Dead Space 2

Rating: M

Score: 7.0/10

So you're trapped on a dark, abandoned spaceship full of aliens. What do you do? If you're most people, you'd spend most of your time being scared or being food. Not Isaac, that insane engineer takes any and all guns he can find and starts running around. So, of course, the story follows Isaac in his adventures around an infested ship. Can Isaac survive? This game is available for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC.

Let me elaborate on the story. Isaac is continuing his adventures from the first game, where he had contact with a mystical artifact and then promptly went insane. Not all stories end in the hero being perfectly fine and getting what he wants, especially so in survival-horror games. While doctors are examining Isaac, they are attacked by an odd insect-like alien swarm and Isaac is one of few that survive. A lady named Daina, who knows more about you and who's at fault, contacts you and leads you. Another man, called Stross, contacts Isaac as well about the artifact from the first game, and tells how they must destroy it. Stuff happens, and monsters jump out.

And monsters jumping out is the name of the game. Any time they can get a cheap jump-scare, they go for it, to the point of obviousness. The first time a monster I thought was dead jumped back up I may have had my heart stop, but by the time almost all dead bodies were guaranteed jump-scare set-ups, the surprise lost its charm.

Every level is dark and narrow, and you're given only a small flashlight to light the way. Gee, it's like the game designers didn't even know they were making a horror game! It's no surprise the aliens chose this ship to invade- it was already dark and depressing; they were just waiting for an invitation.

So, strong emphasis is put on atmosphere, and less so on combat, which is...simplified. The special attribute here is that it's much more effective to shoot off the monster's limbs, which instantly kills them, instead of shooting their bodies. Such precise aiming can be difficult when you're surrounded by the guys, but it's faster in the long run.

Throughout the game, you collect money and nodes. The money can be spent buying ammo or new armor/weapons, while the nodes can upgrade equipment. You can even buy nodes if you have a few extra 10K lying around. Needless to say, you're supposed to have low amounts of everything, noting the "survival" part. It plays the part well, unlike how, say, Alan Wake handled combat.

Why am I referencing Alan Wake? Because this game reminds me of it, a lot. Both are very atmospheric (and they based the game on that atmosphere), and are light on the combat aspect. Difference being gamers like Alan Wake's story, Dead Space 2 is not nearly as gripping, and it's a lot sillier, less immersive, and much less thought-provoking. Does that make it not as good? Well, frankly, yes, since the game is lackluster on its scares.

In itself, Dead Space 2 isn't a bad game. It's interesting, unique, and entertaining. It unfortunately just happens to be too slow, too calm, not to mention the poor multiplayer. While it's certainly no gem, it doesn't get lost in space.