Dead Space 2

Format Played: Xbox 360
Published by: Electronic Arts
Developed by: Visceral Games
Release Date: January 25, 2011
Score: 85%

The follow on from Dead Space 1 see’s Isaac awake on a space station in a straight jacket. It really isn’t long before you are in the heat of the moment running down corridors escaping monsters coming at you from all sides. Here lies my issue with that previous statement, the second Dead Space removes what was so good about the first one and that was surprise and the way it always had you on edge. DS2 seems to have become more of an action than a horror game, a very good action game but that’s not what it was designed to be.

90% of the game now has music that appears when monsters get close or suddenly turns dramatic and by chapter 3 I already know when I am likely to be attached and where monsters are going to jump out at me from which takes the surprise away. The story line isn’t very strong and most characters are not around long enough for you to build a relationship with or care about them which is a shame.

The graphics and the games’ sound are brilliant, some new enemies are great fun to kill off but don’t really trouble you as much as they should and after the first encounter you pretty much know how to handle them. I do love the new stalker’s which are like Velociraptors that peer at you from behind cover distracting you while another attacks you from the side but again after seeing them for the first time you know when they will appear again just by walking into a room with a maze of creates.

The action moments are very impressive and sometimes unexpected which is perfect and a nice addition, they really put you in the heat of the moment forcing you to react quickly in movie style scenes. Some things from the first game return including your work beach and leaving up weapons with nodes, which still have black slots where you don’t level up anything. I thought it would be better to have every area covered and just have fewer nodes around; I really don’t understand why you have slots of nothing.

First play through of the game took me 10 hours and that was looking in every possible area for nodes and ammo. My second took me 5 hours but like the first game you can carry over your upgraded suit, weapons and ammo which makes the second play through a breeze and also very satisfying. 2^nd time for me was mostly about picking up missing achievements.