Dead Space 2: A Visceral Experience

In video game years, Dead Space 2 isn't exactly a new game, what, having been released back at the tail end of January. Loving the first episode as much as I do and claiming it was one of the greatest games I ever played, I'm not quite sure why it took me so long to play the sequel. Perhaps there was a little trepidation that, like so many other sequels, the second episode wouldn't stand up to the first. Or maybe it was just my preoccupation playing some of the other great games that have come out recently. Anyway, the good news is I just finished Dead Space 2 and I'm happy to report that it meets or exceeds the same standard set by its predecessor. It's that good.

For those that don't know, Dead Space 2 is a survival horror, third-person shooter game developed by Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts. It's your typical science fiction story but definitely an amazing tale of good vs. evil and the quest to save humanity. Like the original, everything about this game is as close to perfect as you're going to find in a video game - the sound, the graphics, the characters, the story, the controls, the interface, the game play - it's all spectacular. Honestly, my initial concern was whether the developers would try and innovate or re-engineer the game, totally changing the dynamic that made the first one so awesome. Thankfully, they didn't. The game was nearly identical to the first, yet the subtle changes the developers did include were enough to keep it from feeling like a simple expansion pack or bonus content. Dead Space 2 stands on its own merit but is clearly a continuation of the original story and more enjoyable with that experience in your trophy case.

I know I said Dead Space 2 was nearly perfectly, but honestly, there are a number of gamers who won't play it (or shouldn't play it) because they will find that its content pushes the envelope on what they consider acceptable. It's an extremely violent and graphic game. Perhaps the most violent and graphic game I have ever played. One of the most chilling and disturbing scenes of violence that occur on more than a few occasions are the encounters with the baby necromorphs. While these creatures are obviously evil, there is no denying their resemblance to human toddlers. I remember vividly one level where you're traveling from Point A to Point B and along the way you find yourself navigating through a nursery or maybe it was a day care. The floor is littered with toys and the walls are painted in bright colors, as one would expect from such a place. At one point, the intercom crackles and the automated robotic voice announces, "It's time for recess". That's your cue to hunker down, check your weapon's ammo count and prepare for a swarm of rancorous demon babies to overrun your position (you know, kind of like a real playground). It's no surprise when it happens, yet I still found it mildly disturbing.

Throughout the game, there are areas of the level where you hear babies crying (or making noises worse than crying). It's very unsettling and certainly one of the situations that inspired the marketing department's decision to proceed with a strategy that many labeled as controversial (more on that in a bit). Without spoiling anything, there are two scenes near the end where your character will die if you don't respond by pressing the indicated controller button when directed. The nature of the death is similar but each of the set pieces is shocking. The developers knew they were pushing the limits of the moral compass with this game. One of their popular commercials marketing the game adhered to a theme that suggested "Your Mom Hates This". Suffice it to say the game definitely earns its "Rated M for Mature" rating; and yes, many moms will hate it. If gore and violence don't bother you then you're in for a memorable experience; if you can't really stomach gore and violence or you find that you're convicted by it then you might want to skip this game for something a little less dreadful. Also, there are some episodes of dialogue that use strong language, but really that's nothing to fret about when compared to the graphic violence.

In the end, how does the sequel stand up to the original? There are certainly elements where each game edges out its counterpart by the smallest of margins. The first one had a more foreboding atmosphere than the second; the second one had a better overall story; the first had more challenging puzzles; the second a bit more shock and awe; the first had the benefit of being first; the second had the advantage of players of the previous game already being comfortable with the mechanics of the game so there was no learning curve; the first had an unbelievable ending full of twists and surprises; the second had an unbelievable nail biting, keep you on the edge of your seat, introduction. Honestly, they are two of the best games I have ever played. I posted a blog about the original Dead Space and made a comment that suggested these aren't even games nearly as much as they are interactive movies and the same holds true for Dead Space 2. Playing through these games is like being treated to a blockbuster movie where you get to control the main character. Your mom might hate it; you won't.

As I finished the game and released the death grip I had on the controller from the final nerve racking moments I barely managed to survive, the credits began scrolling. And like I always do, I sat their patiently waiting and watching to see if there were any final surprises. Without spoiling anything something does happen that almost certainly teases at a Dead Space 3. The real question then becomes, can Visceral Games continue growing this series and make each episode better than the original? Or will, like so many other sequels, the quality diminish over time to the point we long for the game to finally be over? Only time will tell in the desolate dark and dreadful realm of Dead Space.