The 2023 remake ofDead Spacehas proven itself a hit with critics and gamers both new and nostalgic.Dead Spaceis graphically beautiful, if gruesome and horrifying, and Isaac Clarke’s journey through the necromorph-infested USG Ishimura is as compelling as it was fifteen years ago. But looking beyond the next-gen graphical renovations, the secret to the remake’s success is a tremendous respect for the source material. EA and Motive spared no expense in preserving the feel of the original game, right down to the game’s haunting orchestral score.
Game Rant recently spoke with the composer of theDead Spaceremake, Trevor Gureckis, about his first experience scoring video games. A fan ofthe originalDead Space, Gureckis combined his own prowess with a variety of instruments with one of the greatest assets a composer could ask for: an 80-piece orchestra recording music in a venue with good acoustics.
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Gureckis praisedthe commitment EA and Motive both brought to the remake, noting a mutually cooperative creative relationship with a deep reverence for theDead SpaceIP.
“They were supportive of hiring an orchestra for nine days, and it was a huge orchestra too. A great sounding orchestra and a great hall. So they really cared about making this score into something important. They were really supportive of making sure the score got the treatment it deserved.”
EA, Motive, and Gureckis collaborated with Ocean Way Nashville Recording Studios, recording the score in three enormous sessions over the course of eighteen months. While orchestral scoring is a common practice for Hollywood blockbusters and becoming more common for AAA video games, it is by no means the ‘rule’ in the gaming industry. This is especially true ofremasters and remakes. After all, much of the music appearing inDead Spacecame from the original composer, Jason Graves, with Gureckis providing scores for new narrative elements in the remaster.
Gureckis carefully collaborated withDead Space’s writer, Joanna Berry, to ensure that his new music carried the appropriate weight and tone for Isaac’s story. Unlikethe firstDead Space, where Isaac was a silent protagonist, the remakegives him a voice and a more active role in the narrative, in line with his portrayal inDead Space 2and3. And the organic sounds of an orchestra made a crucial difference in capturing that emotional depth.
Sound design is an often neglected aspect of video game design, but it is particularly important in games that feature stealth, likeMetal Gear Solid, or horror elements where small noises can build dread, provide distractions, and set the ambiance for a hostile environment. But unless a deft hand carefully coordinates sound effects with musical cues, an abundance of sound design can essentially compete with the game’s score. Gureckis identified an orchestra as one way to draw a clear distinction between the two:
“[Y]ou can still recognize that sound as a real orchestral instrument, especially when you multiply that by an actual orchestra. And then it’s clear it’s not one sound design element. I think you just have to make it clear what is music and what is sound design.”
Gureckis did not rely on an enormous accompaniment for every piece, however. In between the cacophony of boss fights, he wanted to capture quieter, more claustrophobic moments that captured the isolation of deep space; one of the elements of the original game potentially jeopardized by giving Isaac a voice. For these quieter musical moments, Gureckis relied on his own skills with piano, cello, violin, and smaller percussive instruments.
The other great luxury Gureckis cited in his work onDead Spacewas an abundance of time. EA and Motive gave Gureckis a long lead to develop a sonic language that would dovetail well with Graves' original score, while adding meaningful differences to the game. Gureckis repeatedly emphasized his desire to avoid superfluous additions; there was no need to change what worked the first time, which might be why he recently expressed the opinion thatEA and Motive should move ontoDead Space 4instead of more remakes.
IfDead Space’ssuccess andthe recent release ofThe Callisto Protocolare any indication, there is clearly a market for more deep-space, sci-fi horror. And if EA and Motive approach the future ofDead Spacewith the same degree of care as the original’s remake, survival horror gamers have a great deal to look forward to, especially on the sound front.
Dead Spaceis available now for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
