Dead Space 2 Review

Dead Space 2, developed by Visceral and published by EA, comes off the success of the first game. Introducing new enemy types, a more action-oriented experience and supposedly improved gameplay, the question needs to asked. Does Dead Space 2 still manage to retain that scare factor essential to a survival horror title or has it become just another third person shooter with really ugly enemies to shoot at.

Set three years after the horrific events that took place on the USG Ishimura, Isaac Clarke finds himself strapped in a straight jacket on a mining planet and lucky for him, his best friends are back and they haven't grown any prettier since their last meeting. The Necromorphs are everywhere, but we don't know why and it's up to Isaac to figure that out and decide how to stop them.

The story is quite hit and miss. The Sprawl has become infested with Necromorphs, that much is obvious. But on a deeper level, the story is really about a man who has been scarred so severely by a terrifying event that he's in constant conflict with himself. Isaac is suffering from a severe case of dementia, no thanks to the Marker, and constantly sees apparitions of his dead girlfriend. Unfortunately, while this sets the premise of the game up rather nicely, we never actually learn a lot about Isaac or see him mature as a character.

Basically, the story progresses from point A to point B. Something goes wrong and Necromorphs get in the way, Isaac fixes it, something else goes wrong, then rinse and repeat. There's also a really cheesy plot point further in the game. Nevertheless, it doesn't really detract all that much from the experience; in fact, there are some really great moments where you get to see Isaac struggle with his guilt. Not to mention, what really shines about the game is how incredibly well-paced it is regardless of the mundane plot.

Dead Space 2 is so well paced that you'll be guaranteed to be on the edge of your seat throughout the whole ordeal. Isaac starts out with nothing but a flashlight, progressively getting equipments and weapons to use against the unsightly Necromorphs. The controls remain largely the same as the first game and for those unfamiliar with it, Dead Space 2 is essentially an over-the-shoulder third person shooter. Each weapon has a unique alternate firing mode ranging from grenade launches, proximity mines and even electrified spikes - my personal favourite.