Dead Space, Dementia, and Punishing the Heroes

The dementia caused by the Markers has always been a staple of the Dead Space franchise. Just being near them is enough to induce personality shifts, insanity and hallucinations, all of which usually lead to death. But the Markers affect people differently, and some characters in the series are more resilient than others.

In Dead Space 3, Isaac Clarke is much more resilient to the effects of Marker-induced dementia, having defeated his inner-demons in Dead Space 2. His mind still has the secrets of the Markers crammed into it, but it manifests more as an affinity for the Markers rather than a madness. This affinity has made him the closest thing there is to an expert on Markers. Ultimately, it’s why he’s pulled into this latest adventure.