Especially since, at the time, original developer Visceral Games was very keen to emphasis that in their game you can walk and shoot at the same time. Released three years after Resident Evil 4, it is very obvious where Dead Space got the lion’s share of its inspiration from.

This isn’t helped by some very basic artificial intelligence, which even in more orchestrated set pieces just has them running straight at you. This is especially true as there can be some noticeable clipping issues with their gangly limbs and the considerable amount of gibbage left over from their defeated carcases (the main gimmick for the combat is that the easiest way to kill the necromorphs is to shoot off their limbs). That said, we have always felt the necromorph enemies, that act like fast moving space zombies, were rather dull designs, and they’re not any more visually interesting with next gen graphics. The predominately brown colour palette is also amusingly typical of the era but that couldn’t be changed without completely changing the atmosphere. More impressively still, it actually adds quite a bit of extra content, not only including a voice for the previously mute main character but several new areas and gameplay mechanics. The graphics aren’t as good as Resident Evil 2, and the more distant camera angle less immersive, but in terms of recreating the look and feel of the original Xbox 360 game this is spot on. On that first point the Dead Space remake is a major success. This only adds to the inherent difficulties of critiquing a remake, since there are always two, often incompatible, goals: trying to appeal to fans of the first game, most of which want it to be as close as possible to the original, and the need to create a high quality, modern game that stands on its own two feet. EA would clearly like you to think it’s deserved but for others, including us, it’s too generic and too lacking in new ideas to really qualify – even if it is very competently made. The plot and characters are not memorable but that doesn’t really matter as the game has never been shy about the fact that it’s a grab bag of ideas, visuals, and gameplay from multiple sources, from games like Resident Evil and System Shock to movies such as Alien, The Thing, and Event Horizon.ĭead Space may be an original IP but originality is not its strong suit, which is the main reason why its status as a survival horror classic is disputed.

Dead space pc review