Dead Space 3's strength in evoking fear in its players lies in its audio, according to the game's associate producer John Calhoun in a Q&A on the PlayStation Blog.
The Q&A, which involves Calhoun answering questions that were fielded from Dead Space fans on Twitter, addresses several elements of Dead Space 3, from the game's action segments to its multiplayer and co-op modes to the kind of necromorphs in the game. In answering a question about how the team at Visceral designed a scary two-player experience, Calhoun wrote:
The secret to keeping DS3 scary is twofold: know your game's strengths, and don't be boxed in by conventional thinking. Regarding the former, one of our franchise's strongest areas has always been audio. We turned to our sound designers a lot to ensure that the game remained atmospheric and thrilling no matter how you choose to play.
We also decided to think outside the box about what makes a co-op game tick. Why should it be less scary with a friend? It was this thinking that led us to develop the "asymmetrical dementia" moments you'll occasionally experience in co-op. These are times when Carver will see or hear things that Isaac does not, which we hope will start a dialogue between players about what's real, and what isn't. Not knowing if you can trust your partner is a great technique to keep things tense in co-op!
Calhoun also answers questions about how the developers made the game more action-based than previous Dead Space titles and what bonuses players can expect if they pre-order the game.
The complete Q&A can be read here. Polygon's interview with Visceral Games' Steve Papoutsis where he speak in depth about Dead Space 3's horror elements can be read here.