Dead Space 2 Review

Dead Space 2 continues where we left off at the end of Dead Space 1 (sort of, you will see, no spoilers here?). We return to our role as Mechanic Isaac Clarke, as he is rescued from the distressed vessel Ishimura (from the first game) to Space Station Titan. In the opening scene you observe Isaac being interrogated about the events that took place on the Ishimura. During which he has a fit caused yet again by the marker using the image of his deceased girlfriend in order to try and break him. Game play starts when Isaac is woken up (wearing a straight jacket) by a member of Titan, the station is in chaos and overrun with Necromorph. After the member of the station is slain by a Necromorph, we take control of Isaac wearing his straight jacket and have to run through sections of the station avoiding the Necromorphs as best as possible. After we are safe, it soon becomes clear what has happened, the marker has somehow taken control of the station.

The first hour is all about learning the controls and understanding what exactly is going on.

Visuals: The game and the environments look amazing with much more attention to detail in areas of the ship, where we really get a sense of that just a few hours ago people were living out their normal lives. In DS2 we also get to see a lot more of Isaac, namely his face which was not shown for 3/4 of the first game.

Sound: Cannot fault the sound, it immerses you superbly in the immediate situation Isaac is in. The creaking of the bulkheads and the distant screams and growls that echo in the hallways will have you looking behind on a regular basis. The voice acting is also on top form.

Gameplay/controls: The controls are the same, but the gameplay has seen some new upgrades. One is that in certain sections of the game there are crawl spaces we can use. Nothing major but with Isaac being a mechanic it just seems logical and all the time in them (although we don’t get attacked) you get a sense of being vulnerable and helpless should anything happen. Another new aspect is in the mini game puzzles that pop up all through the game, again the same logic as the shafts and some you need operate while fighting off Necromorphs. Many of the puzzles from DeadSpace 1 also return. the stasis gun and along with the use of explosives etc, to open ways forward.

New weapons/armour: As in DeadSspace 1, DeadSpace 2 gives us the option to upgrade our weapons and armour with power nodes. There are more suits of armour to buy along your journey (and some advanced suits are unlocked when you complete the game first time), the good thing is that any upgrades to your suit carry over to the next one, so you don’t lose out. Weapon wise, we have a few new weapons, most noticeably the Javelin gun which fires long metal spikes into enemies and can impale them on walls (you can also use spikes found on the ground with the gravity gun, to fire them and impale enemies).

In conclusion I really enjoyed DeadSpace 2 , it took the original game and simply cranked it up a notch in such a way that keeps it true to the original. It took me about 9-10 hours to complete on normal difficulty, but still there are a lot more set pieces in this one and some truly are epic, which carry the story along superbly. There are some new great characters to meet and help out, some good and some bad this all adds to the suspense. The story although similar to the first one still manages to engage you in paranoia and anticipation as the events unfold before you. One thing it does really well is that even in the safe parts of the game you still don’t relax, always apprehensive of some strange noise or is something going to jump out of that VENT!!! I would recommend this game to anyone and it is a real blast that will run you ragged.

Copy Protection: Installation Key code required to verify game, and optional sign up for an EA account. Un-installation de-activation required, allowed up to 5 times.

Although the original Dead Space 1was met with mixed views, personally I loved the game and I have to admit I thought they would be hard pressed to do better. But I can thankfully confirm that they have taken the original and upped the stakes with simple ideas and an immersive atmosphere, all the while staying true to what made DeadSpace 1 so great.

Disclaimer:All scores given within our reviews are based on the artist’s personal opinion; this should in no way impede your decision to purchase the game.