Like a Necromorph that resurrects the dead, Motive Studios has revived Dead Space and made it more powerful and terrifying than before. The renewal of this 2008 horror classic has restored it far beyond its original glory. The split-focused gunfight feels great, even better, and while the other notable changes may not feel as dramatic as some of the other remakes, they do. are welcome as expansions to existing models. The result is a remake that faithfully recaptures the appeal of its predecessor while amplifying the elements that made it so beloved in the first place.
Dead Space’s story centers on engineer Isaac Clarke joining a small team to answer an emergency call from the USG Ishimura, a giant mining ship designed to “crash” the planets and suck up their precious minerals. An outbreak of evil aliens known as Necropolis has ravaged the world. Ishimura thanks to its ability to turn a corpse into a member of its ranks. In addition to stopping this extraterrestrial threat and debunking a plot centered on a theistic cult, Clarke must uncover the fate of his girlfriend, Nicole, a doctor stationed aboard the ship.
The story from the original is largely intact, but with some key elements remixed or expanded with a larger setting based on the lore established later in the series. Aside from tightening continuity and adding welcome background on the supporting characters, these differences don’t significantly alter the storyline or events. The exception is a surprising twist to a memorable moment later in the game — a remake that makes more sense in context that I now prefer it to its original.
Another striking difference in the narrative is that Isaac is now talking, voiced by the same performer who brought him to life in the Dead Space sequel. As in those games, the plot benefits from Isaac feeling more like a real person than a boy doing quiet chores. Now, plot twists and revelations become more difficult when he can reliably react to them. Motive also did a great job of integrating its new dialogue into the existing script, which remains unchanged in most cases. However, some performances, particularly Hammond’s, have not changed in a way that has remained the same since the late 2000s.
The improved presentation turns Dead Space, which was already a viewer in its day, into a bloody feast for the eyes. The Ishimura and its mutant inhabitants look great, and walking through the blood-stained corridors is made even more difficult by the show-stealing light. Whether you’re in the dark with just your weapon’s flashlight for illumination or basking in the eerie warm glow of the planet Aegis VII orbiting outside your window, light serves as the presenting glue. to get this graphics upgrade working. The sound design also deserves praise, providing its fair share of insidious audio tricks and new hair-raising groans and screams.
The combat feels familiar, although the reworked controls are more in line with modern third-person games. For example, Isaac can be run by clicking the analog stick instead of the shoulder button. Reliable plasma cutters and other weapons deliver a satisfying punch, especially if you’re using the PlayStation 5’s DualSense features. Amputating limbs becomes more satisfying and strategic. thanks to the new necrotic damage system, in which layers of skin, muscle and bone are decomposed. This system better represents damage and exposes weaknesses. For example, I like to engulf enemies with a flamethrower, then pinpoint exposed bones to cut to pieces with my cutter.
A variety of enemy types from the beginning return in full force, and they’re still fun and often challenging to kill. Use a time-slow stagnation to stop an attack before it connects, or use kinesis to pick up and stab necroses with stray objects, including their own amputated limbs , feels great now 14 years ago. It helps rooms pack more environmental props and weapons to fly around, such as gasoline and tanks.
Unless you’ve completed the base game recently or replayed it enough to understand its map well, the level design changes probably won’t happen as suddenly as a necromancer ambush. The IshimuraMany of the rooms and layouts have generally remained the same, but have been expanded. Most notably, you can get to certain areas without taking the tram. This change helps the ship feel more organically connected. Trams still exist for those who want to move quickly between areas without the need for transformation. I felt a bit of warmth on some of the zero-gravity parts of the original, where you use the suit’s rockets to propel yourself through regions of weightlessness, sometimes devoid of oxygen. I could still do without them here, but at least for now, those parts apply the improved control scheme of the sequels to make them feel less of a disorienting headache.
You are now free to re-visit areas at any time, but you do so at your own risk as vandals may still reappear in previously deleted areas. These attacks can be the most startling. Sometimes, I revisit an area and nothing happens. Other times, I am attacked in novel and thoughtfully constructed ways. I love how the system maintains Dead Space’s tense and unpredictable design beyond the main aisle, leaving me guessing about my surroundings no matter how many times I step into them.
The rewards for re-visiting areas are usually money, weapon upgrade buttons, and precious ammo, all of which can be locked behind layers of security doors. You will also take these trips to complete the newly added side quests. There aren’t many of these additional quests, but they often serve to complement the lore. For example, a quest that delves into the creation of the term Hunter reincarnated. While for the most part you’ll just find yourself running around the ship’s districts looking for specific key or sound recordings, the side quests add a small but fun aspect that prolongs the visit unfortunately. your.
Instead of reinventing the wheel, Motive makes Dead Space look better, play better, and keep the core of the experience intact. Its new flourishes add to that enjoyment instead of subtracting it. This remake respects and refines my memories of Isaac’s first encounter with the spoilers without reminding me of the original version. It also acts as a perfect starting point for new players as it feels on par with today’s titles. I hope this particular revision signals to EA that Dead Space has plenty of gas in its flask and becomes a harbinger of more horrifying stories in this universe.
