A faithful retelling of a gruesome horror game | Dead Space Remake - First Impressions

Having played the jaw dropping original Dead Space back in 2008, I was excited to finally play the remake and I gotta say, Dead Space is back, and it is as still jaw dropping as ever, maybe even better. It got the Resident Evil 2 Remake treatment and even surpassed that in my opinion.

People always saw Dead Space as just Resident Evil 4 in space, but really, it was a classic game in its own right that also advanced over the shoulder survival horror even further, especially with its creative limb cutting mechanic that became the core identity of the series. Callisto Protocol tried to take the crown a few weeks ago, and the OG just had to show us how it's done again. In a shocking turn of events, EA has done it with Dead Space Remake.

Right off the bat we are presented with an amazing introduction scene that evokes our curiosity and brings out tension. Introducing us to the main characters including our player, Systems Engineer Isaac Clarke - now fully voiced - as well as our soon-to-be slaughterhouse, the enormous mining ship USG Ishimura.

USG Ishimura has gone dark, and a small shuttle has been dispatched in order to check and repair the mining ship. Isaac Clarke and the rest of the shuttle’s crew goes on a repair mission, only to discover a gruesome fate of the Ishimura’s crew, all horribly killed and infected by an alien plague.

Comparing it to the original, everything is faithfully retold, but with some welcome twists in gameplay and story – both minor and major — and of course: the massive improvements to the visuals. The core gameplay and controls has been largely untouched except for the item and progression system that has been reworked for a more modern era. The levels are largely the same on the macro scale, but on a granular level, there are lots of positive remixes to the map, puzzle, and enemy layout to make it fresh for everyone, even for old timers.

The visuals are stunning, even darker and more gruesome than the original. From Isaac’s highly detailed suit, to the terrifying Necromorphs and horrifying bloody dismemberments. There is more detail in just about everything. Hallways are now scarier than ever, with a more realistic dark lighting that fits well with the run down nature of the USG Ishimura, giving you a feeling of uneasiness and worry that something is lurking on every dark corner, waiting for the chance to surprise you.

So far, Dead Space Remake is set to be another hit for the series. Tailored to both long-time fans and newcomers alike, it is a masterful example on how to remake a classic game and leverage genre maturity and modern technology to make it even better.

Full Review will be posted soon here on Taptap! Stay tuned!