Common gripes about the original Dead Space are its Hunter sequences, particularly when having to Kinesis-shuffle bunks around a room while evading the regenerating monster. Likewise, flying to-and-from surfaces in zero-gravity is largely disliked, especially in comparison to freely flying around in Dead Space 2. But one sequence from the original game that tends to always stick out sorely in fans’ minds is its turret section.
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Motive’s Dead Space Lets Players Fire Turrets Differently
Motive’s Dead Space remake thankfully changes the turret sequence altogether, but the gameplay substitution it proposes is still not a perfect solution. Dead Space’s initial turret sequence is largely loathed for how it controls—it is one of two times when players are interacting with an aiming system other than their regular weapons, and like a mini-game it has players reeling the reticle around with two lasers.
Players are then instantly tasked with mastering the turret’s sensitivity as asteroid chunks come hurtling toward Dead Space’s Ishimura. The Ishimura’s hull integrity is displayed and damaged with each asteroid chunk that hits it, and it is the player’s responsibility to destroy as many asteroids as possible within a short time window. In the remake, however, players simply interact with individual turrets and sync them with their own ordinary aiming, allowing players to effectively fire the turret at asteroids but with their own aiming sensitivities implemented.
There is still an awkward jank to this manual approach - and it is arguably less interesting or cinematic as firing a big turret - but at least players also no longer need to run down a long corridor along the hull of the ship while waiting intermittently behind obstructions. These sequences are completely omitted, and in their place players can fly and fire freely, which makes the encounter much more intuitive and cohesive with the rest of the remake’s improved gameplay and combat.
The Dead Space Remake’s Turret Sequences Are the Lesser of Two Evils
Neither option necessarily maximizes its potential in satisfaction, but the remake’s alternative is surely going to be favorable among fans who disliked the original’s turret sequence. Further, Dead Space’s second turret sequence is much more laid back than the first, where players simply have to fire the turret at the Remnant Leviathan’s glowing pustules.
But in Motive’s Dead Space, this sequence is turned into its own boss fight with players syncing and firing turrets once again while flying about in space. Players fire upon pustules while strafing out of the way from the Leviathan’s tentacles and a plethora of spore pods that it launches out. This ensures that players will make the most out of the environment, since they will be struck by a sweeping tentacle if they stay grounded and will be trapped in a cluster of pods if they are not constantly moving.
The turrets are also spread out and are sequentially destroyed, meaning that players could not stay still even if they wanted to. Therefore, the first turret sequence is still not a perfect solution, but this approach is far more involved and engaging in the second turret sequence.
Dead Space is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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