Today, EA Motive held a Livestream for its in-development title, Dead Space Remake, a reimagining of the classic sci-fi horror game. I still can’t believe this is actually happening, given that the Dead Space series has been dormant for quite some time.
This Livestream was focused on the audio for the game, and if you’ve never played the original game, it is an essential part of the Dead Space titles. Before this Livestream even started, it was stated that headphones should be used to watch the Livestream. Present for this event was Philippe Ducharme Senior Producer, Roman Campos-Oriola Creative Director, Oliver Asselin Audio Director, and Jack Pattillo from Rooster Teeth as a member of the Dead Space community council. The Dead Space community council was created by “long time fans of the game” that are being used to help mold and guide the direction of the game. To that, I’m still working where my invite is — as I say this jokingly.
For those who don’t know, I am a huge fan of Dead Space and was one of those games that I didn’t want to touch initially, then fell in love with the series. I still have my original Xbox 360 games packed away somewhere, and I remember when I first picked up my controller and placed Dead Space 1. It was a fantastic gaming experience and will always stick with me.
There was quite a bit of information to take in during this show, so I’ve broken it down for you without going too in-depth. Or we’d be here all day. Thankfully, there’s some useful video that I’ve included that will you a better idea of what to expect.
- Sounds have been mixed to give a better representation. This includes directional placing and obstruction. An example of this is when moving to the right, you can start to hear less of what’s happening to the left of you, and vice versa. Or when sounds are exposed when in an open area but will be muffled when behind objects and shut doors.
- Better emphasis has been given to Isacc and E.A. Motive is using what they call the “A.L.I.V.E. System”. This stands for adrenaline, Limbic System Response, Intelligent Dialog, Vitals, and Exertions. Things such as Isacc’s breathing, jump scare reactions, heartbeat, exertions while in combat, and more. It’s an interesting update to an already fantastic experience that immersed players.
- Updated weapon sounds and comparisons of the newly created sounds versus the weapon sounds from the original game. The two weapons that were compared were the plasma cutter and pulse rifle. Two weapons that any fan of the game will recognize. Immediately I could tell the differences between the original and new weapon sounds. The pulse rifle, for example, has more a realistic sound to it, similar to an assault rifle. You can feel the impact now.
Wrapping things up, before the Livestream ended, we were treated to all of these new systems and effects in place, with actual gameplay. While the game is still far from being finished, it definitely feels like Dead Space. Wearing headphones, however, allowed me to hear all of the newly added things in better clarity. I’m definitely looking forward to this remake and can’t wait to get to play it. That, unfortunately, leads us to the final bit of information from the Livestream. That being that the Dead Space Remake has been pushed into early 2023, slipping from the 2022 release window. To which I’m fine with. This gem needs to be given as much development time as it needs. Interestingly, both this game and the Callisto Protocol are looking to be released in 2023.
The Dead Space Remake, again, is a reimaging of the original game. Not a remaster, and most of the original that made the game so good is staying. At the same time, other parts are being modified. It’s shaping up to be what made the original game such an amazing experience, with modern upgrades and similar to what Bluepoint was able to do with the Demon’s Souls Remake.
Here I thought that Dead Space was dead. Well, it was for a while, but it’s back, and I’m loving what EA Motive has been doing so far. The Dead Space Remake will be playable on the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, as confirmed a few months back. For now, we wait.
