Iam not into horror games, typically. While I love how they use the medium of video games to cleverly play on your darkest fears, in my opinion, the emotions usually targeted by their stories miss nuance. Mostly, they play on the protagonist’s guilt regarding their pasts, and this is the big twist these games offer. Dead Space’s story, on paper, may not be that different. However, as the game teaches you within its first few minutes, nothing is as it seems in the USG Ishimura, the “planet cracker”.
Dead Space (2023) is a remake of 2008’s Dead Space, bringing its dread into the new generation with all-new gameplay elements and additions to the story. As far as remakes go, it is genuinely one of the best remakes I have seen. It offers something new for returning fans, while serving as an excellent introduction to this killer series.
When it comes to the story, Dead Space starts off fairly simple. A mining starship orbiting a thought-to-be off-limits planet has gone dark, and you have received a strangely ominous message from your girlfriend, who was on board. You’re an engineer, and you set off to uncover this mystery. As you set foot on the ship, however, you meet the Necromorphs, humanoid abominations for whom a shot in the head is but a scratch. This seemingly simple plot hides a much darker truth, which you slowly uncover as you go through the game, filling you with sheer dread at the immensity of what you discover. This dread was my favourite part of the game. The feeling of stumbling onto something that humanity was simply not meant to ever discover, much less so face, seemed ever-present. It was amplified by the game’s absolutely excellent audio design, which constantly makes you feel like something is tailing you. Coupled with the odd whispers the game throws at you, and the absolutely phenomenal soundtrack, you’re always on the edge of your seat.
Another thing Dead Space completely excels at is progression. The feeling of unlocking a new suit or a new weapon is unparalleled, yet it never draws from the dread the game loves to instil in you. The weapons feel responsive, and satisfying to use, making you genuinely scream in excitement when you are finally able to subdue a necromorph. The best part about these encounters is that none is scripted, with the game tracking your movements and choosing the best time to scare you. The game consistently makes you feel the fact that you’re an engineer, and not a soldier, who’s using all the means available to survive. Coupling this with the ever-present environmental storytelling, Dead Space becomes the prime example of a good survival-horror game.
VERDICT: If you’re someone who loves cosmic horror that makes you feel insignificant, Dead Space is absolutely for you. Barring a few genre story tropes, it combines meaty gameplay with a genuinely horrifying environment to present an experience that is hard to forget. I rate it an eight on 10.
