With the addition of all these new challenges to overcome, it’s lucky that there is a great selection of new weaponry to help Isaac dismember his infected assailants, and ultimately escape. The plasma cutter makes a triumphant return, and just like every other weapon, it can be upgraded using the desks throughout the Sprawl. Every weapon has a secondary function, usually something fairly explosive in the case of the Line Gun and the detonator, or something more electrifying in the case of the Javelin (which will pin your enemies to the walls and then send a shock through their bodies).
Isaac’s suit can be upgraded at all of the stores on the Sprawl, as well as medical aid purchased and upgraded ammunition. The economy works well in the game, with almost every enemy dropping some sort of credit or aid when you kill it. The new take on the low-gravity sections in the game turn the survival horror genre upside down (quite literally), meaning that the enemies can come from all directions; this is something, on the harder difficulties, that is incredibly frightening.
If you don’t like being scared, then don’t buy this game. My only real criticism of Dead Space 2, is that it isn’t very welcoming to newcomers to the genre; and it seems to me (though I haven’t played the original Dead Space for quite some time), that it’s essentially more of the same.
The controls have been improved; they are simple and smooth, and extremely responsive. The more I think about constructing this review, the more I realise I have very little to say that is negative about this game. The game is still not perfect, but it is a fantastically fun and violent play through. There is something missing, however, that I just can’t put my trigger finger on. This could be something that Dead Space 3 may be able to remedy, the ending (and success) of Dead Space 2, certainly hints at a trilogy.
Verdict: 8/10