5 major differences between Dead Space (2008) and the  remake

The Dead Space remake offers a fresh take on the much-loved original survival game. Based on the 2008 third-person sci-fi experience of the same name, developer Motive Studio breathes new life into the harrowing tale of the USG Ishimura and all those aboard the ill-fated spaceship. But the latest revival is more than just a 1:1 emulation of the original. In the end, the team at Motive wanted to flesh out the journey for a new experience.

As such, the game features many extras, tweaks, and additions that enhance Dead Space without straying away from the series' mantra. This will likely appeal to old fans of the original. At the same time, it will also make this new rendition the definitive way to enjoy the first story in the franchise.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author's opinions.

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Intensity Director and 4 other major changes between the original and the remake of Dead Space

1) The USG Ishimura itself

While the original Dead Space's trip through the USG Ishimura was largely linear, it has been redesigned for the remake. While not applicable everywhere, it generally means more expansive areas, brand-new locations, and more. Specific missions and objectives have also been modified to fit the new schematics better. Most significantly, though, players can backtrack between the various sectors of the ship, something not possible in the original. To top it off, all of this is accompanied by a Security Clearance system to maintain balanced progression.

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2) Seamless camera and no loading screens

With the power of SSDs at hand, the Dead Space remake features no loading screens, including no hidden loading, like the tram traversal in the first game. This adds to the immersion as players can explore the spaceship without interupptions. It plays perfectly well with the interconnected nature of the Ishimura. But there's more: the game feature's a no-cut camera. Pioneered by Sony's God of War (2018), all the cutscenes play in real-time without cutting away from the scene as a single shot.

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3) Side missions and characters

While the main story is faithful to the original Dead Space, there are a bunch of side quests built specifically for this remake. These shed further details, such as what happened at the Ishimura, to satisfy players invested in the game's lore. Additionally, side characters also see more attention in the spotlight, granting players an insight into new facets of their personalities. On that note, even protagonist Isaac Clarke is now a voice character, with Dead Space 2 and 3's voice actor Gunner Wright returning for the role. This should breathe new life into the character as he reacts to the ongoing events on the ship.

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4) Layered skin system

Besides Clarke himself and the Ishimura, the show's third stars are the Necromorphs. These shambling undead aliens come in various types, each deadly in their own right. Thankfully Isaac has a good selection of weaponry to deal with them, resulting in improved gore and executions compared to the original installment. However, Motive Studio went the extra length to include a layering system for the skin and body parts. As players shoot at a target, their skin will peel off and expose the skeleton. This also acts like an indiect enemy health bar, indicating the amount of damage being done to the enemy - something not possible in the first game.

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5) Intensity Director

The first Dead Space was a linear jog through the confines of the Ishimura, so the original developers at the now-defunct Visceral Games took a more modest approach to enemy encounters. This time, thanks to the more sandbox-esque nature of the Ishimura, it would make for a pretty empty ship if all enemies stayed dead. This is where the Intensity Director comes into play for the remake. This new algorithm, built for the 2023 rendition, tracks the player's position, progress, location, and other parameters to spawn events and enemy encounters around them. This means no two playthroughs or backtracking will be the same, as players must always be on their toes.

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Dead Space remake is available for PC, PS5, and XSX|S platforms.