The survival horror genre has endured for decades as players embrace franchises like Resident Evil, which in turn inspired other iconic series like Dead Space. The Dead Space games took the overwhelming odds, resource management and frequent jump scares of Resident Evil and brought them to space, creating a believable world that fans and critics embraced.

With the recent announcement of the triumphant return of Dead Space coming to the new generation of consoles via a remake, now is the perfect time to highlight an indie survival horror game that is hoping to pay homage to Dead Space. Negative Atmosphere is an upcoming third-person survival horror game that aims to continue the kind of claustrophobic horror that Dead Space so brilliantly introduced players to years ago.

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Negative Atmosphere places players aboard a massive starship named the TRH Rusanov as a medic named Samuel Edwards. When a mysterious outbreak transforms the human crew and its robotic assistants into monstrous psychopaths, Edwards must fight his way out using a combination of weapons and stealth while trying not to lose his mind in the process. Much like Dead Space's everyman protagonist Isaac Clarke, an engineer who must improvise and fight his way out of a hellish nightmare, Edwards is not a soldier. Just like Clarke, Edwards must use his wits and technical knowledge to survive the horrors of Negative Atmosphere's campaign.

negative atmosphere horror sci-fi

Visually, Negative Atmosphere recreates the claustrophobic environments found throughout the Dead Space series, particularly the cramped hallways of the massive starship the USG Ishimura. The environments of the massive Rusanov starship are cramped and dimly lit, the iron-clad hallways and utilitarian bulkheads standing as an ominous reminder that enemies could be lurking anywhere. From the placement of items to the subtle ship area signs, the ship's environments are made to feel realistic, which makes it all the more terrifying when a monster pops out of what seems like a normal place.

Negative Atmosphere's gameplay also captures the look and feel of Dead Space. Edwards can find various types of weaponry to wield against the haywire robots and transformed crew, all of which could belong on a starship of the size of the Rusanov. In some of the short snippets of gameplay shown off in trailers, the weapons even have the same diegetic targeting systems that helped immerse players in the Dead Space games. Gameplay is slow and deliberate, with Edward's spacesuit proving to be a protective but bulky necessity -- which only adds to the claustrophobic effect when paired with the tight level design.

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Much like Isaac Clarke used his engineering skills to craft useful weaponry and upgrade equipment, Edwards can use his knowledge of medicine to his advantage. Whether this means transforming medicine into powerful weapons, healing injured humans that are encountered along the way, or even distracting enemies with a well-made device, Edward's skills as a medic provide him with an edge in battle.

negative atmosphere stalked by monsters

One unique aspect that makes Negative Atmosphere stand out is its open-ended design in regards to how the campaign can and will play out. Developer Sunscorched Studios has stated that players will need to learn Edwards' values and morality to be able to navigate the horrors of the game. Edwards' beliefs and coping mechanisms will inform the gameplay as players make choices that ultimately affect each playthrough's outcome. This unique aspect is a great way to differentiate the game from Dead Space.

Dead Space's remake may still be a long way off, but Negative Atmosphere looks to be a game that will tide over fans who are awaiting its return. In the past few decades, games like Alien: Isolation and Dead Space proved that survival horror and a sci-fi setting can be a match made in heaven. If Negative Atmosphere can succeed in creating a homage that also differentiates itself from its inspiration, players will have another great survival horror game on hand. Negative Atmosphere doesn't yet have a release date, but it is slated to release on Steam with a possible console release later on down the line.

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