The massive monster appears to be giving Isaac Clarke a bloody, snarling, over-excited hug just before a necromorph slides its arm blades into his stomach. The essence of the Dead Space remake is captured in this precise moment, frozen between horrific brutality and a comforting embrace.
Even with all the terror, death, and gore, playing the new Dead Space is a cozy experience for a fan of the 2008 game. Because of these elements.
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The Dead Space remake is bigger, better, and more beautiful than the original while retaining the magic that made the original game an instant classic. It turns out that good game design is timeless.
EA used to make some really good games. Dead Space was released at the pinnacle of EA’s golden era, a year after the first Mass Effect and a month before Mirror’s Edge, and it defined the sci-fi horror genre in ways that continue to this day.
Dead Space pioneered HUD-free horror environments by incorporating health and ability meters into Isaac’s suit rather than displaying static indicators over every scene. The remake employs the same immersion system, as well as a pop-up inventory that does not interfere with gameplay.
Stores and upgrade benches are scattered throughout the USG Ishimura, the main ship on which the nightmare takes place, and are powered by credits and nodes discovered while slicing their way through the monsters onboard.
The Ishimura is a maze of twisting metal corridors and locked rooms in the remake, and it’s full of secrets. I found myself looking around every corner for glowing boxes to stomp on or shiny bits of ammo and credits to stomp on, and my exploration was frequently richly rewarded.
But never get too rich — asset management heightens the game’s tension, and Isaac is constantly on the verge of running out of ammo, stasis energy, oxygen, or health. In some way, he’s always vulnerable. This sensation is crucial in an action-horror game.
Isaac has his traditional arsenal of improvised and scavenged weapons, such as the plasma cutter, disc ripper, and flamethrower, but with some modern updates. The flamethrower’s secondary mechanism, for example, deploys a wall of fire rather than an explosive orb, and it’s an extremely satisfying way to cut off encroaching hordes.
Shooting the necromorphs’ long limbs will always be more powerful than a headshot; stomping on mutant corpses still drops goodies (and any lingering player frustration); and the stasis ability is still a useful tool for managing enemies, temporarily freezing them in place.
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Kinesis is also extremely useful, allowing Isaac to pick up and hurl objects at any time for an indefinite period of time. Isaac rapidly acquires new weapons and abilities, and these tools integrate seamlessly during locked-room combat scenes.
Players can approach fights in a variety of ways and switch strategies on the fly, though stasis, shoot, and stomp is always viable option. Save and refill stations are scattered throughout the environments, and ammo and health drops appear when they’re needed.
The only thing that feels like the game mechanics are working against you are the murderous mutant space monsters.
