It’s been fifteen years since the debut of Dead Space, and only ten years since the series got put on ice after the mixed reception to Dead Space 3. So color me surprised when a Dead Space remake comes out, and surpasses the original in every way possible.
Dead Space
Developer: Motive
Price: $59.99
Platform: PC / PS5 / XSX
MonsterVine was supplied with a PC code for review
If you’re new to the series, Dead Space opens with Isaac Clarke, an engineer sent in to investigate a distress call from a massive planet cracker spaceship: The Ishimura. Things go horribly right off the bat as you crash land onto the ship and the carnage of the necromorph infestation becomes apparent to you. Dead Space, for the most part, sticks to the original game’s story beats besides a few choice deviations which I think work in the game’s favor. Nicole in particular, Isaac’s partner stationed on the ship, has had her role expanded upon with a more active role in the story. Another change is how in the original Dead Space, Isaac was an entirely silent protagonist until they gave him a voice in its sequel. As phenomenal as that original game is, having him silent led to many awkward moments whenever you’d interact with other human characters so the move to voice him in this remake is a welcomed one. Conversations are more natural now, and Isaac feels like an active participant as opposed to a silent observer. But for the most part, the story is still the same and the slow creeping of the marker and the Church of Unitology’s influence in the plot is still as unsettling as it was fifteen years ago.
Similar to 2016’s DOOM or the THPS 1+2 remakes, Dead Space recaptures how you remember the original game playing while updating the more archaic elements of its design. For the most part, the game still plays how it used to: still a third-person shooter with a focus on dismembering enemies to efficiently defeat them as opposed to aiming for the head like most games. Severing the limbs of a necromorph is still just as satisfying as ever, and with the improved graphics, there’s an added visceral look to it too as you see chunks of flesh and bone tear away as you fire at them. The necromorphs are still some of the most terrifying and engaging enemies to fight in a horror game too, as they do everything in their power to make your day as awful as possible.
But the remake comes with some improvements as well. First off is the inclusion of zero gravity controls from Dead Space 2; whereas in the original you would only be able to catapult yourself magnetically from wall to wall, now you can freely move in zero-g in those sections. A bigger change is the ability to backtrack between levels whenever you want through the tram system. Before you had to wait till the story allowed you to return to a level to be able to re-explore it, but now you can simply hop onto the tram and go to any area you’ve previously discovered. This is important because of the new addition of side missions in the game. The previously mentioned expansion of Nicole’s presence in the plot is mostly played out in these new side stories along with other missions you can discover that really help flesh out more of what happened on the Ishimura. There are a few smaller updates added as well, and it all makes for a package that not only respects the original but improves upon it in every way.
I cannot stress enough how well done the sound design is in Dead Space. The original already set itself apart from its peers with how important sound added to the game’s horror atmosphere, but this remake doubles down on it. The dingy creaking of the Ishimura as necromorphs skitter around just out of sight, the eerie lighting muffled by smoke obscuring something that might be there. Motive Studio went to the moon and back to make sure you never feel comfortable when exploring the Ishimura in a way that somehow surpasses the original. Old areas feel new, and new ones feel all the more terrifying as you walk with zero confidence in what may happen in them.
The game is dripping with this unnerving sense of dread. And like before, the necromorphs stand out from other horror game monsters in that there’s a sense of eager maliciousness from them. In a similar vein to the deadites from Evil Dead, there’s the feeling the necromorphs are almost fucking with Isaac as they bang and scream on the other side of a door before scurrying away. The game’s new “Intensity Director” helps play a part in this, as the game (similarly to L4D’s AI director) is constantly paying attention to how you’re playing and changes the intensity of the gameplay on the fly. This leads to moments that could change how you and a friend experience the same section of a game; maybe I went through an empty hallway perfectly fine while he got the lights shut off and a swarm of necromorphs to deal with. There’s a constant sense of unease as you explore the Ishimura, just wondering what might pop out from the shadows, and as you get further in the game wondering what’s real or not.
The Final Word
Dead Space is a phenomenal way to relive the original, or a great starting point for those new to the series.
– MonsterVine Rating: 5 out of 5 – Excellent
