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[joms5]

So with October coming to a close so does my 4 weeks of horror games. Since I had played Dead Space last year around Halloween (bloody loved it btw) I wanted to save Dead Space 2 for the end of the month to close everything out.

I was quite excited because people spoke quite highly of it with some even saying it was the pinnacle of the series. With having just finished it, I am confused as to why? I enjoyed the game, would even say loved it until the final few chapters.

Let's talk about the good. Great atmosphere, interesting setting, fantastic shooting and outstanding, and let me repeat that, OUTSTANDING lighting. I just love the feel of these games. Dark, dirty and always thick with steam/fog. Having said all of that, there are areas that are still not improved from the first game, and in fact made worse off in this game.

First thing, this may be personal preference, but why give Isaac a face and voice. The voice acting especially was really poor on his part. I liked the grunting and heavy breathing in the first game, almost as if the fear had him paralyzed to speak. But what makes everything worse is the change in tone in his character when he meets Ellie. Here he is fighting for his life, while seeing his dead wife haunt him and he starts cracking jokes and being a smartass. This comes out of nowhere and was really jarring. It doesn't last long but man does it really take you out of it.

Second, the games difficulty towards the last chapter or so skyrocket. It's not the kind of difficulty where you have to adjust your strategy either. It's the one where they introduce enemies that can't be killed, and that you just have to run away from. That kinda shit.

Finally that story did nothing for me. I enjoyed the bit about him having to let go of his wife. I think those smaller, personal stories are always the more successful attempts in games. Everything to do with the Marker was boring and confusing. So i'm guessing the religious fanatics built another marker from information from Isaac's mind. Why and how I don't know. But I thought the marker created the Necromorphs. So with that destroyed, why are they still around? I could be missing some things here to feel free to help me out. Also that final boss fight was awful.

In closing I will say this. The plasma cutter and line cutter are 2 of the greatest weapons in a videogame. Revisiting the Ishimura was one of the greatest returns to previous games since Shadow Moses in MGS4. Severing limbs is still as satisfying the last time you do it as the first. Damn Dead Space is dope!

GAF how do you feel about DS2 compared with DS1?

 

[superNESjoe]

Haven't played in years but I loved Dead Space 2 just as much as 1.

 

[GavinUK86]

Haven't played in years but I loved Dead Space 2 just as much as 1.

I actually like DS2 more. I also loved DS3 even though most don't. The series did feel like it peaked with DS2 though.

 

[joms5]

I actually like DS2 more. I also loved DS3 even though most don't. The series did feel like it peaked with DS2 though.

Did you play DS3 coop or by yourself?

 

[IdreamofHIME]

GAF how do you feel about DS2 compared with DS1?

DS1 is Alien
DS2 is Aliens
DS3 is Aliens Vs Predator Requiem

 

[hughesta]

DS2 is the only action game to come close to RE4. Phenomenal game.

 

[StrongBlackVine]

One of the best games of last generation.

 

[Sinatar]

Each game in the series ramped down the atmosphere/horror elements and upped the action. DS2 had just enough left to be enjoyable (especially the return to the Ishimura), but it pales compared to the first game.

DS3 was complete garbage.

 

[linko9]

For me it was a step down from DS1 in most regards, but still really good. Story was as you say not great, and the atmosphere from the first game was almost completely absent. You could already see it going in the direction of DS3, though luckily it was closer to the first game than that.

 

[100%TrophyMaster]

It's really kind of funny how it mirrors the action Resident Evil games.

DS1=RE4
Best mix of action and horror

DS2=RE5
Still a decent story. Not quite as good as the previous game but still quality.

DS3=RE6
Too much action. Lack of horror.

Very much hoping for a Dead space 4 but they should ditch the stupid plot from 3 and do a reboot.

 

[Meffer]

I'm not really a player for horror but I love DS2. I have to buy it again.

 

[GavinUK86]

Did you play DS3 coop or by yourself?

By myself.

I did rope in a mate to play the split, co-op only sections after I'd finished the game.

But yeah, single player all the way. And I liked it. I really liked the planet bits. Reminded me of The Thing.

 

[Ahasverus]

I remember reviewers calling it better than RE4 when it released, it's clearly just a generic action-horror game.

 

[joms5]

I remember reviewers calling it better than RE4 when it released, it's clearly just a generic action-horror game.

Hrm.. I mean I can sort of see the comparison but I'd still rather play RE4 over DS2.

By the way one thing I forgot to mention. First game I bought and used 4 weapons throughout the game most of them upgraded. This time I used just the 2 weapons (plasma cutter and line cutter) throughout the entirety of the game. They just seemed the most versatile.

Did anyone else use any other weapons besides those?

 

[GavinUK86]

Hrm.. I mean I can sort of see the comparison but I'd still rather play RE4 over DS2.

By the way one thing I forgot to mention. First game I bought and used 4 weapons throughout the game most of them upgraded. This time I used just the 2 weapons (plasma cutter and line cutter) throughout the entirety of the game. They just seemed the most versatile.

Did anyone else use any other weapons besides those?

Plasma Cutter only through all 3 games is fun.

 

[3DShovel]

I vastly prefer the first game. Giving Isaac a voice took something away from the experience. Also, the scare factor of the first was much more sincere. There were less 'random enemy behind you' moments.

Still really want a remaster collection on XBO/PS4. Probably my most wanted remaster.

 

[lazyguy]

DS1 is Alien
DS2 is Aliens
DS3 is Aliens Vs Predator Requiem

MAN I've been saying this for ages and I felt like people thought I was crazy.

 

[Htown]

I loved Dead Space 2. I honestly couldn't choose between Dead Space and the sequel, as they're both so good in different ways.

 

[GavinUK86]

Still really want a remaster collection on XBO/PS4. Probably my most wanted remaster.

I wouldn't say no to that.

 

[Strangelove77]

I put Dead Space 2 right next to Resident Evil 4 and Uncharted 2 as the best third person shooters as far as gameplay, story, setting, sound and art design go.
And the fucking pacing. The pacing is great, which is what sets these games apart. Other third person shooters may have better gameplay or story, but these games have everything going for them.

I also really like Ellie and I like Isaac having a voice and a personality. Stross is also really memorable.
Dead Space 2 is the whole package. I love this game.

 

[Octavia]

I'm a way bigger fan of 1. I like the setup and execution of the first game a lot more and I feel like it's a better horror game. With 2, I didn't really like the locations as much or how the story progressed. It felt kinda all over the place.

I liked 3 decently. It has some annoyingly weird game design and pacing issues, the story is batshit insane, but it's a lot of fun and has some extremely interesting and original coop ideas that were worth experiencing. I don't really put it with 1 or 2 though, since it's more just an action coop game that you ignore the story in.

I don't think any of the 3 games are masterpieces though. They all have severe issues here or there, but there's a lot of good to be found in-between.

 

[Schlorgan]

Dead Space 2 is pretty awesome.

 

[Officer.Sanchez]

Now play it on Hard Core mode

 

[Bjoern the Smexy]

Now play it on Hard Core mode

Wirth only the Plasma Cutter.

 

[Strike]

Wasn't as scary as the first, but still fun and memorable. Skip the third one if you haven't played it yet. Co-op broshooter with a completely necessary love triangle subplot.

 

[GlamFM]

Dead Space 1 - 10/10 Horror Game
Dead Space 2 - 9/10 Action Game
Dead Space 3 - 8/10 Co-op shooter

Amazing franchise.

 

[Sanctuary]

Haven't played in years but I loved Dead Space 2 just as much as 1.

Hello Alien, meet your sequel, Aliens.

Second, the games difficulty towards the last chapter or so skyrocket. It's not the kind of difficulty where you have to adjust your strategy either. It's the one where they introduce enemies that can't be killed, and that you just have to run away from. That kinda shit.

It's been a while since I've played, but I honestly don't remember there being any (and especially many) unkillable enemies. The Ripper trivialized the majority of the game too to the point where it almost felt like cheating.

 

[HYDE]

DS2 is the only action game to come close to RE4. Phenomenal game.

Don't forget about Evil Within!

 

[Sanctuary]

Don't forget about Evil Within!

You mean the game that started out strong, then had pacing and ideas that were all over the map? It quickly degenerated into RE5 (and worse).

 

[Zakalwe]

It's really kind of funny how it mirrors the action Resident Evil games.

DS1=RE4
Best mix of action and horror

DS2=RE5
Still a decent story. Not quite as good as the previous game but still quality.

DS3=RE6
Too much action. Lack of horror.

Very much hoping for a Dead space 4 but they should ditch the stupid plot from 3 and do a reboot.

DS2 the better game of the three though, but not by much.

 

[GlamFM]

Dead Space 3 gets way too much hate.

It's a great shooter - played with a buddy it's amazing.

 

[the_batman]

Dead Space 3 gets way too much hate.

It's a great shooter - played with a buddy it's amazing.

but it's not scary or tense when you're with a buddy and you have overpowered weapons. i had this one mini javelin shotgun that would wreck everything and i never ran out of ammo because of universal ammo.

 

[Ein Bear]

DS1 is Alien
DS2 is Aliens
DS3 is Aliens Vs Predator Requiem

This perfectly sums up my feelings on the series.

DS3 is absolute TRASH.

 

[GlamFM]

but it's not scary or tense when you're with a buddy and you have overpowered weapons. i had this one mini javelin shotgun that would wreck everything and i never ran out of ammo because of universal ammo.

True. But it was still great for what it was.

Straight up shooter - but a really good one.

 

[c0Zm1c]

DS1 is Alien
DS2 is Aliens
DS3 is Aliens Vs Predator Requiem

I like Alien more than Aliens, and I have fonder memories of DS1 than DS2 so this comparison probably works.

 

[Dusk Golem]

Dead Space 2 ended up being my favorite of the 'trilogy' (though I will always argue that Extraction should be included on Dead Space series list, it's a good rail shooter and probably has the best story in the series!).

Dead Space 1 didn't really scare me, so the 'lessened' horror of Dead Space 2 didn't really effect me. It seemed about the same level of horror to me, just with more interesting environments, enemies, and much better pacing & design (in my opinion). I actually liked the end segment, I didn't die once though since I decided to haul ass and only shoot to stun and not kill.

Dead Space 3 is overstated in how bad it is. I can understand people being disappointed in it, and there are some very ehhh things about it, but it's actually a pretty fun co-op game and has a number of very fun moments and well-done elements about itself, given it also has a few ideas that are dumb, unneeded, and a bit disappointing. All in all though I think it's solid, and I kind of expect when people eventually take off their shit-colored goggles on the game they'll realize it's okay (I'd even argue it's good, just not great).

If I were to rank them personally, I would rank them Dead Space 2 > Dead Space 1 > Extraction > Dead Space 3, but I think they're all worth playing.

 

[Grazzt]

Dead Space 1 - 10/10 Horror Game
Dead Space 2 - 9/10 Action Game
Dead Space 3 - 8/10 Co-op shooter

Amazing franchise.

This is exactly what I feel for the franchise. Loved all of them. Although 2 was my favourite.

 

[pa22word]

Honestly the most memorable thing to spawn from this game has to be the utterly hilarious, embarrassingly bad IGN review more than the game itself.

As for the game itself, I think DS2 is probably the best one. None of them are particularly great--especially with the benefit of hindsight--but DS2 is the one that best mixes the strengths of the franchise together in a coherent package. Both DS1 and DS3 feel like games that want to be something other than what they actually are: DS1, a horror game BUT still an action game. DS3, an AAA 7th shooter $$$hop whale crafty whatever thing romp BUT still an action game with disturbing imagery.

 

[Marvel]

DS1 is Alien
DS2 is Aliens
DS3 is Aliens Vs Predator Requiem

On point.

 

[Dusk Golem]

Honestly the most memorable thing to spawn from this game has to be the utterly hilarious, embarrassingly bad IGN review more than the game itself.

I think that's a personal thing, I haven't played the game since it launched and I still remember a number of areas well. I remember the opening, I remember the hospital area (especially the last few areas and the first boss), I remember the church really well (I got a bit scared there, plus it's when the 'Velociraptor' enemies appear), I remembering a shopping district area, I remember the apartments (and the washing machine kid), I remember returning to the Ishimura, I remember the set-piece boss you get shot into space with, I remember the elementary school location pretty well, I remember the end segment and the final boss. And this is all from someone who hasn't played the game in 5 years and plays a lot of horror games.

I don't remember the IGN review though I'll take a look right now.

 

[redcrayon]

I love DS1 and Extraction, but 2 and 3 just went a bit too full-on shooter for me.

 

[pa22word]

I think that's a personal thing, I haven't played the game since it launched and I still remember a number of areas well. I remember the opening, I remember the hospital area (especially the last few areas and the first boss), I remember the church really well (I got a bit scared there, plus it's when the 'Velociraptor' enemies appear), I remembering a shopping district area, I remember the apartments (and the washing machine kid), I remember returning to the Ishimura, I remember the set-piece boss you get shot into space with, I remember the elementary school location pretty well, I remember the end segment and the final boss. And this is all from someone who hasn't played the game in 5 years and plays a lot of horror games.

Honestly to me the game just felt like Half-Life 2 all over again with a lot of DOOM3 sprinkled in. None of the setpieces were all the memorial in a generation that was oozing with setpieces around every corner. The only thing that the series really had going for it was the dismemberment mechanic, but they never really did anything with it, each game prioritizing ever more flashy gfx over the needs of prioritizing a more advanced physics model that the series demanded in order to really breath life into the mechanics. By DS3 that cycle was basically complete, with the dismemberment mechanic being left as nothing more than a pointless afterthought, a joint shot becoming just as if not more banal than a headshot in any other game.

I don't remember the IGN review though I'll take a look right now.

I'll save you the time:

 

[NiiloPielinen]

Step 1: Crawl inside.
Step 2: The screws go tight, all around. Cross my heart and hope to die... Stick a needle in your eye...

 

[PantsuJo]

DS1 is Alien
DS2 is Aliens
DS3 is Aliens Vs Predator Requiem

Perfect analisys.

I prefer first Alien.

 

[Fleshfeast]

DS1 and DS2 are a couple of my favorite games of all time. I still can't choose between the two. DS1 is more horror with more interesting bosses, but a little clunkier on the controls. DS2 has the smooth and streamlines control, but... well, less bosses I guess. I've beat each of them 3-4 times, and am tempted to play them again every time I think about them.

DS3 was still a good game, but it was a shadow of what it could have been. I still need to go beat the DLC, which I bought at release, but was waiting for my coop partner to start. Now I'm sort of waiting for it to become backwards compatible so I don't have to boot up the 360.

 

[PiPSmallie]

Step 1: Crawl inside.
Step 2: The screws go tight, all around. Cross my heart and hope to die... Stick a needle in your eye...

Loved this.

I wish Dead Space was still going. A reboot/remake of the first could be amazing.

God dammit EA!

 

[pa22word]

Loved this.

I wish Dead Space was still going. A reboot/remake of the first could be amazing.

God dammit EA!

careful what you wish for man

After mirror's edge 2, do you *really* want another DS game from EA? I can see the box lines now:

"DS GOES OPEN WORLD!"

"4 PLAYER COOP GORE EXTRAVAGANZA"

"INNOVATIVE(tm) PLAYER MONSTER MODE! HUNT YOUR FRIENDS IN THE CHAOTIC WORLD OF HEXTROCORDOZON!":

"BEST GAMEPLAY OF THE SERIES YET SAYS IGN, FULL, EXPANDED CRAFTING SYSTEM! NEVER WORRY ABOUT LOOKING FOR MEDPACKS AGAIN WITH IMPROVED HEALTH SYSTEM!"

yeah, no thanks. It'd just be some masturbatory far cry rip off with an event horizon coat of paint.

I still need to go beat the DLC, which I bought at release, but was waiting for my coop partner to start. Now I'm sort of waiting for it to become backwards compatible so I don't have to boot up the 360.

don't be me. my coop friend actually started it with me, and we both wished we had our time back, money or not in hands.

The DLC is nothing more than a few copy/pasted levels from the main game with a slightly different coat of paint, and a intro/outro cutscenes. Just watch the cutscenes and play an hour of a midgame chapter inbetween the two and save yourselves the time.

 

[Dusk Golem]

Honestly to me the game just felt like Half-Life 2 all over again with a lot of DOOM3 sprinkled in. None of the setpieces were all the memorial in a generation that was oozing with setpieces around every corner. The only thing that the series really had going for it was the dismemberment mechanic, but they never really did anything with it, each game prioritizing ever more flashy gfx over the needs of prioritizing a more advanced physics model that the series demanded in order to really breath life into the mechanics. By DS3 that cycle was basically complete, with the dismemberment mechanic being left as nothing more than a pointless afterthought, a joint shot becoming just as if not more banal than a headshot in any other game.



I'll save you the time:

I think there's four other things that set it apart outside of the dismemberment mechanic.

01.) I actually liked the designs of the locations, I definitely remember that. I mean this both artistically and in actual level design, the locations were a lot more varied than the original game, and I think that helped push the rest of the elements. It had the same sort of interesting level design the original game had, while I thought having more interesting visuals and themes to them. To kind of explain what I mean, compared to other 'shooters', the game has an increased focus on areas that twist around themselves, vertical design, there is more side areas to explore as well as not all being rewarding but also danger sometimes in exploration, plus the game did good in mixing in level mechanics and enemies, which I'll get more to in a second.

02.) The enemies were interesting. I'd argue even more-so than Dead Space 1. I cannot understate the importance of interesting enemies in a shooter, too many have squad-based kinds or just humans, but both the designs and the mechanics of the enemies in Dead Space stood out from other games releasing in the time. There's a wide variety that functioned in an array of ways. I think you're understating the 'dismemberment' mechanic along, Dead Space wasn't the only game around the time to have that mechanic anyways. But it pulled it off the best by far, and it was in no small part due to the Necromorphs and their various different variations. They ranged a lot in how they functioned and their design.

03.) It still had a lot of the charm of Dead Space. What I mean by this is a lot of the elements of the original game carried over nicely to the sequel, and many were even expanded on. From the anti-gravity segments, to the upgrade system which doubled as a way to unlock special doors in the game, to the Marker and cult elements still retaining intrigue for audiences interested, to the overrun space station feel (and things that spring from that, such as the destructible windows to suck you/enemies into space, to the vent system the Necromorphs use to follow you between areas if you try to run from them, to the dumb simple engineering system that was a bit fun). I think it still held a lot of the charm of the original game and improved over a number of its mechanics.

04.) To me at least (and apparently many others since I know I'm not the only one to say this), it was very well paced. It was obviously riffing off RE4 a bit (maybe even more so than the original game), but I felt when playing they did a good job at pacing themselves out, making it so they kept introducing new things all the way through to the end, it didn't feel like you were doing the same thing over an over again, they'd usually throw mixes into encounters and did more with its downtime I feel than Dead Space 1 did (which the downtime mostly consisted of back-tracking or some kind of awful attempts at variety, like that fucking meteorite shooting segment from the original game). I think that's what helped bring it together.

Dead Space 2 isn't close to my favorite horror game (if I were to make a top 100 horror games list, it'd probably be somewhere between 50-100 rather than my top 50), but I quite enjoyed it and felt it was the best of its franchise, and I think it was even a really good shooter in the era it came out in. GIVEN, I didn't like Dead Space 1 as much as most and think Dead Space 2 fixed upon several issues the original had (which not all may think were issues, probably my issues from it stem from me not really enjoying many of the downtime/back-tracking elements in Dead Space 1, I like it in a lot of horror games but I thought Dead Space 1 failed to make interesting downtime moments, something Dead Space 2 succeeded in my opinion).

 

[Zakalwe]

Honestly the most memorable thing to spawn from this game has to be the utterly hilarious, embarrassingly bad IGN review more than the game itself.

That's hyperbole. ^

The review isn't the most elegantly written, but it's hardly embarrassing.

 

[EGM1966]

I thought the gameplay was fine and the overall attempt to move to Aliens vs Alien style pretty successful.

That said the narrative and lore around the Marker and what's going on fully jumped the shark in 2. 1 you had this odd cosmic horror going on with "men meddling where they shouldn't". DS2 the lore started to fall apart as the cosmic horror and Alien style corporate greed/agenda started to clash.

DS3 of course they lore went well bonkers and pretty much killed it off.

But DS2 I thought was lesser horror game and better action game than DS1 which I guess was the goal. The poorly handled unstoppable beast version was a pain again though.