Dead Space fans have been waiting several years to see the iconic horror franchise return, and thankfully, that comeback is now on the horizon. The show-closer of EA Play Live 2021, fans were thrilled to see that the rumors were true about Dead Space being revived. Taking the form of a full-on remake, the game seems guaranteed to succeed, as developer EA Motive is faithfully recreating the USG Ishimura and the horrors that lie within.

However, while slaying hordes of Necromorphs should prove to be as fun as ever, especially with next-gen visuals and performance upgrades, there are a few challenges when it comes to storytelling. First, Isaac being a silent protagonist in the first game remains strange, as he did far more than scream and grunt in the sequels. More importantly, however, is that players know exactly what to expect from the game’s story. Subverting expectations and delivering unexpected scares is crucial in horror games, so EA Motive will need to make sure that the game is not too predictable for returning players.

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Dead Space’s Ending

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Right now, one big concern with the Dead Space remake is that its ending will not work as well as it did back in 2008. The original ending saw Isaac fighting the hive mind and ignoring his hallucinations of Nicole, killing the former and seemingly overcoming the latter. However, when he gets into a shuttle and escapes, he is attacked by a grotesque version of Nicole as the game’s credits begin to roll. While this moment was terrifying and shocking when fans first saw it over a decade ago, it is hard to imagine returning players being surprised.

For starters, Nicole’s attack is primarily a jump scare, with its unexpectedness being a huge part of why it has the impact that it does. However, anyone experiencing the Dead Space remake that played the original game will know exactly what is coming. With it being so expected for longtime fans, they will likely have no reaction to the scare, ruining the impact of the moment. However, more than just a jumpscare not working, the ending of the original Dead Space will not work as well since players know what will happen to Isaac next.

Part of what made Dead Space’s ending so great is that gamers had no idea whether Isaac was alive or dead. This take on Nicole was more terrifying than others, and many felt that it could be a real Necromorph as opposed to another example of Isaac’s fractured psyche. Dead Space 2 provided the answers, showing that the Marker had driven Isaac insane. While these hallucinations evolved in Dead Space 3 to become an awesome game mechanic, they got their start in the first Dead Space’s final act. If the remake takes the same exact path, there will be no mystery for players who have experienced the full trilogy to ponder, as players know that there is more of Isaac’s story left to be told. As such, it would make sense for EA Motive to adjust the game’s ending.

Option 1: Adding An Extra Ending To Dead Space

While fans will be seeing some welcome gameplay adjustments, like the removal of Dead Space’s loading screens, changing up the game’s story slightly could prove to be just as interesting. With EA Motive needing to add sections to the ship to make this load screen-free experience happen, as the tram system will no longer be used, the studio is clearly willing to take some risks here and there. With this in mind, making an adjustment to the game’s ending could be the perfect way to freshen things up.

One way to do this is to add a few possible options for the game’s endings. Perhaps if players do something specific, like hold the Peng treasure for the entirety of the game, they can get a different ending where the hallucination does not occur. Another option would see players carrying out some kind of special action during a gameplay sequence, with the end goal being to create an ending where Isaac Clarke is not hallucinating at all — successfully stopping the Necromorphs and making it off the Ishimura with his sanity intact.

Adding a few different endings could push players to experience the game a few times, with Dead Space fans having a proper reason to play the game in different ways. Assuming that the equally strong Dead Space 2 and controversial Dead Space 3 will not be remade later on, there is a case to be made for Isaac getting a happier ending. While his story should not be changed too drastically, as Nicole’s death is an important gut-punch moment, giving him a chance at later happiness could be the right move if this is a one-and-done remake. How this other ending would be achieved remains to be seen, but it could help with the problem of a predictable story.

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Option 2: Adding More Onto Dead Space’s Ending

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If EA Motive wants to truly surpass fan expectations, it should look to a very different video game genre for inspiration. Final Fantasy 7 Remake is one of the most beloved video game remakes released thus far, with a big part of that being the risks it takes with its ending. Rather than being a completely faithful recreation, the game sets a sequel up to make some significant changes from the original story. That same thing can happen with Dead Space, as Isaac could learn of other Markers and even the Brethren Moons that appear later on in the series’ narrative. This meaningful discovery could replace a hallucination, and it could see Isaac journeying off to stop the Necromorphs.

Such an ending would set up new versions of Dead Space 2 and 3, allowing EA Motive to get even more creative with the two games. Things that did work, like the introduction of Ellie and Carver, could be kept. On the other hand, the forced co-op and increased action focus could be left behind. Much like the Final Fantasy 7 Remake project is giving fans something new to look forward to, while still remaking iconic moments from the original game, Dead Space could find itself going in the same direction. Becoming both a remake and reboot could provide fans with some thrilling future games, and with a Dead Space 2 developer working on this remake, planting some seeds for the sequel would make sense.

Even if EA Motive were to just show the start of Dead Space 2 in the remake’s ending, it could work better than the Nicole jump scare. Seeing Isaac strapped down as he finds himself stuck in another horrifying adventure would be a much more interesting cliffhanger, as it would give longtime fans something else to look forward to. While the best option would be a complete change, including a Dead Space 2 teaser would also be nice. With the Dead Space remake using cut content from the original, adding some entirely new content alongside it would make sense. While a predictable ending would hardly ruin the remake’s quality, a fresh ending would significantly improve it.

Dead Space is in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.

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