Easily one of the most anticipated AAA titles of early 2023, EA’s Dead Space remake is finally upon us. But just because you may have experienced this Sci-Fi survival horror before – way back when in 2008 – doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of surprises for returning fans.
The original Dead Space experience has been expertly maintained by new developer Motive. However, to help bring Isaac Clarke’s blood-soaked adventure up to date for modern players, the remake includes a handful of changes to gameplay and structure. They should come as a welcome addition to returning fans who – whether they admit it or not – are used to a different calibre of big-budget game in 2023 compared to what was on offer 15 years ago.
.Curious as to what the main differences between the Dead Space remake and the original game are? We've got xix of them for you, and don't worry – they're free of significant spoilers, so you won't have the game ruined before you've even booted it up.
Isaac now has a voice…
Whereas ill-fated Isaac Clarke remained a silent protagonist for the entirety of the original, the Dead Space remake sees him finally given a voice – and a familiar one at that. Voice actor Gunner Wright first took on the role in the 2011 sequel, Dead Space 2, and quickly became synonymous with the engineer-turned-Necromorph killer.
Not one to cause upset or outcry, then, Wright once again lends his dulcet tones to Isaac. This one important change helps Isaac feel more relatable as a character, updated to be a person with his own agency who can now share back-and-forth conversation with others.
…and a brand-new face
Unless you employed some quick camera trickery, players only caught a brief glimpse of Isaac Clarke’s face in the original Dead Space. Even then, he looked pretty non-descript, which worked well for emphasising his nature as an average working Joe who just so happens to be experiencing a really bad day.
The remake sees him take his helmet off more than a couple times during significant story moments and conversations. But who’s face is under the helmet? None other than Gunnar Wright, Isaac’s long-time voice actor. Not only do the character’s voice and face now match perfectly; it also works better to suit the remake’s new photorealistic graphics.
Side missions add context to the USG Ishimura’s downfall
The original Dead Space was an overtly linear game, with one direct through line to follow in order to complete the main story. But 15 years on, that’s not going to fly; players expect post-launch content, battle passes, pre-order bonuses, exclusive items, and at a more basic level, side quests!
So Motive has added in a sprinkling of side missions to satiate today's gamers. But don’t worry, there’s little more than a handful, and what is there only adds to the story of the USG Ishimura’s downfall as opposed to taking anything away from the story. These side missions are easy to track, offer insight into characters like Isaac’s girlfriend Nicole, and encourage you to revisit previously seen locations to seek out new rewards.
Zero-G sequences now offer full 360-degree control
Isaac Clarke has never been the nimblest of space engineers, and this was arguably most seen in the first incarnation of Dead Space during the various zero-G sequences. Players were simply required to aim and point where they desired Isaac to jump, making the act of traversing outside of the ship feel extremely disjointed.
This was a problem the series eventually resolved with Dead Space 2, by giving players full 360-degree movement with the addition of thrusters. The Dead Space remake retrofits this gameplay mechanic into the original adventure, granting Isaac better control and manoeuvrability whenever he’s forced to complete a task outside.
Doors no longer need Nodes to unlock
Nodes are collectible bits of kit that Isaac could previously use to either upgrade his suit and weapons at benches, or unlock optional doors which were often the only obstacle between him and a slew of useful goodies. The Dead Space remake scraps this risk/reward approach entirely, instead letting players exclusively use nodes to upgrade Isaac at benches.
There's still a litany of locked doors found throughout the labyrinthine USG Ishimura, but they’re now mostly tied to story progression. Isaac needs a specific level of security clearance, which players will slowly gain as the adventure pushes on. This means you're no longer plagued by the fear of missing out if you opt to upgrade Isaac's suit and weapons in lieu of gaining ammo and health. There's already enough terror on board with the Necropmorphs.
One-shot camera brings an added cinematic feel
This last point is one that’s been much discussed in the Dead Space remake’s marketing. The hardware limitations of the Xbox 360 and PS3 meant that players of the original Dead Space were often left twiddling their thumbs, waiting on new areas of the USG Ishimura to load in between chapters.
The Dead Space remake implements a one-shot camera – not too dissimilar to the one seen most recently in God of War Ragnarok. There are brief moments of the story where control is taken away from the player, but in these instances the camera swoops to find a different angle without breaking the shot. No load screens also means that the ship can be explored from front to back in its entirety, too. A feat not possible in the original game.
Alternate ending
Throwing in a bonus one for you here! As mentioned in our Dead Space remake review, Motive has added an alternative, secret ending that wasn't present in the original game. Although you'll have to play and complete a New Game Plus run to unlock it.
