I’ve never held onto the seat so tight, I’ve never felt my teeth clench so tightly, and I’ve never had such cold sweats. Dead Space tormented me for several nights more than ten years ago and after many other horror titles having passed before my eyes, the statement is clear: the fear I felt at USG Ishimura is incomparable.
The information from VGC , Gematsu and Venturebeat point in the same line and that is that Dead Space seems to be back. The defunct EA Redwood Shores won’t be at the helm to fine-tune the adventures of Isaac Clarke , but just thinking about the return of the franchise raises my hopes.
The reference to follow the path that Capcom marked with the Resident Evil 2 remake and a renewed visual section are the main assets for this rebirth. The recent success of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order has prompted EA to make room for a new single-player experience . With the cards on the table, it is time to be clear about what I think should and should not be present in Dead Space . Let Uniology catch me confessed.
An improved graphic appearance, but respecting aesthetics
Nowadays it surely no longer surprises anyone, although at the time Dead Space left me with my mouth open. It looked scandalous, the necromorphs were about to appear on the screen and everything seemed to belong to the PlayStation 8, at least. Beyond the wide eyes, the truth is that graphically it has withstood the years very well , although it is necessary to give it the corresponding coat of paint.
Of course, maintaining the general aesthetics. We are talking about a mining space station, in which the care about being visually “pleasant” with the passengers was left aside with respect to practicality. Metallic components, few lights and the feeling of being enclosed in each of the corridors will be essential to maintain fidelity.
Isaac, quiet, you are more handsome
One of the pillars that increased the immersion in the game was that our protagonist did not say a word , beyond a guttural sound of complaint. What’s more, there are only two moments in which we can see his face, turning Isaac into something more like an avatar than a fundamental member of the plot.
Although in the next two installments his tongue was released a lot and he was endowed with a personality, the truth is that I clearly prefer the mute Isaac . The synergies with Hammond and Kendra, mainly, worked like a charm and I wouldn’t love to see the character comment on every situation that arises.
Refrain from clearly betting on the action
Be careful, this section is not neglected, it would be a mistake with respect to the original title. In Dead Space we shot beautifully (the limbs of the necromorphs gave a good account of it), but everything was kept in perfect balance. Something that happens precisely in Resident Evil 2 , with Leon and Claire exploring the Racoon City police station.
Dead Space 2 reached the maximum acceptable peak of QTE and sequences in which Isaac narrowly escapes being impaled. The third game tipped the balance completely in this regard and was a great criticism from the public. That each ambush of the happy amorphous enemies suppose a moment that we do not want, not that moment in which we are going to simply empty the magazine.
To wring your brain to survive
The design decision that I liked the least of all Dead Space is the possibility that Isaac emits a laser through the palm of his hand and that he marked the route to follow. None of that for the remake . The game menu did not pause the action and allowed us to view the map in a format that forced us to be sure that we were taking the right path, adding a great deal of tension.
On the other hand, there were puzzles based mainly on the use of kinetics. A bigger bet on solving puzzles, moving the appropriate lever, or putting pieces together to form a single object. You have to give the coconut from time to time , just like those hallucinations that do not stop tormenting us.
A good arsenal of weapons
The peculiarity of Isaac is that he is not a typical hero. He is a space engineer who is trapped by circumstances and must face the horrors of his own and others. For this he has a good toolbox, such as the pulse rifle or the classic plasma cutter, all of them work instruments.
I want to see to what extent they can surprise us this time. Perhaps including a laser weapon, similar to that seen in the animated film Dead Space Downfall , is a success. The truth is that a bit in motion, in the exact place, can clear a lot of minds.
Good gore, nothing to set limits
The later Visceral Games team was based on some of the great references of horror cinema. Event Horizon or The Thing are among the culprits for some of the most disturbing visuals in the game . Destructions, live transformations and an immense amount of corpses watered the Ishimura.
You have to match the level. Enemies expel red blood, not other colored liquids . Smashing arms and legs is vital to surviving whatever area the monorail transports us to, and Isaac’s variety of deaths must continue to be one of the most enjoyable and comprehensive that we can find in the industry.
Do not despise the legacy of the franchise
Sure, not everything that followed was bad. Dead Space 2 and 3 had salvageable ideas that can be perfectly implemented in the remake. For example, the sections in which we sneaked into the ventilation ducts , hearth and nest of the necromorphs. Our movements were limited, so we were exposed to any danger.
Weapon customization during the third game could be salvageable. Probably not to introduce it so aggressively, but rather let us modify them in certain aspects, beyond enhancing them with the nodes.
We will see if finally Electronic Arts gives a joy to the staff and presents us with a return in style of one of the best horror franchises. These are my wishes and I hope to see some of them fulfilled.
