The Essential Games: Dead Space (2008)
In a few days, Dead Space is coming back. As a big fan of the original trilogy, I honestly have mixed feelings about it. If EA was going to remake any of the original games, the first one is probably the one to pick — but it also holds up so well in a modern context that I think I would have preferred a modern re-release of the original trilogy alongside a brand new game or a Dead Space 4.
Of course, Dead Space stands on the shoulders of giants. Its gameplay is liberally built upon the foundation of other horror action greats like Resident Evil 4, and it also blends in elements from the immersive sim genre. There were rumors (which turned out to be false) that the game started its life as a System Shock sequel, and it’s not hard to see why playing the full game.
Dead Space was blockbuster action horror at a time when that was still a fairly new concept. It married big budget production values with fun horror action gameplay that any player could get into. Its horror comes from its carefully crafted environments, carefully timed dynamic story moments, dynamic music, and shocking combat encounters instead of the sluggish controls that plagued pre-RE4 horror games.
I know, I just committed gaming blasphemy by referring to old survival horror games as sluggish and…
