Dead Space 2
Review
Isaac returns, and so have the Necromorphs
by William Thompson
reviewed on PC
“I got signals. I got readings, in front and behind”
Weapons are great, unless controlling them is dreadful. But I must say that the control scheme works extremely well, especially the interface. The screen is left uncluttered due to the fact that all the health and weapons details are included on Isaac’s RIG, on the rear of his suit. Health is indicated with a health bar that runs down the spine of Isaac’s suit, whilst his Stasis energy is indicated closer to his shoulder. Ammunition too, is easy to keep track of, as the number is displayed above the weapon after each firing. Mission objectives are easy to keep track of too, with the use of Isaac’s tracking device. Pressing B will show the direction of the mission objective, meaning that you will be unlikely to get lost. And the fact that you don’t have to keep switching backwards and forwards to a map screen is a welcome touch. The inventory screen too, is only a button click away, just in case you want to check how many med packs you have remaining.
The movement controls for Dead Space 2 are pretty standard for any third-person shooter (or FPS for that matter). The WASD keys provide the movement, whilst the mouse does the looking, aiming and firing. I did find that Isaac’s movements are somewhat sluggish even when he is running. Maybe it just seems that way because I have been playing some fast-paced shooters recently. I do feel that this is as designed by the developers as a way of increasing the tension.
“Get away from her, you bitch!”
But it isn’t just the lack of pace in Isaac’s movements that increases the dread. The audio visual experience further enhances the apprehensive feel to the Dead Space 2 story. The Necromorphs are suitably gruesome, but personally I didn’t seem to be at all frightened by them. I always had my Plasma Cutter (or other weapons) ready in case one jumped out at me. Sure, I would occasionally fire a couple of shots into a lifeless body to make sure that it wouldn’t spring up. Maybe Isaac could have used one of the movement detectors used by the marines in Aliens to know what was ahead.
The thing that really got me was the eerie feel of the locations. The flickering of lights as you walk past, the dripping of water in bathrooms, the copious amounts of blood splattered throughout the levels. It all helps to continue the uneasy feeling as you progress. The locations are often dark, setting the scene for something to jump out of the shadows at you. This is not always the case, but you are expecting something to happen around every corner. Indeed, you may often be looking for something that is just not there.
The audio is brilliant. It is probably the audio more than anything that sets the scene and the ambience of the game. The eeriness is enhanced substantially with the use of sudden noises and the squeals of the various Necromorphs. The screams and hollers of their human victims are even more haunting and disturbing. The voice acting, especially that used in the communications with Isaac, also furthers the impression that all is not right within the Sprawl environment and in Isaac’s mind.
“That’s it man, game over man, game over!”
From start to finish, Dead Space 2 certainly kept me intrigued. Although I wasn’t overly fond of Isaac’s lethargic movements, I can certainly see a reason behind it. The only other real gripe I have with the game involves the settings. Although some areas are quite large and open, I still found that most of the game takes place in corridor-type settings. But, those are the only two issues that I really had with the game. The audio is simply astounding and combined with the graphics set the spine-chilling tone of the game. If something wasn’t charging towards you, there was always the feeling that something was just about to do so. The gripping story will keep gamers glued to their PC for 12-15 hours and when they are done with the single player story, there is always the multiplayer where you play either the humans or the Necromorphs (which, personally are more fun to play). With such a great offering, I am left looking forward to what the team at Visceral Games has in store for the next chapter in the Dead Space series. I’m hoping it’s better than the third movie of the Aliens series.
8.6
fun score
Pros
Audio and visuals really enhance the haunting storyline. Fun to play as Necromorphs in multiplayer.
Cons
Although the areas are larger than the original, it still seemed like more ‘corridor walking’
