Dead Space Remake vs Original: Everything you should know (2024)

This is a very in-depth look at what is new or changed for the Dead Space Remake, releasing January 27th, 2023. I have collected everything you need to know, from platform availability to gameplay, audio and tech changes and upgrades, to game editions and bonuses!

Table of contents

  • Improved Graphics and Visual Effects
  • Isaac Clarke Updates
  • Character Updates
  • Necromorph Updates
  • SFX and Audio Changes
  • Major Gameplay Changes
  • Minor Gameplay Changes
  • Platform Availability and Release Timings

It was a surprise when we all initially learned about the Dead Space remake through the 2021 EA Play Live Teaser Trailer. It has been nearly two years since then so now the remake is right around the corner! Now we all get to relive the horror of surviving the infamous necromorph outbreak on the USG Ishimura!

It has been 15 years since we first stepped foot onto the USG Ishimura wondering what would put it in a derelict state. While veteran players know exactly what to expect, they can also expect some changes in terms of graphics and visuals, audio changes, even gameplay changes. This is what this article is for, to help you know everything you need to know about the upcoming remake!

So sync your RIG, reload your Plasma Cutter, and ignore those voices in your head and let’s get started!

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Improved Graphics and Visual Effects

As it has been 15 years since the release of the original, technology and gaming have come a long way in terms of graphical improvements and capabilities. In order to keep up with the times, this remake went for a ground-up approach instead of a remastered one.

New Geometry and Textures

The first major difference that will be noticed are the visual improvements to Dead Space. As this is a ground-up remake, Motive Studio did not simply add new textures on the pre-existing models and call it a day. Instead, they utilize the last game’s assets made by Visceral Games and add to them by adding new geometry, shaders, and higher resolution textures.

Below is the geometry without textures for the “Headbanger Hallway” from Chapter 2: Intensive Care. You might recall this part of the game where you hear a banging sound only to find a survivor with grievous wounds, banging their head against the metal walls.

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Next we have the modified version of the Headbanger Hallway for the remake. You’ll notice new geometry added to the pre-existing geometry as they added more depth and detail to pre-existing objects.

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With the addition of the textures, ambient occlusion, and fog to the scene, we can get an idea for how the finished product can look. Do keep in mind that these three images were from a livestream from October 2022 and may not reflect the final product.

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Next there’s the gravity centrifuge from Chapter 3: Course Correction. In this room, Isaac must repair the gravity centrifuge in order to prevent the Ishimura from falling into Aegis VII’s gravity well. The original game uses a lot of gray tones with white lighting for a well lit room for you to fix the gravity centrifuge in. Bodies and viscera float around in the zero gravity environment with mounds of flesh building up on the sides of the walls.

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Now we have the gravity centrifuge as seen in the 2023 remake. The white light has beenreplaced with a pale yellow light, fog in the room lightly obscures one’s vision of the area, and much more numerous bits of debris and viscera adds to the unsettling nature of the room. The flesh tendrils now jut out from the wall and onto the ceiling portraying a more serious spread of this fleshy substance.

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A lot of work went into the finer details of the ship to make it feel more realistic and how the space was inhabited. Below we can see various details added to the environment. These include rivets in the metal, latches where crew would remove the glass windows, the aged and chipped paint, as well as the glass covers blocking out the light fixtures. At this point in time, the USG Ishimura is 62 years old and these textures give that impression.

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Some rooms have been remade to serve a new function. For example, in Dead Space (2008) there is a supply room in the Medical Bay where the player can find lockers, medical supplies, and the words “Is it safe?” written by someone.

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In the remake, this room was transformed into one with a medical bay, biohazard waste bin, diagnostic monitors, and of course the vast quantities of blood on the medical bed and floor. This turns what would otherwise be an empty room into one with far more deep environmental storytelling. The room in the remake can make one believe that a patient was here only to get attacked and dragged off the bed by necromorphs. Sometimes the greatest horrors are the kind we imagine and this use of environmental storytelling has players make up their own scenario for what happened.

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Visual Effects

Visual effects including particles, fog, and pyrotechnics not only look better, but actually interact with the environment.

Some of these effects include sparks from electrical wiring and how they can function in a Zero-G environment. While there is gravity, the sparks fall down before burning out while in Zero-G, they actually spread outwards then burn out. When it comes to pyrotechnics, the brightness adjusts itself depending on the local lighting so the textures of the fire can be properly seen. In darker environments they appear brighter while the reverse is true. This works hand-in-hand with the real-time lighting system found in the Dead Space remake.

Objects that move through fog or steam interact with it whereas an older game would have a static texture for the steam that the player walks through. I encourage you to check out Dead Space’s “Amplifying Visual Effects” video after reading this article as neither words nor still images can do those effects justice. Better yet, see for yourself first hand when you play the remake!

Isaac Clarke Updates

How could one cover the remake of Dead Space without covering it’s protagonist, Isaac Clarke? Below is concept art for the Intermediate Engineering Suit as shown in the “Elevating Character Models” video on the Dead Space YouTube channel.

The quality of this art alone can give an idea as to how much effort went into the remake, though let’s compare the models next.

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Here we have the original 3D model of the Intermediate Engineering Suit from the original Dead Space.

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Now let’s take a look at the updated model from 2023. A great amount of texture work went into the model as the armor plating now has a polished look to it. More detail went into then leather pouches on the belt and Isaac even has new patches on his legs. This gives it a better appearance of a utilitarian suit meant for hazardous environments as engineers would need numerous pockets for tools.

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The armor retains its copper color but gets more of a polish in the remake while the lights on his helmet got dimmer and became a deeper shade of cyan when compared to the original. Though this could be a result of how Isaac’s head is angled in the shot. Seeing these models in a neutral setting is one thing, let’s compare them to how they look in their respective games.

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Overall, many fans of the franchise including myself are very excited for the remake. These improved models, textures, and finer details only serve to provide a much more immersive experience. The only way it could become even more immersive is if someone made a VR mod for the remake, though that will likely never happen. Unless of course, Motive Studios decides to remake Dead Space: Extraction for VR. Maybe one day…

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Above we can see different appearances of our main protagonist, Isaac Clarke, throughout the life of the franchise. There have been subtle and significant differences in his designs as this is the result of who was providing Isaac’s voice at the time. Isaac’s original voice actor was Max Shippee, thus the original model of Isaac was based off of him. Subsequent appearances would be modeled after his new voice actor, Gunner Wright, who began to play the part of Isaac Clarke starting in Dead Space 2.

As Gunner Wright is reprising his role in the Dead Space remake, the updated model is based off of him as well. This is evident if you compare Isaac from Dead Space 2 and the remake in the image above. They have similar nose and lip structures, though Isaac lost his blue eyes along with his salt and pepper hair. Instead, Isaac has chestnut hair and brown eyes in the remake. This will in no doubt upset some fans who preferred his original appearance but this isn’t anything the inevitable modding of the game can’t fix.

You can expect Isaac to talk more and react to situations around him. Outside of scripted scenarios such as when he’s talking to Hammond and Kendra, Isaac talks from time to time. Though Isaac typically talks as a response when being talked to. Early on in the game this is done with his surviving crewmates but this likely extends to other survivors aboard the Ishimura. This could include Dr. Kyne, Dr. Challus Mercer, or maybe even the visual hallucinations of Nicole.

Who knows, maybe we’ll get lucky and Isaac can meet Jacob Temple, an engineer aboard the Ishimura who survived most of the events in the game before being captured and sacrificed by Dr. Mercer.

Character Updates

Now we’ll go over updates made to the cast of other characters in the game. Characters within Dead Space have always been modeled after their respective voice actors. This has been a trend with not only Dead Space, but other games including Jedi: Fallen Order, Mass Effect, Overwatch, and so much more. With that in mind, many characters have new voice actors and thus, new character designs.

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Nicole Brennan’s voice actress from Dead Space 2, Tanya Clarke, is returning to the remake as Nicole Brennan once more! The difference in appearance is fairly significant but keep in mind that these character models share likenesses with different actresses. Nicole’s likeness from Dead Space 2008 was shared with that of her VA, Iyari Limon. Future depictions of Nicole would be based on Tanya Clarke and that will continue to be the case with this remake.

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Zach Hammond, the Chief Security Officer of the USG Kellion, now shares the voice and likeness of Anthony Alabi. In the original game, Hammond was portrayed by Peter Mensah.

You might recognize Peter from the movie “300” as he played the Persian Messenger. Or perhaps from the TV Show Spartacus. Some fans prefer Peter Mensah as Hammond and state that this is madness, replacing him with another actor. Madness? This is Dead Space! There are bigger things to worry about such as survival and finding Nicole.

While the voice change is certainly noticeable, Anthony Alabi does an excellent job at keeping Hammond’s serious and to-the-point demeaner.

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I’m Native American myself (Pueblo Laguna and Hopi tribes) and it can be hard to find good examples of Native American representation in media where we aren’t the stoic one, a wise shaman/elder, a sidekick, or someone who sacrifices themselves for the protagonist(s). Since Kendra would have originally been portrayed by a Native American, this would have made her Native as well. With the new actress playing Kendra, this means Native Americans lost some representation in the media which is a shame to say the least.

There would actually be another character who appears to be Native American in the animated movie, Dead Space: Downfall. This character was Samuel Irons, an engineering specialist and Unitologist who fought the necromorphs with a plasma saw. In the movie, Samuel would sacrifice himself to allow the security team to help survivors escape the medical deck.

Given what we’ve seen of the new Kendra so far, Brigitte does an excellent job at portraying her. In the end, if the new actors can provide a convincing and well done performance, then that’s all that matters. With that tangent aside, let’s move onto Dr. Challus Mercer.

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Overall, it appears the team is keeping voice actors for core characters such as Isaac and Nicole while allowing for new renditions of other characters. This is likely due to these new actors sharing a visual likeness with these preexisting characters as the original voice actors may not have been able to reprise their roles for whatever reason. Whatever the case may be, many are excited to see these characters redone in the Dead Space remake and how it reinterprets the horror we experienced 15 years ago.

Necromorph Updates

Necromorphs were one of the more terrifying variants of undead that must be fought in a video game. This is due to their bloody and visceral portrayal in the Dead Space franchise. To make matters worse, should one slay Isaac Clarke, each variant can have its own gruesome execution animation. Though how are the necromorphs being updated to suit the gaming community 15 years later? Let’s find out!

Slasher Variations

“Slasher” is the name used for the most common type of necromorph encountered in the Dead Space franchise. In the past, there were pre-made variants of slashes with cosmetic differences such as lacking clothes or not. Slashers could also appear to be in advanced stages of decay meaning they would be tougher to take down as indicated by glowing eyes and darker flesh.

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The developers have discussed increased design variation for slashers in the “Celebrating Dead Space Livestream”. They talked about how the slashers have more varied uniforms as there were numerous occupations among the crew ranging from engineering to medical to hydroponics. They also mentioned how the crew is very diverse and we’ll see more ethnic diversity with the slashers in this manner.

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Some slasher variants have body armor on some parts of their body, forcing the player to aim for more vulnerable parts. This is a nice feature that adds some challenge to the game, especially in intense scenarios later on in the game.

The 2021 Early Development touched on a new system known as the “Peeling System”. What exactly that is will be later on in the article, for now let’s focus on the visual aspects this provides the necromorphs. Here we can see that there’s a skeleton underneath and during the live stream, you could see how they can expose numerous parts of the body. You’ll be able to see the skull, ribs, femurs, you name it.

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Extensive work went into the innards of the necromorphs as all of the limbs are detachable. The addition of internal organs is a nice touch and was stated to also be detachable from the necromorph. More viscera is always welcome in the body horror genre as it only adds to the macabre aesthetic of the franchise.

The various models of limbs allow the developers to essentially use these as horrible, fleshy LEGO blocks to create enemies such as the Brute which are made up of three humans. You might recall Brutes as the hulking, gorilla-like necromorphs whose arms you have to shoot off from behind to defeat.

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I have a great and very in-depth guide to help teach you how to fight all variants and types of Necromorphs in Dead Space Remake. Take a look for some helpful combat tips.

Necromorph Appearances

The slashers have been the most featured necromorph variant featured in the remake’s news though the official Dead Space Twitter account shows us other variants in the form of research logs. These logs are written none other than Dr. Challus Mercer, the crazed Unitologist who experiments with making stronger necromorphs.

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SFX and Audio Changes

Those with close attention to detail would notice some audio errors in the original Dead Space. One of the more prominent ones was when Isaac would run, you could hear the grunting from exertion on top of his breathing sound. This issue of two sounds being played simultaneously is resolved in the remake.

Another detail that is refined is when Isaac regains oxygen when his air tank is low. In the original game, Isaac would start to gasp for air but would resume normal breathing when he gained access to air. In the remake, Isaac takes time to catch his breath after nearly suffocating. This is one of the few changes that add more realism to the Dead Space experience.

The A.L.I.V.E. System

Part 1 of the Audio Deep-Dive goes into a system that affects Isaac dubbed the “A.L.I.V.E. System”. A.L.I.V.E. is an acronym for the various parameters that make up the system, these are…

  • Adrenaline
  • Limbic System Response
  • Intelligent Dialog
  • Vitals
  • Exertions

The first two of these parameters are closely linked. These activate when Isaac enters various situations ranging from combat, fatigue level, physical exertion, scripted events, and his health level. This can affect Isaac’s physical reactions to stressful scenarios though the Audio Deep-Dive doesn’t give many examples as to how this is done.

Intelligent Dialog is the most interesting aspect of the A.L.I.V.E. system as Isaac’s fatigue and health levels affect his dialog. There are three states in which Isaac speaks, Normal State, Fatigued State, and Injured State. In his normal state, Isaac will speak without any form of impediment. In a fatigued state, Isaac will be breathing more heavily while trying to catch his breath between words. As for his injured state, Isaac will have grunts of pain and struggle to speak at times.

Vitals and exertions are fairly basic in what they do but gives the player an idea as to how exerted or stressed Isaac is in a given scenario. When in a stressed state, Isaac’s heart rate and breathing becomes faster and the player will be able to hear it. When entering a calm situation, Isaac’s heart rate slows down and his breathing calms. Even something simple as running can increase heart rate and breathing for Isaac as this is the case for all people, physical exercise gets the blood pumping and the lungs breathing.

Audio Occlusion

Part 2 of the Audio Deep-Dive goes into Audio Occlusion and how sounds interact with the environment. Audio Occlusion how sound may or may not travel through objects like walls and doors. As the walls and doors of the USG Ishimura are primarily metal, the majority of sounds are unable to be heard through these dense materials. If sound interacts with something like glass, then the player will be able to hear a muffled version of the sound on the other side.

It’s easy to ignore this as we often take for granted how sound works, but this level of detail was not present in the original game. An example used in the video was of the Headbanger Hallway and how sound now travels in there.

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In the original Dead Space, the player would have Isaac walk into a hallway where they can hear the rhythmic sound of banging. The source of the audio was to the right as the source of the sound was technically forward and to the right of Isaac. This meant that the player could hear through the walls though the remake touches on this.

Instead of hearing the banging coming from the right, the player hears the banging coming from the hallway to the left. The audio and sound effects can now reverberate through the halls. Depending on the size of the room or how far away the player is from the source of the sound, this can affect how the sound is heard. Due to this, playing the remake with headphones or even surround sound would be optimal as it can give you better spatial awareness through the sound.

Weapon Sound Effects

Part 3 of the Audio Deep-Dive goes into how sound effects were updated. The examples in this video were the shots fired from the Plasma Cutter and the Pulse Rifle. The old sounds sound effects of these two weapons sound rather muddied when compared to the remake’s version. This is due to the layering effect used in the remake.

The remake’s plasma cutter shooting sound is made up of 6 layers. Each of these layers is a different sound file that adds to the whole of the experience. One sound can have a very heavy bass sound, another can have quiet or loud higher tones, and a layer could be beeps from the electronics components. This provides sound effects with much higher fidelity than the original’s while trying to stay true to the essence of the original’s.

Finer details such as metal components moving around can be heard as well. This can be heard with the plasma cutter’s alternate fire mode. When placed into the vertical or horizontal angle, you can now hear the metal components of the plasma cutter lock into place.

It would appear that the developers took the approach of adding many small details to create a much more whole, realistic experience for the player. That’s not to say that the original didn’t do that, the remake just does it with much more proficiency due to the advancement of technology and hardware capabilities.

Major Gameplay Changes

As great as the original one was, veteran players can agree that Dead Space had some less-than-ideal gameplay aspects. Prominent gameplay aspects that were changed in subsequent games included Zero-G environments, the lack of areas to utilize Isaac’s air tank, and some subpar alternate fire modes for weapons. Many of these features have been adjusted as we’ll discuss below.

Peeling System

Veterans of Dead Space know that the quickest way to defeat a necromorph is take out a leg and two arms to immobilize it. While this visceral experience is very satisfying when done right, it can make combat a bit tedious. With this in mind, the developers have introduced the Peeling System. This was discussed in the 2021 Early Development Livestream and essentially certain weapons can be used to flay the flesh from necromorphs while others tear through them.

In this early build image below, we can see a necromorph that has been peeled. Its flesh was torn away by the Pulse Rifle allowing the player to see the skeleton. Different weapons offer different styles of gameplay as some are designed for severing limbs and others for peeling. However, peeling does not always defeat a necromorph but instead offers numerous interactions with them.

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The player can aim for an exposed bone to shoot off the limb to disable it or if enough of the limb was peeled, they could use their kinesis module to simply pop the bone off. Dead Space 2’s impaling mechanic is in the Dead Space remake so a player could pull off a slasher’s peeled arm only to throw it back and impale them against the wall. This is a good addition as it’s an excellent way to reserve ammo and it’s just fun to do.

Zero Gravity Updates

The original Dead Space’s Zero-G mechanics were clunky to say the least. When in Zero-G environments, the player would have Isaac jump from one point to another as he walked around with magnetized boots. This was drastically improved in Dead Space 2 with the addition of thrusters found on Isaac’s boots and suit. This Zero-G control scheme makes a return in the Dead Space remake and will in no doubt make some portions of the game easier while offering new challenges.

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One moment that could be made more difficult with the updated Zero-G mechanics is when Isaac must travel on the outer hull to reach a turret to take out asteroids threatening the USG Ishimura.

In that segment, the player must move Isaac behind cover during times where asteroid rubble is traveling through the area. Failure to do so would cause Isaac to be ripped to shreds.

Moving above such cover with the jets would be an easy way to get a game over with the asteroid fragments traveling through the area. Though perhaps there will be new cover areas accessible only by thrusters? This could create a tense scenario where you make it to cover with a fraction of a second to spare and would make for an exciting challenge.

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Though let’s be real, hardcore fans of Dead Space will want to know how this new Zero-G control scheme affects the Z-Ball minigame found in Chapter 10. Does it retain the platform-hopping mechanics of the original or will the rules change with the addition of thrusters? We’ll have to find out on the 27th of January.

Circuit Breakers

A new mechanic being introduced is the use of Circuit Breakers. Circuit Breakers appear in various parts of the Ishimura where players have to determine which functions get power. Power to mission critical elements will always take priority which can leave the player a choice of powering the oxygen or lights in the room.

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This is a nice addition as it not only adds challenge but more use for the air tank upgrades for Isaac’s RIG suit. In the original, zero oxygen rooms weren’t common enough to warrant more than one upgrade on the RIG when one could use that power node to increase their health or upgrade weapons. This “pick your poison” approach helps make everyone’s playthrough that much more unique.

Weapon Changes

The approach to weapons follows the example of Dead Space 2 for the remake as let’s face it, some of the weapons in the original were not that good. Such weapons included the Force Gun, the Flamethrower, and the Ripper. The developers rebalanced these weapons for the remake and changed some of the Alternate Fire modes.

The Plasma Cutter has the same alternate fire where the shots fire vertically or horizontally.

The Pulse Rifle now fires proximity mines as its secondary fire. When placed onto terrain, it will detonate when an opponent gets close enough. Alternatively, this can be fired into a necromorph to act as a grenade launcher.

The Force Gun has been reworked in the remake. Instead of being used to push away enemies, it can now rend all of the flesh off a necromorph with kinetic energy. Its alternate fire can now create a gravity well with its alternate fire that allows the player to pull necromorphs into one spot. This can be used in tandem with an area-damaging effect like the grenade launcher from the Pulse Rifle or by the player throwing an explosive canister at the necromorphs.

The Flamethrower now has a Crowd Control based alternate fire as the player can fire it on the floor to create a wall of fire. This will keep necromorphs at bay and this can be useful for managing waves of necromorphs in a cramped hallway.

The Contact Beam now has a new primary and secondary fire. The original primary fire where Isaac charges a blast to shoot a necromorph is now the Contact Beam’s secondary fire. Its primary fire now shoots out a continuous beam of energy that eviscerates necromorphs with ease.

In Dead Space 2, select weapons had access to a Special upgrade toward the end of the upgrade tree. For example, the Plasma Cutter would gain incendiary damage to the shots with its special upgrade. The developers are bringing back these special upgrade nodes but it is currently unknown which weapons will receive this type of upgrade and what kinds of upgrades those will be.

You can learn everything about the Weapons and RIGs in Dead Space Remake, including how to find and upgrade them and how to prioritize which nodes to upgrade first for the most efficient result.

Minor Gameplay Changes

Along with major changes to the gameplay, Motive Studio is adding in or reworking features whether that would be for immersion purposes of Quality of Life purposes. This is what we’ll cover under “Minor Gameplay Changes”.

Intensity Director

The developers of Dead Space have brought up something known as the “Intensity Director” throughout their live streams and interviews. The Intensity Director is essentially an algorithm used in Dead Space to purposefully keep the player unsettled throughout their quest in the USG Ishimura. When exploring the ship, there will be unscripted events such as the lighting being altered, unsettling sounds, or even the occasional necromorph fight.

This is an excellent way to keep up the suspense throughout the game. In the 2008 version, once a room or hallway was cleared while exploring, it was typically safe to traverse from there on. Now that you might hear something in the vent that may or may not be a necromorph, this can keep players on guard more often. As one of the Marker’s effects are auditory hallucinations, the Intensity Director can help provide a more immersive experience for the player by making them question their understanding of their surroundings.

2D Maps Replacing 3D Maps

Changes to the map are planned for the remake but exactly how they changed the map is to be revealed. When examples of this are released, images and descriptions of these changes will be added to this portion of the article. For now, let’s look at the original Dead Space’s map.

In the original game, the map displayed rooms and hallways in a 3D format with symbols to indicate save locations, workbenches, stores, and refill stations for air tanks and stasis modules. This could allow the player to assess which level certain locations were on relative to their positions. However many players would find this map difficult to understand and this point would be brought up by the developers at Motive Studios.

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Joel MacMillan, a developer working on the Dead Space remake, had to say the following concerning the maps in an interview with Inverse…

“Looking back at it, there was a little bit of frustration around how to control [the original map] or how to read it quickly. You’d have to kind of rotate it to figure out what’s the best angle to see where your character is and where you need to go. We’ve actually simplified it rather than embellished it, to improve the clarity and the readability of it.”

The original map could certainly be difficult to read quickly though those with exposure to 3D maps like those in the Metroid Prime series could more easily understand them. It’s good to see that the UI experience is being improved upon and hopefully it’ll stay true to the theme where all UI is part of Isaac’s equipment in some manner.

No Loading Screens

The Tram System of the USG Ishimura was the system used to separate chapters and serve as a loading screen. In the remake, the developers stated that there are no loading screens whatsoever. This allows a seamless exploration of the USG Ishimura for the player and can even allow you to backtrack in order to access previously locked rooms. Certain rooms require a certain amount of clearance which can be granted to Isaac throughout the game.

This lack of loading screens is likely why both the minimum and recommended requirements for the PC states that a Solid State Drive (SSD) should be used. SSD’s are much faster than Hard Disk Drives (HDD) and can load content more efficiently.

Video Logs Replaced by Holograms

Dead Space had numerous logs that the player could collect throughout the ship. These included text logs, audio logs, and video logs. Some of these would be mundane letters to loved ones while others depict integral moments in the Ishimura’s downfall. One fascinating change is the replacement of video logs with holograms for an augmented reality experience for Isaac.

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Here we find a hologram of Captain Benjamin Mathius having a discussion with Dr. Terrence Kyne about the Red Marker. You’ll actually find a projector on the ceiling as that’s the source of the halations above the holograms. The addition of augmented reality in Dead Space helps provide more depth and ironically, life, to the setting as it can help the player relive these past moments.

You may also notice that Dr. Kyne got a redesign as he now has brown hair, appears younger and slimmer than his previous counterpart. As the original game based the character’s faces off the voice actors, this is likely a result of Dr. Kyne taking on the appearance of his new VA who is yet to be announced.

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The old format for video display is still present in the remake though this seems to be limited to video calls from survivors. With this new feature in mind, we’re bound to see holograms of events involving Isaac’s girlfriend, Nicole Brennan, and her experiences with the necromorph outbreak. This will in no doubt gauge a reaction from Isaac.

New Game+ and Alternate Ending

New Game+ will be a returning feature to Dead Space as told by the FAQ videos with Gunner Wright. The Dead Space twitter account expanded on this by stating that the NG+ will have…

  • A Level 6 Advanced Suit
  • New Phantom Variant Necromorphs
  • A new secret ending

The level 6 suit is a given as in the original game, the player could unlock a level 6 suit used by military personnel. This suit provided the most damage reduction out of the suits available in the game. We have yet to figure out what Phantom Necromorphs or what this secret ending is, but we will be hosting that information here on Vulkk as soon as we learn more!

With the preview of Xbox trophies for Dead Space via TrueTophies, we’ve learned that there is a trophy called “Reunion”. This is gained by seeing the alternate ending on any difficulty mode. What this alternate ending is or what is needed to obtain it is currently unknown, but one can speculate that this is something related to Nicole in some manner.

Platform Availability and Release Timings

Dead Space is available for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. However, when it comes to the consoles, the player has different options that affect the game’s performance.

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Console players are able to choose between 2 different graphics modes, Quality and Performance.

Quality operates at 30 FPS at 4K (UHD) resolution with ray tracing.
Performance operates at 60 FPS with 2K (QHD) with no ray tracing.

This is the case between the PS5 and Xbox Series X, but the developers have not yet stated how this functions with the Xbox Series S. The Series S has weaker hardware compared to the Series X but information about that will be added here when it is made available.

There are 4 editions of Dead Space available, the Standard edition, Deluxe Edition, EA Play Pro Edition, and the Collector’s Edition. To learn more about these along with Dead Space’s PC requirements, check out our Dead Space Remake Editions Differences Guide! And if you get the Deluxe (or higher) edition, you get a few “gifts”. Read the dedicated guide to find out how and where you can get the Deluxe Edition Suits and how to use them.

Players can pre-load their games to make sure they are ready to play by the January 27th release date.

Xbox X|S users can pre-load Dead Space starting January 20, 2023 at 8 a.m. Pacific Time

PS5 and PC users can pre-load Dead Space starting January 25, 2023 at 8 a.m. Pacific Time.

Dead Space Remake vs Original: Everything you should know (37)

As for the exact time Dead Space will be released on January 27th, this map helps provide an idea relative to your time zone.

  • 8:00 PST
  • 10:00 CST
  • 11:00 EST
  • 13:00 BST
  • 16:00 GMT
  • 17:00 CET
  • 0:00 CST and HKT
  • 1:00 JST
  • 3:00 AEDT

This article may be updated with any new announcements and reveals up to the release, and after it. Check back later!

Dead Space Remake vs Original: Everything you should know (2024)

FAQs

Is the original Dead Space or the remake better? ›

The remake is certainly 100% better in terms of UI, modern gameplay and graphics. The lighting and dark scenes are eceptionally well done, some of the most beautiful graphics there for this type of game.

What is the difference between Dead Space and Dead Space remake? ›

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.

How do you unlock the secret ending in Dead Space remake? ›

Simply complete the game on any difficulty, then access New Game + (again, on any difficulty). In the New Game + playthrough, Issac will be required to collect 12 marker fragments throughout the levels of the game. Each of these fragments is tucked away somewhere throughout the Ishimura.

Does Dead Space remake have multiple endings? ›

A big change in the Dead Space remake is the addition of an alternate ending.

Which version of Dead Space is the best? ›

The Dead Space Remake Is The Series At Its Best

Other aspects, like redone voice acting, visual upgrades, and even additional content that fits naturally into the game make the Dead Space remake the series' best game.

Why did Hammond think Chen was alive? ›

While on the USM Valor, Hammond became increasingly delusional under the Marker's influence, reaching its apex when he hallucinated the Necromorph Chen as being his friend alive but injured from the Slasher that attacked him, prompting him to call Isaac to evacuate "Chen" to the USG Kellion, despite Isaac warning ...

Does Dead Space remake change the story? ›

The larger story is untouched and there were no dramatic edits to the script, but it's not a line for line remake. More specifically, though, Isaac is no longer an all-but-silent protagonist — and he takes his helmet off a lot more often.

Is there anything new in the Dead Space remake? ›

The remake was built in the Frostbite Engine, rebuilding all the systems from scratch for it and introducing new features such as volumetric and dynamic lighting. The game also takes advantage of the newer consoles' solid-state drive systems to create a seamless experience between levels without any loading screens.

How much has changed in Dead Space remake? ›

The pacing of the plot and levels is improved. Backtracking is improved on where Isaac can go to any previous areas seamlessly and the Director AI can generate random Necromorph encounters.

What is the secret weapon in Dead Space remake? ›

The Hand Cannon is an unlockable weapon in Dead Space 2 after completing the game on Hard Core mode, and in Dead Space (2023) after completing the game on Impossible mode. It takes the shape of a comically large red foam sports hand that Isaac Clarke or Gabe Weller wear on their right hand.

What do you get for completing impossible mode Dead Space remake? ›

If you finish the Dead Space remake's Impossible Mode, you are rewarded with a sweet new suit called the Burnished Suit. You also get to add a whole new weapon to your arsenal for another playthrough in the form of the Hand Cannon. So, you have plenty of incentives to step into Isaac's suit for this challenge.

Can you unlock suits in Dead Space remake? ›

Suit upgrades – Dead Space remake

You start with a Level 1 suit, and the other five levels can be unlocked as you progress through the game, and continue into NG+.

How many save slots can you have in Dead Space remake? ›

The Dead Space remake has a limited number of save slots — about 50 of them. Every time you save into an Empty Save Slot at a save point (the default option), you take up one of those slots.

How long does it take to 100% Dead Space remake? ›

Very Low 2% Retirement
PlatformPolled100%
PC70230h 22m
PlayStation 544329h 2m
Xbox Series X/S29125h 48m

Can you upgrade everything in Dead Space remake? ›

There are not enough Power Nodes to upgrade everything available in Dead Space on the first run, so each player should prioritize what makes the most sense for them. It is recommended not to upgrade more than four weapons, as that is the limit on how many weapons Isaac can carry.

Should I play Dead Space 1 or wait for remake? ›

Gameplay wise and with all the changes/improvements graphically the remake is still worth playing, but the weak points in character changes will stand out a lot, at least it does to me but it doesn't urk me or make me hate the game, just not as good as the original. Honestly you should play both.

Is the Dead Space remake just the first game? ›

Dead Space is a 2023 survival horror game developed by Motive Studio and published by Electronic Arts. A remake of the 2008 game of the same name developed by EA Redwood Shores, it is the first release in the Dead Space series since 2013's Dead Space 3.

Was the Dead Space remake a success? ›

Following Dead Space Remake's massive success, rumors quickly began to swirl that developer EA Motive was set to remake Dead Space 2 next. While this would be a welcome experience for many fans, it sets the series on a particular path, remaking previous titles, rather than progressing the series forward.

Should I play the original Dead Space before the remake reddit? ›

I would say play the OG and then either do the rest of the trilogy and come back to the remake or just play the OG and then Remake back to back. The original has a bit of age, but for the most part it feels perfectly playable and has a few small details the remake missed out or just different design choices.

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