The Original Dead Space was released back in 2008 and 15 years later fans are eagerly awaiting the remake with Dead Space Remake set to come out on January 27th, 2023. In a recent interview with Inverse, Realization Director at EA Motive Jeol MacMillan had a lot to say on some of the changes players can expect when the game officially releases.
For the most part, the Dead Space Remake is set to follow the same story beats as the original with some adjustments to gameplay to modernize the experience for both new and returning players. One change that was noted in the interview was that the remake would utilize a 2D map instead of the original 3D design.
Looking back at it, there was a little bit of frustration around how to control [the original map] or how to read it quickly. You’d have to kind of rotate it to figure out what’s the best angle to see where your character is and where you need to go… We’ve actually simplified it rather than embellished it, to improve the clarity and the readability of it.
Realiztion Director at EA Motive – Joel MacMillan
This is certainly an improvement as while the original 3D design of the map was super cool to look at it wasn’t very practical in-game. It isn’t just small changes being made to the game however as MacMillan noted that due to the number of technological advances since the original games release EA Motive is now able to realize the original vision of Dead Space in the best possible way. MacMillan said that the dismemberment system in the remake is set to be more realistic and “visceral.”
The way MacMillan talks about the dismemberment sounds amazing and will surely make players even more excited to play the game when it releases.
In our version, it’s not just a matter of one or two shots, to lop off a limb like in the original… In the remake, you really have to carve away at the meat in the skin and burn it away before you even get to the bone and slice the limb off.
Realiztion Director at EA Motive – Joel MacMillan
Somehow the dismemberment system sounds even better than the original. While there’s been a load of other announcements with the game before its release one thing to focus in on is that the game will have a new game plus option. While we don’t know much about this yet Senior Writer at EA Motive Jo Berry said “you’d definitely benefit from going through the USG Ishimura a second time.” I certainly will be.