The Dead Space franchise easily ranks in my top-ten list of video game shooters for its exceptional storytelling and gameplay. Even the lesser played Dead Space Extraction for the Wii delivered an engrossing game on-rails. So when EA decided to put Dead Space on the iPhone, I had my qualms. How can such a powerful game make it on the iPhone? Games like the Dexter game on iPhone have tried to push the limits of the device to only marginal success. Also, since Dead Space 2 was released on Xbox 360 and PS3 in tandem with Dead Space for the iPhone, I immediately feared that this would be a crippled version of the awe-inspiring Dead Space sequel.

Thankfully, Dead Space for iPhone quells all my fears, easily delivering the best shooter on iPhone bar none. To compare this iPhone app to any other Dead Space console game would be unfair. This is just a great stand-alone app that is even better because it falls within the larger world of Necromorphs and the Church of Unitology. It's even got its own lead character, Vandal.

As Vandal, you work as a simple engineer whose trust in his religion leads him into a hotbed of Necromorph activity. What's immediately great about this game is that the story is completely independent of the console games. However, it does fall within the same world, taking place apparently just before Dead Space 2. This serves to create a deeper experience for longtime fans, while allowing newcomers to jump into the world of Dead Space without having any prior history.

Downloading a game that's over 200MB on iPhone is almost unheard of. Most games for iPhone are simple 5-10MB games that don't really push the iPhone technology or the Retina display. So, once again, I was worried that this app would severely suffer from lag and technical issues. That was not the case. The graphics are some of the best and most gruesome visuals to date on any iDevice. Obviously, the shock value won't be the same as playing through the game on a giant LCD screen. But, the iPhone app makes up for it with well-timed Necromorph appearances, sound design and voice acting.

The development team didn't skimp on the standard Dead Space bells and whistles, either. Console gamers will delight in finding several of the guns from the console game carried over to the iPhone. Guns like the Plasma Cutter and Ripper are immediately available. Also, you can use Kinesis to pick up objects marked by a giant magnet and use them to attack Necromorphs. Stasis is also available by Chapter 2 so that you can freeze Necromorphs and begin severing limbs.

Okay, I'm going to go back on my earlier statement about not comparing it to the console game. When it comes to decapitating Necromorphs, the experience on the iPhone takes out the precision gaming found on console. This is simply due to the small surface area of the iPhone. Most of the time, you will more or less shoot rampantly center mass, rather than aiming to take off specific limbs. It doesn't hinder gameplay; it just makes for a different experience. When Necromorphs get close to you, you will use your plasma saw by swiping up with your finger. You can also swipe down to curb stomp a crawling Necromorph, or do a diagonal downwards swipe if a Necromorph grabs hold of you.

Gamers can upgrade weapons with power nodes at Work Benches spaced throughout the game. These are found almost as frequently as Save points, which is really important given the iPhone battery. With over ten chapters, you'll definitely spend a few hours savoring each moment. You can also go to Stores, typically found in the vicinity of the Bench, to purchase additional power nodes with credits picked up in game, as well as other upgrades. You can also cheat the system and buy additional nodes with real cash through the in-game Store's DLC option.

Of course, all of this Necromorph goodness doesn't come without a few technical glitches. Moving around can get awkward as the camera often shifts to block your view of incoming Necromorphs. It doesn't happen too often, but there are enough times where you will be in a corner, need to adjust your targeting and your view will become blocked by the wall.

Outside of this camera snafu, the game does an excellent job of keeping the Hud clear. When you use stasis, you can just tap Vandal's back. The D-Pad isn't stationary and locks on to the left side of the screen, on whatever spot your thumb presses down. You can also double tap Vandal to do a 180-degree turn. The only icon on the screen is a button in the top right that opens up a broader menu. Once this button is tapped, you can switch out your weapons, pause the game or use the Locator function to see which direction you need to move to next (an excellent feature that should be added to any shooter).

Dead Space for iPhone is the frontrunner for Best Technical Achievement on an iDevice in 2011. This may be the first time I have ever recommended a $6.99 iPhone game. It's just that good.

Final Score: A-