Howard Philips was a citizen living on Titan Station, stationed in the unused Solar Array along with an A.I called ANTI. He left various messages throughout Chapter 7. Isaac eventually found his corpse and used it to access restricted areas.
From logs left behind by Philips, it appeared that the AI for the solar collector facility where he worked was either corrupted or went rogue and would not permit him to leave.[1]
Phillips was seemingly trapped in the Solar Array as he logged 23 separate transfer requests which ANTI subsequently deleted.[2] He may have been locked in or he might have left under his own power. He seemed to be a bird enthusiast as he requested ANTI to authorize his bird collection to be brought in which startled Isaac when they flew out as he entered the Solar Array. He also had many bird posters and books all over his workspace.[2]
During or before the outbreak, Philips presumably begun getting affected by the massive Marker located in Government section. It seems he slowly lost his mind, as he became paranoid about the A.I. In act of defiance, he let his numerous birds out their cages and watched as they flew freely and noted how he started to miss his home.
During the outbreak, Philips was forced to rest after having a psychotic breakdown. As he was sleeping, various Necromorphs swarmed unbeknownts to him to the Solar Array section of the station and eventually found him. Isaac laters finds his mutilated corpse laying on his bed as ANTI is waiting for Philips' authorization to the doorways leading to the alternative powersource of the station and uses it to bypass the security. ANTI however quickly figures out the unauthorized access and locks the doorways down with security lasers.[3]
Trivia
- Phillips also might be a Unitologist, as there are several books on the desk in his room that hint towards this.
- The name is a reference to Howard Phillips Lovecraft, an influential early 20th century horror writer whose stories involved themes of human insignificance in a careless universe, usually under unknown threat of alien horrors, similar to themes in Dead Space.
- Howard Phillips appears to also be interested in music. The tier above Howard Phillips' personal quarters leading to the Solar Array Control pod sports a table with bird paraphernalia, a seat, and a four stringed instrument similar to a guitar. His musical capacity is unknown, nor is it personally referenced in any of his personal logs.
- He resembles Jon Cryer.
- If Isaac goes in front of the door, failing to the scan, then rummages in Philips' room and comes back without bringing the corpse, this triggers a bonus conversation with Ellie to guide the player: Isaac asks her to unlock the door, and Ellie suggests him to use the guardian's corpse to lure the system. However, it is not even obligatory to do this to continue the progression. If Isaacs waits long enough in front of the door (about ten minutes), the door will automatically open as if Isaac's RIG had the proper clearance.
Sources