Take a look at the USG Ishimura above, because that’s the last you’ll see of her full glory.
Let’s talk about Dead Space 2. I talked it down quite a bit beforehand, but I’d like to say right now that it’s not all bad. In fact, there are things that I really like about this game. But compared to its predecessor, it’s just good. Not great, good. But I’ll say some good things about it anyway.
Most of the praise I’ll give this game is this: it looks great. Yes, by today’s graphical standards it leaves something to be desired, but in comparison to the first game, it looks quite nice. I remember walking into one of the first areas in the game – a hospital area - and noticing small details like glove dispensers on the wall and tiny grooves in the tiles, the stitching textures on the chair seats, the subtle difference in reflectivity on a metal surface that had been touched too much. I had a field day just looking at stuff lying around on the shelves. Even in a less-detailed area, you can compare screenshots and see how big of a difference cleaner textures and more dynamic lighting can make.
I’d also like to point out how the lighting can add so much more to the tension and suspense building than before. Contrast is key. When most of the area is in darkness, the screaming, gurgling, slashing monsters are that much scarier.
Dead Space 2 also introduces five new monsters with equally-applicable names (puker, cyst, the pack, etc.) and delightfully gross designs. All the previous monsters come back for more than just a cameo appearance, which means a lot more blood splatter on your shoes than you bargained for.
More details, more monsters, and more space. Literally, this game is so much grander in scale than the first installment. Instead of one large ship, Dead Space 2 takes place on an entire colony based on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. This is good for the most part, as more space means more opportunities to be creative with environment design – shopping malls, apartment complexes, schools, and of course the Church of Unitology. But that scale can also backfire. I sometimes felt like the game was rushing me through certain areas, when I would have liked to stick around and take the scenery in. This is especially apparent when you’re being chased, as nail-biting and fast-paced the chases tend to be.
And with that mention of a downside begins the part where I rag on Dead Space 2, space boogaloo. No rose-colored glasses here. I try to be nice when I can, but there’s always exceptions.
Isaac Clarke was a silent protagonist in his first video game debut. The sequel decided to scrap that idea, and now he has a whole lot to say. He’s very angry about the position he’s in and has serious trust issues (I mean, rightfully so, but come on, dude), and his vocal personality keeps the player from getting as immersed in the gameplay. When your character doesn’t speak, you can relate to them more, you can put yourself in their shoes. You don’t need someone telling you what you should be thinking - not to mention, sometimes Isaac will make a pun straight out of the blue and you can’t quite laugh but you can’t be mad, either, so you just end up feeling confused. You’re booted straight out of the immersion, like a guy who’s had one too many at the local bar and still thinks he can get away with flirting.
Like the first game, you’re not alone in your spooky space journey. But unlike the first game, you actively talk with your companions. One is Ellie Langford, a CEC officer who joins you after she decides she needs help getting the hell out of dodge. Your other tagalong is Nolan Stross, a certifiably insane man who really needs you to “see what he sees.” Stross is referring to the hallucinations he experiences from the Marker signal – the Marker is the alien artifact that started it all, dug up by planet cracker ships to be used for limitless energy but instead caused the necromorph outbreak. Isaac needs Stross to destroy the Marker in hopes of stopping the outbreak. (You can read all about the Marker on the official wiki. This is a critique, not a lore bible.) This gaggle of goons isn’t the only trace of humankind left in the game, but they are the only ones who help you.
Oh, and one more thing: Isaac is also crazy. He suffers from the same dementia that plagues Stross, albeit not as horribly. But you’re just coocoo enough to experience hallucinations of your dead girlfriend who really wants you to relinquish yourself to the Marker, which ultimately means death, so Isaac isn’t so keen on the idea.
The problem with this insanity is that it’s played off like it’s supposed to be serious and scary. However, when combined with the third-person perspective of the freak-out and Isaac’s yelled responses to Nicole’s taunts, it just feels silly. It’s meant to be edgy, but at points the pair of them are such edgelords that I just feel like cringing. If the hallucinations were implemented better than they would be a really cool part of the game, but instead it’s like a Linkin Park music video.
But enough about Dead Space 2. There’s so much more to complain about in Dead Space 3. Tune in tomorrow for the epic conclusion of how the Dead Space franchise shot itself in the foot.