Dead Space 2

HIGHLY RECOMMENED DOWNLOADING MARKERPATCH - Fixes PC port FPS issues, mouse fix for raw input, removes horrendous DLC packs added into your inventory with no choice making you overpowered right at the beginning, fixes the physics bugs that can occur, allows 4gb of ram to be utilised instead of the standard 2gb, adds more graphics options for pc like persisting bodies and improving the visuals, essential patch.
The best action horror game to ever be conceived, and one of the best games ever made. Dead Space 2 takes everything from the original and improves on it in every aspect, although the horror might not be as oppressive, it more than makes up for it in the fast paced horror action pacing of the campaign, every chapter has you playing in new locations transitioning seamlessly with in engine cutscenes and set pieces.
Controlling Isaac in this game is sublime, in the original he feels more like controlling a slumbering body of armour, in this game he is agile as hell in comparison. The gameplay in this one cant be understated how smooth and incredible it feels to play, you're very capable when taking on the necromorphs, the telekinesis ability is so much fun manipulating enemies body parts/attacks to use against them, the combat is the best of its genre, for me this is the RE4 of the dead space games and possibly eclipses its inspiration.
Story is entertaining with its seamless in-game cutscenes, Isaac now talks and he is awesome character and has some awesome moments with the supporting cast, the story runs at a break-neck pace with constant action and some small horror sections with downtime that ease off the brakes, these sections complement the game well when it feels too much then its back to the alien murder.
I cant say enough good things about this game, visceral hit the gold mine with this sequel and no game in the franchise could match its level, either way if Dead Space 3 ended up being more horror focused, it couldn't top this game, its all killer no filler, well maybe a personal gripe with the final boss right at the end on zealot feels very rng based not the most fair considering the rest of the game you can handle situations without taking damage if you knew what you were doing but then again even the original had crap bosses but besides that this game is perfection.

tl;dr
incredible, worthy successor that looks and plays fantastically, but takes a noticeable step into the wrong direction
Overview
Dead Space 2 continues Isaac Clarke’s story after the events aboard the Ishimura. Set primarily on the Sprawl, a large space station orbiting Titan, the game expands the scope of the series with new locations, enemy types, and mechanics while retaining the core dismemberment-based combat system.
The Good Stuff
The overall presentation is continuously baffling - in a good way. The game rarely slows down and constantly throws new scenarios, set pieces, and enemy combinations at you. The grotesque and vile design of the Necromorphs is taken even further, and the game fully embraces how unhinged its universe has become. Casually dismembering hostile alien infants to further weaponize their decapitated heads or just violently stomp their leftover bodies to get some booty may indeed be the most unhinged thing I have ever done in a videogame. The horror aesthetics remain simply superb.
Performance-wise, Dead Space 2 runs amazingly smooth. Animations are fluid, controls are responsive, and the game feels extremely polished from a technical standpoint. Also, it looks astoundingly good. Even today, the visual fidelity, lighting, and animation quality are impressive. The environments are far more diverse than in the first game and the use of vibrant colours is especially striking and helps keep the experience visually fresh throughout.
The Sorta-Kinda-Grinds-My-Gears-Stuff
Unlike its predecessor, Dead Space 2 doesn’t even try to be a horror game. It is, first and foremost, a fast-paced action third-person shooter. You are constantly swarmed by enemies, often to an extent where some sections feel closer to Killing Floor than survival horror. This isn’t necessarily bad, combat is fun, responsive, and satisfying. But it represents a clear move in the wrong direction for the franchise. Tension is replaced by momentum, fear by spectacle. The game is mostly predictable, doubling down hard on the established formula without having the guts to meaningfully subvert or reinvent it. Some of the newly introduced mini-games feel unnecessary and occasionally disrupt the pacing rather than enhance it. They rarely add meaningful depth and often feel like mechanical filler.
The Atrociously-Bad Stuff

Nothing outright terrible, but the loss of genuine horror identity is the biggest casualty here.
Conclusion
Dead Space 2 is an incredible sequel and a technical showcase that still holds up remarkably well. It expands the universe, sharpens the combat, and delivers an intense, visually stunning experience. However, in doing so, it sacrifices much of what made the original truly unsettling. As an action-heavy evolution, it succeeds brilliantly - but as a horror game, it feels like a deliberate step away from its roots. Still, an essential entry in the series, just not the definitive one.

Please do yourself a favor and apply MarkerPatch, disable the DLC freebies in the .ini, apply the fixes, and you're in for an extremely fun experience that still holds up today.
I've always regarded the first as a master class in action horror, but after having played this? I get it now.
If you're coming to this from the remake, you'll have no issue getting into the action without having to learn a majority of combat flow - it's like you never left home.

One of, if not the greatest sequels to a franchise. Please Electronic Arts, give us a remaster or a remake, I will die a happy soul if you would do that, not just for me but the community as a whole.

Easily the best game in the Dead Space series. While the original game (and its remake) leaned heavily into the horror, this installment strikes the perfect balance between horror and action. If you’re looking for a Dead Space experience that blends intense combat with a nightmare atmosphere, this is the one to play. The way I'd compare this is to the Alien movies. Dead Space 1 is similar to the first Alien movie because it leans heavily into pure horror, focusing on tension and fear. In contrast, Dead Space 2 is more like Aliens, blending horror with action, but shifting more toward action and intensity rather than horror. The reason I haven't mentioned Dead Space 3 is because I haven't played it yet however I am aware people have mixed feelings about that game.

Playing this after Dead Space remake and this game still holds up amazingly well, what a massive enjoyment must have been to play this back in 2011.

DOWNLOAD THIS PATCH FIRST, BEFORE YOU BUY, DOWNLOAD AND INSTALLED THIS GAME!:
INSTALLATION:
- Extract the Content of the .ZIP to the game folder. Easy! A toddler can do that.
TL;DR:
The best sequel ever made, but also a messy port with TAGES DRM that is f@#k!ng useless! Get it on sale, if you really want it.
Summary:
Previously played on Xbox 360 along with the first game. And Dead Space still holds up. The horror, the terror, the intense feel and the gore. It's such an improvement from the first one.
Story:
You picked up after DS1 and it's movie spin-offs, that introduce Nolan Stross. Complicated fella, but yeah. Your goal is to escape the Necromorph Outbreak and struggling with the psychological effect of the Markers.
Gameplay:
You navigate the hell of the Necromorph infested space station, with Plasma Cutters, Pulse Rifle and many other weapons you can get via store and upgrade through the Blueprint bench with Upgrade Nodes. There is also NODES, which you need to use for upgrades.
You cut off Necromorph limbs and crushed their carcass into bloody mist of gore, until there is nothing left for them to walk on. Yeah, that may sound brutal, but it is! There is also puzzle sections, which is pretty straight forward, from Hacking mini-game and Zero-G Kinesis and many many more.
Pros:
It's just better. You no longer need to aim to reload. The cinematic is way epic, from being thrown out of space station, to being chased while strapped and HOLE SH!3T, the terror. Very creepy atmosphere. It's just like DS1, but so much better in many ways.
Cons:
Some bothering, which can be fixed, but others...not so much. The other one is annoying:
- It has some technical problems, with some physics would go apesh!t, when your framerate is above 30, Crashes, Force EA account Sign-in, etc. But that seems to be remedied with the MarkerPatch. Link above!
- Unbalance item and rewards such as the Zealot DLC, which cause the Security suit to just "poof!" head out. Fortunately though, the patch above fixed it.
- The Multiplayer mode is dead, which is meh. Not my cup of tea, but some people seems to like it. There is ZLOEMu, which if you're interested.
- The game has TAGES DRM, which ask you for serial code, every time you reinstall the damn game on a new device. Again, f@#k!ng useless! I don't know why Andrew Wilson of EA never bother, but this is what happened when you laid off a bunch of people, I supposed. RIP Visceral.
- The Multiplayer Outbreak DLC is not present, so is the damn Severed Story DLC that focus on Gabe Weller from the exclusive Wii spin-offs DS: Extraction. It's a console exclusive, so your only hope to experience that DLC is either Emulator or dust-off your console. Maybe a reverse engineering/recompiled community effort would exist someday, but...I don't think so.
CONCLUSION:
Dead Space 2 is a great game, but hampered by Technical issues and useless DRM. Fortunately for the former problem, the MarkerPatch seems to addressed it, which is good! As for the DRM, if you hate EA, sail to the high seas, but if you really love the game and wanted to double-dip (terms of buying it again) from Console to PC, I suggest wait for sale.
7.5/10
Also, F@#K Andrew Wilson for killing this franchise and his pathetic investment on the EA Launcher. Get rid of that sh!te, you pr!ck.