Games News Unbiased Dead Space Remake Game Review
The release of Dead Space Remake went as scheduled on January 27, 2023 and this Motive Studio single-player, third-person shooter, survivor horror game published by Electronic Arts is now accessible to players on eighth generation game consoles – Xbox Series X/S, Windows,and PlayStation 5.
Dead Space Remake is a reproduction of the 2008 EA Redwood Shores video game of the same name. Dead Space Remake is the latest installment of the Dead Space series with Dead Space 3 being the last game in the series released back in 2013.
In this unbiased game review, we highlight the game engine, background/development info, storyline, plot, gameplay, and reception. We also round up with our verdict and recommendations.
Dead Space Remake Developed by Frostbite Engine
Dead Space was developed using DICE’s Frostbite Engine. The Frostbite Engine is a cross-platform game engine that can be used on both seventh and eighth generation platforms and video game consoles, namely; PCs, PS3s, Xbox 360s, PS4s, Xbox Ones, Switches, PS5s, and Xbox Series X/S, as well as in the cloud on Google Stadia.
Dead Space Remake Background And Development
On July 1, 2021, games journalist Jeff Grubb of GamesBeat reported that Motive was working on a new version of Dead Space. He theorized that the publisher gave the remake of Dead Space the go-ahead because of the commercial success of similar games like Capcom’s Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019).
From the start it was decided that Dead space Remake would be made with EA’s proprietary engine – Frostbite, which was also used by Motive Studio for the single-player campaign of Star Wars Battlefront II and for Star Wars: Squadrons.
Dead Space Remake assumes a similar structure and story as the original, but developers surmised that the assets, character models, and environments would not be revamped, but instead reimagined.
During development, Motive Studio had hoped to take advantage of the SSDs in the next-gen consoles so that the video game could be played in one continuous “sequence shot” without any loading screens. A feat that was eventually achieved as seen in the actual Dead Space Remake gameplay on PS5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S.
While technical limitations prevented some content from being included in the original game, advancements in technology made it possible for developers to include these content in the Remake.
In contrast to Dead Space 3, where the inclusion of microtransactions was met with criticism, this game does not have any of these features.
The game’s art director, Mike Yazijan, was previously the art director at EA Montreal, where he helped Visceral Games with the development of Dead Space 2. So he was already well vast in the issues of past installments that needed sorting out in the Remake.
The audio in the previous Dead Space series was highly praised by fans and critics alike, so developers of the Remake decided to maintain that same sense of immersion while making any necessary improvements or tweaks.
Like in Dead Space 2 and Dead Space 3, Gunner Wright reprised his role as protagonist Isaac Clarke and provided full voice acting. Also returning from Dead Space 2 is Tanya Clarke, who played Nicole Brennan. Cast members Faran Tahir as Challus Mercer, Brigitte Kali Canales as Kendra Daniels, and Anthony Alabi as Zach Hammond round out the ensemble that make up Dead Space Remake.
The Storyline, Setting and Characters of Dead Space Remake
The story takes place in the 26th century and centers around engineer Isaac Clarke – the game’s protagonist and crewman aboard the USS Kellion – a maintenance vessel assigned to carry out an investigation on the USG Ishimura, a large planetary exploration and mining spaceship that has suddenly gone silent while hovering above planet Aegis VII.
Isaac Clarke’s crew members consists of Aiden Chen and Hailey Johnston as security personnel Cpls and co-pilots, IT expert Kendra Daniels and Zach Hammond who is the chief security officer of the USS Kellion.
Isaac Clarke had previously received a distress signal from his girlfriend – Nicole Brennan, who is a medical officer aboard the USG Ishimura.
In the process of boarding and investigating the massive planetary spaceship, Isaac Clarke’s crew are attacked by Necromorphs, an army of mutated reanimated human corpses.
The attack on the crew of the USS Kellion is fatal and Clarke is forced to battle the Necromorphs as he attempts to save the remaining crew members and himself from the mutated creatures that were once human.
Isaac Clarke would also uncover the reason why USG Ishimura had gone silent all this while. The game’s protagonist searches the Ishimura for his girlfriend, who he finds along with other survivors including the Chief Science Officer of USG Ishimura, Terrence Kyne, Elizabeth Cross the horticulturalist and Jacob Temple her engineer boyfriend. Clarke will also come face to face with the mad scientist and game’s main antagonist Dr. Challus Mercer.
The New and Fully Enhanced Gameplay Features of Dead Space Remake
Dead Space Remake comes with loads of exciting new and fully enhanced gameplay features, here are a few that should get you rubbing your hands.
New In-game Features:
Complete voicing for Isaac
This time around, Isaac uses his voice, whether it’s to call out his teammates’ names when they’re in danger or to detail his strategy for repairing the Centrifuge and fuel lines on the Ishimura. Hearing him participate actively in the team’s mission adds a sense of cinematic realism.
The joy of being liberated from gravity
Isaac could use his rocket boots to launch himself across gaps between platforms in the original Dead Space thanks to the presence of zero-gravity areas. You can also float in any direction in the new version, adding to the sensation of being on a spacewalk. The added thruster speed gives Isaac an advantage when dodging space-lunging Necromorphs.
Multiple layers of submersion
With the Ishimura’s tram, Isaac can zip between locations like Cargo and Medical with no waiting around for loading screens. Motive Studio intends for the remake of Dead Space to be a totally integrated experience.
Exciting new experiences
Isaac is forced to upgrade his clearance on the ship after the death of the captain in Chapter 2. An Infector attacks the Captain’s corpse, transforming him into a Necromorph. In the sequence set in 2008, the characters observe the transformation from behind glass. Reminiscent of the dramatic real-time Necromorph transformation at the beginning of Dead Space 2, Isaac witnesses this gruesome transformation firsthand in the remake.
Extremely momentous occasions
The dramatic moments are enhanced by the use of strong lighting and impressive visual effects. In the latter half of Chapter 3, Isaac turns the Ishimura’s centrifuge back on.
As the massive machinery begins operating, a plethora of effects are unleashed simultaneously: the machine’s massive components rumble and shake with increasing intensity, sparks fly as metal grinds, and the enormous swinging arm casts enormous shadows against the orange auxiliary power lights. It’s a visual and auditory extravaganza that makes the whole thing more immersive.
Breakers in the circuit
Isaac must rewire the various Ishimura subsystems to accommodate the new junction boxes. In one scenario, our team of test gamers had to decide between turning off the lights and reducing the oxygen supply in order to reroute power to a refueling station. Given the ominous choice between playing in the dark and dying of asphyxiation, our team opted for the former.
Motivated research
Once Isaac has received a higher level of clearance, he will be able to use the Ishimura’s locked doors and loot containers. This encourages players to go back to previously explored areas in search of new resources and crafting components. Behind one of the locked doors is a new side quest that will help you learn more about Isaac’s missing girlfriend, Nicole.
Upgrade options for more weapons
What’s the point of going on a treasure hunt if you have nowhere to put your newly acquired resources? Attaching new weapon upgrade items to the “Plasma Cutter”, “Pulse Rifle”, and other weapons opens up additional upgrade paths that can be purchased with spent nodes. Whether or not this involves wholly new weapon mechanics or merely additional improvements to damage, reload speed, ammo capacity, etc.
Adjustable intensity level
You shouldn’t let your guard down just because you’re back in a comfortable environment. Players are kept on their toes by Dead Space Remake developers thanks to the “Intensity Director”, which can cause unexpected events like bursting pipes and sudden Necromorph attacks, as well as creepy noises like creaking vents.
Fully enhanced features:
Disturbing specifics
Isaac’s weapon fire is guaranteed to cause severe tissue damage, muscle breakdown, and even bone fractures. The extensive damage not only looks horrific, but also gives players useful information about how close they are to severing a limb and killing a Necromorph.
Better graphics
The overall aesthetic has been given a lot of care and attention to detail. Dripping blood stains, flickering lights, floating dust particles, and a gloomy fog above the floor all contribute to the atmosphere of the game.
Experienced gameplay
The fights are just as satisfying as before, but with less jerkiness. Shooting off Necromorph appendages with the Plasma Cutter is as easy as flicking between vertical and horizontal aim modes.
The smallest of additions can greatly improve a story
Rather than just picking up a Plasma Cutter off the shelf, Isaac constructs his own out of composite parts at a workbench, revealing his engineering training. In a similar vein, when Isaac goes to retrieve his Statis Module, he finds a severed limb attached to it, the victim of a nearby malfunctioning door. These snippets of narrative are sure to get you hooked as it did our team of gamers.
Change it up
The Bench is still a great way to tailor Isaac to your playing style with the help of rare nodes strewn across the Ishimura. You can upgrade your character’s suit in a way that increases the Statis Module’s range, allowing you to trap more Necromorphs at once. Your weapon’s damage, ammunition, and reload time are also all upgradable.
The Stasis Approach to exciting Gameplay
To this day, Isaac’s slo-mo field is superior to any other method of crowd management. Our team used the stasis in a number of ways and we can confidently say that the stasis in Dead Space Remake is just awesome. You could freeze a Necromorph next to an explosive canister, and then wait for other Necromorphs to approach the frozen mutated human corpse before shooting the canister and blowing all the Necromorphs to smithereens.
Dead Space Remake Marketing and Eventual Release Date
At EA’s Play Live event on July 22, 2021, a teaser trailer and an initial target release date of late 2022 were unveiled for Dead Space Remake. The postponement of the game until early 2023 was announced on March 11, 2022 with the release date of Dead Space fixed for January 27, 2023, in a gameplay trailer that was released on October 4, 2022.
Motive Studio and EA stayed true to their promise to release Dead Space Remake on the 27th of January.
Dead Space Remake Reception
It would interest you to know that the release of Dead Space Remake was met with positive reviews and feedback from some of the gaming industry’s most critical observers. Fans of the Dead Space series also expressed their joy for the release of the much anticipated remake.
Our Verdict
What more can we say about Dead Space Remake?! This is one third-person shooter, horror game genre that has left us completely satisfied with what Motive Studio developed. We have zero complaints and being finicky, that says a lot. So, we decided to give Dead Space Remake a 9/10 rating. It’s hard getting our team to focus on other games to test, as they seem addicted to this game and we believe you would too.
Buy Dead Space Remake Today!
You can get Dead Space Remake on
PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S for $69.99 today. On Steam, you can Buy Dead Space for $59.99 and Dead Space Deluxe for $69.99.
