Electronic Arts did not give the Dead Space remake any sort of release date when it was announced; only platforms (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC). The company is now being slightly more specific, saying that the game is coming out sometime in early 2023. This reveal came alongside three new dev diaries (and a general tone piece) breaking down early footage of the game.
https://twitter.com/deadspace/status/1502356115941584899
The release window announcement was simple enough as it came through a tweet on the official Dead Space Twitter account. This corroborates a Games Beat report from March 10 that said that EA was targeting the same time frame after initially missing its internal October 2022 deadline.
There was also a developer stream today breaking down some of its finer details. After a top-level introduction saying how the team is staying true the original and enhancing from the “existing foundation,” the video breakdowns were split into a few parts and put on YouTube. The first looked into the breathing system, which Motive is calling the A.L.I.V.E. system. It stands for: adrenaline, limbic system, intelligent dialogue, vitals, and exertions.
This makes Isaac’s breathing more natural. For example, if he is suffocating, he won’t instantly go back to his regular breathing rate when he gets back into a place with oxygen. Instead, he will gradually get back to a normal breathing rate. The A.L.I.V.E. system encompasses other factors like breathing, exertions, heart rate, and dialogue and is influenced by combat difficulty, scripted events, jump scares, Isaac’s fatigue and oxygen levels, and his health.
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Scripted dialogue will have three variations of each line: normal, fatigued, and injured versions. Some might remember something somewhat similar from Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man titles. Regular gameplay will also mix injured and fatigued breaths to match what Isaac is going through in hopes to immerse the player. Exertions made during melee hits and hit reactions will also factor in seamlessly.
The second video went into audio occlusion, which is how audio redirects and moves through (or stops moving) through an environment. For example, a thick door will likely block all sound on the other side. But a glass window will let some muffled audio through. The video shows an example of that and also uses a scene from the original to show how a man hitting his head against a wall travels more accurately in the remake.
The third audio diary was a little shorter, focusing more on weapon sound effects. The video showed the old and new sound effects for the Plasma Cutter and Pulse Rifle. The new audio is deeper and more intricate. Technical Audio Artist Mike Dominiuk even went into the different layers to each effect to give viewers a better appreciation of what went into these updated sounds.
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The final video is more of a tone piece, showing the game in its early state. It has Isaac slowly walking through bits of the Ishimura and shooting a lone necromorph.
