PCG Article Dead Space Remake 2023

[Kaamos_Llama]

https://www.pcgamer.com/deadspace-review/

Its out, its good!

There are a few of us playing it so I made a dedicated thread.

I've only made it through medical so far but its great. feels like a remake should IMO. Just like how you remember the old game feeling except its actually quite a bit better in every way. Ill post up more as I make my way through, let us know where youre at, what youre up to, and what you think.

[Mod edit: added PCG Article button.]

 

[Zed Clampet]

I decided just to hop in before going to bed and play to the first save station. I suffered a bit of indecision, probably due to it being 3 am, when I came to the transit and cargo area. First I looked into the cargo area. It looked bad. I thought, "Nope" and went and opened the door to the transit area (I don't know what it's really called). I looked down and saw the door going crazy. I didn't play much of the first game, but this reminded me that I was supposed to have a freeze raygun (just go with it). I figured I better go back to cargo just in case. Of course, the stasis thingy wasn't there, but there was a treasure room, so I was glad I went.

So then I went to the crazy door and my freeze raygun was conveniently waiting on me there. Just through the door was the first save.

So begins The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever.

But I had fun. If I didn't need to grab a couple hours of sleep, I'd have definitely kept going.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Everything is pretty conveniently placed in the game, you can just pres x and follow the critical path if you want. It also tells you to cut off the limbs about 7 times at the start in different ways, which made me laugh.

They have expanded all the areas quite a bit, so theres a lot more exploration away from that critical path here. As well as gated doors that need levelled security access to get through, so I'll be coming back places later in a way I never did in the original.

I just got to engineering, the way there was completely different and the layout I think is as well. Picked up the Ripper, tempted to put nodes in, but the line gun is so good I'm just going to wait and use the Plasma cutter. Playing on normal difficulty and havent died yet, but been close once or twice. Have to assume when you see a necromorph, theres one behind you as well.

 

[Pifanjr]

Have to assume when you see a necromorph, theres one behind you as well.

This is what made me stop playing when I tried the original. I'd see an air vent on the wall and just know that necromorphs would start pouring out of it only after I had passed it and was being attacked from the front as well. Every fight quickly started to become a matter of alternating between shooting necromorphs in front of me and behind me, to the point where I could just see where the developers built in the pauses in the frontal waves so I could turn back and deal with the ones behind me. It just destroyed any immersion in the game for me.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

This is what made me stop playing when I tried the original. I'd see an air vent on the wall and just know that necromorphs would start pouring out of it only after I had passed it and was being attacked from the front as well. Every fight quickly started to become a matter of alternating between shooting necromorphs in front of me and behind me, to the point where I could just see where the developers built in the pauses in the frontal waves so I could turn back and deal with the ones behind me. It just destroyed any immersion in the game for me.

Fair enough if thats how it felt to you, but I dont think its that simple. They dont always come out of every vent you see, but the game makes you aware that they're there to keep you on edge. Sometimes they may come out of them the next time youre in the area later too. Not all combat is in a corridor either, the bigger fights are in rooms where you can get your back to a corner, use explosives, mines whatever.

But if you didnt like the original, you probably wont like this one either. It has all the same feels, a bit more refined and expanded.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

I'm too soft to play this game at night in the dark for long.

Got a fair bit of engineering done. Gets pretty moist down there, if you catch my drift. Glad I started on normal difficulty as I seem to be burning med packs at almost the same rate as they are dropping at the moment. Got the Plasma Cutter almost maxed out, chews off limbs like no ones business now. Probably should use a bit more kinesis, throwing spikes is way more powerful than I thought!

 

[Zed Clampet]

Played a bit more today. Sometimes monsters just walk right up behind you while you are doing something else. I panicked and tried to roll but my guy just started stomping his foot 🤣

Either these guys are faster than I remembered or I've slowed down. I'm guessing the latter.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Check your corners! I find wearing headphones I always hear them before I see them. Didn't get much chance yesterday, probably not today either. I made it to the bridge from engineering and had to quit there.

Theres a lot of side quests now, and I hadnt really checked out the map much before this point. Noticed theres a lot of greyed out areas to explore, both behind security doors and otherwise off the main path. Really nice, its done so naturally it feels like a better version of the old game in every way, while still having the same feel.

 

[dxchase]

Having a blast with this game. So, since i went the route of getting EA Play for the month to play, and the game peaked my sons interest, i have been streaming it to my living room TV for my son to watch from the couch. I try to play when its darker out and it has been a fun experience so far. (only playing when he can watch). I dont wear a pair of headphones this way but my soundbar does a nice job at scaring us a bit when something just pops out or up behind me.

I'd say the stasis ability is my favorite ability when dealing with necromorphs coming from behind and in front, just throw that on them then i start stomping, but i do admit it is kind of annoying that i just get attacked in the back as soon as i see one from the front, but maybe thats on purpose? Wouldnt you as an alien race try to take someone down like that?

It runs pretty smoothly for me too, albeit being on the EA launcher, playing at 1440p with a 3070ti 12700k,DLSS on/Quality @ Ultra Settings im getting anywhere from 70-80 to 110-120. There are lag spikes here and there but nothing for me to complain about.

My biggest gripe so far is that, for some reason, my PS5 controller will not work at all. I dont know if its becasue im using the EA version and not the Steam one? I have not had an issue at all with a game just completely not recognizing a controller so im assuming its a launcher thing.

 

[Zed Clampet]

It runs pretty smoothly for me too, albeit being on the EA launcher, playing at 1440p with a 3070ti 12700k,DLSS on/Quality @ Ultra Settings im getting anywhere from 70-80 to 110-120. There are lag spikes here and there but nothing for me to complain about.

Hey, this is kind of interesting. I have essentially the same setup in laptop form. I have a full 3070ti, but the TGP is only 155, and I have the 12700H. With DLSS on Quality, everything on Ultra and at 1440p, I've been averaging in the low 90s. I see it go over 100 and below 90 (and rarely in the 70s), but I'm guessing the average is in the low 90s, and your average is probably around 15 to 20 frames higher with the desktop version (maybe more. I wasn't sure what to do with the numbers you gave. I'm guessing you spend a lot more time near the top end of that), based on what you reported, which is a pretty good difference.

By the way, changing DLSS to Balanced put me in the low 100s. Also, don't ALT/Tab out unless you are on Borderless. I crashed and had to replay a section.

Low: As close as I could get to having a little bit of all the post processing going at once:

Mid: Dark, but so is most of the game. Decent amount of stuff going on here

High: I don't have to put my nose against the wall to get over 100, but it doesn't hurt

Overall, I'm pleased with the game's performance at 1440p on my laptop.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

I've been getting a lot of variance in frames depending on the area, some wide open places where theres a lot of volumetric effects have been tanking my frame rate down to 50 and under. The flight deck was the first place this hit me.

Ive reduced all settings to high except shadows, and finally had to move FSR 2.0 to balanced rather than quality at some point in engineering because the drops got too noticeable. My rigs obviously a bit weaker graphically than you guys, but it still looks fantastic and would be hard to tell the difference for me between the higher settings and lower ones at the moment..

I did just remember this morning that I never re-enabled SAM in BIOS after doing an update when I chnaged out CPU a month ago, not sure if that will help but I find out later today.

 

[Zed Clampet]

I've been getting a lot of variance in frames depending on the area, some wide open places where theres a lot of volumetric effects have been tanking my frame rate down to 50 and under. The flight deck was the first place this hit me.

Ive reduced all settings to high except shadows, and finally had to move FSR 2.0 to balanced rather than quality at some point in engineering because the drops got too noticeable. My rigs obviously a bit weaker graphically than you guys, but it still looks fantastic and would be hard to tell the difference for me between the higher settings and lower ones at the moment..

I did just remember this morning that I never re-enabled SAM in BIOS after doing an update when I chnaged out CPU a month ago, not sure if that will help but I find out later today.

I imagine my FPS will tank in the same spots. I'll probably change the DLSS settings to balanced.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Played a good chunk today.. Seems the levelled security doors are placed in areas that you'll back track too later in the game if you try and do side quests and other parts of the MQ. So probably need need to go far out of your way really, like I'd been trying to do

I like the extra side quests, but I do kind of miss the sense of urgency there was when the main story was the only part. Breaks immersion for this sort of game when you get told the ship is about to explode unless you do something and you can just wander off around the ship picking your nose and looking in cupboards with no consequences. You cold probably do that in the original, but without the side quests there wasnt as much reason to.

Expect if they'd put timers on the desperate quests, people would have complained about that more, I'd rather the opposite.

Also noticed that the enemy spawns arent all scripted. Saved at one point and opened a door, manged to get myself killed by 2 big boys and a load of little fellas. Went straight back to same door after save and the corridor was 100% empty. Not sure if the game was being kind, or if come encounters are totally random. Would be good if they are random sometimes.

 

[Kborom]

Replayed the original series only a year or two ago but have gone for this. One of the few games where I really played as if I was there, very immersive and scary and the only game I play with headphones rather than speakers.
Only a couple of hours in, really taking my time and still on chapter 1, but a great experience so far.

 

[Frag Maniac]

The game looks and sounds more interesting the more I check chat, screens, and vids of it. Not to sound too Jawsy, but I think I'm going to need a bigger PC to play it with the settings I want. 😵

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

It does look great at the settings I'm using, which is all high except Shadows at ultra with FSR2.0 at Balanced, (which is a notch under the best setting 4/5 I think). I do like to keep FPS over 60 preferably close to 100 these days though so if youre willing to settle for a bit less to get the image quality you might be able to keep things higher.

Not sure how well a GTX 1080 works with FSR but it would probably help.

I'm almost finished with my first playthrough. Just saved before the final boss, probably wont have a chance to play it again until Monday now. Its been brilliant all through, definitely recommend it.

 

[Frag Maniac]

It does look great at the settings I'm using, which is all high except Shadows at ultra with FSR2.0 at Balanced, (which is a notch under the best setting 4/5 I think). I do like to keep FPS over 60 preferably close to 100 these days though so if youre willing to settle for a bit less to get the image quality you might be able to keep things higher.

Not sure how well a GTX 1080 works with FSR but it would probably help.

I'm almost finished with my first playthrough. Just saved before the final boss, probably wont have a chance to play it again until Monday now. Its been brilliant all through, definitely recommend it.

Maybe so, but I can't help but think this is one of those games coming out best played on a GPU much more capable than mine. I see myself eventually getting a case with more GPU space, and a 4090. I'm thinking of calling the new rig Texas, because you know, they say "Everything is bigger in Texas". 🤣

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Well, if you needed an excuse you have it.

But if you really want the big one, maybe wait and see 😛

https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/342720-nvidia-is-allegedly-considering-an-rtx-4090-ti-and-an-800w-titan-card

 

[Frag Maniac]

Well, if you needed an excuse you have it.

But if you really want the big one, maybe wait and see 😛

https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/342720-nvidia-is-allegedly-considering-an-rtx-4090-ti-and-an-800w-titan-card

Coincidentally, I was wondering if by the time I can afford a 4090 they might launch a 4090 Ti. It would probably be more fitting for the 1000w PSU I plan to get. Just wondering how much more it will cost though. It would certainly get me closer to my 4K 120 FPS goal though.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Could be, no idea on pricing but it will no doubt be steeeeep.

 

[Kborom]

Up to chapter 7, very, very creepy this game. They seem to have nailed the atmosphere of the first game and made it a touch harder.
I'm liking the weapon upgrade tree expansions but they cost as much as a node so I rarely have anything left over to ensure I've enough ammo, which I don't.
No bugs and the game looks great!

 

[dxchase]

Im up to the point where i have to blow something out an airlock. I would be far beyond this point, but as im only playing when my son has time to watch. Its honestly the first game in a while where we are both drawn into the atmosphere together playing from the couch. A dark room helps.

Im finding that the Ripper is my favorite weapon because it does hella dmg upclose which is where most of my fights are taking place. Then its either the plasma rifle with grenades or the force gun for distance.

I also cant help but use the explosive, stasis containers and anything to impale necromorphs, its much simpler to just shoot but they are fun to use.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Up to chapter 7, very, very creepy this game. They seem to have nailed the atmosphere of the first game and made it a touch harder.
I'm liking the weapon upgrade tree expansions but they cost as much as a node so I rarely have anything left over to ensure I've enough ammo, which I don't.
No bugs and the game looks great!

It does look great, I finished a first playthrough the other day and didnt have any bugs either.

When you buy or find a weapon upgrade and take it to a bench and install it, you always get a Node on top of the upgrade. Took me a couple times to notice it. So you get the upgrade for 1 or 2K plus a node for 10k when you buy them.

Im up to the point where i have to blow something out an airlock. I would be far beyond this point, but as im only playing when my son has time to watch. Its honestly the first game in a while where we are both drawn into the atmosphere together playing from the couch. A dark room helps.

Im finding that the Ripper is my favorite weapon because it does hella dmg upclose which is where most of my fights are taking place. Then its either the plasma rifle with grenades or the force gun for distance.

I also cant help but use the explosive, stasis containers and anything to impale necromorphs, its much simpler to just shoot but they are fun to use.

Hah weird, you stuck with all the weapons that I didnt. I went Plasma Cutter, Contact Beam, Line Gun and Flamer. The Flamer I remember thinking was useless in the original, but I kept it around for the little crawlers. After a while I just seemed to have a ton of flamer ammo so I used it more, and its actually really good if theres only one or two necromorphs, with a damage upgrade or two. Seems to stagger them before they get to you now. Only problem was its hard to tell when youve applied enough flame because of the damage over time.

 

[Kborom]

When you buy or find a weapon upgrade and take it to a bench and install it, you always get a Node on top of the upgrade. Took me a couple times to notice it. So you get the upgrade for 1 or 2K plus a node for 10k when you buy them.

Wow, did not realise that! Thanks!!

 

[dxchase]

Hah weird, you stuck with all the weapons that I didnt. I went Plasma Cutter, Contact Beam, Line Gun and Flamer. The Flamer I remember thinking was useless in the original, but I kept it around for the little crawlers. After a while I just seemed to have a ton of flamer ammo so I used it more, and its actually really good if theres only one or two necromorphs, with a damage upgrade or two. Seems to stagger them before they get to you now. Only problem was its hard to tell when youve applied enough flame because of the damage over time.

I might be talking about the Line Gun instead of the Force Gun actually. But it seemed powerful enough to blow limbs off from a distance. I use the flamethrower for the little crawly things too because itd be tedious trying to hit those with individual shots instead of blanket fire, and plasma cutter to save on ammo for the ones i love to use the most, but i do wind up using all guns because i burn through my ammo cause ill be startled by a necromorph and just start unloading in all directions lol.