Dead Space (mobile game)

The gameplay is similar to that of the original Dead Space game, with most changes centering on adapting the game to play with touchscreen controls. Players slide their thumbs on either side of the screen to simulate the dual analog movement scheme of the original; movement on the left of the screen moves the character, movement on the right moves the camera. Players tilt the device to rotate the weapon's alignment. Players can move and explore freely, interact with objects, collect items and currency, and buy upgrades in much the same fashion as the original game.

To reload, the player taps the weapon, and contextual swipes upwards or downwards are occasionally necessary. To fire, the player taps the screen to aim, and taps the screen again to shoot. All weapons are picked up as Vandal progresses through different parts of the sprawl ranging from the Plasma Saw which is a close range melee weapon used to slice or cut enemies in close proximity or during a grapple attack, The Plasma Cutter is Vandal's first long range weapon acquired shortly after the Plasma Saw, it is the first weapon which allowed Vandal to shoot enemies further away from her, weapons like the Line Gun and Ripper are acquired later in the story, Vandal will collect up to five weapons throughout the entire game, only one gun was added to the store for purchase with in-game credits as a DLC which came with an updated version of the game that brought enhanced graphics for new iPhones and iPad Devices.

The mobile Dead Space takes place in the year 2510, directly before the events of Dead Space 2. The action takes place on the Sprawl, a space station built in the remains of Saturn's moon Titan in a period where humanity survived near-extinction due to resource depletion by mining other planets. The mobile game follows "Vandal", a new convert to the Unitologist faith as they are sent on missions and experience the causes behind the opening outbreak of reanimated mutated corpses referred to outside the game as "Necromorphs", setting up the opening of Dead Space 2.

Vandal is directed over a headset to destroy a series of power boxes, cutting off communications to certain parts of the station. After doing so, Vandal is attacked by a group of Necromorphs and forced to flee. A broadcast from Unitology leader Daina Le Guin reveals that Vandal's actions have released the Necromorphs onto the station. Disgusted at being used, Vandal helps the Sprawl's director Hans Tiedemann re-establish quarantine, and then promises to help Tyler Radikov, a Unitologist contact who claims to have been fooled by Le Guin, escape.

Production of the Dead Space mobile game lasted one year, and was primarily developed by IronMonkey Studios, a division of franchise owner and publisher Electronic Arts, with assistance from series developer Visceral Games. Jarrad Trudgen acted as co-producer with Paul Motion and lead designer. Returning staff were scenario writer Antony Johnston, and series composer Jason Graves. Ultimately The team worked closely with Visceral Games to ensure the atmosphere and experience was as close as possible to the main series, using the original game's sound library to ensure its sound design was accurate.

A central part of the narrative was how Vandal is used by the Unitologists, continuing the recurring theme of examining how cults and corrupt religious figures could manipulate and harm people through their faith. Alongside recreating some environments from Dead Space 2, new areas and weapons were created, retaining the "gritty, lived-in feel" through reference to the main series art design.

Upon release, Dead Space received very positive reviews. The iOS version holds aggregate scores of 88 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 22 reviews, The game won "Best Mobile Game" (2011) at the Meffy Awards and "iPad Game of the Year" (2011) at the App Store Rewind. During the 15th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Dead Space for "Mobile Game of the Year".

Reviews emphasized the extent to which the title replicated the look and feel of the Dead Space series within the limitations of a mobile touchscreen device, whilst also praising the fact that the game was a new story, not simply a port of the original Dead Space game.