Dead Space

Developer : Motive
Released:
Platforms :
Action
Adventure
Dead Space Poster

" Immersive sci-fi survival-horror with stunning visuals and sound but severe PC performance issues "

Dead Space Review

Dead Space remake is widely praised as a faithful and impressive reimagining of the 2008 original, enhancing graphics, gameplay mechanics, and story depth. Players appreciate the interconnected level design, atmospheric sound, and Isaac's voiced character, which adds emotional weight. The game offers solid replay value with New Game+ and improved item distribution. However, the PC port suffers from significant performance issues such as micro-stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, especially on certain hardware configurations, severely impacting playability for many. Despite these technical flaws, the game’s horror elements, combat mechanics, and visual fidelity receive strong commendations. The lack of ongoing updates and fixes from the publisher has frustrated the community, casting doubt on future Dead Space titles. Overall, it is a must-play for fans of survival horror and the original game, but PC users should be cautious due to optimization problems. The remake successfully modernizes a classic while retaining its terrifying charm and immersive gameplay.

Highlights

Players highly praise the stunning graphics and atmospheric sound design, which elevate the horror experience. The remake’s expanded story and voiced protagonist deepen player engagement. Gameplay improvements include better item and weapon distribution, interconnected level design, and satisfying combat mechanics, particularly the plasma cutter. The game’s replayability through New Game+ and refined mechanics is also well received. Many consider it one of the best remakes ever, delivering a fresh but faithful experience to both new and returning players.

Criticisms

The predominant criticism is the poor PC optimization, with frequent stuttering, frame drops, and crashes reported across a range of hardware. This severely disrupts gameplay and pacing. Some players note issues with unskippable cutscenes, awkward control bindings, and occasional frustrating camera angles. The presence of Denuvo DRM is also blamed for performance degradation. Additionally, some feel the horror elements become less effective over time, and a few puzzles or combat encounters were made more complicated unnecessarily. The lack of post-launch patches and support has left many disappointed.

Pros

  • Stunning visuals that modernize the original game beautifully.
  • Immersive sound design enhances the horror atmosphere effectively.
  • Isaac’s voiced character adds emotional depth to the story.
  • Well-designed interconnected levels improve exploration and pacing.
  • Satisfying combat mechanics with fun weapon handling.
  • Improved item and weapon distribution balance gameplay.
  • New Game+ mode increases replay value significantly.

Cons

  • Severe PC performance issues including stuttering and crashes.
  • Unskippable cutscenes hinder replay experience.
  • Occasional awkward camera angles during complex combat.
  • Denuvo DRM causes FPS drops and stuttering.
  • Control bindings can be unintuitive and hard to remap.
  • Some puzzles and combat encounters overly complicated.
  • Lack of post-launch patches to fix known bugs.

Rating Criteria

Story
Difficulty
Graphics
Duration
Stability
Worth the Price

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Dead Space released?

Dead Space was released on January 27, 2023.

Who developed Dead Space?

Dead Space was developed by Motive.

Is Dead Space available on Mac?

No, Dead Space is not currently available on Mac according to our data.

Is Dead Space available on Linux?

No, Dead Space is not currently available on Linux according to our data.

What is the Metacritic score for Dead Space?

Dead Space has a Metacritic score of 87.

Where can I buy Dead Space?

You can buy Dead Space on Steam.

Game Details

The sci-fi survival-horror classic returns, completely rebuilt to offer an even more immersive experience — including visual, audio, and gameplay improvements — while staying faithful to the original game’s thrilling vision.

Release Date Jan 27th 2023
Publisher Electronic Arts
Developer Motive
Required Age 17+
Platforms
Atmospheric
Immersive
Faithful
Optimization Issues
Denuvo

User Reviews

Very Positive (27,586)
91% Positive 9% Negative

Online Reviews

Metacritic logo
Metacritic
87