To celebrate the release of the Dead Space remake, Xbox has released a dynamic dashboard background for the Series X/S based on the new title. The dashboard is available to download now for everyone, rather than just players who have purchased Dead Space.The recent release of Dead Space has been a huge critical success, with fans and critics praising the game's improved graphics and revised pacing as key reasons to pick up the game again 15 years later. Even the initially controversial decision to give protagonist Isaac a voice has been heavily praised. The franchise has been on hiatus since 2013's Dead Space 3, and it's good to see that there's plenty of life in one of gaming's great horror franchises.The dashboard depicts the planet Aegis VII against a starry backdrop, and manages to capture the lonely and eerie vibe of the Dead Space franchise perfectly. The dynamic element of the dashboard is subtle, but it adds a lot to the atmosphere, with small pieces of debris visibly floating around the planet. Unfortunately, there's no ambient sound to add to the atmosphere further. Perhaps the addition of custom sounds could come with the new Xbox dashboard experience, which is currently planned to release to the public in 2023.
While the dashboard was well received, some players have complained that the Xbox tiles obscure too much of the image, making it much harder to see. Though players can extensively customize their Xbox dashboard, the tiles are an element that can't be changed. It means that only certain screens on the dashboard allow players the ability to fully appreciate what this Dead Space dynamic background has to offer.
It's unclear if the Dead Space remake is a one-off endeavor, or if the rest of the franchise will eventually get the same treatment. The game certainly hints towards a Dead Space 2 remake, although it will probably depend upon the eventual sales of the game before any final decision is made. Fortunately, the new title has a New Game+ mode, which has the potential to keep players invested for much longer than they otherwise would be. While Dead Space 3 was less critically-acclaimed than the other games in the series, it will be interesting to see EA Motive have the opportunity to right Visceral Games' previous wrongs.
Dead Space is available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.