Dead Space Remake Or Remaster?

Although the 2023 Dead Space shares the same name as its 2008 predecessor and sets out to deliver the same core storyline, it releases with a host of new features and is confirmed to have been made from the ground up in the frostbite engine.

This means, that the Dead Space remake is a true remake and hasn’t been upgraded to port to next-gen consoles. As such, see below for everything new in Dead Space including all remake features.

• If you're planning on playing the Dead Space remake on PS5, check out our guide to the included DualSense features here.

Dead Space Everything New In The Remake

Click to enlarge

Motive Studio has said that the game has "been completely rebuilt in a new engine, and a wide variety of narrative and gameplay elements have been reimagined."

With the game built in the Frostbite engine for next-gen consoles, it now supports ray tracing and 4k graphics. This means that enemy AI, textures and animation have been rebuilt to the next level of quality. Along with this, the game has the following new features which weren't included in the original Dead Space game:

Gameplay Changes

• Utilizing fan-favourite practices from the God of War reboot, Dead Space will have no loading screens or camera cuts. This provides the opportunity for seamless gameplay and full immersion in the horror classic.
• There are new rooms, routes and obstacles in the USG Ishimura for players to explore.
• There are new UI map controls and an improved locator to help with exploration.
• Necromorphs are the same core design we all know and love, but with the new 'Peeling System' each Necromorph has been reconstructed for their bodies to mimic layered flesh, tendons and bones that break, tear, and shatter in more realistic ways. This means that their flesh gets stripped off to reveal gore and organs as they take damage, you will be able to tell by looking at an enemy how strong it may be.
• New logs and side quests from side characters.
• The game has a 'dynamic encounter generation system' which means it is possible to get unique enemy events.
• New upgrade system – the grid layout of nodes has been expanded and new special abilities added.
• Isaac can now move freely in zero gravity, with upgraded gear such as thrusters, mimicking the systems of Dead Space 2 and 3.
• The game will encourage return trips to previously explored areas. Certain rooms are cornered off by higher security clearances and must be re-visited as you unlock more of the game for rewards.
• New environmental puzzles like circuit breakers, corruption tendrils, and more.
• Many weapons have received new alt-fire modes, such as the Line Gun’s laser trap and the Contact Beam’s asteroid cutter.
• New Game + is available. As with other games, this entails keeping all your equipment and inventory and restarting the game on advanced levels. Items will not start in Isaac's inventory, instead, you must visit storage at any store to retrieve them.
• Within New Game +, some enemies have new 'Phantom' variants, which look different and are more difficult than their standard versions.

• If you're planning on playing the Dead Space remake on PC, check out the minimum and optimum system requirements here.

Story Changes

• The core story will remain the same as the original, however, new lore, reconceptualized characters, and story details have been added to add to the depth of the narrative.
• The original voice actor of Isaac Clarke (Gunner Wright) from Dead Space 2 and 3 has returned to provide dialogue for the Dead Space The original Dead Space did not feature dialogue, Isaac was a silent protagonist.
• New logs and side quests from side characters.
• A new secret ending. Within New Game +, there is an exclusive new hidden resource called Marker Fragments. Collect all 12 hidden Marker Fragments throughout the game to unlock the secret ending.

New Accessibility Features

To adjust to the demands of today's gamers, the Dead Space remake will have the following accessibility options in the settings:

• Menu Narration
• Three options for 'Colour Blind Mode'
• Aim Assistance
• Content Settings
• Sprint and Aim Toggles
• HUD Options
• Subtitle Options
• A new "Story Mode" difficulty level

There is also a 'Show Content Warning' option in the settings. When turned on, players will receive an advanced warning when they are about to encounter potentially sensitive content. With this you can also choose to hide the most disturbing scenes from the game.

• Check out our Dead Space performance vs quality mode guide to see which settings you should run the game on.