EA Motive's Dead Space Remake has finally received an official release date, and though fans will have to wait another 8 months or so, the game seems to be shaping up very nicely. EA Motive is choosing to put a constant spotlight on the Dead Space Remake's development process, showing footage at just about every stage of the game's build cycle. Thus far, this has been a pretty great move for the developer, as the hype around the game has continued to build and will continue to do so until the game's January 2023 release.
While EA Motive is changing up the original Dead Space in some pretty significant ways, the developer has been extremely clear about wanting to keep the essence of the original experience completely intact, jump-scares and all. And based on the footage fans have seen so far, it seems as though the Dead Space Remake will certainly be just as terrifying, if not more so, than the original.
Bringing Dead Space's Horror To the Modern Age
Back in 2008, Dead Space used the Havok Engine to create its intense physics-based horrors. In 2023, the Dead Space Remake will use EA's powerful Frostbite Engine to bring a whole new layer of horror to Isaac Clarke's sci-fi nightmare. From the gameplay demos released so far, the Dead Space Remake seems to be pushing the Frostbite Engine to its max, honing in on the technical elements that really made the original game stand out.
The Dead Space Remake's lighting is the perfect example of this. In the original Dead Space, the dark hallways, only illuminated by dull orange lights, gave the game an extremely unique visual style, and gave the experience an immediately tense atmosphere. Throughout the original game, lighting is used to great effect to scare the player and increase the tension of the sequence.
Based on the trailers already shown, the Dead Space Remake is tripling down on this iconic element. Shadows are now more dynamic than ever, and the lighting is exceptionally realistic, streaming from in-game light sources in an incredibly natural way. In pairing this realistic lighting with the game's drastically improved visuals, the Dead Space Remake seems as though it'll take the tense atmosphere of its source material and push it even further.
How Dead Space Remake's ALIVE System Emphasizes the Horror
Along with some grim, but gorgeous, new visuals, the Dead Space Remake is also implementing a brand new audio system. Called the "ALIVE" system, standing for "Adrenaline, Limbic System Response, Intelligent Dialogue, Vitals, and Exertions," this intricate form of audio design weaves together several key technical features to create one realistic, cohesive experience.
Essentially, the ALIVE system dictates how Isaac sounds, depending on certain situations and contexts. For example, when Isaac is opening a door or climbing over obstacles, his heart rate will increase, thus making him sound more exasperated. When Isaac comes face-to-face with the horrifying Necromorphs, his adrenaline will spike, leading to his voice becoming cracked and desperate.
This will likely go a long way in keeping the player immersed in the Dead Space Remake's horror-driven sequences, as Isaac will be panting right alongside the player as they both tentatively creep around the Ishimura's abandoned corridors. Combining this realistic, complex audio system with the game's modern graphics will undoubtedly help to retain the fear and horror of the original Dead Space experience.
Dead Space will release on January 27, 2023, on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
