This new version brings more gravity to the horror
“Dead Space” is the first installment in the Dead Space franchise after 10 years and is a remake of the original 2008 title.
It should’ve been an easy repair job on the USG Ishimura where Isaac Clarke would’ve also had the chance to reunite with the love of his life, Nicole Brennan. Unfortunately, it becomes quickly obvious that there’s something wrong with the prized mining colony. Will Isaac and his team make it out alive?
“Dead Space” makes its grand return with a large-scale remake that helps fuel the current boom within the survival horror subgenre of games (which has been mostly kept going through Capcom’s Resident Evil franchise). The story is faithful to the original game but Isaac is no longer a silent protagonist.
Gunner Wright reprises his role as Isaac and has believable interactions with this hellscape of a spaceship.The remake retains the third-person perspective from the original but the movement and combat feels easier to understand and pick up. There’s a smoothness to the gameplay that feels on par with the recent “Resident Evil” remakes, yet unlike those, “Dead Space” doesn’t trim the story and world. In fact, it does the exact opposite.
The remake features what is practically an open world version of the Ishimura. At any point in the campaign, you can revisit old areas to complete side missions or collect items that you missed out on due to being locked out. However, the game will throw enemies and frighteningly mysterious encounters at you as you explore the ship in an effort to keep you on your toes.
There are also new missions, collectibles and story content that has been added to this remake to surprise old fans and keep new ones busy. Exploring every musty corridor of this vessel is exciting but there hasn’t been a moment where I wasn’t aiming a weapon down a dark, flickering hallway. Sometimes the game will have noises of monsters rattle through the walls just to make you hastily aim your laser cutter (or dismembering weapon of your choice) at one of the dozens of vents that can line a single room.
The sound design for this game is as phenomenal as it needs to be and that goes double for the lighting. I think “Dead Space” might be one of the best-looking games out there for better and for worse because there are horrifying things in this game that I did not need to see in 4K (there is an option for in-game content warnings for those that need them).
If you’re a fan of horror, sci-fi or are just looking for a well crafted experience, then I give EA’s “Dead Space” a glowing recommendation.
Just be sure to keep the lights on.