Dead Space features various changes from the original game. Unlike the original in which he was a silent protagonist, Isaac now has voice lines of his own. In addition, previous voice lines and conversations remade for the game were adjusted to include Isaac who will now engage in discussion and even argue with the other characters. The game also features more gore than the original, introducing a "peeling" system in which the player can tear and destroy the bodies of the Necromorphs. Various weapons are more suitable for severing limbs, while others are more suitable for completely destroying bodies. The remake also improves on the zero gravity element of the original, providing Isaac with thrusters to freely move across designated areas of the Ishimura.[1]
While featuring all the same suits and weapons from the original game, weapons can now be acquired by simply progressing through the story and do not need to be purchased at the suit kiosk using blueprints. While suits and weapons can still be upgraded with Power Nodes, they can only be fully upgraded by finding different suit blueprints or weapon parts that can be found in different areas of the ship. Weapon parts add on different upgrades that can improve performance.[citation needed]
The USG Ishimura is featured as a singular environment that can be freely explored without impacting the main story. Divided into six sections, players can unlock different areas of the Ishimura by proceeding through the main story. While ship’s tram system can still be used to move to different sections of the ship, they are no longer readily available and must be unlocked by proceeding through each section on foot. A new feature added is the ability to access locked doors and containers by rerouting the ships’s power through various junction boxes or by using a security clearance instead of using Power Nodes.[citation needed]