Foreword

Earlier, “Survival horror” especially for the cinema presented a relevant genre of part of. Accordingly it speaks for the gradual approximation of movie and game, that just this genre of part of has neatly established itself also in the field of games. Whether “Resident Evil”, “left 4 dead” or “Bioshock” – the principle is “one against all” in video games to the delight of a wide make again and again used.

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“Dead Space 2″ – Packshot

This was the title of “Dead Space” published by electronic arts always represent the space representative, then at least with a good mix of “Alien” and desolation also than for highest sales technique, largest content conceptual fame helped. This fame stems from the fact that even today stories exist, according to which so and so many per cent of the “dead space” player due to the high creepy factor not staying there and had to cancel no later than on the half of the season.

Given this “Dead Space 2″ sends to now, copy the aforementioned glory. This due to the sales might perhaps, that the horror factor in favour of more action was reduced a little. The following to clarify, it will be whether this slight shift well does the game.

System requirements

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Content

Ever off thought, as it would be bound in a straitjacket in a also removed as terrible future wake up and realize that the oppressive narrowness of the rooms and there angry creatures are no worse nightmare, but a brutal reality? I hope not, because it sufficient, if a game like “Dead Space 2″ takes this madness.

Content includes the continuation of the survival horror representative of the game forge of visceral games to the events of the first part of: after the traumatic events on the mining ship Ishimura, in the context of which the “dead space”-Protagonist Isaac Clarke lost his wife, Clarke wakes up years later in the mental health part of the infirmary of the space base “Sprawl” – but not about, because a long, voluntary, pleasant sleep naturally to end would be gone.

Instead she will hit built in sprawl of the well-known Necromorphs Titan on the Saturn moon – by those species so that spreads like a virus and brutally, and the single aim of which it appears to be, to destroy another life. Without memory of the past years and in the aforementioned strait-jacket tied up, the player is put in the role of Clarke and spends the first minutes just to meet the core competence of “Dead Space”: survival.

Without just one more goal, you will get rid first the straitjacket with the help of a distraught Mitpatienten, where then quickly the “dead space”-typische Basic is waiting: Besides the compulsory plasma cutter (this is to the basic weapon) you have quickly the traditional suit, which allows not only small space walks, but also the use of Kinese and stasis: Using the former, items can be lifted and thrown through the air, the latter allows the slow down of objects, which is proving useful for quickly closing doors or fast representatives of Necromorph.

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Scenes from the plot of “dead space 2″

The foundations of “Dead Space” is not touched in this respect so. Accordingly, it remains going in the second part of that equipment are accordingly real short supply all over the “survival horror” genre. Because ammunition and Medikits are rare, one must apply other tactics or go even to the grueling melee. In the latter is but particularly noticeable, that the level of difficulty is still relatively high, so that is all too frequent close contact quickly accompanied by nasty breed in the loading of the last, fortunately always very fair set storage point.

Last but not least due to the high relevance of equipment, not the many upgrade options may lack course in “Dead Space 2″. One always obtains the ability to upgrade his weapons and armour in areas such as damage, capacity or health.

Can be found in the weighting of content especially, if you tried the direct comparison with the predecessor an nennenswertere innovation. Here a dichotomy can be “Dead space 2″ at the rate of quieter, as well as action-packed, exhausting sections recognize: while the first half of the single-player campaign still relatively balanced fails, the second is clearly action-side. This is not per se a problematic shift, since this sound with the plot correlates – suddenly, it is not only for personal survival, but the big picture – but some friend of the more subtle kind of madness quite because should interfere.

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Despite slight shift: “Dead Space 2″ is bleak

Awarded from every perspective, however, fails the diversity of the sections. The space station setting formally invites to visualize the different, imaginable areas, so that from the infirmary of the shopping area all kinds of areas can be roam up to kindergarten. There is in the process that “Dead Space 2″ has lost little of the charm of its predecessor, because here is one again and again shocked: even if you know thinks in the course of the game, what will happen one within the next seconds in this and the section – at the end it comes even with proper assessment almost always to the compulsory goosebumps. Garnished the whole is by a handful of small puzzles that as already serve in the first part only as accessories and are quickly resolved. New is a bit annoying in the long term mini-game, where you must create a short by mouse movements.

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Monotonous in the long term: per short mini puzzles

Other new features fall in smaller, but very important areas: here besides some new weapons – on the one hand the Harpoon gun, was with the opponent at the wall nails and maltretieren then with a power surge can be, as well as to the second the detonator with which to fire mines let – in “Dead space 2″ with new necromorphen opponents is confronted, which some new bosses puking Puker include but also standard creatures like the acid. The AI of the opponents here moves at a usual ordinary level, is also not overly strong put to the test due to the generally very cramped space.

Technical

Graphics & sound

Graphically “Dead Space 2″ moves on amount of time, without this giving rise to major episodes of euphoria with a particularly outstanding presentation. So again and again great effects can be as explosions, light shadow, and cutscenes placed neatly in the scene to observe, that coupled with designed the horror factor settings in detail and authenticity will increase significantly.

On the other hand, some textures are partly muddy and also on the physics you can problem – especially when the remains of the necromorphen group of opponents of the loop to the feet of Isaac Clarke and like a bunch of lighter feathers to be ground. Also, again and again smaller Clippingfehler can be observed.

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More impressions from “dead space 2″

The aforementioned points it is however criticism at a high level, so that it can be said: the technical implementation moves between a “good” and “very good”.

This applies also for this reason, because the hardware hunger of “Dead Space 2″ moving within acceptable climes. On our test system ran the title high details and a resolution of 1680 x 1050 at rock solid 30 frames per second. At the same time, this means: who out to squeeze the maximum, should have a current configuration.

In terms of sound and language implementation, there is no reason to appeal thanks to discreetly set, matching sounds and convincing dubbing voices.

Copy & minors

“Dead Space 2″ must be activated over the Internet once. While the DVD in the drive must be, where she permanently can be removed afterwards. Moreover, the title can be install up to five times before the service must be contacted.

In terms of protection of minors, it should be noted that the title at the ESRB has gone through a lengthy examination and was classified at the end with “USK 18″. And in the uncut version absolutely rightly: “Dead Space 2″ belongs to the throats, what you can do is currently in the genre.

Multiplayer

The multiplayer is in a game like “Dead Space 2″ still more accessories and turns out accordingly on average. As expected, people against Necromorph creatures come to, where you can choose depending on the patient in the efforts to move from four classes with different strengths on the part of the “Necs”.

The fighting on all of them quite narrow maps is an advanced team deathmatch, in which people must, meet together small tasks while necromorphen opponents do everything possible, to prevent exactly this.

Technically, it is largely sophisticated – however one has to adapt even days after the publication on comparatively empty server.

Given this also applies to the “dead space 2″ multiplayer like in so many competitors: some more hours of fun are guaranteed, to a long not however, it is here.

By the way: While the German USK 18-variant in the single player is unedited, the “friendly fire” was removed in the multiplayer.

Conclusion

Arrived at the end of this test, the answer to the question of whether “Dead Space 2″ is better than the first part, is quite difficult. Because “Horror” and “Action” is DS 2, well, just a little bit different – and with a view to the shares in the ratio.

At this point, then also the perhaps the biggest difference is found: the first “dead space” was pure mental torture in the sense that the player was permanently placed under stress. This was done laudable way some quite subtle, so that one suspected always evil, where nothing was.

“Dead Space 2″ has of course these shares. However some things is lost it during a move of content focus, so that you and rushes in particular to the final by action sequence to action sequence, where the madness so essential for the game although not lost, but caused by other factors than the pure shudder just.

&Lt; div > “Dead Space 2″ Photo Gallery (29 pictures)

Every prospective Player must negotiate with its own pros and cons to this shift slightly. From our perspective the shift was not absolutely necessary, but it coped with the gameplay easily. Moreover, that the developers extend the “dead space” gentle universe elsewhere but useful and improve: the new weapons and enemies are fun, the game mechanics, and in particular the control in the so-called “zero-G” sections is still coherent, revised the graphic and sound tells the story.

Against this background, it remains finally just have to say: who is not afraid of hard content and thus real Psychoterror in space and can support with the setting, check out necessarily closer “Dead Space 2″.