Dead Space (2023 Remake)
Excellent, but mature and gory sci-fi horror action game.
Kids say
Based on 3 reviews
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Dead Space (2023 Remake)
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Dead Space is a violent, bloody, and gory third-person action/adventure horror shooter for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Windows PCs. This is a remake of a game originally released in 2008. Using guns, laser cutting tools, explosives, a flame thrower, and thrown objects, as well as his fists and feet, the main character kills zombies and monsters, resulting in tons of bloodshed, gore, impalement, and dismemberment, as well as screams of terror and pain. There are also instances of self-harm. There's numerous dead bodies left lying around, as well as pools of blood, and even messages are written on the walls in blood. Some messages contain curse words, as does the dialog, including "f--k" and "s--t." In one audio log, a woman says rats are "scratching my breasts." The game's full of disturbing imagery, as well as unnerving sound effects. But there is an option to have an on-screen warning when there's about to be a disturbing scene.
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What’s It About?
Set in 2508, DEAD SPACE has you playing as engineer Isaac Clarke, a member of a repair crew sent to find out why contact has been lost with both the space ship USG Ishimura, and his girlfriend, Nicole, the ship's Senior Medical office. When he arrives, though, he finds that most of the Ishimura's crew is dead or are zombie-like creatures called Necromorphs. Armed with guns, heavy duty mining equipment, and his own limbs, Clarke does what he must to save Nicole, his crewmates, and himself. Which, yes, means he's going to be killing a lot of space zombies while figuring out how to get to other areas of the ship where, again, he'll have to clear out the undead if he wants to make it out of this nightmare intact.
Is It Any Good?
Originally released in 2008, this remake of the cult classic survival horror shooter is every bit as exciting and scary as the original. Set in 2508, Dead Space follows engineer Isaac Clarke on a mission to save his girlfriend Nicole, himself, and his crewmates from the space zombies who now infest the space ship the USG Ishimura. Armed with guns, a flamethrower, and some laser-based mining equipment, as well as the ability to move large objects or temporarily freeze people and objects in place, players have to not just destroy the zombies, they have to dismember them to stop them from coming, while also figuring out how to get the ship's systems running again so they can escape.
For people who survived the original, this remake doesn't just look better, it also adds more rooms to explore, as well as times when you'll be randomly attacked. As for people who missed the original, this is basically a sci-fi version of Resident Evil 2 and 4, albeit with less silly puzzles and more resilient zombies. Driven by an engaging sci-fi story, this shooter expertly mixes horror with action, as the atmospheric music and eerie sound effects really put you on edge, which the game takes advantage of by having zombies jump out at you from behind wall panels and the ceiling you literally just checked. It also has you exploring some nicely varied areas, which are full of an equally diverse cast of enemies, many of whom need to be taken out in different ways. It's a good thing you have a wide-ranging compliment of tools at your disposal. All of which is why fans of scary shooters -- whether they survived this horror before or not -- will find this updated version of Dead Space to be as effortless, exhilarating, and epic as the original.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the impact of the violence in Dead Space affected by the amount of blood and gore shown during gameplay? Does it bother you to kill another person, even if they're already dead? Would the impact be the same if there wasn't as much graphic content included?
In Dead Space, there are a lot of dead bodies lying around, and players can stomp them into pieces to get any supplies they might have, but do you think this level of gore is necessary? How does it make you feel when you stomp a body to pieces...and are rewarded for your effort?
Dead Space is a very scary game, and requires players to go places that are dark and spooky and may not be safe, but do you think facing your fears in this way can be helpful for some? Do you also see how it might be triggering for others?
Game Details
- Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Windows
- Pricing structure: Paid ($69.99)
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Release date: January 27, 2023
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Adventures, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires, Space and Aliens
- ESRB rating: M for Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language
- Last updated: January 30, 2023
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