Is Dead Space Scary? 6 tips to take the edge off

If you read the headline on this story and thought to yourself, “Why would I want to make the Dead SpaceAre you able to make scary things less terrifying? The whole point is to be scared!” Just leave. Close the tab — this guide is not for you. We all love horror, but some of us get too involved and stressed out by the genre, have nightmares or just wish it was a simpler story. Little It’s scary, not frightening super duper scary. If you feel that way, then read my tips and tricks for terror-packed fearlessness. Dead SpaceMake it into an enjoyable, if slightly scary, experience.

Leave the sound on — and the music, too

It may seem counterintuitive. This may sound counterintuitive. After all, the Necromorphs’ shrieking violins and whailing horns are an integral part of their game. Dead SpaceYou will be transported on a high-stress adrenaline rush ride. Wouldn’t it be a more calming experience if you turned off the music? No! You don’t need to listen to those music cues. If the sound of the soundtrack is playing, prepare for some serious limb-splitting. And when that music finally fades, that means you’re done fighting enemies — for now, anyway.

Turning off the game’s music is actually a great way to make Dead Space significantly scarier, if that’s your thing and you’re still reading this guide for some reason. If you leave the sound effects on but turn the music volume down to zero, all you’ll have are footsteps to guide you through the tense, partially lit hallways of the USG Ishimura. If you turn off the sound effects as well, the game gets even harder, since you’ll be relying entirely on visual cues — and Necromorphs simply love sneaking up behind you, meaning you’ll be caught off guard far more often.

Despite all that, I recommend slightly reducing the volume and music. You don’t need it to be blaring in order to hear the necessary cues that indicate a Necromorph is near. Listen to your heart rate and let that be your guide as to how loud you need the game’s volume to be.

Pick the best difficulty setting

I do just fine at playing third-person shooters in general, but when I’m stressed out, my skill goes off a cliff. I won’t be able to aim well if there is a Necromorph behind me. For that reason, I’m playing Dead Space on “Easy,” as recommended by my colleague Jeff Parkin. Even if the Necromorph takes my down, even if I make mistakes (or several), I have enough time to kill the Necromorph. I’m not at the point where I need to tick the difficulty down even further to the “Story” setting, but you know what? It’s nice to know that it’s there for me if I need it.

Adjust the game’s content warnings

It Dead Space remake includes the option to blur out some of the more graphic violence in the game, and I’ve opted to turn that on (here’s our guide on adjusting the content warnings). To be honest, gore doesn’t bother me much; blood-filled gross-out moments don’t make me particularly scared or stressed. It main reason I’ve turned on the blur effect for the more violent scenes is that I personally think it looks funny, which means it breaks the tension during those key, high-stress moments.

The Dead Space remake looks so realistic that it’s easy to get completely ensconced in its horrifying world — which means I appreciate the occasional times that there’s a big blurry box on the screen, reminding me that this is just a video game, for heck’s sake. (I also already played the original game back in 2008, so I don’t feel like I’m missing out on important plot points or visually impactful scenes. I just don’t need to watch that one guy banging his head into a window again. I’ve seen it. I’m good.)

Image by Polygon: Visceral Games/Electronic Arts

Call a friend — or several

Playing horror games can be just as easy with friends nearby than watching scary movies or shows. Discord is my preferred place to invite friends to tag along. Dead SpaceYou can listen to them, and they will delight you with their humorous commentary. Dead Space if not for the game’s Locator button).

Listen to a podcast

Sometimes, friends aren’t available for a hangout or a Discord call, but you still want to get your Dead Space on. I recommend putting on a comedy podcast in the background to add the sense that you’ve got some friends nearby, keeping you company. I also like to imagine that the game’s protagonist Isaac Clarke is listening to a podcast himself as he wanders those abandoned corridors. Of course, he still needs to be able to hear if a Necromorph is nearby, and you do, too — so keep the music and the game volume on while the podcast plays.

The reason I recommend a comedy podcast for this, rather than an audiobook or news program, is that you’re not going to be paying much attention to the content of the show. You’ll be pretty focused on the actual game, noticing visual and audio cues and fighting off Necromorphs. You’ll be able to focus on the actual game, noticing visual and audio cues, fighting Necromorphs. But you will also benefit from some friendly banter. This is again why Isaac Clarke probably listens to podcasts. It can be thought of as audio for a more serious game.

Take a break… maybe forever?

My love is Dead Space, and I’m probably going to beat it. I love the way Isaac’s shadow stretches across doorways, looking almost like a Necromorph if you see it in your peripheral vision. The shrieking music of the violin is my favorite part. But sometimes, it’s just too damn stressful to play a horror game, no matter how gorgeous and well-made it is.

If you try all these tips and you still can’t play this game without freaking out, I absolve you of having to complete Isaac’s mission. He’s a fictional man in a video game, and you should only step into his big metal boots if you’re having a good time wearing them. After all, even the game’s technical director said that playing it with headphones at night was “too fucking scary.” So I’m not gonna judge you if you bail, and neither should anybody else.