Dead Space Remake introduces many changes, here is their overview

Source: Dead Space Remake developed by Motive Studio

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The new Dead Space, a remake of the 2008 science fiction horror game, will be released tomorrow. It will not be just a visually upgraded copy of the original. The developers have kept the unique features of the game and its atmosphere, but also introduced a lot of changes. You can read about them here.

Changes in Dead Space Remake compared to the original

The following list is based on the experience of our editor, who played the full review copy. We tried to avoid spoilers, but it was difficult to do without small hints. Be warned.

1. In the remake, all loading screens between chapters have been removed, which means that entering the tram doesn't mean completing a chapter. Transitions to the next areas of Ishimura are done smoothly, as we will see at the start, when Isaac heads to the medical deck. The door to it is located next to the tram station, in the place where a bench used to be. Of course, we still need take the tram to reach some locations, but we can choose the destination ourselves, and the journey is not interrupted by loadings.
2. The transitions between chapters were sometimes used by developers to diversify the adventure. After visiting the Medical Deck in the original, we had to go back to the tram station and head straight to the engineering deck, which ends with a loading screen. In the remake, such a journey is unnecessary. Isaac is directed to the flight hangar and can explore it in zero gravity. From there, we proceed to the next section, in a vacuum, and follow tunnels to our destination. Exploration of the hangar is an additional opportunity to resupply.
3. The tram, as we mentioned, isn't necessarily the final part of a stage, but simply serves as a means to travel between decks. Isaac can go back and forth using the trams as long as a given section of Ishimura is unlocked in the story. In this way, we can re-visit the flight deck and, for example, check the rooms that we were not able to open before.
4. The game no longer forces us to open rooms full of items with the help of power nodes. These are only for improving equipment. Instead, a three-level security level was introduced. This means that during the journey we will encounter rooms that we will not be able to open, because we have insufficient clearance. We get new clearances by progressing the story. This change is especially good for making backtracking more interesting, both forced and free. In addition to several levels available, there is one more, called Master Override, for opening the stashes with the best equipment. To get this card, we need to complete one of the side tasks.
5. In zero gravity, we don't travel by making jumps and looking for a place where Isaac can land safely. Like in later games from the series, the hero can fly with the help of built-in suit boosters. That's a big and positive change. There are additional sections where you can stay longer in zero gravity, like the hangar mentioned above.
6. There have also been many changes in the balance that can be experienced in different ways. The stasis module no longer has five charges, as in the original, but only three. This means that at the start we have less chances to slow down enemies. Stasis is improved in benches in the RIG section. Necromorphs' resistance was also increased, or weapons were weakened. For example, in the 2008 version, on the normal difficulty level, it took three shots from the Plasma Cutter to kill a Slasher, while in the remake you need about five shots. In addition, the number of opponents has increased. Also, the fact that the game is much darker than the original isn't helping either. The remake is generally more difficult, which we will feel mainly at the beginning, when we do not have strong weapons yet.

Dead Space Remake developed by Motive Studio

1. There are also changes in loot - mainly the items falling out of enemies. The system of dropping items needed at the moment is less predictable than before. In the original, the first chapter could be completed with a suit full of med kits, while in the remake, our editor had a problem with getting full health bar because the enemies didn't drop enough healing items. In the new version, you can find a lot more ammunition, but this doesn't necessarily makes the game easier, because as we mentioned, you need more shots to defeat enemies. One can get the impression that the developers simply switched the gameplay to "more shooting", hence such changes. There is an important change regarding how the items are stored. The base suit has 12 slots, not 10.
2. When upgrading items with nodes, there are no empty tiles. Every point spent in the tree grants an upgrade. A good example is upgrading Isaac's suit. In the original, the RIG could only be improved in terms of health points and oxygen supply. In the remake, we can, for example, improve the stasis module. There is also a significant change regarding the weapons. In addition to the standard weapon improvements in the benches, we can also find schematics that increase a weapon's level. This translates into more options in upgrading guns in the benches, because these are quite limited at the beginning. In other words, if we want to spend points only on the Plasma Cutter, then we will not be able to do this constantly, at least until we get an upgrade that unlocks additional slots in the tree.
3. As for the exploration, we now have to redirect power to different parts of the ship. For example, only elevators or only doors can be powered from one power panel. Power transfer affects which rooms are available and which are not, and generally makes exploration more interesting. Sometimes you have to make difficult choices, because, for example, we are either deprived of lights or oxygen. The change in general is very ingenious, because it increases the options in discovering ways to get to the locked sections of the ship, etc.
4. Switching to the Frostbite engine didn't only make the game look nicer with more varied and often redesigned locations. The main revolution is the lightning. New Dead Space is much darker than the old (it now resembles Doom 3), which is why it is more important to use the flashlight built into the weapons. With it, you can see more. The darkness makes it difficult to control the crowd and makes the game more difficult overall.

Dead Space Remake developed by Motive Studio

1. Just like in the later entries, Isaac now talks. Because of that, absolutely all the dialogues were rewritten and re-recorded. Isaac is no longer a silent errand boy, and although he does essentially the same tasks as he did a dozen years ago, he is often the one who sets the next objectives. The hero also happens to comment more spectacular actions under, but very rarely.
2. The game contains side quests. There are not many of them, but nevertheless it is a plus. We get one of the first side quests at the start, while solving the problem of Necromorphs on Ishimura - Isaac will also want to find his beloved. She is connected to the first side quest in the remake. Side quests allow us to sometimes visit a section of the ship or rooms that we would normally skip when focus only on the main story. However, they mostly they force us to run around the planet cracker.
3. The three-dimensional map of the areas is gone. The remake has a two-dimensional, flat map, which is more readable, and as a result - making navigation around Ishimura easier.
4. All boss fights have been remade. In the fight in which we have to shoot from turrets, we use special terminals and we direct fire as if we would control our own weapons. At first it seems troublesome, but in fact it works flawlessly. Boss fights are now slightly harder so that they are not as easy as in the original.

Dead Space Remake developed by Motive Studio

1. There aren't any serious changes to the plot, but this doesn't mean that there are no minor fixes. A good example is pilot Chen, with whom Isaac flew to Ishimura. Unlike in the original, his thread now appears throughout the whole game.
2. There is an alternate ending that encourages you to complete the adventure once again in the New Game Plus mode.

As you can see, there are a lot of changes. It makes sense, because the original from 2008 is still fun to play, so the remake had to somehow differ from that version. This means that we should get a game that will offer a fresh experience even for veterans of the series.

Dead Space will be released on January 27, 2023. The game is coming to PC, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.

It is worth mentioning that those who pre-order the remake on Steam will get Dead Space 2.

1. Dead Space Remake - official site
2. Dead Space Remake review