Highlights

  • Dead Space 3's ambiguous ending left the story and fate of Isaac Clarke unresolved, leaving room for a potential sequel or continuation.
  • Isaac's character has gone through relentless physical and psychological torture throughout the franchise, making it understandable to potentially explore new protagonists and storylines.
  • While a new protagonist could breathe new life into the franchise, Isaac should not be forgotten and if he returns in Dead Space 4, his implementation should be carefully considered.

While the future of the Dead Space franchise is currently unclear, the success of last year's remake may have opened the door to future games in the franchise. Assuming EA moves forward with the series through a follow-up to Dead Space 3, several key decisions will have to be made when it comes to the overarching plot, as DS3 ended on a decidedly ambiguous note. Among these important plot decisions is the question of what to do with series mainstay Isaac Clarke.

Dead Space 3's ending leaves a lot of questions hanging about. Issac and partner John Carver seemingly sacrifice themselves to stop the Brethren Moons from triggering the Convergence event, but the Awakened DLC, which gives players the 'true' ending to the game, reveals that the pair are still alive. After making a final attempt to stop the Brethren Moons from attacking Earth, Isaac and John discover that they have apparently failed, and the game, along with the Dead Space franchise, ends abruptly, with the men looking on from their ship as two Brethren Moons devour their home planet.

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The Pros and Cons of Replacing Isaac in Dead Space 4

Isaac Clarke's Story Isn't Finished

Although bringing back Dead Space's beloved main character would certainly be pleasing for many fans, there's an argument to be made that Isaac's return is a narrative necessity. Dead Space 3's ending, while perhaps appropriately bleak, doesn't offer much in the way of closure or clarity. It wouldn't necessarily be out of the question for the series to end with such an apocalyptic event, but the final moments of DS3 leave behind too many loose ends. The ending shows Earth being attacked by the Brethren Moons, but the extent of the damage and the fates of Isaac, John, and Ellie are not specified. It feels more like EA was leaving the door cracked open for a potential sequel, rather than definitively concluding the story.

Thus, the story of Dead Space, and by extension, the story of Isaac, feels unfinished. It's a Dead Space tradition to end the game with Isaac on a ship, but he is usually escaping immediate danger, not flying into it. Indeed, Isaac's story could have been more satisfyingly concluded at the end of Dead Space or Dead Space 2, as he ends these games safely and with most loose ends tied up. Dead Space 4 would have to wrap up the Brethren Moon plot, showing what happened to Earth while also giving Isaac's story a fitting conclusion, perhaps showing what becomes of his and Ellie's relationship, and whether he gets a happy ending.

Dead Space 4 Could Give Isaac a Break

Horror stories aren't generally known for their wholesome beats, but Isaac Clarke has suffered so much throughout the course of the Dead Space franchise that it's on the verge of being darkly comical. The physical and psychological torture that the character is forced to endure is relentless, and whenever it seems like he may have a chance at happiness, such as at the end of Dead Space 2, that chance is yanked away and he is immediately thrust into another brutal adventure.

Aside from it seeming a bit cruel to put the character through the wringer once again, having him front-and-center in Dead Space 4 could feel like retreading old ground. In light of this, it may be best to wrap up Isaac's story and pass the torch to another character, one with different struggles to overcome.

Whether a new game in the series serves as a soft reboot to the Dead Space narrative or a direct continuation of the original trilogy, it should address Isaac in some way. A new protagonist could help breathe new life into the franchise, but Isaac can't be forgotten. And if he does helm the next Dead Space, he would need to be implemented in the right way.