TheDead Spaceseries has had its fair share of ups and downs over the years. After capturing the imagination of millions of players with the first two installments, the series took a bit of a wrong turn with Dead Space 3. While by no means a bad game, the third entry in the series didn’t have quite the same impact as its predecessors and received lukewarm reviews from fans and critics alike. Dead Space 3’s mixed reception combined with the closure of Visceral Games a few years later marked the end of the franchise as we knew it. At least for a little while. Fortunately, the series made a major comeback in 2023 thanks to the Dead Space remake, and I’m willing to bet that this was just a taste of bigger things to come.
Between the main series, the remake, a couple of spin-offs, two animated films and several comics and novels, there’s a lot of Dead Space content out there for anyone who wants to delve deeper into this mysterious and terrifying universe. I recently sat down with someone who explored all of it, along with many other pieces of Dead Space content that never saw the light of day, and decided to write a book that chronicles the history of the series.
Aptly titledMake Us Whole: The History of Dead Space, the upcoming book written by author, journalist,and game design consultant Elijah Beahm describes early prototypes and content that never made it past the cutting room floor, features exclusive interviews with many of the key figures involved in the creation of the series, and talks about all the unique aspects that make Dead Space one of the most important horror video game series of the past couple of decades.
A Work Born Out of Passion
[Hardcore Gamer] There are many diehard video game fans out there, but few would go to the trouble of writing an entire book documenting the history of their favorite series. How did your passion for Dead Space begin and what drew you to this universe in the first place?
[Elijah Beahm] Ironically, I’m very uncomfortable with live action gore, so when my Dad’s one friend was going on about a game where you have to blast off the limbs of enemies, I was like “there’s no way I’d be into that.” Then… I was loaned a copy of the game, and with a lack of new games available to me, I gave it a begrudging shot.
I cleared the first four chapters in a single sitting, and despite the turret sequence, I was hooked. It was my first serious horror game after dabbling with Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. Then, not long after, that same friend of my Dad’s loaned me his copy of Dead Space 2 after I cleared the first seven chapters while we were visiting. At this point, I’ve probably gone through Dead Space 2’s campaign more times than most of the paid testers, including exploring a preview demo for press and an early alpha build (sadly the latter is only half preserved, the later stages lost to time).
Over the years, you have written many articles where you talk about various aspects of the Dead Space series. What made you want to go all out and start writing a book? Was there a specific moment that made you feel like the history of this series needed to be covered in more depth or was this an idea that grew steadily over time?
Honestly? I actually started writing this project when I was considering quitting the games industry. Just a few months prior, I’d walked away from a rough job that had really drained my enthusiasm. While an interim gig helped reignite some passion for games writing, I was still at a very emotionally low point. So I decided, if I was going to stop, I had to give one last swing for the fences. Put what I had left in me for one final effort.
As for why Dead Space? Because at the time, there still really wasn’t that much analysis that went in-depth on the series. You have Jacob Geller’s really good essay on Dead Space 2, but most of what I could find on the series was always either just about “is it spooky ENOUGH?” or lamenting the direction the series went with Dead Space 3. There’s so much more to the series than those talking points. Even when just discussing Dead Space 3, the story behind its creation is honestly far more complex than anyone realizes. Plus, let’s be real, horror is so much more emotionally nuanced than making someone jump.
It was going to be a retrospective video for my YouTube channel, but it kept growing. So I got brave and reached out to my first interview subject, Brian K. Evenson, and then not only did he say yes, but it spiraled out into this whole growing list of eager interview subjects. And from there I talked with a friend who had also tackled subject matter like this – Alex Kane, he wrote the Boss Fight Books volume on Knights of the Old Republic – and gave me some very enthusiastic advice, so I expanded the scope substantially.
It’s ironic, because the bad job before all this? I’d pitched doing a feature on Dead Space 2, as I’d already found some tidbits that would end up going into Make Us Whole. The pitch was met with the response that “nobody” from Visceral Games could possibly want to talk about their past work and would only be interested in what they were working on in the present. Funny that!
Working With Legends
What was it like working with Chuck Beaver, Ben Wanat and all the other fine folks who helped create Dead Space? Were you at all nervous about reaching out to them for interviews?
I was raised from a very early age to not put people on pedestals. We’re all human, and at the end of the day some of us just get exceptionally lucky with opportunities. As such, I wasn’t nervous about contacting them, it was more making sure it was clear I was a professional trying to do a thorough job, not just some nobody wasting their time.
Sometimes it was very easy to contact them – Brian and Antony were very quick to locate and happy to chat. I still remember getting to tell Brian about hearing that Gunner Wright – the voice of Isaac Clarke – loving Dead Space: Martyr. It was like Christmas morning for him, it just felt so good. Chuck, Ben, and Jeremy were a matter of referrals and finding the right place to reach out, but it was worth it, as they gave some incredible insights. All three were also exceptionally patient with follow-up questions. Jimmy was very excited as it wasn’t really the sort of thing folks ask him about – most would just ask him about his indie comics or his and his wife Amanda’s Harley Quinn run from 2016.
As for Eric and Roman, the leads for the 2023 remake? That was brilliant luck and the help of their go-between for the press, Megan, who helped put me in touch. Seriously, props to her, she moved heaven and earth to get me their answers during the initial post-launch operations at EA Motive. I’ve never had that swift a turnaround, and I am grateful for how candid they were. I actually surprised them a bit with how much lore came up in the questions I had for them.
There’s also one other interview I won’t spoil for now that happened late into things coming together, but gave some very crucial insights on the fulcrum points for the series and Visceral as a studio. I think folks will be really excited when they see those answers in particular.
Was there anyone else you wanted to work with for this project but didn’t get a chance to interview?
Really, the main cast of the games. I tried so hard to get Gunner Wright for an interview, but fate never lined things up, so I had to rely on old interviews – thankfully he’s done a few since the series was on hiatus, so there were still some insights I could at least find. I’d have also loved to talk with Tanya Clarke and Sonita Henry, but Clarke I couldn’t find anything for, and I never found any means to even get in contact with Henry’s agent. I’d still love to talk with all three of them, as well as Ricardo Chavira and Robert Grant from Dead Space 3. A lot of the scripts evolved on the mocap stage, so getting their insights would be incredible. Maybe some day!
The Challenges of Book Publishing
Writing and publishing a book is no small feat, especially when it comes to a collaborative work like Make Us Whole: The History of Dead Space. How many months did it take you to put everything together, including conducting the interviews, finding the right publisher, and of course, the tremendous amounts of research and writing? Or are we talking years instead of months?
Research definitely took a while, both compiling and pouring over it all. From there, I’d say at least three months were spent putting together the pieces, conducting the interviews, playing the prototypes, figuring out the timeline of events, etc. The actual writing was slow and steady, tackling each chapter almost like it was an individual essay that connects to a greater whole. The book as it is right now I had in a rough but enjoyable state a while back, and from there I focused on trimming and adding as needed.
Make Us Whole: The History of Dead Space is the first installment in Lost in publisher Cult’s’Cult Classics’series.
How difficult is it to find a publisher for a book like this? Have you reached out to other publishers before deciding that Lost in Cult was the best fit for you and your book?
I did reach out with and negotiate with a few other publishers, but either the timing wasn’t right or they weren’t the right fit. By contrast, Lost in Cult were ready, prepared and had a firm plan from the get-go. If there’s one thing you learn quickly in publishing, it’s that there should always be a clear game plan. It’s totally fine if things shift due to circumstance, but priorities, deadlines and scheduling are crucial.
What advice would you give aspiring authors looking to publish their first book? Especially those interested in writing about video games.
First of all – write, short and long form, and don’t just write about games. Nowadays when I contribute to Unwinnable, I’ve covered everything from music to religion to documentaries, and it helps. Expand your knowledge with experiences, both your own and those of your interview subjects. Push yourself to try all the different kinds of coverage. Accept constructive feedback and hone your voice. Don’t instantly dive into making monolithic essays or anything. If you can effectively communicate an argument with a unique hook in 500 words consistently? Then you’ll be well on your way, because even non-fiction, at the end of the day, is about telling a story, and a story is a string of scenes with rising and falling action. Plus, you’ll avoid risking burnout – trust me, that isn’t fun!
Secondly – when writing about games, don’t just talk about it from a consumer mindset. I get that it’s very tempting to fall back on the “I’m a consumer advocate!” angle. I’m pretty sure we all go through that period. Except you and your audience will get far more out of your analysis the better informed you are on how games are actually made. Listen to some GDC talks, get into the nitty-gritty with developers – maybe even try your hand at making something simple like a basic 3D model or a beginner Quake map with Trenchbroom. Understanding how these things are made, and how impossibly miraculous it is that even the jankiest garbage you’ve ever played managed to ship will profoundly alter how you look at games media.
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Thirdly – read! Watch! Analyzeother people’s analysis, both for what you like and what you dislike. For example: One of the most valuable things I ever learned about presenting my arguments with fair, balanced pros and cons was this one YouTube essayist. I really liked their presentation style and they have a good voice, but when it came to actually giving praise, just for a moment, to an aspect of the game they were talking about not favoring, they glossed over the positives in the span of a single sentence. That’s despite that sentence containing multiple examples worth paragraphs of unpacking that they never did, and it really sticks out. Not only does it incorrectly reflect the game to anyone who hasn’t played it, but it honestly made their argument weaker by omitting addressing those talking points.
I’m not saying address every grain of sand in an hourglass or anything, but it made me really appreciate how you have to be careful with shorthand and assumed knowledge. It can become very easy to forget that those of us regularly covering games know far more than our audience, both about whatever individual game we’re discussing, and the medium in general. It’s our job to be the intermediaries so that everyone’s on the same page.
By contrast, more recently, I’ve really taken to liking a different essayist’s mixture of humor and sincere critique, as they tend to have to address subjects that would get trolls riled up, but coach it in gentle humor that has, for the most part, nullified the rage response you usually expect. That’s incredible, and worth taking note from.
Finally – be patient. I know, it sucks, it’s the kind of advice you hear so much and it drives you crazy. I’m not saying be patient to the point of being walked over, though. I’m saying, keep measured expectations and understand that the process will take time. The important thing is whether things are progressing or not. If you and your publisher are both making incremental steps forward, that’s something. You will still get where you’re going and sometimes things have to move slowly for good reasons.
More Books About Games, Please
Do you think there’s a market for more works like this? It goes without saying that many gamers would be interested in more books like Make Us Whole: The History of Dead Space, but what about people who aren’t into gaming?
Oh absolutely – there was this one art collective/education center I used to volunteer for sometimes, having a big get-together. There were two elderly folks there who, despite never having played a game in their lives, genuinely asked me about them. They were fascinated to hear about how, for instance, Far Cry 4 threaded the needle on its inner moral conflicts, or how Telltale was revitalizing interactive fiction. My Dad might’ve grown up loving Quake and such, but his reflexes just aren’t there now, especially due to Carpal tunnel, so watching and reading about games is mostly how he experiences them these days.
Plus, at the end of the day, it’s about the story and how compelling it is. We’ve reached a point in society where there’s serious work being put into a biopic about the guy who created Doritos. Tetris, a historical drama retelling of the original game’s development and release to the West, was a major marque movie for Apple TV. We want genuine stories, stories that peel back the veneer so we can appreciate how our favorite works were made. If anything, I think it’s the perfect time for more books like this.
Can we expect more books from Elijah Beahm in the future? Perhaps ones documenting the history of other series?
I certainly hope so! I’ve got both fiction and non-fiction ideas I’d love to pursue! Right now I’m just focused on ensuring Make Us Whole’s final edits are as superb as possible, but I’ve definitely got some ideas for the future.
It can become very easy to forget that those of us regularly covering games know far more than our audience, both about whatever individual game we’re discussing, and the medium in general. It’s our job to be the intermediaries so that everyone’s on the same page.
Thank you very much for your time! One more question before I let you go. What would you say makes Dead Space special compared to other sci-fi universes? Gaming and non-gaming alike.
What initially hooked me was a mixture of the utilitarian, grizzled late-late-LATE stage capitalism dystopia setting/aesthetic, and the refreshingly deep combat. At the time, most action games on offer were either simplifying things or leaning so hard on combo memorization. Then here’s this third-person survival horror game with enemies that are giant dynamic puzzle boxes! The way Necromorphs shifted strategy when damaged in certain ways – it was honestly the closest any game had come to what keptHalofresh for dozens of playthroughs. Add on top of that, an actual incentive for New Game Plus? And multiple character builds? That kept me around long enough to grow more curious about the lore and greater setting.
Plus, it’s cohesive without being too big. I know that’s a weird response but truthfully, that’s what sticks with me. We have other Lovecraft games, we have other horror franchises, yet they’re often messy or fizzle out too quickly. Not Dead Space. you’re able to follow the story from start to finish and it all clicks, especially now thanks to the remake. And, “Awakened” DLC aside, it does have a pretty definitive conclusion, if you’re happy with that being the conclusion.
Chuck Beaver actually was even talking about this when we were streaming Dead Space 3 together – when they were first creating Dead Space, he’d never been on any AAA production of this scale, since it is also that focused, pure and earnest. It’s the closest you can get to the impossible ideal of indie spirit at that immense a budget. Everyone had a hand in various roles, everybody got to contribute, ranks were important, but anyone could help make this collaborative effort the best it could possibly be. There’s no MCU-esque “Sorry, you can’t do that because that character might cameo in Avengers 7” nonsense.
That is exceptionally rare. That is maddeningly impressive. You don’t just have that happen. It is the closest I’ve seen, from a franchise building perspective, to the “city block with the depth of a city” ideal so many IP holders would kill for. Sadly it also cost a lot to make, so I can understand why EA is still a bit trepidatious despite the solid critical reception. Regardless, that purity of vision, that distinctive feel that youknow, butyou can’t quite put words to? That’s magic. That’s what sets apart games like Dead Space, Halo,God of War, etc. They have their own vibe. To achieve that while staying in lockstep with itself? Again, just… utterly miraculous.
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Make Us Whole: The History of Dead Space isavailable to pre-orderin Standard and limited pre-order exclusive Signed Editions. The pre-order campaign runs until December 31st, with copies of the books expected to ship in Q2 of 2025. You can find the live stream with Chuck Beaver mentioned in the interview onElijah’s YouTube channel.
