Isaac Clarke has been the face of the Dead Space franchise since the original game's release in 2008. The engineer turned savior of mankind never wanted anything more outside of his work and life with his girlfriend Nicole Brennan, and yet somehow got entangled in a mess of crazed religious zealots and reanimated Necromorphs. Isaac does his best to stay out of trouble, but trouble always seems to get him back into his iconic RIG engineering suit.
The standard issue apparel for engineers, the Resource Integration Gear (RIG) engineering suit is a special exosuit that covers the entire body. Whereas other personnel have more commercialized RIGs, the engineering suit has special features catered specifically for heavy-duty maintenance operations. Isaac Clarke's face makes him look like an everyman, but once he puts on his RIG, Dead Space players know who he is and what he can do.
The Many Features of The Engineering RIG
In addition to the features found in every RIG such as health indicators, holographic display capabilities, navigation systems, and communication equipment, engineering RIGs possess features that help their wearers with their jobs. There are many variations of the engineering RIG, but all of them have certain pieces of equipment that are shared between every suit.
The Statis Module, for instance, slows down the speed of various machinery, making them safe for engineers to interact with. Examples of machinery in the Dead Space world that require a Stasis Module are heavy hydraulic doors, a ship's gravity centrifuge, and various rotating fans found in maintenance areas. Next to the Statis Module, the Kinesis Module is the second most important piece of equipment in the engineering RIG. It lets engineers pull and lift heavy objects effortlessly (some areas even allow for objects to be rolled down specialized tracks). In keeping with the theme of safety, the Kinesis Module doesn't require any physical contact between the user and the object they are carrying.
Aside from these two main features, the engineering RIG is equipped with systems that allow for navigation in zero oxygen and zero gravity environments. When in a vacuum, the engineering RIG creates an airtight seal around the user and provides them with a limited supply of oxygen. Oxygen can be replenished at Oxygen Recharge Stations typically found in areas that require them. As for zero gravity traversal, a pair of zero gravity boots and maneuvering thrusters allow engineers to cling to metal surfaces and propel themselves respectively.
Why Isaac's RIG Is Special
Though the engineering RIGs Isaac Clarke wears aren't at all different from the ones worn by other engineers, they are unique in the sense that their designs are immediately recognizable in the video game world. From the color-coded health indicator on the spine and the various plates that cover the body, arms, and legs, to the Iron Man-esque mask that protects Isaac's face while illuminating his field of vision, the engineering RIG is a physical manifestation of the technology found in the Dead Space world. It's practical and easy to use, and while it may not be the sleekest piece of technology, it can most certainly get the job done.
The engineering RIG's sheer size and weight immediately tell those who come across it that the wearer is gearing up for some tough work. Though its main purpose is to aid engineers with ship maintenance, it is also an invaluable piece of equipment when it comes to fighting off a Necromorph invasion. Isaac may be able to take off the suit, but it is just as big a part of his character as it is an integral piece of the Dead Space universe.
Dead Space launches January 27 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.