Customer Reviews

Dead Space 2

5 star:		(112)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Dead Space, released in 2009, came out of the middle of nowhere. It wasn't too hyped, coming from a rather unknown group of developers, but shocked everyone with its amazingly brutal and atmospheric horror experience and became a critical success. With these high standards to meet, 2 years later, the second is released to incredible anticipation and it certainly doesn't disappoint.

Dead Space 2 is amazing. It takes everything the original put into the series, and enhances it. The controls are more precise, smooth and convenient (with the addition of a single button health and stasis refill system), the visuals are even more detailed and gritty, the sound is as creepy as ever, and the story remains intriguing and intense. You must work to unravel the truth behind the Sprawl (the game's setting), Unitology and Necromorphs, as well as battling (literally) horrific hallucinations and delusions from an alien form of dementia. If you are a fan of the first, then you will definitely enjoy this.

GAMEPLAY

Dead Space 2's gameplay is very similar to the first, but with the right tweaks and enhancements. The controls are basically the same with some minor changes (select is the default menu, square is to reload, aim and triangle is for stasis). The circle button is now a one hit health refill button, instead of square (from the first). The triangle button is similar, but for stasis refill. Isaac's movements are much smoother, more precise, and easier to control. The melee attacks, for example, are far more accurate and can be used in quick succession, unlike in the first. The weapons are great and fun to use as well. One major change is in the zero-gravity areas. Instead of the wall-jumping from the first one, you have a sort of jet pack that allows you to fly around the areas and even latch onto the wall as if to walk on it (like in the first). Certain sections take advantage of this and offer fun new experiences for Dead Space. This game has pretty good replay value in that you have a new game+ option that saves the items and money you get from the previous playthrough so that you can go on to collect the weapons, suits, trophies and so on. There are also more difficulty levels and trophies to keep you occupied. This game still has it's objective style in that someone tells you where to go, what to do, and you must reach the objectives. Although more freedom would have been nice, it doesn't hurt the experience for me, because it's just how Dead Space was. Also expect to be scared. This one is every bit as horrifying as the first, if not more so. Expect sudden encounters, random and loud equipment malfunction, and disturbing scenes and hallucinations. Overall, the gameplay is like the first, but even better.

VISUAL

Dead Space 2 is gorgeous. The settings are very detailed and atmospheric, and it's really a key component to the game's horror element. Technically, the graphics are better than the first (which was pretty good to begin with) with more detailed environments, characters, enemies, etc. It is even more graphic than the first as far as dismemberment and violence goes because of the greater detail. The lighting is very well done in this game as well. Isaac's dementia hallucination sequences look as amazing as they are freaky (think Scarecrow in Batman: Arkham Asylum, but more disturbing). When I first played through the demo, I was impressed with the visuals, and I still am very impressed.

AUDIO

This is what really set the first Dead Space apart from every other game in it's genre. The sound was absolutely stunning. This is what really sets the atmosphere for the game. Technically, the game sounds wonderful. The further you are from the target, the distance sounds realistic. The muffled screams and shouts from behind walls, doors or glass are all catered to their materials. Now the sound really shines in creating the horror element of this game. Lots of minimalistic sounds that really make a difference. The necromorphs sound as disturbing as ever, along with the distant screaming, babies crying and pleas for help. Even the silence is well placed, and builds incredible tension, because you never know what could jump out at you. The environment is incredibly unpredictable. A pipe could explode right behind you, a random monitor could flash, a window could blow out, a necromorph could come bursting out of a vent, or any other countless possibilities that are very loud and will make you jump a good foot in the air. I could go on and on, but no other game pulls off a horror audiovisual presentation quite like Dead Space 2.

STORY ELEMENTS

The Dead Space universe has a very intriguing story about it, and this game does a great job at telling it. There are plenty of twists and turns throughout to keep you gripped (like in the first) and the inclusion of Isaac battling with his own dementia is very well presented. Now I won't go into detail, but the basic premise is that Isaac has woken up 3 years after the ending events of the first Dead Space, to a horrific necromorph outbreak. The setting is on a large Earth colony, The Sprawl, that is located on the remains of one of Saturn's moons. He doesn't know what is going on, and is suffering from a deadly form of Dementia he contracted on Aegis 7 in which he has horrifying and disturbing hallucinations that seem centered around his deceased girlfriend, Nicole. You are set free and must unravel the mystery to save yourself, and figure out what is going on in The Sprawl. Now one major change from the first to the second is that Isaac was actually given a voice actor with real dialog. Although this does change the game in that you are no longer a silent protagonist, it is not necessarily a bad change. The new Isaac has a mouth on him, but you get to understand him far more and how he interacts with people and situations. The story and feel to the game is actually very similar to Alien and Aliens, you can sense the influence as you play it. Overall, the story is as intriguing as the first, and really keeps you gripped.

CONTENT ADVISORY

This game has no instances of sexual content, but it is INCREDIBLY graphic and violent. The violence is geared toward necromorphs (extremely mutated dead humans infected though an alien entity), but it is brutal. You can sever limbs, heads, smash enemies, and even break dead victims apart. There is a ton of blood, from it gushing out of enemies, victims, yourself, to being smeared all over the walls, ceilings, floors from previous attacks with horribly mutilated corpses littering the environment. Isaac himself, when killed, way suffer a unique cinematic death depending on the enemy that kills him that includes decapitation, dismemberment, being sliced in half, skewered, stabbed in the head, and being graphically vomited on by strong acidic creatures. The game is also very disturbing. Several people crying for help with be mercilessly slaughtered by the aliens in graphic ways. People suffering from severe delusions and hallucinations may kill others or themselves in a highly graphic and disturbing manner. Some necromorphs are of dead children, and even babies (very disturbing) that act as suicide bombs. The visions you have tend to be very demented and disturbing, and the entire game is very scary, even to mature audiences. The language in this game is also very coarse. Right from the beginning you will hear the f word and s word thrown out like crazy, as well as every other lesser expletive. These words are used in a sense of panic for the most part in that people are trying to escape or save lives from horrifying circumstances. This game is rated M for a reason and it is a high end M due to the violence. I can think of only very few games that come close to the graphic intensity of this game.

CONCLUSION

If you have an Xbox 360, a Playstation 3, even a computer, and think you can handle the mature gruesome, disturbing horror aspects of this game, it is a must buy. I'd recommend starting with the first (Dead Space Greatest Hits), as it is an amazing game as well, although it isn't necessary to fully enjoy this game. If you are a fan of the series, I'm sure you already have and love this game. This game is an atmospheric masterpiece that improves upon the original in every way, and keeps the series at a high, high bar.

I was a day-one fan of Dead Space 1 (DS1). I remember it was set to release within a week or two of Fallout 3 and Gears of War 2, two other big titles going up against a previously unseen space horror. What's strange is I have really never liked horror...not in movies, and not really in games...But something about it being in space appealed to the sci-fi loving side of me thus I chose to play DS1 over the other two...fast forward to the end of DS1 and I have been eagerly awaiting a sequel since sometime in late 2008.

Prior to release, it seemed Dead Space 2 (DS2) doomed itself to failure...Obviously it would be compared to its highly acclaimed predecessor with a microscope. During the lead up to the release in January of 2011, there were complaints from fans from everything to it having multiplayer tacked on, to the protagonist Isaac Clarke showing his face. Other people complained about him getting a fully voiced dialog, or that he was supposedly accompanied this time around. The concern was the atmosphere created by DS1 and how these factors would diminish it. These issues all could have taken away from the magic that was DS1. However, what I found in DS2 was a richer, more engrossing, more refined and overall purely superior experience in comparison to DS1.

Gameplay:

When playing DS2, I noticed some differences in the controls...something that was hard to pin down exactly what had changed. All I knew was that in comparison to DS1, DS2's controls felt tighter, more responsive and overall better to use. I felt that in most situations where Isaac gets mauled, maimed or shredded by the baddies that it was my fault in some way, not some fault of the controls. Even as you have to resort to swinging and stomping your way through piles of necromorph bodies and limbs, the game rarely feels cheap as you continue to stave off wave after wave of murderous, psychopathic blade-enhanced necros. There were only a few times the game felt cheap and all of them had to do with a the number of pursuant necros and a lack of available space to move around in. In my first play through, Isaac paid the ultimate price a few times when I just got overwhelmed from all angles and had nowhere to go. This was not too frustrating as I could quickly learn from my previous attempt and not repeat that again.

All of the weapons from the first game were brought back and new ones were added. I noticed that the fully upgraded plasma cutter weapon in DS2 did not feel as rip-roaring powerful as it did in DS1. Perhaps this was intentional, but either way it felt like it had been a bit neutered. Regardless, I greatly enjoyed the detonator for the new offensive strategies it delivered and the force gun was actually useful to me this time around as opposed to in the DS1. One of my favorite aspects of DS1/DS2 is it lets the player play the way they choose to play. You can stick with one gun if you like...fully deck it out and shred away. You can upgrade many weapons in any combination you like. The RPG-ish upgrading system is wonderful, and will keep me coming back to see what all the weapons are like at full throttle. In addition, DS2 adds the ability to remove upgrades for a small price allowing the player to experiment a bit with weapons.

There were some weapons with what I felt had limited uses, specifically the contact beam and the seeker rifle. The seeker rifle felt just too weak and too slow for me to decide to use any hard earned power nodes to upgrade it. The contact beam, while powerful, was too slow...I found the ripper, plasma cutter and line gun to be far more useful.

One addition I really enjoyed were the vacuum windows. The addition of these really made me feel like Isaac was walking around a high-tech but still fragile space station. One off target shot and he can get sucked out into the vacuum of space. It really makes for some interesting tactics when seemingly overrun with oncoming necros. My only gripe is I wished there were more of these chances.

The entire cast of enemies from the first game returned, but there are some newcomers to the list that make some of the old ones look like no big deal. Without spoiling too much, I felt that DS2's enemies presented a much more formidable challenge than the same ones in DS1. By themselves they were not so bad, but DS2 manages to spawn them in various combinations almost as a squad of troops with battle orders. Whenever I died in the game, it was generally due to me not considering the different strategies required to take on the collection of enemies at that time.

The zero-G segments from DS1 return in DS2, but more refined and far more enjoyable. Instead of being confined to jumping from one platform to another, DS2 gives Isaac a free float ability that is incredibly enjoyable and easy to manage. Isaac is given boosters on his boots that let him move quickly in zero-G areas, and there are buttons that allow you to re-orient Isaac to the correct heading as it can be very easy to flip upside down without realizing it. The zero-G environments are fully functional and were some of my most memorable moments of DS2.

Finally, the replayability for DS2 is phenomenal. I play every game through on its default difficulty the first time through. If the game is good enough, I'll go back and play on whatever the super hard mode is. With DS2, you get not only a super hard mode, but also hardcore, both which should present a formidable challenge. In Zealot difficulty, you can carry over your previous playthrough's weapons independent of the previous difficulty setting (unlike DS1). I won't go into details on Hardcore mode, but know that if you like a challenge, DS2 has one.

Graphics:

The graphics in DS2 have been noticeably improved over DS1, and were frankly on par with some of the more technically meaty titles of the PS3 like Uncharted 2, Killzone 2 etc. The textures were given a lot of extra attention between titles and it showed. The gritty detail of the blood stained walls of the Titan Sprawl (the location of DS2) were one way that the game created the engrossing atmosphere. The attention to detail in Isaac's various suits and weapons, the enemies and the special effects all help to paint a very impressive picture. The character models of the various types of necros seemed to have variations so it wasn't always the same stabby looking humanoid running at you...some are still in clothes some not, some have varying faces, body sizes, weights etc. All are still frighteningly grotesque as can be expected from a Dead Space title.

In an attempt to leave out any location spoilers, every hallway, room, etc. has an exceptional amount of attention paid toward making it come alive...or rather look like it once was alive but is now exceedingly dead. One particular spot that stays with me is a hallway with black lighting you are able to see the bloody smears and hand prints of what was obviously a struggle that didn't end well. The levels are also better than DS1 in that there is little if any back tracking and there are some extremely diverse locations that Isaac finds himself in before the final chapter. Supremely detailed environments a large variety of locations are one of the major ways this game's atmosphere is created. In a word, DS2's level design is superb.

Sound:

Atmosphere was my main draw to DS1 and now DS2. Visceral Games has managed to create this incredibly immersive environment that manages to literally keep me trying to be prepared for what they may throw at me next. In my opinion, the number one contributor to creating such an unrivaled level of atmosphere is the sound design. Anyone who plays this game owes it to themselves to have it on a good home theater system or at least some good quality headphones. The surround sound not only adds to the spookiness of the game, but delivers vital information of approaching creatures. Even in areas with no baddies to kill, the sounds of metallic creaks, cracks and scrapes in the Sprawl's ventilation system let you know you're never safe. Indeed DS2 has some cheap scares, but they're so well timed and not always predictable that I have a hard time believing someone who says they never jumped during a play through.

The music is well composed, and only adds to the atmosphere. The music is also well timed and sometimes gives you the impression that something large is coming. Sometimes it never happens, while other times it does. It manages to build levels of tension and keep you on your toes, never taking for granted the next dark hallway, for a necro is commonly waiting in unseen corners.

I find it really difficult to sum up the quality of sound and how much it contributes to the game in words. It's really just that good.

Presentation:

The game overall has an extremely polished feel to it. The interface, the in-game menus, the weapons, animations, special effects all operate flawlessly. The Development Team put in some major time bringing this game to level of completion that is rarely seen. I enjoyed that the flame thrower didn't work in zero-G environments. While obvious to some, it very well could have been overlooked. I also love how the sound goes nearly to an underwater feel in some of the zero-G environments, further adding to the authenticity. The use of lighting throughout the game paints a picture of darkness and true threat that does not falter or taper off any time during the campaign.

The story should not be overlooked. While some have said it doesn't make sense, I believe it's a tremendous addition to the overall Dead Space timeline. You also get the impression that this character is not invincible. In fact, I believe that those who complained about Isaac being voiced this time might feel otherwise as the story reaches into who he is as protagonist and creates a deeper adventure than could have been accomplished without a voice.

Other reviews I've read docked the storyline for being too linear and giving you menial who-cares tasks to do while Isaac battles his way to the final chapter. I would wholeheartedly disagree with that. While the storyline is pretty linear, it is not menial by any means. I found myself engrossed in the game, caring about who his contacts are, how they fit into this Dead Space universe and how it may all play out. Each task, while not necessarily more gripping than the last, was relevant and fun to play. I found myself being very uncomfortable in the game numerous times when I was faced with an even creepier place to trudge through than the last. Part of the fun of this game is how on edge it makes you feel when you're playing it.

Final Thoughts:

The Development Team from DS1 obviously knew what made DS1 so special because it all returned with improvements for the better. Generally with the addition of a multiplayer component into an single-player game would have some complaining that the entire game would suffer. While I was never interested in the multiplayer component, I can attest to the fact that the single-player campaign and overall game quality was not neglected. In my opinion, DS2 was an improvement in nearly every way, and is very much worth your time.

SYNOPSIS: An alien artifact drives people murderously insane then reanimates their corpses into mutated monsters. You play Isaac Clarke (An amalgam of Asimov and Arthur C), the sole survivor of Dead Space. Not only is Isaac trapped aboard a massive space station with hundreds of these things, but religious fanatics want to use him for the information in his head and the government wants to kill him for it.

GENRE: Survival horror.

GAMEPLAY: Third person shooter. However, instead of the usual center of mass/headshot gameplay, these necromorphs require dismemberment. Hence, Isaac has a number of unconventional weapons at his disposal that make this task more feasible (an arc welder, force gun, plasma cutter, electric saw, etc). A couple of weapons have been added to the arsenal from Dead Space, but essentially the gameplay remains the same. The addition of a proximity mine thrower makes it easier to strategize and lay down some defenses against the heavier onslaughts. The suits now come equipped with thrusters, so space walks are free roaming as opposed to the linear jumps in Dead Space.

ISAAC CLARKE: This time out, Isaac is no longer the "mute protagonist" of Dead Space. Now that Isaac reacts and responds to the other characters that interact with him, the narrative of Dead Space 2 is much more fulfilling and enjoyable to watch unfold. He's also being haunted and slowly driven insane by strong hallucinations of his girlfriend.

DLC: The downloadable content, available at five bucks a pop, offers beefed-up space suits and weapons. Essentially, it provides you with items you otherwise wouldn't get until a few levels into the game. The upgrading system remains the same, however. So if you really want your gear and weapons to be great, you've got to upgrade them using credits and power nodes you collect throughout the game. Hence, the weapons and suits offer a boost if you get them toward the beginning of the game, but the DLC doesn't make Dead Space 2 a cakewalk.

DEAD SPACE EXTRACTION: Dead Space 2 also comes with the Wii game, Dead Space Extraction, a rail-shooter that incorporates the Playstation move controller. I've played Dead Space Extraction. It's a GREAT game, and maybe one of the best written games I've ever played. The fact that this game is included is seriously cool.

OVERALL: Dead Space 2 is one of the richest, most thrilling gaming experiences I've ever had. It's also scary as hell. If you don't like horror movies, gore or to be scared, you'll hate Dead Space 2. It's suspenseful, and quite often necromorphs jump out or sneak up on Isaac at unexpected moments. The visuals are stunning. The story is compelling and unpredictable. It's one of those games where I would intend to only play for an hour before going to bed, and six hours later I found myself watching the sun come up. I just couldn't put down the controller.

*Twice as Much Action, Half the Scare Factor and Only Minor Revisions in a Large Budget Horror Sequel Equal a Slightly Disappointing 2nd Chapter for the Dead Space Series.

Little Big Planet 2, Uncharted 2, Killzone 2, Assassins Creed 2, and God of War 3. Whenever a sequel to a big name game is announced, people expect it to feature more than a few improvements over the original. These aforementioned games raise the benchmark by delivering on the promised experience. As my pre-order implied, I expected nothing less from the next installment of Dead Space. Yet through my 14 hour trek across the Sprawl, I found myself more often disappointed than inspired. Ultimately, my dissatisfaction with this game boils down to one issue: it feels rushed to market. After setting down the controller I found myself wondering which of the two games was better. Dead Space 2 features more enemies and environments, more streamlined action and slightly refined combat and telekinesis. The original Dead Space had a more convincing story, a more frenetic sense of urgency/survival, better enemy and item placement, and a darker ambiance. In effect, Dead Space 2 is like a Carnival Haunted House. It has predictable scares, confined corridors and a few cheap thrills. Most of why it feels scary is because of where you are, rather than what is actually going on. In the end, it feels like you paid a lot of money for an experience they rushed to build. My review places an emphasis on areas I feel could have been improved if more time was spent in development. I would still consider Dead Space 2 a good game, just not everything we expected from a large budget sequel.

FEATURES:
For those of you who buy USED games BEWARE: Dead Space 2 has an online access code that you must enter to play multiplayer. If you buy the game used and the code has already been activated, you will have to purchase a new code before going online. Dead Space Extraction, included on the Limited Edition, is a very good port of the Wii game. The Move is much more accurate, video retains the grainy look of the Wii version but is much sharper, and sound has been radically overhauled. I recently purchased the Sharp Shooter for Killzone 3 and it works SUPERBLY for Extraction. My only complaint for controls is that the weapons must be cycled through with a button, or with left/right on the d-pad. The Wii version allowed you to map different guns to specific directions, so I wonder why this was not added to the analog stick or directional pad for PS3. On another note, the full game must be "downloaded" to your hard-drive from the Bluray then installed to play. It is a 3.5GB install, and will not play directly from the disc. To prevent you from letting your friends borrow the disc to get Extraction for free, you must also have the Dead Space 2 disc in the system to access the game (even though it was fully downloaded onto your system). It doesn't bother me, but I'm sure it would aggravate somebody with less hard-drive space.

GRAPHICS AND ENVIRONMENTS:
Graphics have not received any noticeable improvement. This comes at somewhat of a cost considering the limited facial animations and character movements hold back the terrific voice acting. Suit design is flawlessly executed whereas character models look like early release PS3 games. This juxtaposition carries on throughout other elements of the game. Newer enemy models are drastically split between being cleverly designed (ones modeled after Velociraptors named Stalkers) and very poorly animated (Yellow Necromorph Babies called Crawlers). There are multiple new settings, each of which is essentially a chapter or two within the story. The problem is that each environment features graphics or room design that is copied and pasted. It becomes rather tedious to pass the same storefront 3 times within a single mall, or to read the same messages (written in the same size and same font) across the walls of 5 Unitologist apartments. Banners and video messages also repeat every 5-25 seconds, so the longer you explore an area the more it feels contrived vs organic. Lighting is excellent. Set piece sequences feature some distinct visuals, but are usually over very rapidly and almost ALL of them were featured in the trailers for the game. A few areas offer some exciting eye candy (wood backdrops in a gym, flowing lights in a tunnel, duct-taped insulation, frozen storage) but ultimately these make me disappointed in what the game could have been. If more time was put into the game I'm sure a lot more of these visuals would have been implemented into the settings (instead of spaced apart every 2-3 hours to hold your interest).

GAMEPLAY:
Targeting can be changed between Centered (sight will be on middle of screen), or Classic (sight will follow path of weapon). I found myself using the Classic mode from the first game, because it kept throwing me off to have my left aligned character aim at a different angle than where he was pointing his weapon. Most of your arsenal operates exactly the same as in the original game, which is a good thing. You have to keep in mind that the ammo you find will primarily be from whatever you have equipped. Equipping a weapon you do not use often will result in finding less ammo for guns you do use! Several new members of the battery are quite helpful when upgraded, but must be utilized against certain enemies for full damage. The detonator is a proximity mine that is very effective against Stalkers when accurately placed. However, the game once again feels rushed with its detection coding. Rather than detonate based only on enemy movement, the mines will be set off if they touch anything of necromorph origin. The problem is that mines will continue to explode as you set them if the blue lasers touch any necromorph segment on the ground or wall. This can be troublesome if trying to set them in a hurry. The Javelin is functional, but much more difficult to aim against fast foes without stasis since it has a single point of impact and takes multiple hits to dismember or impale. The Rivet gun pre-order is virtually useless since it has a very small target zone and takes the most hits to dismember an enemy.

Zero gravity is far and away the best revision of the sequel, giving you the ability to fly in any direction and easily re-orient towards the ground. Sadly, most of these parts feature either very primitive puzzles or very basic action despite having the tools for much more. Some of the set piece sequences also place you in a position without immediate prompt. I sat on a train car for about 3 minutes once, looking at the city outside before I realized I had to progress to the next car for the train to get any closer to the station. The few action segments that try to break up the pacing are dispersed VERY far apart. One sequence involves riding on top of a mining vehicle, but ultimately plays out like any other "stuck in the elevator with enemies pouring in" section of the game. It would have been better if these sections featured unique gameplay and controls rather than simple backdrop exchanges. Remember that annoying enemy that couldn't be killed in the first game? He's back too, with an army of friends to push you through a series of corridors. The ending boss also feels like they ran out of ideas on how to implement Isaac's internal struggle with his external. Running in circles to find ammo and watching the same death sequence 40 times from recycled enemies was disheartening. At least the section afterwards offered a slight reprieve. Why were more sections like this flight sequence not offered in the rest of the game?

SOUND:
Ambient sound and voice acting is well executed. Isaac's character is believable even though not entirely unique or memorable. Most of the better lines in the script actually come towards the last 2 hours of the game when Isaac starts to express his frustration. The voice actor delivers these lines right on target. Some of the "startle effects" are impeccably used the first time you hear them, and then become cliche as you progress. For example, I almost jumped when a toilet flushed by itself as I explored a room. Following this, whenever I walked into any other bathroom in the Unitologist apartments the toilets would flush by themselves too. After the first time, "surprise" tactics lose their punch. These are used quite a bit although giving more examples would ruin that "first time" for you as well. To save production time, I believe certain objects were all programmed to behave the same way. The scrambled voice effect and lower sound mixing for the "dementia" scenes also made it very difficult to determine what was being said. Since the story is primarily driven by Isaac's state of confusion, it was disappointing that these moments become lost in the fray. Turning on subtitles helps, but the subtitles are not perfect and will fall behind the voice acting. Usually a subtitle will scroll slightly before audio, but this was not properly designed in DS 2.

STORY:
From start to finish, Dead Space 2 really struggles to come up with a meaningful story. Isaac supposedly has progressive "dementia," but it doesn't manifest itself in his abilities in any way whatsoever. The "ghostly presence" of his dead girlfriend throughout the narrative sometimes comes across as either forced or unnecessary. It fails to convey a real sense of mental degradation. Remember that one scene in the trailer where he is struggling with himself and the needle? The brevity and placement of the scene ultimately fails to serve as the effective foreshadow it was meant to be. In short: It worked better for the trailer than it did in the game. The other characters really have no motivation aside from: we were here and need to get out, or I'm doing this because the person in command told me to. I found myself asking all of the same questions at the end of the game. So how did Isaac initially become the target of contesting factors? What are the real motivations for the Church of Unitology and what IS the joining the marker is used for? All of these questions and more have a nice little blanket thrown over them. You can make your own assumptions, but I was really hoping for the details. There was never any moment where I thought WOW, that was great storytelling! The worst part is that the story of the first game actually sets up the premise better than this sequel. I didn't really like the "Hey Isaac..now we need you to go here and rebuild/fix this" from the 1st game; however, it still seemed better than the "Hey somebody from an organization we just heard about is looking for you and the shuttle only goes here...get aboard!" from this game.

Aside from plot holes, certain inconsistencies screamed out to me as well. In a few scenes, main characters are disfigured or injured and seem helpless. In the following scene they're acting all bad ass and the injury doesn't affect them at all. The Dead Space fiction from DS1 also states that the Hive Mind was created by the Marker as an overseer to direct the actions of the Necromorphs aboard the Ishimura and Aegis 7. Random online sources speculate that the invincible enemies near the finale of DS2 are juvenile stages of hive minds because of minor visual similarities. The problem is that the story never alludes to the Hive Mind, or offer any continuity in regards to how the Sprawl became infected with Necromorphs. According to one journal, creating a "new Marker" on the Sprawl began to show signs of life returning to destroyed Necromorph "goo." However, nothing details the exact nature of this resurgence nor does it fit with the original model found on Aegis 7. Ultimately I just felt like I was constructing a detailed puzzle that was missing quite a few pieces out of the box. I would have been much more entertained by the narrative if I felt it added to the mystery of the Necromorph origin and motivations.

As I played the game all I could think about was how my review would differ from those I read online. In summation, it seemed like the game was quickly executed to follow up on the animated film Downfall and Wii's Extraction. Sadly enough, this game has more than enough opportunity to become an instant classic. It seems like an impressive storyboard was constructed for different enemies and environments, but then filled in between with just enough cover to release it on time.
Dead Space 2 is a fun ride, just be sure to get a cheaper ticket before you hop on board. (7.9/10)

2510. Saturn. Orbiting city, "The Sprawl."

Wake Up Isaac. Make us whole, please, Isaac?

Your memory muddled, your heart racing, you awaken to the gruesome impalement of a man you don't even know trying to release you from the bonds of a straight jacket. His blood drowning your eyesight from the horror around you, his screams flooding your ears with an unrelenting agony, you quickly snap-to and see them in the room ahead.

Necromorphs.

Run Isaac. You need to make us whole.

And so it begins. Dead Space is pulse pounding action, from the very moment you press "New Game."

Set 3 years after the original Dead Space, you play engineer Isaac Clarke. No longer a corpse-stomping, limb chopping mute, Isaac has finally found his voice, and is now caught in yet another do or die situation: trapped in the hospital wing of "The Sprawl", Isaac must escape a horde of invading blood thirsty, flesh rending Necromorphs--all while being stuck in a straight jacket.

Haunted by visions of Nicole, Isaac has lost his grip on reality. What and who is real? Who is friend, who is foe? Why Isaac? What did he do to deserve this?

Staying true to its roots, Dead Space 2 delivers on something that was already incredible, and explodes it 10 fold into something much more refined, polished, and enjoyable.

The atmosphere, while somewhat similar to DS1, is flooded with amazing sounds and ambient lighting. You never know which sound is a Necromorph making his way towards you, or what is simply ambiance in the background. You never fully see the threat until it is inches away from you, threatening to take you away from The Sprawl dismembered into tiny pieces. Visceral has done an incredible job on the sequel, adding in plenty of moments that will genuinely creep you out. You can no longer really predict when something will pop out at you, like you could in DS1. Now, the surprises are truly surprises. Where, before, you might expect a Lurker waiting for you behind a door, you instead get a pitch black hallway, where in the midst of this blackness you are attacked by a loud, ear-shattering hallucination of Nicole. And she's pissed.

The horror in DS1 is not so much visual, as it is in the audio and the psychology of Isaac Clarke. There will definitely be scenes that make you say "Holy S&*7" (like failing the Eye machine scene in Chapter 14). You will hang upside down from a cable while battling hordes of Necromorphs and a Brute with only limited ammo, battle your way through a crazy train derailment scene. You will pilot an escape pod in zero gravity through a debris field in space--your body being split into many pieces if you fail.

This game is intense.

The replay value is definitely up there, with 4 difficulties(5 if you include the unlockable Hard Core) and many trophies requiring subsequent play throughs, you will find your self replaying DS2, not because you NEED to(if you're a trophy whore like myself), but because it's just that damn good. Survival Horror hasn't been this good since Silent Hill. And if you're someone who likes a challenge, Hard Core will meet your expectations with flying colors. 14 Hour game, 3 saves, and when you die, you revert back to your last save--NOT last checkpoint. Credits in hardcore, are reduced to just a mere fraction of what you'd get in the Veteran and Zealot modes. Save your ammo AND game wisely. Sometimes, you'll have no choice but to run.

DS2 has so far been my favorite game of the year. I'm also a Resident Evil 5 junkie so if you're seeking a game that delivers MORE fun than RE5, but stays true to the Survival Horror genre, look no further and pick up DS2.

Graphics: 9/10
Atmosphere: 10/10 -- Especially the final boss fight. Wow, the use of filters make this one of the most enjoyable boss fights I've encountered visually and artistically.
Sound: 9.5/10 -- Fantastic use of garbage cans rattling, lights going out, screams in the distance, necromorphs growling/shrieking(especially The Pack, they sound like demented children), and sometimes loud noises are all used to near perfection.
Controls: 10/10 -- This is one of DS2's best features. The controls are fluid and enjoyable. Not a pain in the a$$ to get used to like RE5. Plus, you can run and gun--but only while aiming, and aiming slows down your speed considerably.
Gameplay: 10/10 -- Campaign is just amazing, with a gripping story line that will keep you engaged.
Multiplayer: 7/10 -- I really found MP to be lacking to be quite honest. Lag will lead to some frustration, and the imbalance between powers really makes the Necromorph a very weak character selection. If you have a RiG character with half a brain, you can stasis globs of Necro players and obliterate them. Also, there's not really a variety in game modes, which lead to a stale MP after a while.
Replayability: 10/10 -- 4 Different difficulties, many trophies dependent upon replay, and an unlockable Hard Core mode that will test your patience and situational strategic reasoning. Immensely fun and well rewarding for the stoicly fortuitous gamer.

Overall: 9.35/10 -- 93.5% -- A

For 20$, you won't get a better bang for your buck if you're a horror buff.

The original "Dead Space" was a fun horror/survival/shooter game, but "Dead Space 2" is pretty much an across the board improvement.

The visuals are better detailed and smoother moving - the necromorphs are a lot creepier looking up close = more thrills. And of course, there are some new types of necromorphs and weapons thrown into the mix.

The environment sounds and music are also used to better effect in this installment, sometimes unnerving, and they will make you jump.

Issac is easier to control overall - this may be in part due to experience with the first game, but they also must have made some tweaks. Controlling Issac during anti-gravity scenarios is handled differently than the first game, but I think it's an improvement.

The "Deck Navigation" system that was so cool in the first game isn't mentioned in the "DS2" booklet but thankfully it's still here, with improved functionality, and you learn about it during the first chapter of the game (the rotating/zoomable "map" is gone, but the new system is much more convenient).

The only obeservations I have are:

"DS2" oftentimes requires that you kill an enemy AND melee stomp the corpse to get their "goodies" (ammo, credits). In the original game, you just had to kill the enemy to get access to their stuff.

This doesn't bother me, but some people also don't like the fact that Issac is now a talking character in "DS2" (in "DS1" he didn't say a word).

Some people will also miss the "map" feature (again, "Deck Navigation" is still there).

The first "Dead Space" seemed to have more to do with "space" - a large part of this game has more to do with horror/dementia/survival than "space" per se, but again, this is just an observation, not really a complaint.

If you have been sitting on the fence and haven't bought a "Dead Space" game, then "DS2" would be the one to get, because it's such an improvement over the original and they designed the first couple chapters so that you don't really have to play the first one in order to get a handle on the storyline. Be forewarned, though - this game is chock full of disturbing images and sounds -more gore than the first, if you can believe that (this is not a game for kids).

If you played the original Dead Space and liked it, then you should get this game - it's definately more absorbing, scarier and fun than the first, a game you'll want to play again.

If you like the first Dead Space, this is a solid sequel. I got a good solid 14 hours gameplay time. Well worth it.

Dead Space 2 is a direct sequel that follows Engineer Issac as he tries to escape a space station over-run by the necrophage. It's more straight forward and less level oriented than the first game. This time around Issac has more personality, he has a past and he's more connected emotionally with what's going on. There's no more "just do this so we can escape. that's done, now this broke, go fix it" that drove the first game, nor is there a central point to keep returning to. This Dead Space just keeps following a straight line forward and the chapter changes are seamless.

The graphics are more open, very detailed and more diverse than the first game giving the game a less claustrophobic feel but the player a less repetitive visual experience. For some reason Issac still walks half-hunched over for reasons I don't understand but he looks more nimble regardless.

There's more weapons this time too and they're more diverse, it also matters more what you use what on since some enemies barely react to some damage. And there's a lot of enemies and more ways to deal with them than the first game.

The main issue I have with Dead Space 2 is how incredibly hard even casual mode can be at times. First, I found my self several times replaying areas because I'd get so far and run out of useful ammo and the game doesn't seem to have any idea of placing vending machines or crates with ammo inside at the right spots. I'd go from having more than I could carry to running out in the next area.

There's a major, logical flaw than nearly ruins the game, enemies come literally out of NOWHERE. And I mean, NOWHERE. I was in a room wit one door, opened the door and started fighting a something kills me from behind, in a SEALED ROOM!!! Unlike the first Dead Space, I often can't find anywhere for the enemies to come from, they are just there, in swarms. It's very frustrating, you stand against a solid wall, in a corner with no vents ore doors around you looking booth ways and suddenly something gets you from behind??? I've had this happen several times and over and over again could not find where I was attacked from.

Over all I want to love this game, but when I find myself out of everything but fire surrounded with enemies that are immune to it and I just walked and walked and walked with no store or crates to refill from and the enemies just swarm from all sides and I die over and over and over and over and over till I turn it off and go back 1/2 hour of game play to try and stock up on ammo then it's no damned fun. I work all the time, I have kids, I just want an hour or so a day to relax and play and instead I get angry and frustrated and play the same 45 seconds of game for and hour it just sucks.

I've been playing games since Atari in the 70's and games like this suck to play because you get hooked just to find even the easiest setting can get unreasonably hard at parts and hours on the same few seconds of game is never fun.

In the year 2511 in a densely populated city called the Sprawl, Isaac Clarke wakes up wearing a straight jacket. Things are disorienting and dark. A man is standing in front of him talking quickly as if something is wrong. He's telling Isaac that he's got to get out of the Sprawl, that they've got to go now. Before he has a chance to free Isaac's bonds, a necromorph attacks the man from behind, impaling him with its razor-sharp limbs. Isaac shrugs the man and monster aside and begins running for his life, through dark and ruined corridors. All around necromorphs are appearing, snarling and pursing Isaac as he flees. So begins Dead Space 2.

The game is a direct sequel to the bestselling Dead Space. It continues the story that began with the events that happened aboard the USG Ishimura and the return of the Marker. The Church of Unitology is expanded more, as is the science and culture of the times. The Sprawl is located on a shard of Titan, a moon of Saturn, and this metropolis is basically one large space station. Schools, hospitals, churches, malls, and many other sites exist in the city and all fall to the destruction of the necromorphs.

Throughout the game, Isaac makes his way around the city, looking for a way to stop the dementia affecting his mind and to stop the affects of the Marker. On his journey he must work out many puzzles (good thing he's an engineer) to get through the wasted city.

Many things are similar between the first and second games. Gameplay is practically identical. Isaac still walks around in his rig, armed with stasis and kinesis modules, as well as any weapons he may find along the way. Unlike the first game, Isaac talks this time around, and this change adds more tension to the story I believe. Also, simple jumps in zero gravity are no longer limited to linear directions, as Isaac's rigs have thrusters in their boots that allow for full 3d movement in space. Another difference is the increased graphics and sounds. Dead Space 2 offers a much richer A/V experience, many of which grip the player with fear and tension. Muffled screams and babies crying behind sealed doors are somewhat unsettling. Also with DS2, Isaac can use kinesis to pick up rods and impale the necromorphs if he's running low on ammo, or he can just tear a limb from a dead monster and use that.

Another major addition to this game is the creation of an onlline multiplayer option. The multiplayer has two opposing teams: CEC troops and necromorphs. Like a standard capture the flag game, the CEC team has tasks that need accomplishing in order to win the round. The necromorphs task is always to thwart the humans. Playing as both teams is fun, especially since the necromorphs can see where CEC troops are located, while CEC is forced to trust their instincts.

I was very pleased with the gameplay and plot of Dead Space 2. The campaign takes about 13-15 hours to complete, but replay-ability is a certainty. There are many new types of necromorphs, like the Swarm (see right), little children that are now lethal little pests that swarm and overwhelm Isaac. Several difficulty modes exist, from easy to hardcore, which allows the player only three save points and no checkpoints, less ammo & health, and more difficult enemies. There is the right amount of sci-fi and horror blended together to make the game very fun, and I suspect any fan of survival horror (which, oddly enough, I'm not) would enjoy this.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Dead Space 2. One does not have to be familiar with the first to enjoy this, as there is a "Previous on Dead Space" menu option available to bring newcomers up to par; however, to get the most from the story, I would highly recommend it. Now I'm ready for the next chapter...

Dead Space 2 was one of my favorite games of 2008. The mix of survival horror with the award winning sound and ambiance it produced was an assault on the senses something of which I have never experienced in gaming before. Immediately this game became one of my favorites and is permanently placed in my top 10 games of all time. It's without question that Dead Space 2 was high on my anticipated games list. Could the team behind the wildly successful Dead Space 1 put together another classic or would they suffer the sophomore slump like a lot of games have in the past? After spending a solid 6-7 hours with the game, here's my first impressions.

Dead Space 2 had an uphill battle from the get go following the success of the first. Most people played the game but for those that didn't, how do you bring them up to speed? Include a handy "Previously On..." sort of movie to get them caught up. The option is available from the main menu when you begin a new game and it's a great addition to any sequel, not just this one. This brief movie with a voice over and in game footage from the first game and Extraction (on the Wii, now free with PS3 version) tells the story of Unitology and it's obsession with the marker. The events leading up to the second game end with a brief explanation that Isaac Clark survived the first game only to be "rescued" by a space colony that has him in it's psyche ward. After experiencing the events of the first game, Isaac is slowly losing grip of reality due to the effects of the marker, and with that the game begins.

You take control of Isaac while a man is trying to break you free from your restraints (you are in the psyche ward after all). A nercromorph bursts through the ceiling and destroys the man immediately turning him into the enemy. You get to see this up close and personal and really get a feel for the gruesome nature of the transformation. Unfortunately, Mr. Necromorph didn't get a chance to untie your restraints so you begin a frantic run from all the inmates breaking out of their cells...as necromorphs. After fleeing the scene, you meet up with someone who equips you for your journey and you first meet the voice of the woman who claims she is trying to help you. Without much to go on you have no choice but to trust her and you begin your journey to find her so she can cure your mental illness, something that will eventually kill you if it's not properly treated in time, compliments of the marker.

Dead Space 2 begins extremely strong and it doesn't let up much after that. You'll be in contact with the woman trying to help you from time to time as you make your way through a new ship that is filled with new and exciting areas. On the Ishamura, you were mainly in maintenance hallways and medical facilities. It seemed that everything was very cut and dry. On this ship/settlement, you will see shopping malls, rest areas, crew quarters, and other "normal" areas that you would expect on a space colony. As you travel, you'll notice how a seemingly normal life was blown to hell when the invasion/infestation began. The way the world is set up is very believable. You'll notice pictures on doors or audio logs of everyday life going on as normal just hours before you took control. The devs do a wonderful job of making the world very believable and you can almost feel the dread the resonates off of every corridor in the game.

If you played and enjoyed the first Dead Space, it's almost a given you are going to enjoy the second. It's very similar in gameplay and design to it's predecessor with a few key differences. While the first Dead Space wasn't open world by any stretch, it was more "open" than part 2. Dead Space 2 gives the illusion that you are in a sprawling colony in outer space but you will rarely venture off the beaten path. You will can explore rooms that are connected to the main path, but for the most part, this is a linear experience. Don't be put off by that though. Linear games are inherently bad, they just usually fall prey to bad story or design. This is not the case in Dead Space 2. The linear gameplay adds to the excitement and makes sure you experience set pieces and story in the manner in which they were created.

Gun play and weapons in general are identical to the previous game. You aim and fire weapons with L1 and R1 (on the PS3 version, which is what I'm playing on) and the alt fire is the R2 button. I'm guessing on the 360 version it's flipped with triggers for aim and shoot with shoulder for secondary. The weapons all return with some new ones that I have yet to really start exploring. If you played the downloadable game that came out before Dead Space 2 and/or if you played Dead Space 1 and have a safe file on your console, you will also get some additional weapons. If you have the save file, you'll get the old plasma cutter you had in part 1 just without any upgrades (boo!) and if you have the DLC game you get a Hacker Suit that allows you to hack objects easier in game. Neat additions, but if you don't have them, don't worry, it's no biggie.

The enemies in the game are just as frightening as they were before with some sending that excitement to the next level. For starters, the little kid like enemies are absolutely terrifying if you encounter them without realizing. The first time I found myself up against them I died after being swarmed from all sides. A little tip, if you see them coming, get in a corner so they can't surround you. The other enemies you'll encounter are memorable enemies from the first game and the same holds true as it did then, go for the limbs. I'm sure there are plenty more out there waiting for me as I hit the second half of the game later this evening so I look forward to seeing what the game can throw at me.

Dead Space 2 is an amazing game. If you haven't played the first, I highly recommend you do so as it is a monumental experience that shouldn't be missed. It will also shed light into why Isaac Clark, the main character is losing his mind in this game. That seems to be the main premise of the game up to the point which I made it. Isaac is so affected by the marker in his previous experience that it's literally making him hallucinate and see his dead girlfriend everywhere he turns. He'll see dead bodies flailing when none are there and at one point tried to shove a needle in his eye thinking someone else was doing it to him. He's losing it and we're along for the ride. Will Isaac lose it completely or will the cure be applied before he does harm to himself? We'll just have to finish the game to find out.

So, do I recommend this game? What do you think? The game is fantastic and I hope from what I wrote so far it's piqued your interest. If you enjoy survival horror, welcome to the next evolution. High intensity combat isn't for the Gears of Wars of the world only. You can still have suspense with lots of combat and there's plenty in Dead Space 2. If you found yourself enthralled by the first game it goes without saying that you will be equally if not more enthralled by the second. The devs listened to the fan base and they developed a well polished game that has done nothing by improve upon it's prior formula of success and deliver on all promises of a superior product. I have yet to play the multiplayer, but from what I hear it's similar to the BioShock 2 multiplayer: decent, but not needed in the end and forgettable after a couple months. With a game as good as Dead Space 2 is turning out to be, multiplayer will be the last thing on your mind.