Dead Space Remake (2023) | Gameplay Review (PS5)
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Dead Space Remake (2023) | Gameplay Review (PS5)
Dead Space is a 2023 survival horror game developed by Motive Studio and published by Electronic Arts. A remake of the 2008 game of the same name developed by EA Redwood Shores, it was released on January 27, 2023, for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S. It is the first release in the Dead Space series since 2013's Dead Space 3. Like the original game, it is set on a mining spaceship overrun by deadly monsters called Necromorphs following the discovery of an artifact called the Marker. The player controls engineer Isaac Clarke as he navigates the spaceship and fights the Necromorphs while struggling with growing psychosis.
EA announced a remake of Dead Space in July 2021, to be developed by EA's Motive Studios. Among lead staff include senior producer Philippe Ducharme, creative director Roman Campos-Oriola, and art director Mike Yazijian, all whom had worked on titles within the Dead Space series. The remake was built in the Frostbite Engine, rebuilding all the systems from scratch for it and introducing new features such as volumetric and dynamic lighting. The game also takes advantage of the newer consoles' solid-state drive systems to create a seamless experience between levels without any loading screens. Initially, EA had no plans to introduce microtransactions into the game, a decision that had also been made during the development of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
The game received generally favorable reviews from critics, with general praise for its improved graphics, sound design, and improvements to the original.
Gameplay
Dead Space features various changes from the original game. Unlike in the original game where he was a silent protagonist, Isaac now has voice lines of his own. In addition, previous voice lines and conversations remade for the game were adjusted to include Isaac, allowing him to engage with, argue, and bond with the other characters. The game also features more gore than the original, introducing a "peeling" system in which the player can tear and destroy the bodies of the Necromorphs. Various weapons are more suitable for severing limbs, while others are more suitable for completely destroying bodies. The remake also improves on the "zero gravity" element of the original, providing Isaac with thrusters to freely move across designated areas of the Ishimura.
While featuring all the same suits and weapons from the original game, weapons can now be acquired by simply progressing through the story and do not need to be purchased at the suit kiosk using blueprints. While suits and weapons can still be upgraded with Power Nodes, they can only be fully upgraded by finding different suit blueprints or weapon parts that can be found in different areas of the ship. Weapon parts add on different upgrades, such as increased magazine size or better area-of-effect.[citation needed]
The USG Ishimura is featured as a singular environment that can be freely explored without impacting the main story. Divided into six sections (Engineering/Mining, Hydroponics, Flight Deck/Hangar, Medical, Crew Quarters, and Bridge), players can unlock different areas of the Ishimura by proceeding through the main story. While the ship’s tram system can still be used to move to different sections, they are no longer readily available and must be unlocked by proceeding through each section on foot. A new feature added is the ability to access locked doors and containers by rerouting the ship’s power through various junction boxes or by using a security clearance instead of having to sacrifice Power Nodes.
The Good:
* Isaac finally has his own voice
* Generational leap in graphics quality
* Brilliant sound design
The Bad:
* Second part of the game is somewhat repetitive
* Boss fights are still cumbersome
* Zero-G missions needed more attention
Conclusion:
Dead Space is more than just the fantasy of any fan of the original game – it feels like the developers once again wanted to prove that their game is the gold standard in its genre. The fine folks at Motive Studio tweaked the experience in the right places to make the game feel fresh without weighing it down with unnecessary bling.
Of course, there are still elements that could have benefitted from more attention like all the end game content, especially the final boss fight, but once again Dead Space offers an experience that is more than the sum of its parts and reconfirms its status as the king of the genre.
Review:
STORY = 8
GAMEPLAY = 8
CONCEPT = 8
GRAPHICS = 9
AUDIO = 9
MULTIPLAYER = 0
FINAL RATING 8.5
Review: VERY GOOD