Ben-DutkaWhen the original Dead Space launched, it redefined the sub-genre we know as "survival/horror." Some say it fit better into the standard action or third-person shooter category but in truth, it was an evolutionary take on an aging category of gaming.
You will see our review of the sequel within the next couple of days but in the meantime, we can tell you that once again, we're forced to think about horror in games in a whole new way. The core gameplay mechanic remains the same, but developer Visceral has taken the next step, and we just dare you to play Dead Space 2 at about 2 a.m. with all the lights turned off. In the past, Resident Evil and Silent Hill have given us memorable and terrifying experiences, but Dead Space switches up the pacing and simply won't let you rest. In the older survival/horror games, there were always instances of anxiety and fear but when you start to play DS2, you'll start to notice that you're never relaxed.
Even when you're coming down from the latest high, the next is likely right around the corner. Pacing is important in any entertainment product that wishes to instill fear in the participant, and it's also essential to understand basic human nature. In-your-face gore soon becomes little more than tiresome and disgusting; it's why Silent Hill always succeeded at creeping up our spines. It didn't rely entirely on gore; it was more about a scraping and a shuffling off in the fog and darkness…we didn't know what it was, and that was the worst part. And while it's true DS2 has a lot more gore, Visceral still keeps such elements alive. And this is why games designed to scare people will never be the same again.
"I think it'll make a person become insane." "This game is an atrocity." Those are two quotes from the horrified mothers who were shown snippets of Dead Space 2 and while it's easy for the desensitized gamers to scoff, we can almost guarantee that DS2 will show you a little something you've never seen before…
Related Game(s): Dead Space 2