Dead Space PS5 Will Double Down on Dismemberment

Dead Space was, looking back now, one of the most iconic and influential games on the PlayStation 3. Among its many innovations was the way it integrated traditional UI elements into the action itself, like Isaac Clarke’s infamous illuminated spinal cord, which reflected his health status. But perhaps most famous of all is the fact that it shied away from the traditional headshot-focused gameplay of other horror titles, adopting a system where you used mining tools to effectively dismember your enemies.

So, what can you expect, then? Well, developer Motive is adding depth to the mechanics by augmenting different weapons with unique properties depending on the type of enemy you use them on. For example, some firearms will shred specific enemies, while others will stun. The idea, from what we gather, is that you’ll need to think carefully about what you want to achieve and how you’re going to go about it. In other words, you won’t be able to rely entirely on your trusty Plasma Cutter for the entirety of the campaign.

With regards to the UI elements, rather than having numbers flying off your decomposing foes like in modern shooters like Destiny 2, you’ll instead see flesh and bone fall off. The amount of meat on a monster will determine its remaining health, so you’ll visibly be able to see when an appendage is near to snapping off, which is both disgusting and ingenious. Unfortunately, the game’s barely a year into development, so this is still ridiculously early days. Don’t expect to be zero-gravity leaping into this one for a few years yet.