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" Also available on: Xbox 360, PC Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: Visceral Games Genre: Survival Horror The original Dead Space was something of a surprise hit when it was released in time for Halloween in 2008. It may not have been the most original of titles, but it&amp;#039;s fair to say that its claustrophobic atmosphere, captivating storyline and excellent, limb-slicing combat made it one of the standout games of the year and a welcome addition to the survival horror genre. While the first game seemed to come out of nowhere and leave us all cowering with fear, the sequel has been hotly anticipated and finally makes its way onto the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC a little over two years later. In that time, Visceral Games has been busy ensuring that the few criticisms levelled against the first game have been addressed in a sequel that sees protagonist Isaac Clarke fighting against external aggressors and internal demons. The game takes place three years after the original on the appropriately named Sprawl - a cityscape locale on Titan, a moon of Saturn. The first chapter of the game does a superb job of setting the tone for what&amp;#039;s to follow. Isaac, unaware to him, is now the resident of some sort of medical facility and is clearly still haunted by the events of the first game (there&amp;#039;s a handy Dead Space recap video included in the menu screen). Eventually Isaac regains consciousness in the midst of a Necromorph outbreak. Guided by a mysterious female helper and a fellow mental patient, Isaac must escape the facility and uncover the truth about the outbreak and find a cure for his fragile, fractured mind.  In one of the more impressive and exciting openings of any game, Isaac&amp;#039;s first order of business is to traverse the dankly-lit, Necromorph-infested corridors of the medical facility in nothing more than a straitjacket. It&amp;#039;s not long before our hero gains a weapon and his trusty suit and begins to encounter the diverse environments featured in the sequel. The action in Dead Space 2 takes place in churches, apartment buildings, schools, shopping districts and even on moving trains. The result is a more visually appealing title which goes beyond the repetitive industrial setting of the original. Dead Space 2 still has its fair share of engine rooms and steel grated loading docks, but its punctuated by trips into colourful yet creepy schools, candlelit living areas populated by dead bodies and grandly designed churches. The cheerful pre-recorded announcements broadcast over the PA systems and occasional neon signs add to the eerie atmosphere, slightly reminiscent of Bioshock&amp;#039;s Rapture. Of course, the Necromorphs are where the game&amp;#039;s true terror lies and once again the baddies do not disappoint. All of the old ones make a return and seem to be smarter, more plentiful and aggressive than ever. Shoot off one limb and they sometimes attempt to cover the other while rushing at you at speed. There are a few new ones too, including screaming toddler types who come at you in the dozens - but can be picked off fairly easily - and the pack-hunting Velociraptor-esque Stalkers. The Stalkers are quick, clever and extremely dangerous especially when at full strength and pack size. One will pop its head around a corner to distract you while another charges at Isaac from the other side shrieking, before running back into cover. The new and improved zero-gravity sections, which see players freely glide around space, also feature some sprawling, spike-spewing, wall-mounted aliens, as well as environmental dangers such as flaming pipes and whirring razors which must be avoided at all costs.  How Isaac deals with the constant threat of the Necromorphs is up to the player and lots of different strategies can be used depending on the weapons at your disposal. Classics limb slicers like the line cutter and ripper are readily available fairly early on, plus there are new weapons such as the trip-mine laying detonator (which is particularly useful against the Stalkers) and the javelin gun which launches powerful spears at the enemy and is capable of pinning them to walls. Although slightly more action-orientated than the original, Dead Space 2&amp;#039;s survival horror roots mean that alternative methods of dealing death are also needed in order to conserve ammo, so using your kinetic powers to launch fallen limbs, sharp rods and explosive canisters at enemies is just as important as stomping Necromorph bodies to receive ammo. Isaac&amp;#039;s greatest ability, however, is that he can occasionally destroy the windows of some rooms causing their entire contents to be sucked into space, including Isaac himself unless he shoots the emergency switch to close the shutters. Despite the numerous minor additions and improvements, there are still a few issues that carry over from the original Dead Space. The game remains very linear with objectives, generally consisting of Isaac going somewhere and fixing something before he is able to move on. The camera can also be a bit unreliable, especially in tight corners and Isaac&amp;#039;s inability to make quick turns means that players will witness the grisly demise of our hero more often than is completely necessary. The pacing is also a little off, with certain sections feeling a little slow, dull and pointless - although in fairness it&amp;#039;s not long before the action picks up again. The new multi-player mode, which is similar to Left 4 Dead&amp;#039;s survivors vs. mutants mode, is an understandable addition, but feels out of place in the game and isn&amp;#039;t nearly as interesting and rewarding as the single-player campaign or other multiplayer games of a similar manner. Regardless of its fairly minor flaws, Dead Space 2 is still a top game that manages to improve on the original without reinventing the wheel. Isaac&amp;#039;s inner struggle and his frequent hallucinations make the story all the more engaging, while the varied locations ensure that Isaac&amp;#039;s journey is a visually appealing one. The shrieking sounds and shadowy graphics remain as strong as ever and the gruesome combat continues to impress. The multiplayer isn\u2019t great, but the ability to retain your weapons and power-ups for harder difficulties makes replaying the game an appealing prospect (plus PS3 owners can enjoy Wii lightgun game Dead Space: Extraction). It may leave you hiding under the covers or behind the sofa, but Dead Space 2 is worth the nightmares.  &amp;gt; What do you think of the game? Share your views "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/review/a300140/dead-space-2-ps3/>