Dead Space remake revises Plasma Cutter audio after fan feedback

We’re going to be hearing it *a lot*, after all

EA Motive has been checking in with the Dead Space community ahead of the 2023 remake, and its latest update has to do with the all-important Plasma Cutter. Did it sound wrong to you before? If so, you’ll probably appreciate the new audio “modifications.”

Things you did:
Shared feedback on our Plasma Cutter and Pulse Rifle

Things we did:
Listened and made modifications 💥 pic.twitter.com/HIMJ9kHRE4

— Dead Space (@deadspace) April 13, 2022

“When we showed you the [Dead Space remake] Plasma Cutter and Pulse Rifle not everyone was sold on it, and there were a handful of criticisms that felt they could still be better,” explained Motive. “We believe that the feedback given was definitely valid and reading the comments on what was highlighted, we made a few modifications that we think improve it!” These live streams and open lines of communication are appreciated.

What changed since the last stream, exactly?

“The sense of power from weapons comes with the full experience, as it’s not only the core sounds you’ll hear, but also the impact on surfaces, and the effects on the environments. You’ll notice the Plasma Cutter frequency range has been rebalanced to focus more on the kick, as well as the lower end. Overall, this better aligns to that ‘feel’ that so many of you mentioned with the original.

With the Pulse Rifle, you can hear now that the rhythm is a bit more chaotic and not as tight as the previous version. There’s a bit more volume from the environmental reaction, as well as more feedback from surface impacts.”

This before-and-after clip speaks for itself, and I think they’re on the right track with these weapons. That said, I’m a Plasma Cutter man for life, so I’ll be skipping the Pulse Rifle.

It’s a weapon that looks, feels, and sounds iconic to this day, so getting that all just right — capturing the original game’s essence through a new lens without being too different or too similar — seems like a tricky balancing act. I don’t envy the team’s directive, but I wish them the absolute best of luck; Dead Space deserves a true comeback, and this should only be the start. As much as I adore Resident Evil, there’s room for so much more.

Even though I told myself I wouldn’t obsess too much over the minutia, well, here we are! Not that this is a trivial element of Dead Space; the Plasma Cutter — and really every last bit of the sound design — is instrumental in pulling off this nerve-wracking horror experience. Just like in the 2008 original, I want to have to physically catch my breath.

It’d be nice to just wake up in early 2023 and be completely surprised by the Dead Space remake, but I know myself too well — I can’t resist peeking at it all year long. To that end, Motive nudged fans not to fixate on the work-in-progress “visuals, animations, textures, or models today.” The next Dead Space stream, an art showcase, is scheduled for May.