Oh Dead Space, you?re so cute, so? mediocre. If there was an award specifically for excellence in outstanding unoffensive mediocrity, Dead Space 2 would win hands down. Dead Space 2 manages to be both technically sound and uninspired at the same time. Technically, Dead Space: a romp through gray hallways with one to many flickering florescent lights, is sound and strong. The controls are what you would expect out of a console third person shooter, The graphics are above average and the atmosphere is well developed and explored. Unfortunately dead space innovates in absolutely no noticeable way and manages to fall flat at nearly every turn. Have you played the first game? If you answered ?yes? than congratulations, you have experienced everything Dead Space 2 has to offer!
Is the story good?
Short version: no. Long version: eh? kind of. The depth of the story is somewhere between Halo 2 and a Ke$ha song. Every twist is beyond predictable, every character is vastly underdeveloped, and Isaac is about as two dimensional as a cardboard cutout of a redcoat from Star Trek. As far as liner storytelling goes thou, dead space manages to conform precisely to the mold. I have a feeling that the writers wrote an elaborate and semi cerebral story about personal struggle and deception; than EA got its grubby little hands on it, ripped it apart in a series of focus groups, as regurgitated the remains on Visceral studios? back patio.
Excluding the very, very end of the game, the story is essentially Gilligan?s Island in space. Every attempt to get of the station is met with failure and a vague excuse to try it all again in a slightly new way. There?s nothing wrong with the story of Dead Space 2 when you get right down to it, it?s just so uninspired and unoriginal it hurts. If you?re considering buying Dead Space because of the promise of a developed and strong story, you need to look elsewhere. That?s unless you?re the target demographic: juvenile 15 year old's who get a bazar thrill out of hearing the ?F? bomb, liberal use of blood and an immensely easy to follow story.
How?s the gameplay specifically?
Actually, the gameplay in Dead Space 2 is fairly flawless technically speaking. The controls are tight and responsive and BLAH BLAH fracing BLAH! Honestly controls and gameplay are either good or broken. And because Dead Space is not the latter, reiteration of the facts are not necessary.
Some miner gripes do rear there head occasionally. Case in point: Why do I need all these guns? The one you gave me in the beginning was more than adequate Dead Space. Do you feel a need to cram as much useless crap into your game as possible? I already have a two or three hit gun. I understand the other guns look pretty, but I DON?T CARE!
If you?re looking for challenging gameplay, look elsewhere. This game coined the phrase ?cake walk?. Yes, you will die. No, you will never get stuck and throw something at your flat screen. Yes, that can be a good thing. Yes I will stop this gag now.
Is Dead Space 2 scary?
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, NOOOOO!!! The beginning cinematic I believe is meant to scare the player but if we?re being frank here; I laughed out loud. I lol?ed! It was very funny to see EA try to scare me, amusing really. At one point or another, the game might manage to surprise you, than you pull out your giant saw launching cannon thing and blast whatever the hell startled you into meaty chunks.
How are the visuals?
The visuals are decent. I can say this without hesitation: Visceral Studios is very good at rendering gun metal gray hallways filled with flickering lights. Mr. Clark is very well animated and rendered, the enemy?s all move and look as realistic as one would expect grotesque monsters too. But I severely lacks a specific flare that catches ones eye. I do appreciate the loving use of black and bright blues, it gives the universe conformity that can be lacking in other bigger games.
Unfortunately, I kid you not, at one point, deep in the empty void of space I looked out at the once great sprawl, expecting to see a beautifully rendered city teaming with desolation and chaos. Do you know what I saw? A two dimensional rock with several two dimensional cityscape cut outs protruding from it... so sad?
Final thoughts?
In many months? time when we are all basking in the glory of Dragon Age 2 and Portal 2, dead space will be a distant memory. A bleep on the radar of the distant and unexciting past, doomed to be forgotten by all who once claimed to love it. 7.0
Is the story good?
Short version: no. Long version: eh? kind of. The depth of the story is somewhere between Halo 2 and a Ke$ha song. Every twist is beyond predictable, every character is vastly underdeveloped, and Isaac is about as two dimensional as a cardboard cutout of a redcoat from Star Trek. As far as liner storytelling goes thou, dead space manages to conform precisely to the mold. I have a feeling that the writers wrote an elaborate and semi cerebral story about personal struggle and deception; than EA got its grubby little hands on it, ripped it apart in a series of focus groups, as regurgitated the remains on Visceral studios? back patio.
Excluding the very, very end of the game, the story is essentially Gilligan?s Island in space. Every attempt to get of the station is met with failure and a vague excuse to try it all again in a slightly new way. There?s nothing wrong with the story of Dead Space 2 when you get right down to it, it?s just so uninspired and unoriginal it hurts. If you?re considering buying Dead Space because of the promise of a developed and strong story, you need to look elsewhere. That?s unless you?re the target demographic: juvenile 15 year old's who get a bazar thrill out of hearing the ?F? bomb, liberal use of blood and an immensely easy to follow story.
How?s the gameplay specifically?
Actually, the gameplay in Dead Space 2 is fairly flawless technically speaking. The controls are tight and responsive and BLAH BLAH fracing BLAH! Honestly controls and gameplay are either good or broken. And because Dead Space is not the latter, reiteration of the facts are not necessary.
Some miner gripes do rear there head occasionally. Case in point: Why do I need all these guns? The one you gave me in the beginning was more than adequate Dead Space. Do you feel a need to cram as much useless crap into your game as possible? I already have a two or three hit gun. I understand the other guns look pretty, but I DON?T CARE!
If you?re looking for challenging gameplay, look elsewhere. This game coined the phrase ?cake walk?. Yes, you will die. No, you will never get stuck and throw something at your flat screen. Yes, that can be a good thing. Yes I will stop this gag now.
Is Dead Space 2 scary?
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, NOOOOO!!! The beginning cinematic I believe is meant to scare the player but if we?re being frank here; I laughed out loud. I lol?ed! It was very funny to see EA try to scare me, amusing really. At one point or another, the game might manage to surprise you, than you pull out your giant saw launching cannon thing and blast whatever the hell startled you into meaty chunks.
How are the visuals?
The visuals are decent. I can say this without hesitation: Visceral Studios is very good at rendering gun metal gray hallways filled with flickering lights. Mr. Clark is very well animated and rendered, the enemy?s all move and look as realistic as one would expect grotesque monsters too. But I severely lacks a specific flare that catches ones eye. I do appreciate the loving use of black and bright blues, it gives the universe conformity that can be lacking in other bigger games.
Unfortunately, I kid you not, at one point, deep in the empty void of space I looked out at the once great sprawl, expecting to see a beautifully rendered city teaming with desolation and chaos. Do you know what I saw? A two dimensional rock with several two dimensional cityscape cut outs protruding from it... so sad?
Final thoughts?
In many months? time when we are all basking in the glory of Dragon Age 2 and Portal 2, dead space will be a distant memory. A bleep on the radar of the distant and unexciting past, doomed to be forgotten by all who once claimed to love it. 7.0
