Dead space 2 + dark room + Surround sound = Scared man.
The first instalment of Dead Space made its mark back in 2008 with a believable sci-fi setting and deep atmospherics along with diabolical necromorphs to tear limb from limb. Dead Space also introduced the silent character of Isaac Clarke, an engineer who is sent to investigate a distress signal sent out by the space ship USG Ishimura and finds it is infested with necromorphs. Reviews all over the net praised the game which is what it deserved.
I can safely the first Dead Space was “Awesome”.
Dead Space 2 smashes back at the gaming industry with less of the survival horror elements and more epic action sequences.
Isaac Clarke is back to slay the necromorphs whilst hounding the satanic hallucinations that keep flowing through his mind. These hallucinations are disturbing and set a real tone on the character, Isaacs madness actually grips you, really shows you how messed up our guy is.
The game starts off with a pretty decent bang, some absolutely stunning cutscene moments will be witnessed from the very beginning which are all done with the camera over the shoulder of Isaac.
In Dead Space 2, dismembering the enemy is once again key to defeating the necromorphs. There is nothing more satisfying than lobbing off a bad guy limb and then using your kinesis powers to impale the same bad guy with their own arm. You do it once, you won’t stop. Once you have torn apart your foes why not stomp on them until they drop ammunition, that’s the way to do it, no asking, just stomping!
Throughout Dead Space 2 you will be subject to some of the most amazing action sequences I have ever seen in horror games. These scenes are well executed, and although button mashing is required for some parts it’s still amazing to see and sends your heart beat racing during the experience.
The screeches of the necromorphs are enough to keep you awake at night!
There are some puzzles to play through throughout Dead Space 2, though they are not much of a challenge and can be a little aggravating at times, especially when you have to keep check of your oxygen levels whilst executing the puzzles. Most of the puzzles require you to use your kinesis power to move things around or place objects into a certain location, some pretty simple stuff. There is a few more interesting ideas for you to see so don’t let the bleak puzzles sway you away from this game. In the the first Dead Space you were able to do a “zero-g jump” which basically meant jumping wall to wall in areas without gravity, this was a fun experience apart from Dead Space 2’s zero-g moments are even better. You can now move around in zero-g mode freely as Isaac has propeller rockets in his suit allowing him to moves around at his own accord. Pretty awesome!
The graphics in Dead Space 2 are even better than its predecessor, lighting effects show every shadow in place whilst giving the player some awesome texture visuals. The game looks at its best when the cut scenes fly in, especially the high octane cut scenes which are just stunning! The environment again feels, looks and plays the part well. It’s believable to some extent.
The audio in Dead Space 2 is spot on, weird noises are heard from everywhere throughout and the voice acting is well played along a well scripted narrative. The screeches of the necromorphs are enough to keep you awake at night!
A multiplayer component has been added to the franchise, which may interest some but for most of the audience it’s just like Issac- it’s just not all there. You will get to play as either the humans or the necromorphs. Playing as the humans will mean you must capture objectives whilst fighting off the opposing team of necromorphs, pretty standard stuff. You will also unlock new armour sutis along the way whilst you level up. Playing as the necromorphs is slightly more interesting as it’s just cool to be these abominations hunting don the prey. As the necromorphs you must stop the humans from capturing the objectives, again, it’s simple play. This multiplayer mode can be enjoyable with friends but will dry out quickly. I feel that Dead Space should be a co-op campaign game but who knows what EA may have in store for us in the next Dead Space.
Dead Space 2 is a fantastic game. It’s full of scares, blood spilling and gorgeous cut scenes, and slicing up necromorphs never gets old! I feel it is a shame about the weak multiplayer element to Dead Space 2, it deserves something bigger and better. The campaign clocked in at around 8-10 hours.
If you were a fan of the first Dead Space game then what are you waiting for?
Newcomers prepare to be amazed.
The Bad: Multiplayer is a let down.
Gold Y Award