This review contains spoilers
TRANSMISSION STARTS
Dead Space Remake is genuinely one of the best horror experience I've had in gaming. Here are my rambly, Marker-induced thoughts.
Disclaimer: Never played the original so I can't compare it
USG Ishimura is iconic. I can't put the controller down despite the chill-inducing atmosphere, alien level design, and tragic environmental lore and story. It's as if the ship is alive and a character that underwent various changes throughout. It also has SPACE BASKETBALL. What else can I say? I also like that every area is used to its maximum effect. Nothing is over/underutilized. By the end, I was intimately familiar with everything, vents included and I felt a sense of melancholy by the end. I will never forget the USG Ishimura!
The enemy variety is astounding. The Necromorphs are some of the most haunting enemies in gaming due to their grotesque design and unbreakable focus to hunt you down. Dead Space Remake is really good at balancing them as well. You don't get an unfair combination and their placement doesn't feel random during the critical story path. I love how the Necromorphs evolve throughout the game and FUCK THEM NECRO-TICKS OR WHATEVER I HATE THEM.
Isaac is one badass motherfucker for surviving throughout the game through sheer will to find his loved one and ingenious ENGINEERING. No joke. Dude kept building weapons and improving his armor from scraps and tools. I don't know if I'm reading this right but he's just a regular guy that happens to be resourceful and crafty. His way of fighting the bosses were unique, the weapons he use are all improvised, every time something goes wrong he has a quick and often impromptu solution to, and HE GETS SCARED. In most survival horror games of its era, the protagonist is this perfect action hero. Isaac is neither in that his sanity is constantly waning. He mirrors the player so well through his reactions, haggard breathing... and the stomp... oh man the stomp is simply iconic. It conveys Isaac and our emotion towards fighting necromorphs, and hints at an underlying anger issue that's perhaps a result of his upbringing through his mom and Unitology. Last thing I wanna say is Ishimura and Isaac complement each other. I can't believe the dynamic between a character and a ship would go this hard. These two make Dead Space whole... again.
A short ramble about the cast. Hammond is awesome. Sorry I doubted the man. He just wants to save his crew despite not being equipped to deal with necromorphs. Daniels is a conflicting one. Surprised how she was revealed to be an antagonist but her motive makes sense to her character and circumstance. She's a great and complex character. I wish we get to know her more though. Nicole is great as well. One of the good ones in Ishimura. She resisted the Unitology to the bitter end. Its tragic she's stuck alone, away from Isaac throughout all of this. Marcus... well damn I dunno. I like his role but his end was pretty abrupt and dissatisfying after all he's done. Overall, great cast of characters. (I'm starting to get conscious at the length of this "review")
Story is a bit convoluted and ngl I zoned out a bit halfway through all the convergence talks. All I'll say is, the idea of an alien artifact getting into the hands of a fully-indoctrinated and extremist religion is terrifying af and not far from reality if given the same circumstance.
The rest of my compliments: Diegetic UI is cool af, all weapons are cool and useful, Zero-G is a bit nauseating but a unique and fun gameplay mechanic, item scarcity adds a ton to the survival horror element, almost no loading sections, side missions adds a lot to the lore and Ishimura development, puzzles are fun.
No masterpiece is perfect. I do have some gripes with it. Game lags a bit tho not too immersion-breaking, lost a bunch of items and throwables because they kept falling through the floor, keeping track of side missions one at a time was kinda annoying. Wish there's a separate waypoint when pressing R3, waypoint is busted on Zero-G sections at times, and I get waaay too many ammo for weapons I don't use and at times too much '100 credits' that makes ammo scarcity feel a bit artificial, and lastly a personal gripe is there's no Photo Mode. Wish I could see the necromorphs and the environment in full detail. These are all small gripes on my end though and barely affects the overall enjoyment.
I have so much more to say but it's getting long. I'll just say this - Dead Space Remake is genuinely one of the best horror experience I've had in gaming. Here are my rambly, Marker-induced thoughts. Disclaimer: Never played the original so I can't compare it USG Ishimura is ico-
TRANSMISSION ENDS
21 hours and 1000 limbs dismembered later, I give Dead Space Remake a 4.5/5
Dead Space Remake is genuinely one of the best horror experience I've had in gaming. Here are my rambly, Marker-induced thoughts.
Disclaimer: Never played the original so I can't compare it
USG Ishimura is iconic. I can't put the controller down despite the chill-inducing atmosphere, alien level design, and tragic environmental lore and story. It's as if the ship is alive and a character that underwent various changes throughout. It also has SPACE BASKETBALL. What else can I say? I also like that every area is used to its maximum effect. Nothing is over/underutilized. By the end, I was intimately familiar with everything, vents included and I felt a sense of melancholy by the end. I will never forget the USG Ishimura!
The enemy variety is astounding. The Necromorphs are some of the most haunting enemies in gaming due to their grotesque design and unbreakable focus to hunt you down. Dead Space Remake is really good at balancing them as well. You don't get an unfair combination and their placement doesn't feel random during the critical story path. I love how the Necromorphs evolve throughout the game and FUCK THEM NECRO-TICKS OR WHATEVER I HATE THEM.
Isaac is one badass motherfucker for surviving throughout the game through sheer will to find his loved one and ingenious ENGINEERING. No joke. Dude kept building weapons and improving his armor from scraps and tools. I don't know if I'm reading this right but he's just a regular guy that happens to be resourceful and crafty. His way of fighting the bosses were unique, the weapons he use are all improvised, every time something goes wrong he has a quick and often impromptu solution to, and HE GETS SCARED. In most survival horror games of its era, the protagonist is this perfect action hero. Isaac is neither in that his sanity is constantly waning. He mirrors the player so well through his reactions, haggard breathing... and the stomp... oh man the stomp is simply iconic. It conveys Isaac and our emotion towards fighting necromorphs, and hints at an underlying anger issue that's perhaps a result of his upbringing through his mom and Unitology. Last thing I wanna say is Ishimura and Isaac complement each other. I can't believe the dynamic between a character and a ship would go this hard. These two make Dead Space whole... again.
A short ramble about the cast. Hammond is awesome. Sorry I doubted the man. He just wants to save his crew despite not being equipped to deal with necromorphs. Daniels is a conflicting one. Surprised how she was revealed to be an antagonist but her motive makes sense to her character and circumstance. She's a great and complex character. I wish we get to know her more though. Nicole is great as well. One of the good ones in Ishimura. She resisted the Unitology to the bitter end. Its tragic she's stuck alone, away from Isaac throughout all of this. Marcus... well damn I dunno. I like his role but his end was pretty abrupt and dissatisfying after all he's done. Overall, great cast of characters. (I'm starting to get conscious at the length of this "review")
Story is a bit convoluted and ngl I zoned out a bit halfway through all the convergence talks. All I'll say is, the idea of an alien artifact getting into the hands of a fully-indoctrinated and extremist religion is terrifying af and not far from reality if given the same circumstance.
The rest of my compliments: Diegetic UI is cool af, all weapons are cool and useful, Zero-G is a bit nauseating but a unique and fun gameplay mechanic, item scarcity adds a ton to the survival horror element, almost no loading sections, side missions adds a lot to the lore and Ishimura development, puzzles are fun.
No masterpiece is perfect. I do have some gripes with it. Game lags a bit tho not too immersion-breaking, lost a bunch of items and throwables because they kept falling through the floor, keeping track of side missions one at a time was kinda annoying. Wish there's a separate waypoint when pressing R3, waypoint is busted on Zero-G sections at times, and I get waaay too many ammo for weapons I don't use and at times too much '100 credits' that makes ammo scarcity feel a bit artificial, and lastly a personal gripe is there's no Photo Mode. Wish I could see the necromorphs and the environment in full detail. These are all small gripes on my end though and barely affects the overall enjoyment.
I have so much more to say but it's getting long. I'll just say this - Dead Space Remake is genuinely one of the best horror experience I've had in gaming. Here are my rambly, Marker-induced thoughts. Disclaimer: Never played the original so I can't compare it USG Ishimura is ico-
TRANSMISSION ENDS
21 hours and 1000 limbs dismembered later, I give Dead Space Remake a 4.5/5