Dead Space review roundup: 'a horror remake done right'
Developer Motive Studios' ground-up remake of Dead Space has been lauded by critics
The Dead Space remake is out now, and it appears to be a triumphant return for Isaac and his necromorph friends. Critics have heaped praise on the reinvigorated 2008 survival horror game, which is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
The Dead Space remake is currently sitting on an impressive Opencritic score of 90 after 74 critic reviews. 90% of reviewers would recommend the remake, so if you were on the fence about walking through the claustrophobic halls of the USG Ishimura again, don’t be. It sounds like you’re in for a treat.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Dead Space reviews
👍 Dead Space has an Opencritic score of 90 after 74 critic reviews
🤩 96% of critics would recommend Dead Space
🚀 Dead Space is a remake of the 2008 survival horror game
💰 The game is out now and costs $70
Kicking the high scoring off is IGN, which gave Motive Studio’s remake of Dead Space a 9 out of 10. “With its stunningly redesigned spaceship, smartly and subtly enhanced story, and spectacularly reimagined action scenes, Motive Studio has managed to successfully breathe new life into the seminal sci-fi horror universe of Dead Space,” it says.
GamesRadar was also a big fan of the Dead Space revival, saying “It really is a sublime mix of fresh and familiar, and it's freaking terrifying in its loud and quieter moments. Its reworked visuals and stunning dynamic lighting totally transform certain areas, while the remake's new dismemberment animations mean hacking off enemy limbs with the Plasma Cutter, uncovering bone and muscle tissue as you do, is now gorier than ever.”
GameSpot notes that while the Dead Space remake may “not feel entirely necessary” it improves upon the original “with some smart new additions to almost every aspect of its design”. Still, it awarded the game a 9 out of 10.
Dead Space didn’t blow everyone away, though. Metro gave the game a 7, saying “Resident Evil 2 transcended the position of most remakes by being more than just an exercise in nostalgia and instead showed a way forward for the whole franchise, while also keeping to its roots. The Dead Space remake is not quite so revelational but despite its obsession with death and dismemberment, this is clearly a franchise that is still very much alive.”
As someone who’s grown tired of replaying games I’ve already completed – even if they have been lovingly remade – I think I’ll wait for the price to drop before picking up Dead Space. However, I’m more than a little jealous of newcomers to the series who will get to experience the game with fresh eyes for the first time.
Check out our PS5 games 2023 list and Xbox Series X games 2023 list to see what’s coming next for Sony and Microsoft’s consoles.