Lullaby: How Motive Recreated an Iconic Trailer from the Original Dead Space
When the original Dead Space released back in 2008, it offered a unique experience that skillfully blended elements of sci-fi and horror. It became an instant classic worldwide, and is now regarded as one of the best survival horror games ever made. Accompanying the release was a trailer so unique that it became an iconic piece of media in itself: the Lullaby Trailer.
Combining haunting vocals with chilling scenes of horror, the trailer perfectly captured the atmosphere of the game. The trailer introduced the USG Ishimura, the doomed mining ship that acts as the main setting for the game. It was such an evocative and memorable introduction that fans instantly fell in love with it. In fact, it was so effective that similar trailers were created for later games in the franchise.
More than a decade later, our team started work on the remake. As part of that process we naturally spent a lot of time examining the original game – and we also revisited all the media surrounding it to use as reference. While I was working, I would frequently have the trailer playing in a loop in the background on another computer…and that creepy rendition of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” just started burrowing into my mind.
Then, once we announced the game, I started seeing fans posting online about how cool it would be to see the trailer redone for the remake. As a long time Dead Space fan myself, I knew I could make this happen. So, after production wrapped up, I decided to grab some footage and put together my own updated version of the Lullaby Trailer, as a surprise for the rest of the team. And as soon as they saw what I was working on, other members of the team were more than happy to help out.
We worked hard to capture all the shots we needed, which wasn’t as easy as you might think. For one thing, I had planned to do an exact 1:1 copy of the original, but a lot of the shots in the original trailer were actually captured from the USM Valor section of the game, and not the Ishimura. I wanted to make sure all the footage was of the Ishimura, since it is the primary setting of the game – so I decided to use shots that matched the composition and subject of the original, but change the locations when necessary. (There’s actually still one quick shot captured from the Valor; see if you can spot it!)
The most challenging parts, though, were all the Necromorph attacks; some of the footage is onscreen for just a fraction of a second, so it was tough trying to capture the exact same scenes – with proper lighting and clear composition, no less! And let’s just say Necromorphs are not the most willing collaborators. Olivier Asselin, Audio Director on the game, jumped in to update the trailer’s audio with our own recording of the vocals, and did an amazing job of perfectly recreating the chaotic cacophony of instruments that accompanies the jump cuts.
All the developers who worked on the remake have so much love for Dead Space. The series has a particularly special place in my heart because I was fortunate enough to work as an Environment Artist on Dead Space 2 and Dead Space 3. Having the chance to update one of my favorite pieces of media from the original game was such a fun project. We’re really proud of the end result, and we hope fans will appreciate this trip down memory lane as much as we do.
Ready to hear Necromorphs sing you their own lullaby? Dead Space is available now on Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Dead Space Digital Deluxe Edition
Electronic Arts
$79.99
$71.99
The sci-fi survival horror classic Dead Space™ returns, completely rebuilt to offer an even more immersive experience – including visual, audio, and gameplay improvements while staying faithful to the original game’s thrilling vision. The Dead Space Digital Deluxe Edition includes the base game and five exclusive cosmetics (three Unique Suits and two Suit Textures). It’s everything you need to look your best while surviving the horrors aboard the USG Ishimura.
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN NEXT-GEN SCI-FI HORROR
A sci-fi horror classic returns fully rebuilt from the ground up with elevated visual fidelity and 3D atmospheric audio. From the frighteningly detailed rooms and workspaces of a slaughtered crew to the eerie atmospheric sounds of a desolate spaceship, you’ll explore a stunning sci-fi setting full of unpredictable and tense moments without interruption.
UNRAVEL THE MYSTERY ABOARD THE USG ISHIMURA
What starts as a routine repair mission for engineer Isaac Clarke and the crew of the USG Kellion quickly turns into a battle for survival as the truth behind the horrors on board begins to unravel. Following an expanded narrative experience, uncover the dark secrets behind the events aboard the USG Ishimura through the final logs of the ill-fated crew and your encounters with the few survivors that remain.
IMPROVISE TO SURVIVE
Confront the nightmare aboard the USG Ishimura with genre-defining strategic gameplay. Repurpose and upgrade Isaac’s engineering tools to creatively defeat enemies with precision.
Conditions & restrictions apply. See ea.com/legal for details.
Dead Space
Electronic Arts
$69.99
$62.99
The sci-fi survival horror classic Dead Space™ returns, completely rebuilt from the ground up to offer a deeper and more immersive experience. This remake brings jaw-dropping visual fidelity, suspenseful atmospheric audio, and improvements to gameplay while staying faithful to the original game’s thrilling vision.
Isaac Clarke is an everyman engineer on a mission to repair a vast mining ship, the USG Ishimura, only to discover something has gone horribly wrong. The ship’s crew has been slaughtered and Isaac’s beloved partner, Nicole, is lost somewhere on board.
Now alone and armed with only his engineering tools and skills, Isaac races to find Nicole as the nightmarish mystery of what happened aboard the Ishimura unravels around him. Trapped with hostile creatures called Necromorphs, Isaac faces a battle for survival, not only against the escalating terrors of the ship but his own crumbling sanity.
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN NEXT-GEN SCI-FI HORROR
A sci-fi horror classic returns fully rebuilt from the ground up with elevated visual fidelity and 3D atmospheric audio. From the frighteningly detailed rooms and workspaces of a slaughtered crew to the eerie atmospheric sounds of a desolate spaceship, you’ll explore a stunning sci-fi setting full of unpredictable and tense moments without interruption.
UNRAVEL THE MYSTERY ABOARD THE USG ISHIMURA
What starts as a routine repair mission for engineer Isaac Clarke and the crew of the USG Kellion quickly turns into a battle for survival as the truth behind the horrors on board begins to unravel. Following an expanded narrative experience, uncover the dark secrets behind the events aboard the USG Ishimura through the final logs of the ill-fated crew and your encounters with the few survivors that remain.
IMPROVISE TO SURVIVE
Confront the nightmare aboard the USG Ishimura with genre-defining strategic gameplay. Repurpose and upgrade Isaac’s engineering tools to creatively defeat enemies with precision.
Conditions & restrictions apply. See ea.com/legal for details.
