Review: Dead Space 2

Visceral Games, an EA studio that’s been around for a little over a decade, didn’t have a very humble beginning.  For the first five years of its life it focused itself on creating new titles under the James Bond license that ended up being footnotes rather than becoming as famous as the quintessential Bond game Goldeneye for the Nintendo 64.  In the last year of the previous console generation though a group of designers got together and created a prototype for a survival horror game. However, seeing as it was still just a proof of concept and the console transition was about to take place they decided to flesh out their prototype on the next generation of systems.  In 2008 Visceral unleashed their first new IP in the form of Dead Space, a title that went on to rave reviews as a title that breathed a little more life into the dying survival horror genre.

Both EA and Visceral saw the true potential of Dead Space as a franchise and so while EA has been working hard to create more back story and expand the universe through books, movies, and even a comic book Visceral has been hard at work on a full-fledged sequel.  But can an American developer strike gold twice in a row in a genre dominated by Japanese giants like Resident Evil and Fatal Frame?

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A Divine Relic, Made by Man

Dead Space 2 takes place three years after the Aegis VII incident.  Isaac Clark, one of the few survivors of the Necromorph infestation caused by the Red Marker, awakens in the psych ward of a hospital on The Sprawl, a large space station built on top of the remains of the Saturn moon Titan.  As Clark comes to a man is trying to rescue him from something but before he can say what it is a Necromorph blade pierces the man’s chest and infects him on the spot, transforming him into one of them.  Isaac runs and just barely escapes the facility, learning through a woman named Diana that another Marker has been constructed on The Sprawl and was activated.  Hunted by both the Necromorphs and humans and haunted by the visions of his dead lover Nicole, Isaac sets out to escape the station before it is too late.

Isaac’s story in the first Dead Space was a slowly paced tale that was only revealed through logs and messages left behind by the dead.  Dead Space 2 on the other hand is far more fast-paced given that, instead of arriving on the scene long after the infection has devastated the area, it is occurring all around him as he progresses.  This change of pace greatly compliments an already good survival horror story and its told-on-the-fly manner makes it feel more like an adventure than a haunted house experience.

While the story does contain the usual assortment of friendships, betrayals, lessons learned and loves lost what I found to be one of the more interesting elements is the fleshing out of Isaac Clark’s character.  As is so often the case with main characters in games these days Clark was a silent protagonist throughout almost all of the original Dead Space.  In this game however Clark is fully realized with a voice of his own as well as his own motivations and desires.  Clark’s dementia also has him suffering through painful visions that warp the surrounding environment and have him constantly questioning his sanity.  Clark’s anger, frustration, and exacerbating mental condition will have you rooting him on as he makes his way through the infested station. 

The story of a game for me is probably the most important aspect of a game and I can’t help but say that Dead Space 2’s narrative is excellent.  Clark’s adventure through the dying Sprawl space station adds greatly to the already interesting Dead Space universe and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the majority of the experience.  The ending is especially enticing and gives cause for speculation regarding an inevitable third title and the eventual singleplayer downloadable content Visceral has coming down the pipe.

Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die

Dead Space 2’s gameplay is not so much an overhaul of the first game’s successful formula as it slight refinement with a few tweaks here and there that add to an already great gameplay experience.  After all, why mess with a good thing, right?  Many of the primary issues we had in 2008 have been addressed in Dead Space 2 if not cut entirely from the game.

One of the main issues that were universally cited was the enemy variety present throughout the original game.  In Dead Space there were only a handful of different varieties of Necromorphs that you’d encounter throughout the game.   Even in large encounters you would only fight one or two varieties of Necromorphs at a time.  Visceral has thankfully addressed this issue with several new species of Necromorph, all of which feel unique and not a rehash of previous ones.  The Puker, probably the most human-resembling enemy of the game, is encountered early on and, living up to its namesake, fires an acidic projectile vomit which also slows down Clark’s movement.  The Pack, a Necromorph infection of a child, attacks the player in groups and, though easily taken down, is fast and agile.  The Spitter, similar in appearance to the common Slasher throughout the franchise, also has a projectile attack though not as powerful as the Puker.  The Stalker though is probably both the most interesting and terrifying of the commonly-found Necromorphs as they work together in packs, hide behind cover, and charge the player intent on smashing into you with their thick skulls.  The variety presented is excellently done and makes the cast of enemies feel more rounded out and challenging than they were in the first game.

To counter these new enemies though Visceral has given us some new weapons that have quite the bite attached to their bark.  One of the more dominant new additions to the arsenal is the Javelin Gun, a weapon that pneumatically fires spears and can stick an enemy to a wall in addition to alternate fire mode which sends out a bolt of electricity, potentially frying nearby Necromorphs.  Players can also obtain mines that can stick to any surface allowing you ample opportunity to protect your flank.   The Seeker Rifle, the game’s equivalent of a sniper rifle, is particularly effective when used on long-range targets.  Other weapons have seen some much needed refinements such as the Pulse Gun which now has an alternate fire grenade launcher and the Contact Beam has become less unwieldy than it was in the previous game.

One of the big problems in Dead Space however was how much of a crutch the Plasma Cutter, the first weapon found in the game, could be.  Many players, including myself, found the Plasma Cutter to be the most effective weapon in the game and relied on it throughout the course of it.  Visceral, whether you like it or not, has addressed this as you will often find plenty of ammo for other weapons rather than then one you are currently wielding.  This thereby forces you to utilize multiple weapons and change your strategy making for some intense moments.

Of course a horror game like Dead Space wouldn’t be, well, scary without horror elements in it and Visceral has retained their previous level of scariness this time around.  The usual assortment of monster closets are as frequent if not more so than they were in Dead Space but what separates Dead Space 2 is the inclusion of what I like to call “Nicole Moments.”  In Dead Space you were occasionally guided on the right path by Isaac’s girlfriend Nicole and, though she was actually already dead, the manifestation that Isaac was seeing was actually a projection of the Red Marker’s consciousness attempting to get it returned to Aegis VII.  Though I do not wish to spoil this game’s (you’ve had over two years to play Dead Space so you have no excuse) Nicole she is far more frequent this time around is very aggressive toward Isaac.  The result is similar to the Alma sequences in the FEAR franchise in which she would appear to scare the pants off of you before you get back into combat.  Nicole will often appear to ridicule him and his relationship with her, often blaming him for her death since he actually helped get her onboard the Ishimura.  These moments will left me thoroughly crept out though not enough such that I had to stop playing the game.

We’re All Going to Burn

Despite odd looks all the way around Visceral somehow found a way to translate the Dead Space 2 singleplayer experience into a competitive multiplayer one.  Taking place alongside Isaac Clark’s journey, players either take on the role of a Necromorph, be it a Pack, Lurker, Puker, or Spitter, or a human soldier under orders to help contain the Necromorph outbreak.  An eight player team-based experience, the four human players are assigned to complete certain objective in order to complete an overall mission while the Necromorph team does what a Necromorph does best: kill in the most gruesome manner possible.

Dead Space 2’s multiplayer is certainly an oddball if there ever was one but it definitely draws some similarities to games like Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow.  This isn’t a bad thing but the problem that arises when you have an experience such as this one is that balance can be a very strong issue to address.  Unfortunately, in this reviewer’s  experience at least, this is the case as it seems that the Necromorph team has an almost unfair advantage over the human team thanks to fast respawns and the ability to choose where you want to actually spawn.  As this is an objective only affair (sorry, no team deathmatch variant to be found) and the objectives have to be done in a certain order it turns out that one of the biggest biases is the amount of time to complete objectives is far too short given the length of human respawns and the set respawn points.

For those in for the long haul though (or those who don’t have access to other multiplayer experiences) Dead Space 2 offers an apparently robust selection leveling system.  As you complete objectives, get kills, and fulfill other requirements you earn upgrades and new weapons.  These upgrades apply to both sides so you earn new abilities as a Necromorph as well.  Most of these upgrades are par for the course and will keep a dedicated fan playing long after their initial purchase but for players who haven’t experienced or are already caught up in games with more interesting multiplayer titles like Call of Duty or Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood you might find it hard to stick around for another round.

Altman Be Praised

Dead Space was a very different visual affair from what we usually associate with the survival horror genre.  While the environments in many ways had been done before the enemy and character design were top notch in my book.  Until I played Dead Space 2 I still consider Dead Space to be one of the most violent, gore-oriented games I’ve ever played; that title has now been passed to its successor.   Visceral’s “Strategic Dismemberment” gameplay design is still in full effect in the sequel but the amount of gore present seems to have been increased possibly thanks to the new amount of creatures that stand in your way.  It still amazes me sometimes to see a body explodes after being hit with a round from the Contact Beam, watching the body parts fly off in all directions.  Clearly this isn’t a game for the squeamish.

One of the wonderful things about Dead Space for me was the HUD.  As the industry goes away from a crowded on-screen display with games like Red Dead Redemption Visceral actually put it to use on the character itself, making the spine represent the character’s health and the inventory pops out on a holographic display.  Thankfully Visercal has retain this feature and has even tweaked the quality of the video displays as this time they actually look like they are rendered in real time rather than the pre-rendered sequences that looked a bit blurry in the original game.  The tracker which drew you a line on the ground to your next objective has returned improved as well as it can also point out stores, upgrade benches, and save points, perfect if you find yourself in a pinch with low ammo or a full inventory.

The design of the environments is probably one of the biggest improvements over the original game.  Though I enjoyed the layout and design of the USG Ishimura in Dead Space I couldn’t help but find myself tiring of the same corridor-crawling over and over again with little variation other than the main bridge of the ship itself.  Dead Space 2, set on the Sprawl, is a far more open and varied than the Ishimura ever was and, this time, actually feels far more like a lived-in environment than that of a deep space mining ship.  The Sprawl, home to a million inhabitants, feels as such and includes a deluge of places to explore such as a shopping mall, a large church of Unitology (the main religion in the Dead Space universe and also a main source of conflict), residences, apartments, schools, and hospitals all of which are completely believable.  Fortunately many of these are large and open and don’t necessarily give the indication of a boss fight so you can feel free to explore (mostly) without the cost of a good scare.

The best game design feature of Dead Space in my opinion, and something that just isn’t getting the fair amount of treatment it deserves these days, is the sound design.  Dead Space 2 continues this trend and ups the ante with even better design.  The background sound effects are still wonderfully done and the cries of enemies are fantastically creepy if not terrifying.  The Stalker alone has one of the most terror-inducing screams I’ve ever heard in a video game; I don’t know what they killed to get it but I certainly don’t want to meet it.  The sound design even adds to the dementia Clark is experiencing as you’ll sometimes hear his name said in the background of a sound such as a beep or even in the tail end of a Necromorph’s dying scream.  If you ever needed a reason to buy a surround sound system this is the reason to do so.

Make Us Whole

Dead Space 2 had quite a bit to live up to and it certainly meets if not exceeded those demands.  The story is great and well told, the combat is just as interesting as it was in 2008, and it contains an interesting if flawed multiplayer mode that still adds a strong amount of replay value to the game.  Visceral’s latest installment in their survival horror franchise and an excellent addition to the franchise as well as the survival horror genre as a whole so whether this is you are a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the franchise you’ll find a lot of value in Dead Space 2.  It may only be January but we may already have a contender for the title of Game of the Year.