Review: Dead Space 2 (360/PS3)

In space, nobody can hear you scream. In an EA marketing group, nobody can hear you criticize the online pass. Dead Space has returned with more spills, thrills, and most definitely chills, but does this ship have enough going for it to warrant a sophomore flight?

If you happened to miss the original game, don’t worry: there’s a convenient optional in-game movie to help you get up to speed as to why Isaac Clarke starts the game in a straight jacket. The demonic marker that Isaac thought he destroyed in the first game has been reconstructed using his memories as a blueprint, and now, the consequences are starting to show their ugly, mutated faces. It’s up to Isaac to destroy what he’s helped create, and prevent the deadly Necromorphs from spreading all over the universe. That is, if his own personal demons don’t kill him first. At the end of the day, Dead Space 2’s narrative is passable enough to keep you going, with a twist or turn here and there to keep you guessing. Just don’t get too attached to any of the characters. Half of them die before they get a chance to prove there’s more than one dimension to their personalities, and even most of the villains manage to bite the dust before you’re given enough time to develop hatred for them.

In terms of actual gameplay, Dead Space 2 has remained almost completely unchanged. The few new weapons available do little to hide the nagging feelings of Déjà vu, and strategic dismemberment of your enemies’ limbs is still the most efficient way to kill them. That said, two years down the road, it’s still extremely satisfying being able to blow every single limb off your foe’s body; it’s just lost a bit of the initial “wow” factor the original Dead Space gave. The upgrade system has been tweaked for the better, though. A more focused layout than the original ensures you’ll always be just one power node away from the upgrade you want, and that “dangling carrot” factor alone could be all you need to motivate you to the next chapter. Speaking of chapters, this game seems to be a little short on them. Playing through the story mode took me ten hours on normal, but that’s because I was doubling-back often to make sure I got the most out of the scant ammo and med-packs the game was giving me. A more skilled and efficient player could probably breeze through the entire campaign in a single sitting. Good thing, then, that there’s multiplayer, and this is where Dead Space 2 really shines. It’s hard to say which side is more unbalanced in this mode: the time-slowing miners, or the almost impossible to hit Necromorphs. It’s a rare occasion where both sides are so overpowered that it makes the overall experience more fun, and with 50 levels of upgrading to go through, there’s a lot of fun to be had. Just be aware that like all EA games, you’ll have to fork over an extra $10 to enjoy the multiplayer longer than 2 days. [EDITORS NOTE: If you purchase the game new you will not have to pay anything extra to access the multiplayer content.]

In the end, though, atmosphere is king in horror, and Dead Space 2 has that in spades. Two moments in particular stand out in my mind (both involving babies, coincidentally), and if you were thinking about getting surround sound speakers, now’s the time to do so just so you can hear every little creak, distant footstep, and low-pitched snarl coming from the shadows. Horror games haven’t looked or sounded this good in a while, and if nothing else, you definitely won’t be forgetting your trip to the Sprawl any time soon. Just pack lightly. Unless you care about bonus suits and paying extra for multiplayer, it’s a short trip.

Submitted By: WhatTheFnu (Customer)