Xbox Game Pass Has This Horror Game With An 89 On Metacritic For Free, & It’s Totally Worth Being Terrified

With summer game sales in full swing, it’s easy to forget about subscription services like Xbox Game Pass, but there’s one game on there horror fanatics won’t want to miss. Dead Space, specifically the 2023 remake, is a fantastic and beautifully redone version of the original 2008 sci-fi horror game that should be a must-play on everyone’s list.

As Isaac Clarke, an engineer, you’re tasked with setting out to repair a deep-space mining ship that’s gone silent after uncovering a unique artifact. Unfortunately, things aren’t as they seem as you quickly uncover that the reason for the radio silence is due to a horrific scene that has taken place on the ship involving alien creatures you’ll soon get to know as Necromorphs.

The Dead Space Remake Is A Game Pass Masterpiece

Among The Best That Sci-Fi Horror Has To Offer

While the original Dead Space is where the game earned its recognition, the remake only further proved what a masterpiece it really was and pushed Dead Space‘s horror to new limits. Often with remakes, they tend to, unfortunately, either change way too much or not change nearly enough, leaving players with a preference for the original. However, with a Metacritic score of 89 and a user rating of 8.4, I think it’s safe to say that’s not even remotely the case here.

While staying faithful to the original in terms of story, gameplay, and that addictive scare factor, the Dead Space remake manages to change just enough to make it the superior way to experience this game. Not only are the graphics immensely better, but several scenes in the story have been rewritten to progress things more naturally and gameplay has been streamlined to improve the use of various weapons throughout.

Related

Dead Space Remake’s Weapons Change Is Its Best New Feature

While the Dead Space remake makes several improvements in terms of visuals, one of its best new features has more to do with the game’s weapons.

Most importantly, however, is that the already fear-inducing sci-fi horror has been kicked up a notch. Not only do the enhanced graphics make enemies far more terrifying to come face to face with, but they are physically more dangerous as well, making the need to avoid them at all costs that much more vital. Even if you’ve played Dead Space, you haven’t played Dead Space like this. Rebuilt from the ground up, the remake is almost entirely its own unique experience.

Dead Space Does Sci-Fi Scares Like Nothing Else

With Strong Competition, Dead Space Still Manages To Stand Out

While the genre of sci-fi horror games is, for the most part, limited to the same general idea of failed missions and alien lifeforms, Dead Space still manages to stand out among more generic titles like Alien: Isolation and Prey. The biggest reason being that, unlike Alien: Isolation where the majority of the horror element comes from how helpless you are, in Dead Space you’re not exactly a weak little human scrambling to get away from monstrous creatures.

Related

One Of 2023’s Best Horror Games Is 80% Off On PC, & You Can Beat It In A Weekend

One of the best horror games of 2023 – and of all time – is on a steep discount on Steam, and it’s the perfect weekend game to get sucked into.

As you progress through the story, you’ll acquire more and more weapons that then give you a sense of security since you’re able to defend yourself. That being said, don’t take that to mean that Dead Space‘s horror element gets less scary as the game progresses. This game is truly one of the best when it comes to implementing horror in a way that’s genuinely terrifying. Yes, you’re able to defend yourself better, but the enemies also become deadlier and the jumpscares never quite seem to stop.

Even if you manage to stop jumping at every little sound the longer you play, the eerie atmosphere remains throughout, and you still can’t help but feel the need to tense up every time you venture into a new area. Additionally, if you’re looking to truly amp up the scare factor later on in the game, I highly recommend wearing headphones so you can get the full sense of immersion. However, with all that said, Dead Space also isn’t just another horror game that relies on its scare factor to offer a good time, either.

Related

Despite Its Success, The Future Of Dead Space 4 Is As Bleak As Its Setting

While there’s still hope for the future remasters of Dead Space 2 and 3, a recent interview is bad news for fans hoping for a third sequel.

Defeating Necromorphs, while terrifying, is also just genuinely enjoyable with the refined gameplay. Even without the horror element, Dead Space would still be a great game, which is not something you can say for many games that fall into the Survival Horror category. So, if you’re looking for your next game, and you’re subscribed to Xbox Game Pass, there’s no reason not to give this classic game a shot.

Sources: Metacritic