Dead Space fans have been starving for a new game ever since the incredibly misguided Dead Space 3 corrupted the franchise almost 10 years ago. Luckily, now couldn't be a better time to be a Dead Space fan with not only a remake of the original coming soon but many more titles tied to the franchise's DNA.
Dead Space's survival horror roots are tied to the genre-defining Resident Evil 4, which inspired it. Dead Space came out at a time when the survival horror genre was seen as a niche market with its most threatening competitor being Left 4 Dead, a cooperative action-focused horror title that never scratched the same itch that Dead Space did. The popularity of cooperative action games would soon lead to the franchise's swift demise with Dead Space 3 desperately chasing the wrong crowd. EA's decision to green-light the Dead Space Remake is a good sign that the true survival horror roots fans know and love is making a return to form.
Dead Space Remake is sure to satisfy fans by giving this cult classic the next-gen makeover it deserves. Said to be a top to bottom remake, the new game aims to improve what came before for the modern age with a "seamless experience" devoid of loading screens, akin to God of War's dedication to one-shot cinematography. This can elevate the original's immersive qualities by never letting the player take a break and always soaking in the dense atmosphere of the USG Ishimura.
The visuals are fully redone with changes stemming from unused concept art to make sure everything is authentic to the original experience. The story will be seeing some revisions as well to better reflect the rest of the series with greater connections to the plot of the sequels. The developers also brought back voice actor Gunner Wright to reprise his role as Issac Clarke, who he voiced in Dead Space 2 and 3. However, Issac Clarke was a silent protagonist in the first game, confirming new lines of dialogue will be recorded for the remake. The specific changes being done make it apparent that the Dead Space Remake is a labor of love to the entire franchise despite not being made by the original developers.
The creators of Dead Space, Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey, left the studio in 2009 to start their own company together called Sledgehammer Games, working on Call of Duty before heading their separate ways to create their own studios. Glen Schofield is returning to the sci-fi survival horror genre with The Callisto Protocol, a spiritual successor to Dead Space. While it may not carry the franchise's name, gameplay shared with the public makes it clear that this is the closest thing to a brand-new Dead Space game in years.
Minimal HUD elements are realistically portrayed on the main character's suit, just like those on Issac Clarke's suit in Dead Space returns for The Callisto Protocol. Gameplay trailers for The Callisto Protocol are chock-full of claustrophobic, yet cinematic, camera angles reminiscent of Dead Space to build tension. Dismemberment is also going to play a major role in the combat for The Callisto Protocol just as it did for Dead Space. Glen Schofield's new survival horror game is pulling many of the same tricks from Dead Space that will surely get fans excited.
Dead Space Remake isn't the only remake for which fans should be excited, because shortly after its release comes the Resident Evil 4 Remake. Although it doesn't have a sci-fi setting, Resident Evil 4 Remake should be on Dead Space fans' radars because of the original's strong influences on Dead Space. Resident Evil 4 is a landmark title in video game history for implementing third-person shooter gameplay better than anyone else at the time. It allowed action-packed combat to exist alongside stressful survival horror staples like resource management, which Dead Space openly adopted.
Dead Space fans longing for that kind of immersive experience again will soon have a lot from which to choose. The future of Dead Space and its roots in the survival horror genre are in good hands.