‘Dead Space’ is the new benchmark for video game remakes.

Just before the Necromorph shoves its arm blades into Isaac Clarke’s stomach, the giant monster appears to give him a bloody growl and an over-excited hug. This precise moment, frozen between terrifying cruelty and comforting embrace, dead space make it again As a fan of the 2008 game, the new dead space It’s a cozy experience amidst all the horror, death, and bloodshed. hell, Because these factors. that much dead space The remake is bigger, more beautiful, and better than the original while retaining the magic that made the first game an instant classic. Great game design is timeless.

EA used to make good games. dead space One year after EA’s heyday mass effect and a month ago the edge of the mirrorAnd it defined the sci-fi horror genre in a way that persists today. dead space The game introduces a horror environment without a HUD, integrating health and ability meters into Isaac’s suit instead of displaying static indicators in every scene. The remake uses the same immersion system, with a pop-up inventory that doesn’t interfere with gameplay. Shops and upgrade benches are scattered around the nightmare main ship, USG Ishimura, and are powered by credits and nodes players find while fighting monsters on board.

In the remake, Ishimura is a maze of twisted metal corridors and locked rooms, full of secrets. I checked every nook and cranny for shiny chests or shiny pieces of ammo and credits, and my expeditions were often richly rewarded. Too Although plentiful — asset management underscores the tension in the game, and Isaac is constantly at risk of running out of ammo, stagnant energy, oxygen, or health. He’s always vulnerable in some way. In an action horror game, this feeling is paramount.

Isaac has a classic arsenal of improvised and collected weapons, including a plasma cutter, disc ripper, and flamethrower, but with some modern updates. For example, the flamethrower’s secondary mechanic is a very satisfying way to place a wall of fire rather than an explosive orb and block an invading horde. Shooting a Necromorph’s long limbs is always more powerful than a headshot. Stepping on mutant corpses still releases goodies (and lingers player frustration), and the stasis ability remains an important tool for managing enemies, temporarily locking them in place. Kinesis is so useful that Isaac can pick up and throw objects at any time for an unlimited duration.

Isaac quickly learns new weapons and abilities, and these tools flow seamlessly into each other in backroom combat scenes. Players can approach combat in different ways and change strategies on the fly. stop, shoot, stomp It’s always a valid approach. Storage and refill stations are generously placed throughout the environment, while ammo and health drops tend to appear. right when they are needed. It generally doesn’t feel like the game mechanics are working against you. It’s nothing but a murderous mutant space monster.

In addition to significant graphical improvements, dead space The remake is the addition of zero gravity flight. This mechanic opens the game in a way that’s authentic to the source material, just like the developers wanted back in 2008. However, this was not possible due to hardware limitations. In the original version, Isaac jumped from surface to surface in zero gravity, but now he floats freely through the scene with boosters attached to the soles of his boots. While flying, he can shoot, freeze, and throw objects at enemies in all directions.

Boss fights and massive puzzles are dynamic in zero gravity, and flying drastically changes some sections of the game. Isaac’s final fight with Leviathan (a large mass of tentacles) is now a fast-paced, oxygen-free, literal in-space event with three turrets, requiring a combination of kinesis, in-flight machine gunning, and shooting skills. in the original dead space, this fight has Isaac firing at the tentacles from the shooter’s seat inside Ishimura. Undeniable. The remake is better.