The original Dead Space is a sci-fi horror game classic for a reason, and fans are curious to see what the Dead Space remake will look like when it launches early next year. Screen Rant recently had the opportunity to attend a preview event and play an in-progress build of the game, which gives a solid glimpse into what the final product could look like - and just how EA's Motive Studio has been approaching the balance of new versus old.
With significant potential, the Dead Space remake could signal an AAA horror game resurgence, if handled correctly, but just what that should look like is a matter of some debate. While some may be hoping for a game that looks at the last 14 years of innovation and finds ways to modernize the experience, others may be more interested in seeing a fresh coat of paint on a title that already had a clear and well-executed vision from the outset. To some degree, the Dead Space remake does both, though it's been clear that Motive's vision has been to maintain the integrity of the original game as far as possible, only expanding or updating in ways that feel organic.
This is born out in the opening hours of its gameplay, which do add some new material and give Isaac Clarke the actual voice he was lacking the first time out (with Gunner Wright reprising his role from the second and third games in the original trilogy). But these early hours also stick incredibly close to the original script in of both dialogue and the events that transpire. For anyone that's played the original game, they may find things are a little more similar than they might have expected.
While there will be some Dead Space necromorph monsters, in all their dismemberable glory, make their appearance just as in the original.
These opening segments aren't merely similar to the original game, they're almost a replica, featuring the same characters, general ship layout, environmental storytelling, jump scares, and even puzzles. The iconic Plasma Cutter weapon feels just like players will , with its rotatable head allowing for precision attacks that target the limbs of the ship's nightmarish enemies. The stomp also makes a grand reappearance, letting players smash open crates and attack downed enemies with the same satisfying impact for which it's so fondly ed.
For anyone intimately familiar with the original game, the Dead Space remake feels almost exactly the same. This is both quite impressive, so far as devotion to Visceral Games' original vision is concerned, and potentially a little underwhelming, as there's nothing new to surprise series veterans. In the case of onboarding new players, the Dead Space remake's combat gameplay also hammers home the "shoot off their limbs" advice to death just like the original, something that feels like it could have used a more subtle touch after all these years.
But while the events themselves have been perhaps a little slavishly adhered to, the same can't be said for the technical improvements, which go a long way toward making the experience feel fresh. Right off the bat, deeper colors and darker contrast are noticeable, with a far richer and less washed-out look compared to the original game. Isaac's iconic suit looks fantastic, and blood spatter now comes as a standard feature. Sound is also substantially improved, with environmental effects that add extra depth to the environments. Some of this has already been shown off by the development team, including the iconic "headbanger hallway", which really drives home what a difference spatially aware sound design can make. Fog and other atmospheric effects are also getting big upgrades, with fantastic lighting that drifts through fog that has actual physics, ultimately allowing for extra immersion in the Dead Space remake's moment-to-moment gameplay.
Mechanical improvements are less immediately obvious, as while Dead Space 2, though few sequel features have otherwise made the jump.
There's a considerable amount of extra visual detail as players take enemies apart, but there don't seem to be noticeable improvements to AI, which leaves combat feeling almost entirely untouched. Characters in the story are a little more robust, however, with some bulked up content as far as dialogue and story presentation go. Nothing changes the flavor, as even Isaac's newfound voice seems to be handled gracefully in a way that doesn't detract from the atmosphere, but a new holographic recording of Nicole suggests the promise of further exploration of her as a character, possibly with some added depth around Isaac's search for her.
Ultimately, it seems like the Dead Space remake, even with The Callisto Protocol as competition, is more concerned with being faithful to fan expectations and original vision than with making huge evolutions. While not every mechanic holds up so well in 2022 compared to 2008, the worst offenders have gotten reasonable upgrades, and the improved visuals, more detailed cutscenes, and even stronger sense of place make the Dead Space remake one to watch for fans of sci-fi horror.
The Dead Space remake hits PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S on January 23, 2023.