Dead Space Remake Changes - Dead Space Guide - IGN (2024)

With EA Motive reimagining 2008's Dead Space for a new era, the team had to make a few changes to bring Visceral Games' classic survival horror game to a 2023 audience. Some of these changes are fairly small, such as new lore that sets up Dead Space's sequels or extra foreshadowing for later events in the game. Others, however, are far more noticeable.

Below, we'll list all the major changes in Dead Space Remake, allowing you to compare and contrast how Dead Space 2008 and Dead Space Remake differ.

Every Major Change in Dead Space Remake

Looking for a specific entry on this list? You can hop between each section of the via the links below:

Graphical Fidelity

Let's get the obvious one out of the way first. Dead Space Remake is a pretty game; much prettier than its 2008 predecessor. The graphical fidelity is higher, the lighting is vastly improved, the environments are far more detailed and it runs at 60 FPS in performance mode.

Considering that Dead Space is primarily focused on trying to suck you into its Blade Runner meets 28 Days Later world, this visual bump is not only noticeable but adds to the immersion. It's a big change and one that people will pick up on the moment they hit 'New Game'.

Isaac's Voice

Another one that will be noticeable early into your time playing Dead Space Remake, Isaac now has a voice. While Isaac did get a voice actor during Dead Space 2 and Dead Space 3, Dead Space's original release in 2008 chose to have Isaac remain voiceless.

For this remake, that's been entirely overhauled. Isaac speaks now, and, as a result, every character's dialogue has been shifted to account for his responses. Much like the sequels, the voice actor is Gunner Wright, who has portrayed Isaac since 2011.

Isaac's Appearance

Another change that will be noticeable to fans of the original trilogy, Isaac's appearance has been altered to fit his newly added voice. The protagonist now closely resembles Gunner Wright, who portrays Isaac.

Although Isaac's appearance is hardly ever shown in either game, Dead Space Remake does veer slightly away from its predecessor by having the protagonist take his helmet off more frequently.

Backtracking and Security Clearance

One of the main new mechanics added to Dead Space Remake is the Security Clearance system. Players are now able to fully backtrack through the USG Ishimura, with certain areas remaining locked off until Isaac is provided with the correct security clearance.

These areas often contain loot, credits or even weapons, so they're well worth cracking open to see what's inside. The security clearance and backtracking features add to the openness of the ship, allowing you to fully explore without being restricted to the area of the ship your current mission is taking place within.

Additional Areas

Additions to the Ishimura itself are also found in the selection of new rooms players will be able to access. Some of these are simply ways of offering more ammo to the player, while others have far more significance.

A good example is the Break Room on Level 3 of The Bridge, which offers some new lore relating to The Red Marker and helps better flesh out that side of the story during the opening hours. This room also features a cryptic puzzle that reveals a hidden log, giving you a good idea of how the game is adding new secrets for players to stumble across throughout the world.

Side Quests

Side quests are another huge addition to Dead Space, with players able to access three new optional objectives that better flesh out the lives of the crew of the Ishimura prior to its collapse. These mostly revolve around Isaac journeying to different parts of the ship and finding hidden logs, although they do offer intriguing new story details and some additional goodies.

One side quest dives deeper into Isaac and Nicole's strained relationship, another highlights Mercer's experiments with The Hunters and the final one sends you on a mission to hunt down the logs of some crucial crew members. Each mission can be accessed from the moment you enter the area it's found within to the end of Chapter 11, so feel free to tackle them at your own pace.

Alternate Ending

Although the standard ending of the game remains relatively similar, another significant change is the presence of an alternate ending that can only be earned by playing New Game Plus. This ending is earned by collecting each of the marker fragments scattered through the New Game Plus' version of the Ishimura and taking them to Captain Mathius' quarters at the end of the game.

From here, complete the game as normal and you'll get a brand new ending, the likes of which seemingly syncs the timeline up better with Dead Space's sequel, Dead Space 2.

New Zero Gravity Controls

As I'm sure we can all agree, zero gravity segments in the original Dead Space were frustrating. Isaac could look to a wall or platform and traverse to it, but there were never free flight controls that allowed the protagonist to move unrestricted.

With Dead Space Remake, EA Motive has changed that. Now, you'll be able to fly freely using a similar control scheme to Dead Space 2 and 3. It takes away the frustration and gives you full control.

No More Turret Sections

Another section of the original game that fans were never keen on was the ADS Cannon Calibration mission. This awkward turret section forced players to shoot asteroids out of the sky, although the asteroids were hard to hit and if too many connected, the Ishimura would explode. It then reared its head a second time during a boss fight later in the game.

Luckily, both sections have been scrapped in the remake for a more pain-free solution, with the fights taking place outside of a turret. Their removal will no doubt be a huge win for the large crowd of fans that detested them.

Overhauled Weapons

Although the weapons you discovered on the Ishimura during the original Dead Space will still appear in the remake, one of the game's biggest changes is the overhauling of certain weapons' designs. For one, the Pulse Rifle now has a more powerful alt fire, able to shoot proximity mines that detonate when necromorphs come near.

Meanwhile, the Force Gun is much more powerful, with the ability to blow off necromorph limbs rather than just stun opponents. Other changes include the Line Gun getting laser trip wires rather than mines and the Flamethrower adding the Wall of Fire alt-fire mode.

A New Map

Seemingly taking a leap out of Resident Evil 2's playbook, Dead Space's map is overhauled and more player-friendly than ever. Pulling it up, you'll be able to see a full layout of the areas you're currently exploring, with a small blue line showing you the route to your objective.

Not only that, but you can see which rooms you haven't visited and what security clearance level certain areas are locked behind. It's never been easier to look through the Ishimura's various areas to see where you haven't been or where you need to go to progress the story.

Dynamic Events

Another modern addition to the game is the inclusion of dynamic events, which will be triggered by EA Motive's "Intensity Director". This system keeps check of the player's current status and makes changes to the gameplay to account for them.

Playing well? Maybe the system will have some enemies drop from nearby vents. Exploring an area for a while? Perhaps a jump scare will play to keep you on your toes. The core goal is to make sure the player never feels at ease in Dead Space's world, which is something the original game never had the technology to accomplish.

Weapon Upgrades

Throughout Dead Space's remake, you'll buy and find small attachments for weapons that can be added at a workbench. Attaching these upgrades will unlock additional paths for a gun's node tree, with the ultimate payoff being a selection of new skills that dramatically improve each gun.

For example, the Plasma Cutter can be upgraded to burn enemies when used, while you can add an upgrade that causes the Ripper to ricochet blades when you fire them. Each upgrade allows you to further enhance each firearm, changing the way you wield them.