Dead Space remake’s secret ending sets up Dead Space 2

Motive Studio’s remake of sci-fi survival horror classic Dead SpaceExcellent, it fills in all the holes and addresses the flaws of the 2008 version. This adds value to the original. Dead Space, including a secret “alternative ending” that provides stronger connective tissue to the original game’s sequel, 2011’s Dead Space 2.

Dead Space players who have peeked at the achievements and trophies for the remake know that there’s a secret ending, but it requires a good amount of work to get there. For those who are curious — or simply don’t want to play, like, 30 hours of the Dead Space remake — here’s what’s different in the alternative ending.

[Ed. note: Spoilers for Dead Space follow, naturally.]

Isaac Clarke, the heroic engineer is presented with the terrible reality that he must face at the end. His love, Dr. Nicole Brennan was dead when he reached the USG Ishimura. The woman he’s been talking to throughout the game isn’t Nicole, but someone else entirely; Isaac has been hallucinating, a condition brought on by The Marker, the alien technology at the heart of the Necromorph infection and the mass hysteria that consumed the Ishimura crew.

In the original ending, Isaac appears to accept Nicole’s death, and escapes the colony Aegis VII in a shuttlecraft. He rewatches Nicole’s final video message to him, appearing to come to grips with his loss. After hearing the whispers of Nicole, he rewatches them again. Then, a bloody ghost of the undead Nicole approaches Isaac in the co-pilot’s seat. The screen goes black. It’s just one more jump scare in the long train of Dead Space’s jump scares.

The alternative ending is essentially the same. Isaac realizes he’s been hallucinating Nicole’s face and voice, and he escapes Aegis VII. Isaac behaves very differently when he’s on the shuttlecraft. He looks loopy and detached — almost happy. Nicole appears behind him, seemingly in good health, and says, “It Ishimura really was a great ship.”

“Yeah, we were lucky to see her in her prime,” Isaac replies.

“Are we going home, Isaac? There’s so much work to do,” Nicole says. “Soon, I promise,” Isaac responds. “Gotta build a little something first.”

“For me?” Nicole says. “What is it?”

“It’s a surprise, sweetie,” Isaac says, grinning. “But I think you’re gonna like it.”

The camera then pans behind them and we see Isaac’s helmet laying on the floor. The deck of the escape shuttle is revealed to be slathered in Marker symbols — you know, the bloody graffiti scrawled all over the Ishimura — implying that the Marker has affected Isaac more deeply than just haunting him with his dead ex-girlfriend.

The Dead Space remake’s alternative ending more strongly ties the ending of the first game to the events of Dead Space 2. Isaac is found in hospital, the Sprawl. He has no memories from the three previous years. Dead Space 2 reveals that a new Necromorph infestation plaguing the Sprawl was caused by Isaac himself — in the intervening years, Isaac built a new marker, and the church of Unitology wants him to build more.

The secret ending to the Dead SpaceBecause it involves finding 12 Marker fragments distributed throughout New Game Plus, remake strengthens the narrative. This mode is only available after you have completed the New Game Plus mode. Dead Space once, meaning players are in for a long journey to see the remake’s secret ending for themselves.

EA hasn’t said anything yet about a remake of Dead Space 2The alternative ending, however, is an indication of hope that Motive Studio will make a sequel.