Dead Space 2 Game Review
Written by: Psyko113
I don't think two simple words have ever accurately summed up the experience of playing a game quite as apt as those two.
Dead Space 2 is the sequel to the hit horror game Dead Space (duh!). Taking place three years after the first game, we're again thrown into the engineering suit of one Isaac Clark as he deals with a bombardment of questions about his involvement in the destruction of Aegis 7 and the Marker found on that planet. Not even a minute into the game, and we already start to see Clark's mind screwing with him, as he has visions of his dead girlfriend Nicole taunt him. A few seconds after that, and we're already thrust into the horror.
Stuck in a straight-jacket, with no means to defend yourself, you are forced to flee while Necromorphs pop out of the woodwork to maim your space trotting ass. AND THIS IS ALL JUST THE INTRO LEVEL!
The game, much like its predecessor, does an amazing job with the atmosphere. You'll once again feel claustrophobic and anxious in the steel hallways with their flickering lights, venting pipes and eerie creaking. The lighting is again among the best the current-gen systems have seen, and the sound quality is at the top of the list. This includes the voice acting, which is nearly perfect!
The controls play the same as the first game did, with very little in the ways of improvement. The HUD has a slight redesign to some elements, so for those who played the first game more recently, jumping into DS2 will have about zero learning curve.
The pacing of the story is well done. You know what's going on, but don't know what caused it or who to trust. There's less backtracking this time around (thank the Gods!), but the Sprawl (the facility you play the bulk of the game in) is full of places to explore that are off the main course, but it's not so expansive that you can get too far from your objective.
The enemy variety includes a mix of old and new. Some of the newer designs are a bit more disturbing than others. I don't know anyone who'll see what looks like a slug with a babies face blow someone up like a pack of C4 and want to agree to babysit the next night. There aren't too many new Necromorphs, though, which is a bit of a disappointment. It's one thing to have a few staple creatures appear, considering the nature of how they're created and all, but I feel that in this department they could have used the opportunity a bit better.
It's also interesting to see the ways the technology in the game world has changed. From the look of different objects you can interface with or the HUD found subtly on your RIG, to the appearance of some of your weapons, everything has changed in rather believable ways. The best example of this would be the Plasma Cutter. You can see in an article here the two versions (one from each game) of the replicas based on the item.
The game runs a good lenght, with most finishing the game somewhere between seven to nine hours. The story has a decent share of twists and revelations to it to keep it all interesting without trying too hard. The games conlcusion is fitting as well, both closing the chapter of Clark's adventure and leaving things open for a follow up (as all games these days must do).
With so few horror games out, this series still does a great job balancing the intense action with creepy atmosphere that the genre needs to maintain. If you were a fan of the first game, you'll have a nerdgasm with this one!