Although the November games have already arrived on PS Plus, I feel I should cover Dead Space, whose review is delayed because I got too caught up with Dead Island 2. Damn. Sorry, team.
Even though you were waiting for me, believe me, I was waiting for the new Dead Space sequel much longer! I first encountered the original in 2008 on a computer that definitely couldn't run such a game at that time, and it was quite a spectacle when it came out.
I heard about Dead Space from my wealthy friend who played it on his iPod while we were waiting for a German course. I was first fascinated by how such a small device could run such graphics, and even more by the game itself. The concept of space horror had been tested since the very beginning of modern gaming with System Shock, but this was different. This was bloody.
Before that, games were heavily pixelated, and if there were any, they were in rare games like the first F.E.A.R. Dead Space had it all: top-notch graphics, tension, action, and above all, atmosphere.
The opening scene where Isaac and the crew approach the Ishimura to find his girlfriend Nicole, who sent him a message and then decided to ghost him, is one of the best scenes in gaming. Plus, unlike Isaac and the crew, the player immediately realizes that Ishimura is a scenario where everyone will have problems, even if you don't know the story.
Even in that scene, you feel that sense of isolation and endless darkness that will follow you to the end of the game. Ishimura looks like a shell of a ship, huge, damaged, and cold – a metal giant in which every corner tells something like:
Every corridor, every corner of the ship has its character, simultaneously claustrophobic and endless, as if you are trapped in a labyrinth that deliberately leads you into deadly traps.
Moreover, the design of the enemies is simply… disturbing.
As he explores, Isaac uncovers the terrible truth about the Marker, a mysterious artifact that sends ominous visions and has the power to “revive” the dead in the form of necromorphs. The Marker is the center of the Unitologist cult, a religion that believes in ascension through transformation, but those “ascensions” are actually horrific mutations of people into bloodthirsty monsters.
But the best part is that necromorphs are not classic zombies, and that's awesome!
Yes, there are classic grotesque faces, but the necromorphs in Dead Space are something entirely different. While classic zombies just wander and attack, necromorphs are creatures whose limbs and bones are turned into weapons. Their hands end in sharp, cutting bones that slice through flesh, and their protruding fingers and deformed limbs make them true nightmares.
To stop them, you literally have to sever their limbs – the head is not enough. The Marker has transformed them into deadly machines that act almost instinctively, without awareness, but with one mission – to eliminate anyone on the Ishimura. And it is precisely their design and brutal force that make them a threat that is hard to escape and almost impossible to forget.
As you navigate through the Ishimura, you encounter all different forms of necromorphs, each more terrifying than the last. There’s everything from bouncing babies to indestructible enemies that you will have to use the level design to deal with.
What impresses the most is how the game uses light and shadows. It’s not all black and white!
Dead Space uses subtle shades, from dim fluorescent lights that momentarily reveal a threat, to red alarms and flashing lights that further enhance the sense of danger. And just when you think you’ve found a safe spot, a shadow shifts, a sound echoes through the metal, and you realize you see nothing, and the necromorphs are all around you.
The most intense scene in the game was when I was walking through a corridor, the lights went out, I couldn’t see anything with the flashlight, the music changed, I heard a bunch of monsters, and then… Nothing.
The main thing that makes Dead Space so unique is not the gore and jumpscares – but the way it makes you feel powerless, yet strong at the same time. Isaac is not a classic hero – he doesn’t have military gear or an arsenal of weapons like some space marine. He’s just an engineer, an ordinary guy stuck in hell who has to use his tools to survive. Literally tools. The guy practically shoots zombie aliens with a flashlight on steroids.
Oh, and a big plus, Isaac talks in this sequel, which is great because now we have his direct thoughts, although there was something special about hearing his screams while something was tearing him apart without additional comments.
Isaac is cool. The guy is a pure geek who became an accidental hero. At least in his case.
There’s no great ammo, you can’t kill them by blasting them away, but you have to follow the simple instructions from the beginning of the game - CUT THEIR LIMBS OFF.
What a great introduction.
But the atmosphere – here, Dead Space is a true master. Even while walking through empty corridors, the game doesn't let you rest. Darkness, narrow areas, flickering lights, the sounds of machines echoing through the void, and then quiet, almost inaudible footsteps. All elements in Dead Space are arranged to keep you on the edge of your nerves. A hallway that looks empty? Just wait, it won't stay that way for long. You pass by a vent and see nothing… but the sounds inside it are not silence. You are never sure when a necromorph will jump out of the wall, because there are no safe spaces in Dead Space. Every door is a door to hell.
And, of course, there's the sound. Dead Space perfectly uses sound as another layer of horror. The quiet noises coming from the depths of the ship, that occasional creak of metal, and then a sudden bang – all of it literally pushes you forward, but doesn't let you rest. You feel like the ship is breathing down your neck, as if Ishimura has a will of its own and enjoys watching you struggle for every step forward.
What sets Dead Space apart from other horror games is precisely that tension – it is constant, never letting up. You might come across ammunition and feel a moment of relief, but as soon as you move on, that feeling disappears. A sense of safety? It doesn't exist.
And it is in that constant tension that Dead Space shines. Everything in the game works against you, from limited resources to terrifying enemies that never stop hunting you. Every second you spend on the Ishimura forces you to reconsider every step – is it worth going to that next hallway for a piece of ammunition or risking your life fighting against a monster that might be lurking around the corner? Isaac has no luxury of choice; he must survive, fight, and explore the hell he has found himself in.
The atmosphere, details, and story make Dead Space a masterpiece of space horror. Every new encounter with necromorphs, every sound in the corridors, and every horror that the Marker distorts before Isaac's eyes deepens the feeling of isolation and terror.
Dead Space has literally redefined space horror, and this remake brings all that brilliance in a more modern guise, allowing new generations to once again feel the fear that this game provided all of us back in 2008. Although many horrors over the years have tried to surpass Dead Space in atmosphere and tension (I'm looking at you, Callisto Protocol), few have managed to achieve that perfect combination of claustrophobic horror, brutal gameplay, and visually impressive enemy design.
The Dead Space remake brings not only a creepy atmosphere but also top-notch gameplay that perfectly blends horror, action, and RPG elements. The RPG upgrade system gives you the freedom to customize Isaac and his equipment according to your own play style. Every tool, from the legendary Plasma Cutter to the Pulse Rifle, can be upgraded to become even deadlier, and every weapon can be tailored to your combat style.
The Kinesis module is an absolutely brilliant addition to the gameplay – with it, you can manipulate the environment, pull objects, even use parts of the environment as weapons. There’s nothing better than grabbing a piece of sharp metal debris and launching it at a necromorph, or pulling boxes to open a new path.
The most impressive part of the gameplay is flying through zero gravity. In the Dead Space remake, every zero-gravity sequence is so realistically executed that you literally feel the weight of space. It’s true, I float through space every weekend so I can make a quality assessment.
The silence, the feeling of helplessness while you float in the dark spaces of the ship, as necromorphs literally drift towards you from all directions – these are the moments that make Dead Space unforgettable.
Zero gravity changes the way you move, fight, and perceive the environment, creating a sense of panic as you no longer have solid ground beneath your feet, and enemies can come from any direction.
The remake has made the game even better – it has refreshed the graphics, delved deeper into Isaac as a character, but hasn’t lost that same creepy feeling that crawls under your skin. I really hope the same treatment will be given to Dead Space 2, which is my favorite sequel. That second part fantastically upgraded everything the first established, expanding the story, adding even creepier environments and tenser action.
As for Dead Space 3… well, I would really like them to make a completely new sequel because the original was a major miss. Dead Space 3 went too far into the action genre, losing that creepy, claustrophobic horror feeling. A new Dead Space 3 could bring the series back on the right track, focusing on the true horror atmosphere and terrifying stories about the Marker and necromorphs, instead of action and co-op.
The Dead Space remake has shown that the series still has incredible potential – vivid dead characters, the perfect dose of horror, and an atmosphere that sticks with you. If EA continues in this direction, the future of Dead Space looks bright again… or, better said, terrifyingly dark, just as it should be.
