Set to release this month, the Dead Space Remake is one of the biggest titles to start the new year. Being one of the best horror games when it was initially released in 2008, players are excited about the upcoming remake and need something to hold them over. Thankfully, gamers can enjoy some fantastic titles in preparation for the second coming of the survival horror phenomenon.
Part of what makes Dead Space such a fantastic game is that it is a survival horror meets sci-fi thriller. Players are immersed in a tense, hard-to-breath atmosphere while stumbling around a mining ship that has been overrun by monsters known as Necromorphs. While similar titles may not create a 100% identical feel, they can provide tense atmospheres, horrific creatures, and absolute horror to push gamers through until Jan. 27.
Prey Leaves Players Stranded in Space
Player who enjoy the immersion generated by being stranded on a ship overrun by terrifying monsters will thoroughly enjoy Prey. Players awaken on Talos I, a space station that is orbiting the moon. The player character, Morgan Yu, was supposed to be part of an experiment to better humanity, but things went awry. Instead, the station was overrun by aliens, with the player as their next target. Morgan must battle the aliens to regain control of Talos I.
Prey allows players to build out their character how they like by gaining alien abilities and crafting items to help in battle. Gamers can use a few skill trees to help them on their journey, choosing either scientist, engineer, or security, each with abilities that correlate to their distinction. The player can gain additional skills by using the Psychoscope to research typhons and gain powers from the attacking aliens.
The Callisto Protocol Builds Upon Dead Space's Legacy
Already being compared to Dead Space due to its creation by Glen Schofield, the mind behind the hit franchise, The Callisto Protocol presents a similar experience to tide players over despite a few issues. The Callisto Protocol shares many traits with Dead Space in both story and gameplay, making it the perfect hold-over game. Both games feature regular blue-collar workers who end up in a facility in space being overrun by extraterrestrial threats.
Set in Black Iron Prison, players take on the role of Jacob Lee as he tries to escape the walls of the hold while surviving attacks from former inmates turned into monsters. Featuring plenty of close-quarters combat with a healthy mix of powers, players can strategize their combat abilities while attempting to flee to safety. Around every corner, the player can also find out more about the disturbing story of Black Iron Prison.
BioShock Trades Space for the Ocean
A game that took world-building to the next level, BioShock pulls players back to the 1960s and into the world of Splicers, Big Daddies, and other enemies. While its setting isn't outer space and the player isn't battling aliens, BioShock does deliver a fantastic narrative, engaging enemies, moral choices, and powers that pull the player in and can help scratch the itch for the sci-fi elements that make Dead Space such a fantastic game. In addition, the dystopian world and dark elements will help prepare players for the upcoming release.
While the whole franchise is excellent, BioShock was the beginning and set forth a legacy for a reason. The game features Jack, who uncovers the underwater city Rapture. Intended to be a utopia, the city instead faced a horrific downward spiral. Now overrun with threats powered by ADAM, a genetic modification granting superhuman abilities, the player must fight to survive and break free.
The Evil Within 2 Takes Survival Horror to a New Level
A hidden gem within the survival horror genre, The Evil Within 2 fulfills any fan's desire to experience the adrenaline rush of trying to stay alive in a hostile world. Nightmare-inducing enemies and locations keep players on their toes at all times. Players looking for a game that will test their ability to fight and use their wits as Dead Space did will find The Evil Within 2 a welcoming experience.
Playing as Sebastian Castellanos, players use the sci-fi STEM system to attempt to rescue the character's daughter Lily. To create a unique experience, players traverse open-world areas connected through level sequences, making navigating the environment one of the many challenges they will face. With strange monsters around every corner and a constantly shifting world, it is up to the player to find what lies beyond in The Evil Within 2.
Resident Evil Village Is the Latest in the Classic Horror Series
Coming from a franchise that has helped define survival horror, Resident Evil Village showcases what makes the genre so beloved. Similar to Dead Space, Resident Evil requires careful resource management and patience behind the trigger to find success. Village is an excellent way for gamers to prepare for the challenge of surviving the Necromorphs in Dead Space.
While the enemies and story in Resident Evil Village differ vastly from those in Dead Space, the core pieces of a survival horror game are still present. Playing as Ethan Winters, gamers attempt to save his daughter Rosemary, who was kidnaped. Battling against werewolves and other creatures in a town and mansion inhabited by the vampiric Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters, the player must race to find Rosemary and destroy the underlying threats. Defeating supernatural beings is no easy task here, and the player must always be aware of when it's best to fight or run.