A worthy spiritual successor to System Shock 2.

User Rating: 9 | Dead Space (2008) PC
I was pleased to discover that, in many ways, this game is a modern remake of System Shock 2, one of my favorite games of all time.

While it does not have nearly the depth (or breadth) of SS2 -- few games do -- it is a fully fleshed out title in its own right, good for 20-30+ hours of immersive, survival-horror goodness.

The GameSpot review is correct: the way the in-game interfaces are handled through your in-game "Rig" (suit) means that there are no interface elements on the screen. This is a wonderful device that I wish other games would use more often, and it means that there is nothing to distract you from immersion in the world. Zero-g and vacuum environments are both particularly well done, and when you get them both together (only a few times) the gameplay is sheer brilliance.

The story is well done, and voice acting is excellent from start to finish. The game is remarkably stable, and I never had a single crash or hang on my Vista X64 system.

A final note: some people have complained of poor performance, but do a bit of googling and you'll find that all you need to do is turn off the in-game vSync option and gameplay is silky smooth.

Overall, a highly rewarding experience, particularly if you are a fan of System Shock 2 from "back in the day".