A few days before visiting EA Motive for the Dead Space-focused IGN First, I played the original game for the first time since 2008. The rusted corpse of USG Ishimura. I always knew Dead Space was a modern classic, but I was amazed at how well it stood up after so many years. I was. What’s the point in remaking something this great?
After playing for the same 7 hours as the remake version, I think I was convinced. In many ways, Dead Space is a purist remake. I estimate that about 85% of what I experienced is the same as the original game, but the visuals are very good.But what I’m quietly wondering is the remaining 15%… Is this remake really Better than its ancestors?
Many of these changes are gameplay improvements, some of which are drawn directly from Dead Space 2. The Zero Gravity Sequence allows you to move freely in any direction instead of hopping from surface to surface. This obviously gives you more freedom, but the redesigned segment around this feature is noticeably more interesting than the original. Chapter 3’s centrifuge puzzle turned into a real spectacle, while the ADS cannon repair job was completely turned into a tense and dangerous space walk.
The influence of the 2011 sequel can also be seen in the weapons. Weapons can be equipped with various special upgrades that change their functionality. For example, the Plasma Cutter can be modded with an extended magazine and the ability to set enemies on fire and damage them. The Ripper, on the other hand, fires blades that bounce around the room, allowing for trick shots.
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Modifications like this are hidden around the ship, prompting you to explore every room and cupboard. will be Levels of clearance increase as the story progresses, allowing you to backtrack your seamless spaceship to open doors that were once forbidden. This interconnected design and throwback puts Ishimura closer to the Talos-1 station from her Prey. A huge structure that feels like a real place rather than a series of levels in a video game. It’s a respectable direction, but I’m still not sure exactly how well it’s being used throughout the campaign. , is to allow organic revisiting of previous areas rather than making backtracking an isolated chore.
Whether you’re going backwards or forwards, Dead Space is full of terrifying necromorphs that threaten to rip limb from limb. A lot has already been done about the new “exfoliation system”, which rips layers of skin, fat and muscle from the enemy with each new wound, but there’s more to this grotesque idea than just visceral visuals. Necromorphs’ own bodies now have a visual representation of their health, much like Clark has his health bar built right into his suit. This is nowhere more evident than with the force gun, a weapon that has been completely overhauled for the remake. . A stripped Necromorph can be finished off with more conventional weapons. The exposed bone is ready to snap in a round or two.
Speaking of weapons, each of Isaac’s deadly repurposed tools has been redesigned to facilitate new levels of strategy. Severing is still the primary objective of all skirmishes, but the Flamethrower’s new Alternate Fire creates a searing wall of flame that can seal off areas and manage crowds, and the Pulse Rifle’s new Proximity Mine can be used to trap and These are minor changes, but I found the new secondary abilities to be much more useful than the ones in the original game, and soon became a regular part of my combat routines. became.
However, my favorite change we’ve seen so far is the circuit breaker. These occasional puzzles usually require power to be rerouted to another machine in order to open a locked door. When you put it in, you’re turning off other things. In early examples, this involved powering down elevators when they were no longer needed, but in Chapter 3, we faced an even more interesting sacrifice. To power up the refueling station, energy had to be diverted from the engineering deck lights or life support. system. it was a choice. Will you stumble in pitch darkness and risk being ambushed by unseen threats, or navigate bright corridors while your air supply is rapidly depleted? A clever way to put it together, and hopefully this example is not a one-off event, but the first of many atrocious scenarios.
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Aside from the graphics, the most noticeable changes from the beginning are those in the script and storytelling. I find this almost unnecessary, but thankfully he hasn’t turned into an overly talkative Sonny character. Gunner Wright, the voice actor who brought Isaac to life in the sequel, is once again playing the role, so once again there’s a sense that elements from Dead Space 2 have been incorporated into the original.
Isaac’s new script is very good, but Kendra Daniels has the best changes. Once an incredibly awkward character, she has transformed into a more empathetic and friendly colleague for Isaac.For those who know the final direction of Dead Space’s story, Daniels’ modified I think that personality would work better with her character arc (if the story’s main plot beats were left intact, of course).
As for the narrative path, the Church of Unitology – a religious sect and a major player in the Dead Space universe – is introduced much earlier in this remake and in a much more organic way. These characters know the reputation of the church and casually discuss it even before they realize it will change their lives forever. It’s an approach that I really appreciate, and I think the plot that’s finally revealed will be more meaningful because of it.
Motive has made a lot of smart changes to Dead Space, but they don’t shake things up beyond recognition. The result, at least for the first few chapters, is something that feels philosophically similar to the Director’s Cut (albeit a completely reshot Director’s Cut with an entirely new set). This experience looks almost identical to his 2008 original, but it’s been honed and polished to a beautifully brutal finish. As such, this remake is perfect for brand new players and die-hard Dead Space fans. As a lover of the original games, the one I played was an absolute thrill. But for less invested fans, its value becomes more questionable, as it’s an incredibly similar experience, even with the changes. I don’t think it will be anything fundamental and transformative. But what’s the best way to play this groundbreaking survival horror? I have no doubt that Dead Space will succeed in its mission.
Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Features Editor.
