Nerd Mentality

XBOX 360 REVIEW - Dead Space 2

Posted February 5th 2011 by Frankie Aguilar.

In the world of video games, "sequel" is a very loaded word but as a gamer and a consumer sequel should always mean at least one thing: improvement. The cliche of "if it ain't broke don't fix it" doesn't quite fit in the realm of gaming. A more appropriate adage would be "keep what's great, fix what ain't, and crank it all to eleven". Fortunately for us, Dead Space 2 does just that. Re-cementing its place at the top of the survival horror genre, Dead Space 2 is about as good a sequel as there is, and is a fantastic game in its own right. Necromorphs be damned, Isaac is back.

To truly understand how great Dead Space 2 is, you've got to understand how phenomenal the original Dead Space was. When all we've really had was Resident Evil to satiate our need for pants ruining horror, a dark horse appeared. In a none too original setting, a silent unassuming gentleman is thrust into a battle for his life against a colony of mutated aliens in space. But dispelling preconceived notions, Dead Space shined in its delivery and implementation of everything that has kept the survival horror genre relevant and fresh. The atmosphere and ambiance, the sound scape, the gruesome beauty and terror made Dead Space one of the best games of 2008.

Picking up three years after the events of Dead Space, we find our protagonist Isaac Clarke awakened in a hospital on Sprawl. Sprawl is a sort of space metropolis on Titan, a moon of Saturn. And guess what? He's got amnesia covering up those three years, who would've guessed. What ensues after your awakening is one of the most heart pounding and well thought out opening sequences in recent memory, so good that I can't ruin it for you. What I have to ruin for you however is something entirely new to this game: Isaac speaks.

Isaac speaking is one of the new additions to the game that allows for the overall improvement of Dead Space 2 without straying too far from the working formula. The character development from the first game was heavily based on the silent Isaac doing as he was told and basically running bitch work to try and save everyone aboard the alien-infested mining ship. This time around, Isaac actually speaks to interact with the people sending him for bitch work, and his new found voice helps him develop a personality only hinted at beforehand. His internal struggle with what he's dealing with from his previous outing is very apparent, made more so through the use of flashback, vivid hallucinations and monologues. Isaac is messed up and really has no purpose besides kicking the ever-unliving hell out of the Necromorphs.

The gameplay of Dead Space 2 has been tightened up and streamlined. You're no closer to being Master Chief this time around, but Isaac can still kick some ass. Continuing to employ the over-the-shoulder third person view, combat is swift and methodical. Using a variety of "mining tools" as your weapons, along with some responsive telekinetic powers, Isaac has a new swagger about him. And with the addition of some new Nercomorphs, having increased self confidence and the skills and equipment to match is very necessary.

Where in the first game the enemies varied slightly and consisted of a few annoying swarm and tank style characters, this one evens their overall difficulty out and makes them all frightening to play against. Dead Space 2 really toes the line between creating a sense of fear and foreboding and general irritant. The Dead Space series, like most horror survival games, is one filled with trial and error, but too many trials can lessen the initial fear or tension. Luckily Dead Space 2 manages to stay on the right side of the annoying line and makes the utter destruction of all Necromorphs so rewarding. The glory of the few fantastic set piece battles equals the majesty of the first game. Floating through space never really gets old, and blasting open pressure locks to send the unholy hordes out to their deaths is always fun.

If you saw the GameStop commercial for the pre-order specials for Dead Space 2 you might think the game looks like ass, but nothing could be further from the truth. Sprawl, is visceral and vast at times, which is a far cry from the cramped corridors of the first game. What I found most interesting about the choice of locale was not only the stark change from enclosed and perpetually dark hallways to wide open and sometimes sunny areas, but the game's ability to still scare the crap out of you in these otherwise delightful places.

The simplicity of Isaac's suit design is still fantastic. Disposing of the standard HUD style display of health, Isaac's mining suit displays health on a set of LED lights on the spine, and the amount of ammo is displayed very prominently on your guns. This HUDless approach increases the immersion more so than a lot of first person shooters, and really plays into the fear created by your solo mission. The Necromorphs, no matter how ugly and disgusting they may be still command a bit of graphical respect.

As with every game, though, there must be some let downs. Luckily the let down comes in the form of an (in my humble opinion) unnecessary multiplayer mode. What boils down to a third person rip off of the Left 4 Dead four-on-four battles. Four Isaac clones set out on various missions with a few different objectives and face off against four Necromorphs attempting to destroy the previously mentioned Isaacs. Not that the mulitplayer mode is completely boring; it's actually enjoyable in small spurts. It just has a feel of something that was tacked on to extend the life of the game instead of fully realized mode.

Dead Space 2 is a fantastic sequel and a wonderful game in its own right. It builds upon everything that was great with the first one, and introduces enough well thought out new parts to make it a worthwhile addition to the Dead Space series. With very rewarding gameplay and a wonderfully gruesome art style, Dead Space 2 is establishing itself as the watermark for survival horror. Add with an almost Metal Gear Solid like teaser after the credits roll, we can assume Dead Space will be around for a while.

Tags: Dead Space 2, Dead Space, Xbox 360

Posted in: Reviews, Gaming

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