Dead Space 2

Dead space 2 is everything a sequel should be... It carries all the same charm, horror, gore, stunning graphics and fluid game play that the original dead space offered, only everything has been tweaked and refined to give the game a much more enjoyable and smoother experience. Melee attacks are fast and fluid, the camera moves much quicker and more responsive, telekinesis is more effective, and the anti-gravity rooms now let you fly freely in any direction you like instead of only being able to jump from platform to platform. Again there is no HUD, all the information you need (ammo count, stasis charge, health) are all visible on Isaac's suit which I personally feel is an excellent touch as it frees up the entire screen from cluttering health bars and ammo counts, plus it means you're view isn't obstructed when you catch a glimpse of a "stalker" (a new enemy for dead space 2) peeking his head round at you in the distance waiting to attack.

The game carries on the story from Dead Space one following Issac Clarke, an engineer who was aboard the Ishimura searching for his lost girlfriend. 3 years after the events of the original Dead Space Isaac wakes up on a huge space city called the Sprawl. He has no idea how he got there but he needs to escape and put an end to everything once and for all. After all the trauma Isaac experienced during the events on the Ishimura he is now suffering with dementia and constant visions of his dead girlfriend. Isaac's mental instabilities add a really engrossing twist on the story and you never know when he is going to have a vision, they are very unpredictable and can make you jump out of your skin if you're not prepared for it.

The game is a lot moodier, darker, eerier and sicker than Dead Space and the whole experience is one freaky thrill ride from the word go. If you played Dead Space 1 then you will soon feel right at home because (like nearly all sequels) the game is inevitably similar to the original. Which is always a good thing as the original game is fantastic. Like I said it's everything a good sequel should be, similar to the original only all the bad bits taken out or improved which is exactly what Visceral games have done.

As the game progresses you acquire an outstanding arsenal of weapons all with unique features and cool secondary abilities, with the same upgrade system as we saw in Dead Space 1, power nodes are still expensive so save as many credits as you can if you want to upgrade your gear.

The controls have been adjusted slightly so reloading is more straight forward, just simply press X instead of holding Lt and pressing A, and the whole character movement has been tweaked to perfection.

The game will only take around 7 - 10 hours to complete on the casual or normal difficulty setting, but if you want to lengthen the life span simply put the difficuly to survivalist or zealot. Once completed you can then have another difficulty setting; Hardcore. Once completed on any difficulty setting hardcore is unlocked. It sounds ridiculous and I doubt it's something I will try as it sounds like it will be more frustrating than fun... Only 3 game saves allowed during the entire game, ammo health and credits are limited and the enemies are more brutal than ever. Sounds impossible! May be worth a shot someday?

Anyway, overall I am hugely impressed with dead space 2 and will not be trading or selling this game in as it's a definite keeper. The dead space 2 demo really doesn't do the game justice, and if you're still unsure whether to buy it or not then rent it for a few days then decide.

Enjoy.

Dead Space 2 is simply one of the best games I have ever played.

SINGLE PLAYER
You resume in you role as Isaac Clarke from the first dead space, awakening on a giant space station on one of Saturn's moons know as "The sprawl". Straight away things go wrong and once again you find yourself in the middle of a Necromorph outbreak, but this time, you battling against your mind as well.
Isaac is no longer a silent hero. He has a voice and a face. In my opinion, this is great, as the player now feels more emotionally attached now he's a person, not just a mute shell.
The main story line is good, and there are some really good plot twists at points. But the best thing about the story of the game is Isaacs battle with his dementia. Hallucinations make for great Jump scares, and you can feel the emotion as he battles with his inner demons.
As for game play, the environment is great, and is beautifully complimented by the music. It sets up a real atmosphere of tension and fear. To this day this is one of two games that have scared me, and that is not an easy thing for a game to do!
The control system is great. The Resident Evil series should take note, Being able to move, AND aim? Shock horror! But in all seriousness the controls are convenient and easy to pick up.
The weapons are very, very cool, the javelin gun and the seeker rifle being two of my favourites. Stasis (the ability to slow down enemies)and kenisis (being able to pick up objects and throw them at enemies)add a whole new dynamic to combat. Using stasis on an enemy, shooting his arm off the using it to pin him against a wall never gets old.
Dead space 2 has some seriously epic set pieces in it, my favourites being flying through space dodging debris, dangling upside down by a cord whilst having to fight of Necromorphs and doing some kind of eye surgery on yourself. There are also plenty of gruesome and brutal death sequences for when you fail at these parts
The game is made up of 15 chapters, and is a perfect length, not too long, not too short. And once you completed it you can just use the new game+ mode, allowing you start a new game with all your stuff from a previously saved game! There are 4 difficulties to choose from: Casual, Normal, Survivalist and Zealot. Also, once you complete the game you unlock a special new difficulty: Hardcore mode. In this mode, there are no checkpoints and you can only save 3 times. On top of that ammo is extremely scarce and enemies are super tough. And people say the game is too easy!
There is so much I love about this game, I can't possibly fit it In one review!

MULTIPLAYER
Well, what can I say. The multiplayer is just awful. No joke. The Necromorph controls are really confusing, and you are totally out weighed, the human team nearly always wins. On top of that the whole idea behind the multiplayer is boring too, just go over there, get the thing, bring it back over here. Done. A better idea would just be to have a survival mode, kinda like Horde from Gears of War or Firefight from Halo.
And now I need to have a little rant. In order to gain access to multiplayer, you need to first use the code on the back of the booklet. However, this code is single use, so if you plan on re-selling the game or lending it to a friend, they can't play the multiplayer. Thinking of buying it second hand? Never fear! You can buy an online pass over Xbox live! FOR 800 FREAKING MICROSOFT POINTS! It would be cheaper just to buy it new instead. This is not the fault of the game makers though, It's EA, as always. They always screw up games. Army of Two- US and Europe not allowed to play together. Mass Effect 2- Need another freaking code for a news thing and some content that should have been in the game anyway. But never have they stopped people playing the multiplayer the game makers worked so hard to make. This is just pointless.

But dispite all that, I'm not going to take even 0.00000000000001 of a mark off Dead Space 2, because the game doesn't need multiplayer. I wouldn't give it any less than full marks if lacked multiplayer, so I'm not going to take off marks for a multiplayer that shouldn't even be there.

SUMMERY
Buy this game. No doubt about. Ignore the multiplayer, just enjoy the single player in all it's gory goodness

Comment with any Questions E.T.C
Sorry bout the long review

This is a fantastic game! Once again you play as the character Isaac Clarke, from the first game. This time, the setting is a huge space station - set in orbit of Saturn's moon Titan - called `the Sprawl'. As a direct sequel, Dead Space 2 is again a horror-survival game. If you enjoyed the first instalment, then in all probability you'll enjoy this game too.

The setting is new, and far larger and grander as compared to the first game, but the 'feel' is similar. The graphics have slightly improved (those of the first game were great, so those of the sequel can only be described as `really great').

A review by someone else acknowledges the graphics and sound are great, and the game play fun, but that reviewer wasn't satisfied - wanting more. I have to disagree with the latter aspect. Yes, it really is fun to play - running around, blasting and stomping alien zombies - and the game is large enough, and demanding enough, to be satisfying. Being a sequel, one should expect a continuation - and that is exactly what Dead Space 2 delivers.

The on-line multi-player is lots of fun. You play as part of a team - either humans or Necromorphs. This addition to the game means that players will be returning again and again ...

If you enjoy sci-fi blended with horror, as a 3rd person shooter / survival game, then this is for you!