Bridging the gap between the original Dead Space and its coming sequel, EA has announced an iOS game to be released in January.

The game was built to look like the console games; you'll control Isaac as he delves into the mines of Titan, fighting off necromorphs in a console-like 3D space. The game includes the bloodied violence you'd expect from the series, though it remains to be seen whether Apple will attempt to have it cleaned up a bit before release.

The game uses a virtual d-pad, but Isaac's actions are mapped to taps on the screen. For example, tap the meter on his back to use stasis, tap an enemy to shoot him, or tap Isaac twice to make him do a 180 for a quick getaway.

My concern is that the player's fingers will block too much of the screen on an iPhone or iPod Touch. With the iPad's screen real estate it might be the more easily playable and immersive version of the game, but that's just my own speculation. Another concern is getting interrupted by a notification or phone call while fighting for Isaac's life, interrupting the player's flow and getting him killed.

Still, a game like this is a big step for iOS gaming, paved by games like Chaos Rings and Infinity Blade, and will be a great marketing tool for the Dead Space console games. A DS or PSP version at a later date seems natural, but nothing has been mentioned thus far.