Dead Space Remake Developers Approached The Ishimura As A Character

Dead Space is an iconic survival horror video game franchise. So it was a massive but welcomed surprise that Electronic Arts finally decided to give the IP some new life. While instead of giving fans a new installment to the franchise, there was the announcement of a Dead Space remake. We’re gearing up toward the remake launch, but that hasn’t stopped developers from further explaining what went into creating this remake. A new blog post from the team behind the project highlighted how the developers viewed the legendary USG Ishimura vessel.

The Ishimura is an iconic ship because it was treated like a main character.

Associate Art Director Roy Tuazon

When it comes to Dead Space, most will think of Ishimura. This massive ship was made to be a mile in length and crafted for deep-space mining. However, as we take the role of Isaac Clarke, a crewman from a repair vessel, we uncover that the ship is filled with an infestation of hostile, deformed humans. It’s an uphill battle for survival as Isaac has nothing but floods of undead and an enormous ship to escape from. However, to bring out the same feeling players had initially with the game, a ton of focus went into ensuring the Ishimura was just as bone-chilling as the original title experience.

It’s a corporate ship, it’s very de-personalized, but it also has this kind of cosmic horror, where it’s not hostile—it’s just gigantic, and indifferent. In a way, the Ishimura is the enemy, because so much of the ship is so incredibly dangerous. But also, it’s all Isaac’s got in order to deal with the Necromorphs.

Senior Game Writer Jo Berry

Associate Art Director Roy Tuazon and Senior Game Writer Jo Berry spoke about how much detail went into the ship and attempted to ensure players felt immersed. The ship needed to feel gigantic and indifferent, according to the duo. But, to ensure that it stays modern, plenty of assets went in to provide improved paneling and lighting. Another area that allowed a more immersive experience was the lack of loading. Players can roam the ship without finding themselves stuck behind a loading screen. 

However, while the game developers went in to carefully recreate the ship and provide even more details for players to take in, it didn’t mean there weren’t some expansions made. For instance, one new component tossed into this remake is the zero-G mechanic. That will give Isaac more freedom to explore, but the player needs more room to pull this mechanic off. So you should see some more extensive areas, but we’re told that it should give a better understanding of how the sections interlink.

Even for you Dead Space buffs, there are areas mentioned about the ship in Dead Space 2 that were previously not accessible within the game. With this remake, you’ll finally be able to see these areas. Of course, we expect a very atmospheric game, much like what the Dead Space franchise was known for. Fortunately, the release date for Dead Space is nearly upon us. Players can expect the game to come out into the marketplace on January 27, 2023, for the PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S platforms.

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