, see two boxes with white/blue light indicating precious swag inside, merrily stroll towards the boxes and ONE OF THE BOXES OPENS BY ITSELF! Shitstains and shame when I have to tell my wife the reason I yelped like a little girl ("A box opened...").

Add to that stuff I have simply forgotten, and you've got a very replayable game. I'll revisit the game later again, to complete it on impossible using only the plasma cutter, probably as a warm-up for Dead Space: Extraction. A "real" sequel from the original team is very high up on my "want"-list.

[Ink Asylum]

More survival horror games need to work in systems like Left 4 Dead's director mode. Imagine Dead Space, or any survival horror game, that could adjust play on the fly to keep you always on your toes. Throw a whole bunch of tough monsters at you if you've got too much health/ammo but go a little easier when you're near death. With Dead Space's excellent sound direction the game could definitely keep you jumping at all those crashes and creaks.

The tensest parts of Dead Space were when I was really low on ammo, about halfway through the game. I survived, but in most survival horrors there's a risk that you get stuck with too little ammo to proceed and keep getting killed over and over. That just gets annoying. It'd be nice if more games could pull back when that happens, like L4D.