dead space remake: same game with better graphics?

[80251]

Dead Space wasn't such a great game that I would want to play it again. Is the gameplay and level design for the dead space remake exactly the same as it was for the original?

 

[joemama]

Nah its different, there are already playthrough videos on youtube.
Which part of the original game did you not like about?

 

[80251]

@joemama
I didn't like that the air vents in the original Dead Space became nothing more than monster spawning closets. The whole idea that some of those massive monsters could fit in air vents became ridiculous and even in the interstitial spaces of my old work I never saw air vents as gigantic as the ones in Dead Space. If the monsters can travel through air ducts why can't the player?

 

[joemama]

Well you are still gonna face a lot of monsters crawling out of the vents in the remake so you probably won't like it

 

[cvaldes]

The remake devs did not change this aspect of the game. You cannot crawl through the air ducts.

If this is a dealbreaker, forget it. You won't be happy spending $60 for the remake of a game you didn't care for.

[Disclaimer: I have not played the remade game however I have watched a lot of hours of streamers playing it.]

 

[Assimilator]

If the monsters can travel through air ducts why can't the player?

Because it's Dead Space, not Among Us.

 

[Frag_Maniac]

@joemama
I didn't like that the air vents in the original Dead Space became nothing more than monster spawning closets. The whole idea that some of those massive monsters could fit in air vents became ridiculous and even in the interstitial spaces of my old work I never saw air vents as gigantic as the ones in Dead Space. If the monsters can travel through air ducts why can't the player?

Then that kills any Dead Space games for you, and probably any Doom or similar such games, your loss. In fact, I suspect a LOT of games that require the normal amount of suspension of disbelief would be off putting to someone that want's to be pedantic on an ad nauseam level.

Point being, there is FAR more to Dead Space than the way monsters travel through the maps, and sometimes, ones like Pregnants will just creep the hell out of you by how quietly they can approach you from behind while you're busy with others that are screaming at you.

Are you going to avoid any Alien games as well because the Xenomorphs crawl through ceiling vents? There are TONs of clever game design features of Dead Space, including the way health and stasis levels are displayed, the use of mining tools vs typical weapons, severing sharp limbs and tossing them back at them like spears to conserve ammo, and the way zero g is implemented. Maybe just get lost in the gameplay a bit instead of focusing on what doesn't seem realistic to you. I find it really strange anyone that would be drawn to such a game in the first place would not be willing to suspend disbelief much, because the main theme of the game is about as sci fi as it gets.

Taking away vent usage from monsters would be a nonsense thing to omit in a remake though, because it's one of the main combat pillars that puts the necromorphs on a level playing field with the player, otherwise he becomes an overpowered one man army. Monster vent access is one of the core things in the game that keeps you looking at every wall and ceiling, and anticipating where to position yourself, even when you know a big battle is about to happen. Removing that would literally ruin the game.

 

[WhiteNoise]

I played the original and over 3/4 through the re-release. Its not only a visual upgrade over the first but the game adds more features. Its without a doubt a great improvement over the original but monsters will crash through those grates. If jump scares are not your thing, then Dead Space isn't for you.

 

[80251]

$60 for improvements to a game I've already played doesn't seem worth it. They didn't even add RTX effects. If it was a sequel or a different setting in the Dead Space universe then I might bite.

 

[Vayra86]

$60 for improvements to a game I've already played doesn't seem worth it. They didn't even add RTX effects. If it was a sequel or a different setting in the Dead Space universe then I might bite.

But that's the thing, it ISN'T worth it at that price. Maybe at 15 bucks. I mean, its a graphics update.

I played Dead Space 3 times now, the later parts just once. The first one is really as good as third person horror gets imho. The later installments remove a lot of the suspense by giving you way too many weapons and ammo, part 3 taking the cake with full customization options. Fun, but totally removes the scare.

 

[Vya Domus]

It's not just some lazy remaster, they did rework pretty much everything, I will give them that, that being said 60$ is too much, there isn't that much content.

 

[Sithaer]

Then that kills any Dead Space games for you, and probably any Doom or similar such games, your loss. In fact, I suspect a LOT of games that require the normal amount of suspension of disbelief would be off putting to someone that want's to be pedantic on an ad nauseam level.

Point being, there is FAR more to Dead Space than the way monsters travel through the maps, and sometimes, ones like Pregnants will just creep the hell out of you by how quietly they can approach you from behind while you're busy with others that are screaming at you.

Are you going to avoid any Alien games as well because the Xenomorphs crawl through ceiling vents? There are TONs of clever game design features of Dead Space, including the way health and stasis levels are displayed, the use of mining tools vs typical weapons, severing sharp limbs and tossing them back at them like spears to conserve ammo, and the way zero g is implemented. Maybe just get lost in the gameplay a bit instead of focusing on what doesn't seem realistic to you. I find it really strange anyone that would be drawn to such a game in the first place would not be willing to suspend disbelief much, because the main theme of the game is about as sci fi as it gets.

Taking away vent usage from monsters would be a nonsense thing to omit in a remake though, because it's one of the main combat pillars that puts the necromorphs on a level playing field with the player, otherwise he becomes an overpowered one man army. Monster vent access is one of the core things in the game that keeps you looking at every wall and ceiling, and anticipating where to position yourself, even when you know a big battle is about to happen. Removing that would literally ruin the game.

Yea I also find it kinda weird when someone is bothered by 'not realistic' parts in a game when the entire game is a fiction not based on reality.
Its like when I was playing a fantasy themed MMO and a friend of mine kept complaining how unrealistic certain character's weapons are cause there is no way they would be able to wield those.
Meanwhile the game had dragons and all kind of magic in it but apparently that was okay.

I've also finished every Dead Space game in the past, I'm not a big horror fan but Dead Space 1+2 was great imo.
Don't think the remaster worths the full price but at a later point when its cheaper I'm sure will play it. 'or if its added to gamepass ultimate at some point since I have it active till 2023 december'

 

[bug]

@joemama
I didn't like that the air vents in the original Dead Space became nothing more than monster spawning closets. The whole idea that some of those massive monsters could fit in air vents became ridiculous and even in the interstitial spaces of my old work I never saw air vents as gigantic as the ones in Dead Space. If the monsters can travel through air ducts why can't the player?

Because there's monsters in there?

 

[AusWolf]

I've just started playing the original Dead Space just to see if it would be worth it to buy the remake.

Honestly, I don't understand the hype. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice enough game, but nothing special. The story is quite basic and predictable (so far), the enemies are okay, the main characters are normal human beings with not so much personality to them, and the controls are a bit more clunky than I'd like. Everything I do feels heavy and numb. I'm not a CS:GO competitor by far, by the way. The horror element focuses on way too much blood, dark hallways and jump scares (which are more annoying than scary in my opinion), which is again: fine, but nothing special.

The level design on the other hand, is something I don't quite understand. Sure, you need those creepy, crawly hallways to add to the horror element, but honestly, who the hell would design a spaceship like that? Why do you have to walk through a labyrinth just to get to the diagnostic department of the hospital wing? And what's with the gaping open chasm in maintenance? It doesn't make sense!

The only thing that makes the game unique is the ability (and need) to dismember enemies to cripple and kill them. There have been a few times when I cut the legs or head of a monster off and thought it was dead until it crept up on me. Now that's quite innovative! I'm just not sure it's something you can build a whole game around.

As of now, I'm starting Chapter 3, and if I had to score it now, I'd give it 6/10. I'll probably buy the remake at some point, once it gets below £10 in a discount, because as I said: it's a nice game, just nothing special.

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

$60 for improvements to a game I've already played doesn't seem worth it. They didn't even add RTX effects. If it was a sequel or a different setting in the Dead Space universe then I might bite.

It's remade in frostbite, it is better and different enough that if you liked e first game you will like it.
And it supports RT ambient occlusion.

It does look way better than the original though the original for it's time wasn't bad.

 

[Assimilator]

I've just started playing the original Dead Space just to see if it would be worth it to buy the remake.

Honestly, I don't understand the hype. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice enough game, but nothing special. The story is quite basic and predictable (so far), the enemies are okay, the main characters are normal human beings with not so much personality to them, and the controls are a bit more clunky than I'd like. Everything I do feels heavy and numb. I'm not a CS:GO competitor by far, by the way. The horror element focuses on way too much blood, dark hallways and jump scares (which are more annoying than scary in my opinion), which is again: fine, but nothing special.

The level design on the other hand, is something I don't quite understand. Sure, you need those creepy, crawly hallways to add to the horror element, but honestly, who the hell would design a spaceship like that? Why do you have to walk through a labyrinth just to get to the diagnostic department of the hospital wing? And what's with the gaping open chasm in maintenance? It doesn't make sense!

The only thing that makes the game unique is the ability (and need) to dismember enemies to cripple and kill them. There have been a few times when I cut the legs or head of a monster off and thought it was dead until it crept up on me. Now that's quite innovative! I'm just not sure it's something you can build a whole game around.

As of now, I'm starting Chapter 3, and if I had to score it now, I'd give it 6/10. I'll probably buy the remake at some point, once it gets below £10 in a discount, because as I said: it's a nice game, just nothing special.

You're viewing a game from 2008 through the lens of 2023. That's always going to be unfair.

> The story is quite basic and predictable (so far)

Stick it out, things become a lot more interesting as you progress further.

> Everything I do feels heavy and numb.

That's intentional. You're wearing an armoured exosuit, in real life armour makes you heavy and slow. Which adds to the atmosphere by forcing you to be careful about how you explore because if an enemy jumps you, you may not be able to get away in good time.

> The horror element focuses on way too much blood, dark hallways and jump scares (which are more annoying than scary in my opinion), which is again: fine, but nothing special.

You've played enough horror games to be inured to that sort of thing, most people haven't. Plus again: 2008.

> The level design on the other hand, is something I don't quite understand. Sure, you need those creepy, crawly hallways to add to the horror element, but honestly, who the hell would design a spaceship like that? Why do you have to walk through a labyrinth just to get to the diagnostic department of the hospital wing?

The normal routes in the ship are locked down in an attempt to keep out the enemies/damaged/destroyed/otherwise inaccessible. Isaac is able to work around that because, being a starship engineer, he knows his way around the bits of starships most people don't even know are there.

Starships are also huge and costly to build. Making a corridor any larger than it needs to be is more material and more cost. Especially when it's a maintenance corridor that will be used once in a blue moon.

> The only thing that makes the game unique is the ability (and need) to dismember enemies to cripple and kill them. There have been a few times when I cut the legs or head of a monster off and thought it was dead until it crept up on me. Now that's quite innovative! I'm just not sure it's something you can build a whole game around.

It's a completely different mechanic to the standard Resident Evil shoot-and-run-away that was the norm in the horror game genre at that time, so it was pretty refreshing. It's also one of, if not the first actually practical use of physics to improve gameplay; until then physics had generally been a gimmick. And on higher difficulties where ammunition is scarce, using this mechanic is a necessity to survive.

 

[AusWolf]

You're viewing a game from 2008 through the lens of 2023. That's always going to be unfair.

I wouldn't think so. I like old games. Half-Life is one of my old time favourites that I can replay any time. It's only that Dead Space doesn't show (or rather: so far hasn't shown) me a lot more that I hadn't seen as of 2008. Still, it's a good game for its age, just I wouldn't say it's something revolutionary besides the use of physics.

> The story is quite basic and predictable (so far)

Stick it out, things become a lot more interesting as you progress further.

Okay, will do.

> Everything I do feels heavy and numb.

That's intentional. You're wearing an armoured exosuit, in real life armour makes you heavy and slow. Which adds to the atmosphere by forcing you to be careful about how you explore because if an enemy jumps you, you may not be able to get away in good time.

Fair enough. It's also small things like melee attack is the same mouse button as shooting a gun by default, which is confusing as heck. I've nearly died a few times because I forgot to aim before I clicked the mouse and Isaac went into a useless slow-mo arm swing instead of shooting at the baddies. The mouse sensitivity also feels kind of wrong at every setting.

> The horror element focuses on way too much blood, dark hallways and jump scares (which are more annoying than scary in my opinion), which is again: fine, but nothing special.

You've played enough horror games to be inured to that sort of thing, most people haven't. Plus again: 2008.

I actually haven't - I'm not a horror fan. It's just that these are typical horror elements that you see everywhere. As the saying goes: you've seen it once, you've seen it all.

> The level design on the other hand, is something I don't quite understand. Sure, you need those creepy, crawly hallways to add to the horror element, but honestly, who the hell would design a spaceship like that? Why do you have to walk through a labyrinth just to get to the diagnostic department of the hospital wing?

The normal routes in the ship are locked down in an attempt to keep out the enemies/damaged/destroyed/otherwise inaccessible. Isaac is able to work around that because, being a starship engineer, he knows his way around the bits of starships most people don't even know are there.

I would accept this explanation if the ship was full of locked doors, but it isn't. The only few locked doors I've come across lead to offices and secret areas filled with consumables, not shortcuts. The empty, twisty hallways are just that: empty, twisty hallways. Nobody in their right mind would put them in a space ship where space is extremely restricted.

Edit 2:

Spoiler: Explanation with a map

Just to illustrate what I mean, here's the map of Chapter 2 with empty pockets around twisty corridors marked:

And here's how it could be a lot more efficient for a more believable space ship:

See what I mean?

Starships are also huge and costly to build. Making a corridor any larger than it needs to be is more material and more cost. Especially when it's a maintenance corridor that will be used once in a blue moon.

Exactly my point.

> The only thing that makes the game unique is the ability (and need) to dismember enemies to cripple and kill them. There have been a few times when I cut the legs or head of a monster off and thought it was dead until it crept up on me. Now that's quite innovative! I'm just not sure it's something you can build a whole game around.

It's a completely different mechanic to the standard Resident Evil shoot-and-run-away that was the norm in the horror game genre at that time, so it was pretty refreshing. It's also one of, if not the first actually practical use of physics to improve gameplay; until then physics had generally been a gimmick. And on higher difficulties where ammunition is scarce, using this mechanic is a necessity to survive.

I agree with that.

Edit: I see exactly why the physics model is a killer feature for 2008. It's only that you need to build a good game around it. If you take the physics away, then Dead Space is an average game at best (imo).

 

[WhiteNoise]

I too was of the opinion that as much as I loved the first one, I wasn't going to spend $59.99 for a game I already played and beat, years ago. My buddy was playing the re-release and streaming for me to watch a bit, I argued that if it was on sale, I'd consider it then. I admitted that the game looked way better, I agreed that they reworked everything including some of the gameplay but it was still not worth spending $59.99 for.

He then asked me how much I spent the past weekend to replace my old HT projector and pc monitor? I replied that I spent around $3700. To which he responded, and you are complaining about $59.99? I sat back and thought about that for a moment and then purchased the game. I must admit, they really did a fantastic job at this game. I loved the first one but this one is much better, in all ways. Definitely worth the entry fee for me.

 

[Vya Domus]

He then asked me how much I spent the past weekend to replace my old HT projector and pc monitor? I replied that I spent around $3700. To which he responded, and you are complaining about $59.99? I sat back and thought about that for a moment and then purchased the game.

You just got poor shamed into buying the game.

On a serious note, it doesn't matter that you spent $3700 on a projector and monitor, depending on how many new games you play 60 dollars per new title can easily balloon into a ton of money you may not be that happy about.

 

[Fasola]

I read that Isaac talks now and the background with Nicole was retconned, as well as other character behaving differently.

 

[WhiteNoise]

You just got poor shamed into buying the game.

On a serious note, it doesn't matter that you spent $3700 on a projector and monitor, depending on how many new games you play 60 dollars per new title can easily balloon into a ton of money you may not be that happy about.

I spend a lot on games but rarely do I spend $59.99 or more. I play a lot of indie games. I usually save those $59.99 purchases for the few AAA games that come out that I want.

I think my buddy's point was, I was complaining specifically about spending $59.99 and he was like, dude, you spend money on shit constantly.
My point was that its the principle, I already bought the game and beat it years ago. Why should I do it again? The improvements and update in visuals really was pushing me over the edge and my buddy's comment was the last push i needed. lol What can i say? I'm weak.

I'd like to add that in this case, it was worth the cost to me. They really did a fantastic job redoing this game and it shows. I sometimes have buyers remorse but not this time.

 

[Frag_Maniac]

Yea I also find it kinda weird when someone is bothered by 'not realistic' parts in a game when the entire game is a fiction not based on reality.
Its like when I was playing a fantasy themed MMO and a friend of mine kept complaining how unrealistic certain character's weapons are cause there is no way they would be able to wield those.
Meanwhile the game had dragons and all kind of magic in it but apparently that was okay.

I've also finished every Dead Space game in the past, I'm not a big horror fan but Dead Space 1+2 was great imo.
Don't think the remaster worths the full price but at a later point when its cheaper I'm sure will play it. 'or if its added to gamepass ultimate at some point since I have it active till 2023 december'

I got into gaming rather late in life, in my early 40s. I always thought I would only be drawn to games that have a real world feel, and I still don't play fantasy games or get into games with magic much if at all, but I have learned there are plenty other type games that have very engaging gameplay that still require suspension of disbelief to enjoy.

One of the things that's not often mentioned about Dead Space games, and something I feel they did really well, is the sound, especially the sound the monsters make. The Exploders have a very unique sound, as if they're trying to say something, and it always cracks me up. I like the Stalkers too, and the way they peek over cover is hilarious.

One of the things they really focused on with the Remake though is better directional sound and more realistic bodily sounds from Isaac. There's not many reviews that go into detail about it, but some insist it makes a huge difference.

 

[WhiteNoise]

The audio really is something special. The ambient noises just suck me into the game.

 

[Frag_Maniac]

The audio really is something special. The ambient noises just suck me into the game.

Yeah I'm surprised more people don't talk about it. And it's not just audio from monsters or ambients, the big machine structures are given good audio too, whether it be the vent shafts you float through in zero g with big fans, the centrifuge, or the huge generators you lock into place and restart in DS3, it's all done very well.

As far as the remake goes, I get why some who've played the first game don't want to pay full price for it, but as much as we've seen negative reviews on the 3rd installment (which I feel were a bit overzealous), it's nice to finally see so many positive reviews on the remake, and I hope it will make them want to pick the series back up and continue it.

 

[WhiteNoise]

I hated DS3 and only beat it because my buddy wanted to play it co op. I loved DS1 and 2 though.