There are a lot of great reviews out there, and as of writing this Gamerankings.com has this game listed as a 90% based on 25 reviews from varying sources. Seems like the general consensus is that this game rocks pretty hard, and I agree. I want to take a moment and point out a few things that have caught my eye in the first hour of gameplay, as well as talk a bit about a newcomer to the Dead Space franchise: Multiplayer. I will of course give more thoughts upon the game's completion.
I don't want to spoil too much of the game but the way it starts really sets the tone for how you are to handle, as well as what you are in for regarding, Isaac's mental state. You start the game off with no weapon as well, which builds the suspense even more. I've covered a lot of the uniqueness and positive qualities of the Dead Space franchise in my retrospect, and all of these things are present and for the most part stronger in Dead Space 2: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.The Story - I can tell that the writers at Visceral really adore this Mythos. They've taken the time to expand the storyline so much to create a deep storyline with a cast of characters that you know JUST enough about that surround the Protagonist: Isaac Clarke. The developers even included a "Previously In Dead Space" option at the main menu screen so that you can refresh your memory on the events of Dead Space, as well as Extraction and the animated features. From the first game, you think that Isaac is just on a rescue mission with a sprinkle of gory love story and he searches for the whereabouts of his girlfriend. As they've expanded the game, we find that is definitely not the case. Again, I won't spoil too much. The inner dealings of Isaac juxtaposed with the Religious Cults and death surrounding him really makes for a harrowing experience. They've taken a similar road to Ubisoft and the Assassin's Creed universe, which is definitely a good thing
(ASIDE) If you're a big fan of the storytelling, I recommend maybe pick Dead Space: Ignition for $5.00. It gives you a taste of story along with some interesting, yet quickly tedious puzzles. However, it does give you access to four exclusive rooms in-game as well as a suit Isaac can wear.
The RIG - Not to be confused with traditional HUDs, the RIG system is one of Dead Space's selling points. It keeps you in the action, and really clears up the screen so that you can take in the well-crafted, derelict environments the designers envisioned. Character interaction, health control, ammo, and more-or-less everything else is accessed through this system and really makes for a more streamlined experience.
Combat - Very satisfying. New necromorphs join the party to make for more varied encounters. You have to "Strategically Dismember" your foes, which can be unnerving when in a locked room fighting five of them off, which is exactly what Visceral is going for. Throw some new weapons like the Javelin Gun and a few puzzle/anti-grav sequences into the mix, and you've got yourself a bloody good time.
The Atmosphere - Every environment I've encountered so far has told me different little stories about what was going on, and what happened to make it look so bleak. Items in the world such as chairs, tables, food, and other things have been placed in such a way as to make it seem like everything was, at a time, normal, and that the normalcy quickly was shattered by the infestation. Isaac finds himself amongst the shells of former life. From a Hospital's Children Ward, through a market area, blood is the new wallpaper. From an aural standpoint, the developers took a lot of time to make sure that what you hear, and what you don't hear, scares you. The scurrying of necromorphs through pipes, creaking, gushing blood; These are but few of the noises you here as you nervously creep around each corner.
Achievements/Trophies - Not a lot of people talk about them, but they should. Some people live for achievements in their games. I myself find myself playing a game beyond finishing it just to nab a few more cheevos before moving on to my next adventure. Dead Space 2 mixes these up pretty well, forcing interested players to explore new avenues in killing in order get gain them all. The ever-elusive PENG is back with it's own achievement, as well as some secret ones to discover (Though most of these are probably story-oriented). I really like how none of the achievements are multi-only, which means people only interested in the hefty single player campaign need not worry. This brings me to my next point.
Multiplayer is something that I believe is kind of unnecessary here; Though it is not unwelcome. Following again in the footsteps of Assassin's Creed, EA has bulked Dead Space 2 with a not-too-shabby Mulitplayer experience without skimping on the hefty 12-hour campaign mode, pitting four humans against Necromorphs. Like in Left4Dead, you can finally play as the enemy. Necromorph players are helped out by a few AI-controlled allies. I find this very helpful because I find the Necromorph to be harder to play as, and all it really takes is a single stasis shot along with a few bullets to take most of them down. As a Necromorph, you can everything that one does in single player. You can play as one of four types, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. There is a level-up system, which unlock awards at different levels. In the few matches I played, I had a positive experience. The controls work well for multiplayer unlike some other action games with it "tacked on." It's not ever going to topple CoD or Halo, but it is definitely welcome among most Dead Space fans who have a mulitplayer itch.
All in all, Dead Space 2 in the time I've played it, has provided me with exactly what I wanted: A truly-scary horror/action game that brings the general back from the more action-oriented titles like Resident Evil 5 (not to say RE5 was bad. I enjoyed it.) But that's not to say the game isn't full of action. Necromorphs very regularly want to kill and/or eat you, and Isaac has the right mining tool for the job. There are big sequences that usually end in something blowing up, and you'll use more ammo than you can keep trying to keep scythe-arms out of Isaac's torso. There is a very good balance here: There are times where you'll skulk around corners, scared at every hiss, scrape and bump. There are anti-gravity, space sequences, and puzzles, too! (Oh, my!) Isaac is back, and all is well.
I'll have more on this title after I complete it, as well as more thoughts on Multiplayer. If you have the game, please share your thoughts. I'd love to hear about them!
One last thing I wanted to post here, from Penny-arcade.com really sums up the experience:
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