The Dead Space remake is aiming for a release in early 2023, it’s been revealed in a livestream by developer EA Motive. The stream also delved into how EA Motive is redesigning the sound systems through the game, showing off some comparative gameplay footage between the 2008 original and an early in-development version of the remake.
Senior producer Philippe Ducharme said that they “have a date in mind”, and that while they’re still in pre-alpha, they’re “just a couple weeks away from doing our first full walkthrough of the game.” That all sounds really encouraging for actually meeting the early 2023 release date.
Using modern game engine technologies, the way that sound is rendered and fed through the environment is dramatically different to the original. Where in the original there was no obstruction or occlusion of sound the environments, the remake is able to process where a sound originates from, how it can bounce down corridors, be muted through windows, and so on in a way that’s far more realistic and accurate.
The stream also showed off comparisons in the sound effects for the game’s weaponry – most notably the iconic Plasma Cutter – and delved into the new ALIVE system and the audio maps to that. In the original game, Isaac’s breathing and heart beat would get heavier and faster as he was more damaged, but actually continue to play underneath grunts and cries from physical exertion. In the Dead Space remake, Isaac’s breathing and physical exertion will be kept separate, Isaac’s breathing will have to recover and transition after being stuck out in vacuum, for example.
The ALIVE system will take external factors like jump scares, oxygen level, fatigue and more to trigger varying amounts of adrenaline that then impact how he sounds in game. For Isaac’s scripted dialogue lines there will be multiple recordings that map to his current state – normal, fatigued, and injured. Gunner Wright has previously been announced as the voice of Isaac Clarke. Fans will know that in the original Dead Space Isaac did not speak but Gunner took on the role of for the two sequels.
Dead Space is in development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Source: YouTube
