GamesCom 2010 : Dead Space 2 - Tom's Preview

So just one day after probably the loudest games conference at Gamescom, EA have allowed us some behind closed doors access to get hands on with an early build of Dead Space 2.
 
The trailer yesterday showed what Visceral Games are calling Dead Space 2’s “Epic Moments”, and I was able to have a closer look at this today. “Epic Moment” describes the more cinematic set pieces in Dead Space 2; which is an entirely new narrative element. The Halo jump saw Isaac fired towards the City Sprawl through space and having to dodge oncoming debris from the decimated cityscape.
 
This particular set piece was reminiscent of Lylat Wars, and ended in Isaac smashing through a plate of glass, tumbling down a kind of ventilation tube before landing on his feet at the bottom. It seems Isaac has become a lot more mercenary since the last game as he is in control throughout his freefall; quite a change from some of the skin-of-your-teeth escapes from the first Dead Space.
 
Another way in which the franchise has become more cinematic with this outing is with the video calls seen throughout the narrative. Whilst they were present in the first game, these videos now receive more emphasis by taking up more of the screen and being in colour. This is a minor change, but another example of how Dead Space 2 has moved away from the dank grittiness the previous title.
 
It’s clear at this early stage that Dead Space 2 is a dramatic departure from its predecessor. The first was built around tension, using the creepy sound design and relatively slow gameplay mechanics to create a gaming experience that had its feet placed firmly in the survival horror genre. The sequel is a lot more action oriented, with a lot more emphasis placed on the gunplay and Isaac himself very visibly sped up when compared to his first outing.
 
Whilst purists will despair at this news, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sure, if you’re a die-hard fan of the first game and wanted the sequel to produce the same game with a different setting, you won’t find that here. However the focus on gunplay and action feels noticeably more mainstream, and it seems that this was a conscious decision from the development team.
 
The transition from Dead Space to Dead Space 2 is perhaps similar to the transformation of the Mass Effect franchise seen between the first and second game. Whilst Mass Effect and Dead Space were arguably niche titles, as a hardcore RPG and Survival Horror titles respectively, Dead Space 2 is a lot more of a third person shooter.
 
Notably, whilst the attacks of the new enemies gave some intriguing strategy to proceedings, the feeling of struggling for survival felt in the first game was lacking. With the more powerful arsenal at Isaac’s disposal comes the feeling that you’re capable of dealing with anything the Necromorphs throw at you with relative ease; so for better or worse, the survival aspect of the Dead Space franchise has truly been left behind.
 
As well as Isaac being noticeably more agile, his abilities have also been amped up. The developers were keen to show us how Kinesis has evolved; it is now more responsive and easier to pull off when being attacked by the various enemies. Perhaps the most exciting new feature I was shown was the implementation of impalement. Using Kinesis you can now pick up severed limbs from enemies and use them to attack. A particular highlight was the moment I managed to pin an enemy to a wall. I’m told that it’ll be possible to pin enemies to almost any surface in the game and will bring a key strategic element to proceedings throughout combat.
 
Another new feature is the reimagining of Zero G sections. Whilst Dead Space saw you jump from one point to another in Zero G, without being able to use your guns or change your direction, the sequel allows full 360 degree movement using boosters attached to Isaac’s suit. On the PS3 you click L3 to perform a Zero G jump and land. Pressing R2 automatically orients Isaac within his surroundings, which is a useful feature as during more intense sections your orientation to objects can become an issue.
 
Among the new enemies I was shown were the Puker, Nest and the Pack. It doesn’t take a genius to get the gist of what challenge each new enemy will deliver, but I’ll briefly go through them anyway. The Puker spits acid at Isaac, slowing his movement and damaging him if it hits. The Nest looks like a pulsing blob of flesh that fires a kind of homing missile towards Isaac. Finally the Pack bear a striking resemblance to adolescent teens and jump at you, several at a time, in an attempt to claw you from nape to chops. In fact, stick hoodies on the Pack and it’s a lot like a Friday night out in Essex.
 
Just like the previous title, dismemberment is the key to success in combat. But there are benefits to varying your attack style, such as shooting the head off the Puker to stop its acid spit.
 
The massive Boss fights of Dead Space make a return, and seem to have had a slight increase in frequency. This could have been due to the section of the game I was thrown into, but I had to deal with three of the bosses in a fifteen minute section of the game. Again, like the first game, some of the fights will be more of a straight fight; others will involve a bit more strategy and may even require that you simply escape.
 
Dead Space 2 is shaping up to be a really polished end product. Whilst the focus on action over suspense will upset some fans of the first game, I remain cautiously optimistic for a decent title.
 
Expect a full review over at www.newbreview.com soon.