Dead Space 2

So what you're saying is, I need to move my ass and beat the first one? Cause that's what it sounds like from here.

Skipped Dante, but getting this first day.

Justin, dont make me fly over there; finish that sucker once and for all.

Same on skipping Dante, but I'll buy this on day one.
Multiplayer scares me a bit, but i love the first game enough to trust the developers here.
Also, a Unitology translation tool would be great.

If it makes you feel any better, I've owned it for months and haven't even cracked it open. I have Dead Space: Extraction too and am only like halfway in that game.

Too many games!

*goes back to playing a remake of a 10 year old game*

I'm in the same boat. I got the first game months after it first came out, and I really like it. I've finished several chapters, but I put it down a while ago to play something newer and haven't picked it back up yet. I agree with Nexus-7: too many games!

At least you have the excuse that Extraction's a prequel.

Once I got into Dead Space, I couldn't put it down. Taken apart, I'm not sure I'd like the game, but it seems conducive to extended stretches of play. I figure that's due to the game telling you exactly where to go at all times.

I loved, loved Dead Space, except the lead up to and the final battle, which was an incredible missed opportunity.

See the end boss battle for me was a total "HOLY SHIT" moment.. Loved the first one, bring on the second one.

On a side note; is anyone else completely overwhelmed with all the solid titles that are out/coming out soon? There aren't enough hours in the day, dammit.

What's huge that's hitting this month? I was under the impression it was going to be quiet (finally) till Alan Wake in May?

There's about two hours of good game in the original Dead Space.

It's only semi-quiet because they delayed Red Dead Redemption into May. We still have Splinter Cell Conviction in a couple weeks.

I thought Dead Space was pretty great. Sure the game is pretty much on rails, but when compared to say the Silent Hill series, which is more of a guilty pleasure(for me) than ever actually producing a game that is truly "good", Dead Space takes "horror" games to another level. Basically, Aliens meets Event Horizon. If that isn't you cup of tea, I can see why people might not like it as much.

Cool weapons, great atmosphere and sound effects, surprisingly solid controls, and a unique approach to killing enemies.

I have to agree with what someone said above though, the last section of the game was a bit of a letdown, mainly because what came before was so great, but it was still worth playing all the way through. Definitely looking forward to Dead Space 2.

So much of Dead Space went like this:

"Wasn't it scary when you fought all those monsters in that boiler room? Hey, how would you like do the same thing, but in a mess hall! Or a hospital! Or, I dunno, how about a terrarium or something."

It's an exercise in diminishing returns. There's some amazing artwork on display, but once the game migrates from being truly unsettling - which a few of the levels, especially the first couple, really were - to being a startle factory, it becomes a chore.

The more I play them, the more I realize how difficult it is to make survival horror fun. Striking a balance between atmosphere, terror, and exploration is really hard for most developers to pull off. I think Resident Evil 4 gets this better than most other survival horror games, which is a shame, since Silent Hill 2, which is the genre's obvious special case, is the most often (and poorly) imitated.

So I entered that Dead Space 2 dismemberment contest a month or so ago. Of course my idea didn't get picked but they did send everyone who entered one of those nifty rorschach things. So if you entered make sure to check your mail box!

Might have to go out and buy a cheap little frame for it.

I'm playing through the original for a second time just for shits, and it still manages to be just as thrilling and scary as the first time. Hopefully, this run through will whet my appetite for the sequel, but after seeing that footage...I don't know.

There is something with the isolation and desperation of Dead Space's story that built a wonderful tension. Clarke basically has to repair the entire ship while fighting these monsters and dealing with the freak shows on board. Meanwhile, he discovers his girlfriend is probably dead, while his only real lifelines are playing Clarke against the other.

Admittedly, the fighting can be rote (I probably didn't use half the weapons), but Dead Space's biggest flaw is building up a story the just colapses in the final chapter. But despite the flaws the game is a pretty great experience for way more than two hours.

I don't know how there can be wonderful tension after you become a necromorph dismembering machine.

Even though it ripped off RE4, the regenerator monster boosted the game's middle act. If DS had used it as Clarke's evolving main enemy rather than RANDOM SPACE SLUG, it might not have dragged so much toward the end.

The tension isn't from necromorph jump scares.

It's more of a story tension. The data logs build. The faint hope of Nicole being alive builds. The crazy doctor and dead crazy captain help. The game builds and builds with each successful repair that's needed, making a player expect all hell to break loose (especially on the colony).

The downside is that it never pays off, but until you realize that, the game does a fine job at building a storyline tension that most players experience in game (while becoming a necromorph exterminator).

It might have been more than a serviceable gumbo of horror game tropes if Isaac Clarke had been a character instead of a stand-in for the player. Occult monsters and unhinged secondary characters are survival horror cliches that Dead Space builds a foundation with, so I can't say I was too absorbed by the story.

I'll say that it doesn't detract from the overall tone of the game, which is its best asset. The score, lighting, sounds, textures, and artwork are what make DS really notable.

Exactly. But the characters and story cliches were very well executed. Add that with the production values and structure of the missions, and it ends up being a tense experience (and not in the "ooooh are they going to jump out and get me way," but in a "what the fuck is happening next" way).

If you're interested in this, the last EA Podcast has an interview with DS's Lead Artist. He goes into the process of designing the ship, the suit and the monsters in quite a lot of detail.

The interface sound effects are what made me love this game... kinda weird, but the "Bwooop!" sounds just fucking rock in that game.

Lookig forward to this, especially since it's supposedly going to merge Extraction with DS. I loved DS: Extraction so much.

Well, with the news that a Move-enabled version of Dead Space Extraction being included in a special edition PS3 version, I'm getting more excited about this. Still don't know how I feel about the new setting and the new look but hey, high resolution Wii game.

So anyone had a chance to play the demo yet? Thoughts?

Damn, how did I miss news of the demo? Right there on the front page. I'm an asshole. I'll play it after dark tonight. I may even drag out my "gaming chair" with built-in speakers and subwoofer that made the first game such a treat. I had grown men drop the controller and say "NO MORE!" when playing in that chair...

It's going to be REAAAALLY hard passing on this game to play Mass Effect 2.

So the demo tells me that Dead Space 2 is getting F.E.A.R.-style hallucinations, 3D zero gravity movement, and a very Nolan North mouthpiece for its hero. It also seems to move a little bit slicker than the first one. I like it, although I wish it weren't so heavy on jump scares.

I liked Dead Space quite a bit, I was sort of hoping as it went along that they were going to go more Lovecraftian with the conclusion instead of that whole big vagina faced tentacle smacking boss battle but whatever. My gf has been talking about Dead Space 2 NON-STOP and I think her enthusiasm has rubbed off on me. Though everytime I see those "Your mom hates this game!" or wtfever commercials I just sort of cringe. I'm not really sure what it is about them that has that effect on me but it turns me completely off to the idea of going out tomorrow and buying this. Am I the only one on that bus? What's the general feeling around here? First day purchase for anyone or a rental? And honestly the multiplayer holds no interest for me at all, I've got Black Ops and Bad Company 2/Vietnam on my plate when it comes to online.

 

As for the demo I liked what I saw but I wasn't really blown away. In the first few rooms I thought they were going for one of those looping room hallucinations and that did get a chuckle out of me. The controls seemed less clunky than I remember but it's been quite awhile since I played the first one. The rushing horde of spindly armed necros and those freaky little babies was alright too from a design stand point, I'm a sucker for stuff like that and I really want there to be a greater variety in the enemy designs. I hope there's more gloom and doom though and it doesn't turn out to be some high octane action adventure.

You will love the beginning, then. It takes a while to build up to the action and even then the game throws a lot of curve balls your way.

 

I don't see this game swaying anyone who didn't like the original (it's a prettier and mildly improved take) but I'm in love all over again.

About to dive in, see you on the other side.

I'm also in for today. I'll probably be fuddling around with the Move the whole time, though.

Getting this for the pc instead of console, hope it's not a mistake...

The original game controlled like jelly on the PC, FWIW. It looks really nice in HD, though.

I don't remember Isaac moving so sluggishly, but otherwise absolutely loving this.

I'm up to Chapter 3 on the PC, and yeah, I'm lovin' the hell outta this thing too. Very cinematic, if also very linear. Controls beautifully, and the animation is fluent and smooth, maxed out. Pretty sure I'll be going through this one more than once.

I think I'm almost done with this...which is bumming me out more than I thought it would. Like Alex mentioned above I don't think it'll sway anyone but once I was back in Isaac's world I realized just how much I had missed it and the trip is too short, just like the first time. I don't think they went out of their way to flesh him out but the character stuff in this one was pretty interesting and I hope the ending doesn't let me down.

I'm only a few hours in, but I'm liking this one more than the first. Navigation is easy thanks to the more linear levels and the hugely welcome breadcrumb gadget, and the atmosphere and sound design are even better here.

 

Dead Space: Extraction on the Move is pretty nice, too, although my fucking wrist is making creaking noises now.

 

 

 THAT...a million times. I haven't had one instance of not knowing where to go and honestly when you've got your headset on, it's dark and there's some little kids voice whispering behind you and banging and skittering in front of you it's really nice to know where to go even if you're gonna poop yourself on the way there. I'm not trying to spoil anything but does anyone have a favorite suit yet? I thought the Vintage one was funny and the heavy look of it made me feel like Isaac's snail pace made more sense.

It's killing me that I haven't got this yet, but with my PS3 game backlog and no time to play anything, I simply cannot justify the purchase. Plus I know if I wait until summer I'll probably be able to pick it up for $20 or something (hopefully still with the Extraction bonus game). Good to hear it's decent though.

 

Extraction is on the Blu-Ray so you should be good. I haven't fired it up yet but there was only one code I had to redeem and it was for the DS2 multiplayer. I haven't played it yet either but I'm assuming if you buy it used you'd have to pay $9.99 US to play online. From what everyone has said though if you skip it you won't be missing much.

Just finished this.  WOW.  Incredibly satisfying and definitely leaves room for 3.

 

This is probably one of the top 3 franchises going right now...this was just an amazing experience.  Not as scary as the first, but better overall.

I'm just starting it, but  i rather like that the game seems to know how to pace itself just right, specially after a massive fight or set piece...hell, the last sequence of the tram ride was one of the most tense and frantic moments ive experienced in a game in ages...it was barely a minute or so long, but just a complete "SHITREALODSHITSTASISSHITSWITCHWEAPONSSHIT:..." moment.

I cant wiat to get some more time with this tomorrow night.

Also, on the pre-order bonuses/extras, gotta love the Rivet Gun...its not the coolest or most effective weapon, but using it makes the game tense as hell, and you do get a lucky shot once or twice with its alt fire mode....also, it was nice that you dont need to beat the horriblly lame "ignition" spin  off to get its bonuses in this game.

Also, if anyone decides to get one of the DLC suit/gun packs, id go with the Supernova pack, since it includes an enhanced version of the GS exclusive Rivet Weapon.

Isn't DS: Extraction only on the first pressing for PS3? I really want to get this, but I'm trying to be mindful of my cash flow until next Wednesday. Yet I still want to get a copy for DS:E. I'll probably end up drunkpurchasing it tonight in Hollywood.

Just got his from my awesome girlfriend for my birthday.

 

Now the only question is do I play now or wait till it gets dark tonight?

Yeah, there are no codes for Extraction - you install it onto your HD, and that's it. The cool thing is that when I inevitably sell this game, I'll still have Extraction kicking around on disk.

You didn't think EA was going to let you play Extraction without the Dead Space 2 disc in the drive did you? It would've been better as a code for the download off of the PSN store. Then you could play the game from your HDD alone.

Yeah, apparently you still need the disc in there for Extraction. Otherwise you could just rent the game and get Extraction for free.

Aw sons of bitches.

 

I'm only running through Chapter 7 right now, but the story objectives make so little sense. I've spent the whole game so far trying to track down and follow disembodies voices, but I'm not sure why. Am I trying to escape? Shut down unitology? Destroy a marker? I may have missed out on some audio logs somewhere, but where DS2 improves upon its predecessor in terms of environment and combat, it has a much weaker narrative. GET ME OFF THIS SHIP has an immediacy that you never really question.