Zero Punctuation: Dead Space 2

[googleback]

I really loved this game, and the first. I start most horror games on the hardest difficulty so I am genuinley scared when I have to go up against big room fulls of enemies with limited health and ammo.

FORCE GUN FORCE GUN FORCE GUN STOMP!

but I think this game could be improved in three ways.

1. MAKE ATTACKS DAMAGE ALL THE TIME... I HATE it everytime I use my savoured ammo on an enemy and it does nothing because he's halfway through an animation...

2. Let us destroy the gravity in almost any room. that would be really cool.

3. I was hoping when they said they were making a sequel that there would be some sort of customisation to the look of Isaac's weapons, like a spiked shield on the end of the line gun or something, improvised weaponry would be awesome (especially seeing as you're playing as an engineer)

 

[Random7]

Awwww hell no! He did not just diss Resident Evil 4 did he?

 

[sazzrah]

Actually there is a scene in Dead Space 2 which is very similar to the hacking off your finger part of Heavy Rain. I can only assume you hadn't got to that part when you wrote this review, Mr. Croshaw.

Let's just say it involves a needle and your eyeball.... euch.

 

[greyseven]

Action horror. It's more like frightening than anything. With this game, you need to put it on the hardest difficulty to play in order to get the full feeling.

 

[DaveTheJackal]

The game does lack some of the neat sound design from the first but the the main feeling I got as I played (past the awful first few levels) was of Isaac's increasing desperation. Indeed, through the latter parts of the game being pursued by something I hadn't a hope of killing, I just ran. Shooting only when cornered and absolutely necessary. Unlike some friends I also never replayed a part because I thought I "hadn't done well enough", only ever returning to the last checkpoint when killed. This meant I was often short of ammo/health etc (especially after one of those beserk "sh!t" they're all over me!" sessions) and that's when the fear sets in. It's the only way to play a game like this, cruise through maxed out on everything and you're never going to get it.

Limping through a corridor having just taken a helluva beating, hoping nothing will leap out of you, 20% health and only 3 shots left in your plasma cutter FTW.

 

[Reed Spacer]

It'd be a bit hard for Ian to be voiced by Orson Welles, since he's been dead for 26 years.

Granted, that'd be kind of cool...

 

[Roxor]

What? No bashing the game for its price? I would have thought that was right up Yahtzee's alley. You have seen that the game's price on Steam is USD $70, right?

I didn't think terribly highly of the first Dead Space game, and even then, I only bought it because it was on sale for $10 on Steam.

 

[mptothedc]

Unsurprised at the number of references to your Dead Space 1 review, since from what I've heard Dead Space 2 is really quite similar.

From all the reviews I've heard and read, Dead Space 2 is mostly Dead Space 1 with an extra helping of bland thrown in. The game actually punishes you for letting the enemies get up close so you can use the dismemberment tactics.

Silent Hill 1 and 2 were the last games to get atmospheric horror right. Silent Hill Shattered Memories did a decent job with it, but it could have done better.

Ohhhh yes Silent Hill Good scary times. I was a kid when I played the first Resident Evil so that was pretty scary too lol

 

[Something Amyss]

I'm impressed with your knowledge of physiology, not just "dead space" but on dismemberment.

Just don't ask any questions about his day job. Seriously.

*whispers* I hear "freeware adventure games" is a euphemism for "re-enacting "Saw" with random people."

I dislike the notion of "horror" being little more than cheap scares, which seems to be the depth of the "horror" in this game. And most.

 

[Chris Madden]

Yahtzee is awsome i use his review's to think about what games are good or just a big piece of crap i think Yahtzee should a comedian for making funny game review's

 

[duchaked]

so if Yahtzee can just try to see the Dead Space games as more like SAW and less like...something that's less about the psychological horrow and more about the horrow of sheer gore then he'd like it more?

not that...either would make a difference for me since I'd be crapping myself either way =.= def not designed for this kinda stuff haha

 

[the sighing shoe]

I dunno i didn't really agree with him on some parts. Sure the vent thing was over used but I played this game starting on the hardest difficulty available turned the darkness way down so i could barely see unless there was a fire or my flashlight was on and spent most of the game limping down hallways hoping nothing would jump out and tear my throat out before i found some bandages. So the hardest difficulty really brought out the OH SHIT part of the game for me. Not to mention I like to do the challenges (for those who don't know they are player induced rules to make the game harder) and for me that was to never buy ammo only to get it from enemys... so halfway through the game I'm half dead and praying the next thing to jump out can be killed in 2 shots or is slow enough i can run from.

 

[Sprizmo]

I find plenty of reasons to love Dead Space but I sure do love hearing Yahtzee take issue with it.

 

[ModSquad]

Thanks for the great review, even though its a lot like the first, I'm still going to buy it anyway since this is a series I want to see more of.

Who knew dismembering babies was so fun?

 

[fates_puppet13]

the air harrier thing was also in the original devil may cry
and you could argue starfox but thats not really harrier and more just regular spaceship
its been around for years
but the trend has been going up since dark void

 

[kidragakash]

lol... 2.20
Anastasia music box (made by San Fransisco music box company).... anyone else spot that?

I got mine still in my cupboard.. sans blood...

 

[MorkFromOrk]

In DS1 I quit around level 8 or 9 because I just got fed up with being locked in a room whilst swarm after mob, after swarm attacked me. That's basically what the first game ended up being, a locked room, a bunch of monsters to shoot and a whole lot of frustration. Couldn't relate to main character, it wasn't that scary (sorry already played Doom 3). DS2 was much improved and I was enjoying it up until, lo and behold, chapter 8-9 when it became frustratingly hard and I ended up have to die my way through the game numerous times. More stupid locked rooms where everything can come in but you can't even jump out a broken window, more never ending mobs of 10 different kinds of necromorphs (including cousins of the children-monsters of Doom 3) to endless shoot at till all your ammo and health are gone and then oh look 20 more necromorphs just arrived.

Actually made it to final boss battle when I gave up on the game having my frustration overloaded.

 

[Myiven]

I still think the Dead Space series is a copy of the earlier (and horrible) Run Like Hell, except with no friendly space hippos.

 

[Dfskelleton]

Just bought this...
I thought you were overexxagerating with the guy's face flying off for no reason, which is why I started laughing when it happened.
Also, is it just me, or is Dead Space 2 harder? I usually find myself with no ammo whatsoever and no health whatsoever.

 

[samaugsch]

so if Yahtzee can just try to see the Dead Space games as more like SAW and less like...something that's less about the psychological horrow and more about the horrow of sheer gore then he'd like it more?

not that...either would make a difference for me since I'd be crapping myself either way =.= def not designed for this kinda stuff haha

It's spelled "horror", just so you know.