We have gone a long time since we got any Dead Space content, with the last notable release being Dead Space 3 in February 5, 2013, which is almost a decade. Some have thought that after the disaster that is Dead Space 3, and the shut down of Visceral Games (the original developers of the Dead Space games), we would have never seen the return of Dead Space.
Luckily, we have been proven wrong, as the Dead Space Remake was announced in 2021, reigniting the once silent fanbase. For two years, we Dead Space fans have been waiting for the release of the remake, and with the release date being so close (January 27), the hype for the game is at an all time high.
But before we play the game, let’s get a recap of everything we know about the remake.
Dead Space is releasing on January 27, 2023. With it being the month of January, that means the release date is close. The game is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. However, you may notice that the game is not releasing on last gen consoles like PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
That’s because Motive, the studio that is developing Dead Space Remake, wants to have the best visual fidelity for the game, and with the new next gen technology they have on their hands, they made the decision to not release the game on last gen consoles.
For PC players, you should also check out the system requirements before making any purchase. After all, you wouldn’t want to buy a game that you can’t run. Might as well save that money for upgrading your PC.
Minimum:
- OS: Window 10 64-bit +
- Processor: Ryzen 5 2600x, Core i5 8600
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: AMD RX 5700, GTX 1070
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 50 GB available space
Recommended:
- OS: Window 10 64-bit +
- Processor: Ryzen 5 5600X, Core i5 11600K
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: Radeon RX 6700 XT, GeForce RTX 2070
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 50 GB available space
It’s quite obvious that as a remake, there are going to be some changes to the game. The most glaring change in the game is going to be the graphics, which got a complete overhaul. The original Dead Space is a good looking game, even now. But the remakes graphics takes advantage of graphical options that were never available in the original during its time.
New high resolution textures with updated lighting, all with the help of ray tracing and such. The new graphics really brings out the tense and disturbing atmosphere by making the ship even more dark, showing what it was like when the Ishimura was being overrun.
Apart from the graphics, we also have updated gameplay, similar to that of Dead Space 2. Dead Space 2 is considered the peak of the franchise, with its atmospheric horror but more importantly, its gameplay. Playing the original Dead Space today, you can appreciate it for what it is, but playing Dead Space 2 right after makes you not want to play the original again.
Dead Space Remake has Isaac move similar as he did in Dead Space 2, which is fast and fluid. But that doesn’t mean it’s just him that gets an upgrade, as the Necromorphs all have updated AI and even new attacks that might catch some veteran players by surprise.
The other new additions to the game, that some people have noticeably taken a dislike to, is that Isaac Clarke now has a face that he actively shows throughout the game (oh, and he has a voice now too). Gunner Wright returns once again to be the face and voice of Isaac Clarke, but people seem to have taken a strong dislike to Isaac’s new face, stating that he looks nothing like his Dead Space 2 face and more like Adam Sandler.
This honestly got a chuckle out of me.
While it’s understandable that some people aren’t fond of the new face and prefer face from Dead Space 2 and 3, let’s remember a couple of things:
- Mocap and face scanning technology has come a long way since the era of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, making for more realistic character models in video games (see Death Stranding).
- Isaac Clarke in the first Dead Space game (both remake and the original) have yet to gone the intense nightmare when starting the game. He is not supposed to have dark eyes and a disheveled look in Dead Space 1, because he is just an engineer and not a monster slaying soldier (although him being an engineer should automatically give him the dark eyes and disheveled look from the get go).
Isaac Clarke is also fully voiced, which some people also do not like. I myself like having Isaac Clarke become aware of his surroundings and making comments. Playing the first game is awkward because these characters are talking to you, yet you do not speak. Unlike in RPG’s like pre-Fallout 4, your character is silent but can still make dialogue choices.
With a fully voiced Isaac Clarke, this also means that we have cutscenes in the game now. The original had maybe 4 or 5 cutscenes in the game, as majority of the time we had full control of Isaac. In the remake, we now have cutscenes, similar to its sequels. Again, this is a divisive decision for some reason, but it’s one that I welcome.
That’s all we know so far with the game. With the release coming so close, it’s impossible to not get excited for the prospect of playing another Dead Space game. And who knows, this might lead to a Dead Space revival, meaning we could get a Dead Space 4 that can end the game, or a remake continuation of Dead Space 2.
ALSO READ: Which Dead Space Edition Should You Buy?
