In the amazing early 2020s sci-fi survival horror game-off, The Callisto Protocol (opens in new tab) has already shown its cards, allowing the Dead Space Remake to decide which one becomes A Bug’s Life and who is stuck as Antz (or vice versa, if you’re an Antz fan.) The Dead Space Remake has a new perk, however, as noted by means of A rock paper gun (opens in new tab): All Dead Space Remake pre-orders now come with a free copy of Dead Space 2 which will be unlocked with the remake’s launch on January 27.
In our review of Dead Space 2 (opens in new tab) of 2011, Dan Stapleton concluded that “Dead Space 2 isn’t trying to innovate, but it’s a very polished gameplay experience”, and gave the game an enviable 87%. Dead Space 2 is included with EA Play these days and otherwise costs $20 when it’s not on sale, so this pre-order bonus is a pretty good deal all things considered.
Including a game’s own sequel as a pre-order bonus feels a bit silly to me, like the absurd logical conclusion of remake mania, but it’s still a pretty enticing addition. This move leaves me wondering what EA’s plans for Dead Space’s future will be, provided the Dead Space Remake sells well enough. Did Dead Space 3 leave the series in a particularly good place for a continuation, or is Dead Space 2 just begging for 4K textures and ray-traced lighting? Would another reboot continuity, a la Final Fantasy 7, make more sense in the future?
Whatever the distant future holds, the Dead Space Remake and its pack-in bonus will arrive on January 27. If you’re looking for more in-depth coverage of the Dead Space Remake to inform your purchase, go our hands on preview (opens in new tab) from back in October.