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Dead Space


The secrets of Dead Space deciphered

The alien language of 2008’s scariest game translated

Words: Matthew Pellett, GamesRadar UK

We literally think Dead Space is awesome. It's an interstellar scare-a-thon of the absolute highest order. And we guarantee that anyone who plays the game will wish they knew what all the alien scribblings plastered inside the Necromorph-infested Ishimura mining vessel mean. Well, we did at least. Which is why we made it our mission to crack the code. We're anal like that.

And crack it we did. The vast majority of it ties-in with the game's religion, Unitology - fanatics who seemingly support the idea of the recently deceased waking up, growing a few extra limbs and snacking on necks. Hey, what real harm can it do? As Isaac Clarke you'll uncover reams of Unitology, all of which can be decoded. Get your thinking caps on…

Oh yeah: SPOILERS AHOY

Above: The full translation with numbers and symbols included can be found in Chapter 6

Forget about using the rosetta stone in Chapter 6 because to really feel intelligent you'll need to complete the game. After the credits have finished the endgame screen will appear saying 'Dead Space', 'Chapter 12' and 'Completed', all written In Unitology. Scribble them down, or take a picture if you can, and you'll have your first steps towards solving the game's secrets. Armed with these symbols it's possible to revisit previous chapters and start cracking the code by filling in the blanks, Wheel of Fortune style.

Above: Choose to figure it out yourself and this will be your starting point

The biggest secret appears once in every chapter, although this particular block of text (below) lives in a toilet cubicle in Chapter 10. It's a strain to read at a distance but by boosting the in-game brightness and turning the camera the message is unmistakable: 'Do you believe? deadspace.ea.com/ibelieve Your light shows the way. We have left you a gift.'

Above: Shine a light on the bottom arrows and one will glow green


Above: Pushing the camera against the cubicle wall helps to zoom in

Follow the weblink and you’ll uncover the truth. Hidden in each chapter is an arrow which glows green if you wave your torch over the top, and by plugging the arrows into the website's algorithm you'll discover the following code: YXYXXYXXYXXY (or TSTSSTSSTSST for the PS3). Type this in when the game's paused and five extra nodes are yours – which feels a little stingy given the work needed to solve it in the first place.

Above: The website reveals how the coloured arrows turn into a cheat code

The rest of the text is more in keeping with Dead Space's story. They're a happy bunch these Unitologists. 'Unity is forever,' 'Death is only the beginning' and 'Keep us whole' are three particular favourites of theirs. Almost every passage makes reference to death, the Marker (the artifact responsible for Dead Space's Necromorphs) or Unitology's founder, Altman. Think Scientology's Ron Hubbard and you won't be too far off the mark. Certainly the implications of the pay-to-pray religion's methods, along with the atheist's views that Unitology is simply a cult, bear a striking resemblance. 'Don't be afraid and rejoin the holy one: Altman our martyr, our pioneer.'

Above: Altman. Unity is forever. Death is only the beginning

Above: Sacrifice is inevitable. The time has finally (unintelligible)! Don't be afraid and rejoin the holy one: Altman our martyr, our pioneer

Above: Humans will learn that at death of their worldly spirit they will be reborn in unity as a stronger community unending


 
40 Comments
Order Comments: Newest First | Oldest First
lnksmartt  - 1 year 1 month ago 
interesting feature.
Samael  - 1 year 1 month ago 
Awesome. Thanks for taking the time to decipher this.
jar-head  - 1 year 1 month ago 
Help: Has Anyone after the military ship being destroyed found a text log ssaying how theirs a rumor of Unitology that they are building Huge "mammoth" sized war ships, by the Thousands in deep space, and how " not one person has ever "confirmed" it? the log itself was just laying around like any other logs, but this made you wander, could Unitology go so far as to build thousands of warships? The log didnt say it would destroy anyone, just the fact that theirs a serious rumor that Unitology is taking it to the next level, by preparing for war.
bron1417  - 1 year 1 month ago 
wow guys this is really interesting stuff right here way to go GR!
brothir  - 1 year 1 month ago 
I. Am. So. Totally. Going. To. Buy. This. Game. Nuff' said.
Ravenbom  - 1 year 1 month ago 
I totally missed almost everything until the 3rd chapter or so. Take those green crates, for instance, I thought, "oh bright green crate! there must be something in there!" then I went over, pressed "a" and nothing happened, so I ignored them for a while.
It wasn't until I accidentally curb stomped a crate that I discovered they had items in them, and by that time, it was like chapter 3. After that, I was much more careful in how I looked around for items, but I know I missed almost everything in the first 2-3 chapters.

Anyways... great translation guide! There's so much I missed in the first few chapters, and the alien graffiti was one of those things!
atomgrad  - 1 year 1 month ago 
Cool, I had no idea that was actual language. When I saw it in the game I assumed it was gibberish used only to keep the environments varied and spooky, not actual words and sentences.
GoldenMe  - 1 year 1 month ago 
Lol, liked the last one.

Very nice article GR!
oreomonkey  - 1 year 1 month ago 
u guys talk about it like its real life, gamer nerds
derringer83  - 1 year 1 month ago 
o-monk, if you weren't a gamer nerd, you wouldn't be on this site.
tomservo  - 1 year 1 month ago 
Dead Space is the most intense gaming experience I have had in a long time. Genuinely scary.
NelosAngelos  - 1 year 1 month ago 
Altman be praised.
DopeNose  - 1 year 1 month ago 
what does that last one mean? my brain hurts
Samael  - 1 year 1 month ago 
@Ravenbom

I thought the same thing!! When I replayed I saw that I had missed so many items.
CandiedJester  - 1 year 1 month ago 
@atomgrad
Me too! Actually, I rarely pay any attention to anything written on the walls. Unless its portal. THE CAKE IS A LIE!
pornomancer  - 1 year 1 month ago 
Where are these locations to get the green lights? You guys are amazing for doing all this work
Jason.Darksavior  - 1 year 1 month ago 
This horror game seems sweet....Wonder if it's creepier than Resident Evil...
Smeggs  - 1 year 1 month ago 
OMG! I had found one of those glowing green arrows above a bench in a tram station! I didn't think much of it though since I couldn't read the darn scribbles.
Skykid  - 1 year 1 month ago 
Creepy, very creepy. You have deciphered the crrepiest stuff ever. Go GR gaming nerds!
Skykid  - 1 year 1 month ago 
Go Gr gaming nerds! This is truly the creepiest thing ever!
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