Easter Eggs Huge Fans Noticed In Dead Space
The "Dead Space" remake has wowed critics and given fans plenty of reason to revisit the series. In addition to improved graphics, crisper gameplay, and an extra level of polish, the new version also offers fun new secrets to uncover. Even longtime fans of the series who've played through the original many times over will find new content to explore and Easter eggs to discover.
However, many of these secrets and bonuses aren't easy to track down. True to the nature of the original, players will need to put in some work to find most of them. It's fair to say that only serious gamers will want to spend the time to see all the Easter eggs, and only huge fans of the series will truly appreciate the significance of many of them.
For those "Dead Space" experts who need to see everything the remake has to offer, here's a rundown of the Easter eggs that have been noticed so far.
Honoring the original creator
Game designer and producer Glenn Schofield may have moved on from the series, but Motive Studio and Electronic Arts still made it a point to recognize him in the remake. Observant players can actually spot his name hidden in plain sight from early on in the game.
As noted on YouTube by Ben-Gun, the plasma cutter, the first weapon available, is marked as being manufactured by a company called Schofield Tools. The text is small, and a player needs to maneuver the camera to view the underside of the weapon, but it's clearly visible with the right positioning. This means that, throughout the game, Isaac Clarke carries and regularly uses an Easter egg that honors the creator of "Dead Space."
Schofield has since helped to develop "Callisto Protocol," the spiritual successor to "Dead Space," competing directly with the remake for the attention of fans. While his new creation has failed to capture the magic of "Dead Space," Schofield still has quite a legacy to be proud of and continues to be celebrated by those working on his original series.
Hidden messages and indecipherable text
Motive Studio developed a very faithful recreation of the original "Dead Space," but it couldn't resist adding new secrets to delight and terrify fans. Notably, it added some text logs that had to be found and, in one case, decoded.
When found, one new text log is marked "indecipherable" and consists of a series of strange, alien symbols. Of course, fans quickly attempted to decipher this message and eventually found success. But, as might be expected, the translation is quite grim, seeming to foretell some coming doom.
In addition to this log, another new one can be found, which offers strange hints about the future and references to established "Dead Space" lore. This log is not written in a strange language, so no translation is necessary, but it is hidden quite effectively. To uncover it, players must find a strange symbol on the floor of the Bridge Break Room and perform the correct combination of stomps and melee attacks (per Dan Allen Gaming on YouTube).
Us is u?
These logs aren't the only ominous messages in the "Dead Space" remake. Another message, like the Schofield easter egg, seems to be hidden in plain sight. However, this message also connects to the lore of the game.
On Reddit, one fan has pointed out that the large sign bearing the ship's name, USG Ishimura, changes later in the game. This sign is visible on the Flight Deck from the beginning of the game, but when players return to the area in Chapter 11, several letters have burned out, leaving only "us is u."
It's difficult to imagine this is a coincidence and is far more likely a nod to the idea of unity and oneness that is a theme throughout the game and an element of the Church of Unitology and its sinister agenda. It also raises questions about why this message appears when it does. Did a church member leave this message for Isaac as a threat or warning? Is this a hallucination and a sign of Isaac's growing madness? Players that find this Easter egg can only speculate.
The alternate ending
In what could be the most significant Easter egg in the game, Motive Studio added a whole new ending. While the classic conclusion is still there, this secret alternate ending is an excellent reward for long-time fans and well worth the extra work.
Players must beat the game once and complete a new collection side mission in New Game Plus to unlock it and see this particular take on the finale. This ending gives players a different perspective on Issac Clarke and his state of mind at the end of "Dead Space." It also goes much further toward setting up the events of the sequel by hinting at what's to come.
However, this bonus ending isn't the only Easter egg that sets up the sequels. The remake also includes other little details that reference the future of the series and do a better job of bridging the gap between the original and the sequels.
Nods to the sequel
In addition to the alternate ending, the remake contains other little clues about the series' future. These clues come from new text logs that also require playing in New Game Plus to unlock (per GameSpot).
The new logs feature messages between workers talking about their future after the Ishimura. During the conversation, the possibility of heading to "The Sprawl" on Titan arises. Fans that played through the original trilogy may recognize this locale as the setting of "Dead Space 2" and recognize the connection. These logs are particularly depressing as players know that the person writing from the Ishimura is already dead and that the Sprawl will soon face an outbreak of its own.
The addition of such an apparent reference to the sequel has led to speculation that Motive Studio is hinting at more remakes to come. Although no announcement has yet been made, this Easter egg certainly gives some fans hope for the franchise's future.