Dead Space

Electronic Arts released Dead Space 2 for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 in early 2011. To coincide with that massive release, the company’s mobile division published Dead Space for iPhone — a game that’s among the best at bringing a full-priced gaming experience to the mobile space. In Dead Space, atmosphere is key, and developer Iron Monkey Studios has done a phenomenal job of matching the series’ creepy, dark sci-fi setting, horror-inducing sound design, and jump-out scares.

As you move through the game’s story (an immediate prequel to its console counterpart), you’ll fight vicious monsters by using space-age mining equipment to hack off their limbs. Using a third-person, over-the-shoulder perspective and sliding touch controls, Dead Space makes its horror story presentation its primary objective, and the result is probably the most truly scary game available on the platform.

Video game fans, this is a reason you should be playing games on your iPhone — Dead Space nails everything that’s great about the series and translates it exceptionally. Just be warned: The Dead Space saga is filled with blood, gore, and horror, so if that’s not your thing, stay far away.

Reviewed: May 23, 2011 | Phil Hornshaw

This app is included in a scenario called Best Game Apps of 2011 (Paid)