There has been a pretty big rumor circulating in the gaming community that EA will be announcing the revival of the popular third-person horror seriesDead Spaceduringnext month’s EA Play. This could mean a few things for the series: a remastered version of the main trilogy for current-gen consoles, a remake of the first game reimagined for more modern audiences, or, one of the most popular theories,Dead Space 4. While still just a rumor, the series has a die-hard fan base who are itching for moreDead Spacecontent, so a fourth entry in the franchise would most likely go over really well.
After a somewhat disappointing finale in the third game, the rumoredDead Space 4might come out to right some of the wrongs of the previous entry and bring the series back into relevancy. There are a few ways the game could go, but hopefully whatever studio is working on the game is looking to the series' past for inspiration and guidance. Here’s what should be included ifDead Space 4is truly in the works.
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Unitology,the religion that worships the Markersand serves as one of the antagonistic entities in theDead Spaceseries, is one of the most interesting aspects ofDead Spaceas a whole. There’s plenty to unpack in the series, but understanding Unitology and its rich lore is something that plenty of players looked forward to in each subsequent entry in the franchise. On the surface, the Church of Unitology seems to be full of religious fanatics who have no interest in listening to reason, but looking deeper into its lore through audio logs and journal entries scattered throughout theDead Spacegames, players can begin to understand the religion’s history, hierarchy, and secrets that make it so appealing to the regular person.
Convincing people that turning into monstrous alien zombies is a good thing seems like a tricky task, but the religion’s connection to the alleged alien creators of humanity begins to provide some answers that many are looking for. The existential need for answers that lives in a lot of people is something that theDead Spaceseries has started exploring butDead Space 4could go all out and dive even deeper intoUnitology lore. Maybe instead of making it a part of optional collectibles, it could be an even bigger, more integral part of the story. Each subsequent game in the series has brought it more and more to the forefront of the plot, so hopefully,Dead Space 4will go all in and give fans who have devoted a lot of time to understanding Unitology and its meaning what they want.
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WhileDead Space 3wasn’t a terrible game by any means, most fans would likely agree that it’s the weakest game in the mainline series. Its reliance on action instead of horror made it feel like something of a departure from the franchise that didn’t capitalize on what made the original great. Many of the survival mechanics featured in previous games like ammo management and the need to look for supplies were gone in service of bigger action set-pieces and plenty of shootouts with human enemies. There’s nothing inherently wrong with those things, but the game had a much different feel to it as a result.
Hopefully,Dead Space 4will scale the action backand focus on horror once more. That’s not to say that the game should be devoid of action completely, just that it shouldn’t be the focus.Dead Space 2is a great example of the balance needed between hair-raising horror and adrenaline-pumping action. As the stakes of the story grew, so did the action elements. The difference between2and3is that2gradually got bigger in scope as Isaac got more gear and better equipment while3started with high octane shootouts and never really stopped. IfDead Space 4can ride that line it should remind fans of the series exactly what they liked about the original games in the first place.
TheNecromorphs are some of the scariest monsters in any video gamebecause of their status as a mix between zombies and aliens. Each new entry in theDead Spaceseries introduced new types of Necromorphs soDead Space 4would need to add new variants to the mix as well. There are already a lot of different Necromorphs that have haunted the series soDead Space 4should aim for quality of new monsters over quantity. Making a few really memorable Necromorphs would help distinguish the game and create memorable moments because of the unique encounters. Most people remember the first time they had to fight the Swarmers, the human toddler Necromorph variant, inDead Space 2or the Creeper/Shambler, the soldier-turned-Necromorph whose severed head comes back to life to fight Isaac, inDead Space 3.
By creating something memorable like the Necromorphs mentioned above,Dead Space 4could create some of those unforgettable horror gaming moments that stick with players for years to come. It would also be a good idea for the game to bring back some fan favorites like the Tormentor fromDead Space 2or the Twitcher introduced inthe originalDead Space.
If EA actually announces a new game in the series, hopefully, the studio will be clear about the standings of theDead Spaceuniverse. There have been a handful of spinoff games as well as animated movies that have helped flesh outmore of theDead Spacestory, but fans will want to know ifDead Space 4is kicking things off again to make it a franchise, or if it’s the final entry in the series. Either way, it might be influenced from a narrative perspective so fans want to know what to expect. If EA is reviving the franchise, hopefully, whatever studio works onDead Spacewill take a look at the series' history to make a game loyal to the series and its fans while also pushing the boundaries of what aDead Spacegame can be.
Dead Space 4is rumored to be in development.
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