Hey Dad,
Today, we’re going to dive deep into the classic Dead Space 2. Will it’s changes to the story structure and genre make it able to live up to the legacy of Dead Space?
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CHAPTERS
Intro 0:00
Development 1:47
Dead Space 2 2:22
Severed DLC: 48:21
Final Thoughts: 50:31
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How do you feel about Dead Space 2 Dad? 🚀
I believe that while Dead Space 1 had much scarier moments, they were a good bit fewer and further between. Every area of the Ishimura looked like a horror movie, the medical deck chief among them, but Dead Space 2 twists that by giving the idea that monsters aren't just in spooky places, they're everywhere. And once you get used to them, none of the Necromorphs in Dead Space 1 really made me scared, aside from the Hunter of course. Dead Space 2 however has the Stalkers and they still consistently keep me on edge even on my 20th playthrough of the game. Dead Space 1 had a perfect atmosphere of tension, meanwhile Dead Space 2 has a perfect atmosphere for terror.
Of course fear is one of the most subjective things ever so while I may find the Stalkers terrifying, someone might call them Kentucky Fried Chicken which is completely fine.
Either way I'm proud of how this came out son, I'm excited to see what else you make.
The stake gun completly trivializes the game .
Idk as someone who never really got scared from playing Dead Space 1, Dead Space 2 is just a overall more enjoyable time for me~
I'm still curious on what made the first one scary to so many people, even after watching your video on it.
Now I'm not questioning that it isn't scary, so many people think it is so it's clearly a me thing lol, but I just wonder what it is and what I missed
I'm surprised he didn't know about the laser aiming changing option in the settings. I discovered it by the time I got to chapter 2. And this was back when the game first came out. I still had not played the first. Enjoyed every minute though
man everyone is doing dead space videos right now, and imma watch all of them!
Son,
The prodigious pace of your video releases continues to amaze and impress me. As with the first Dead Space video, I’ve truly enjoyed this wonderful overview of DS2. The Salt Factory also put out his replay of the first Dead Space and it worked really well as a companion piece to your video.
Every one of your videos has an incredible narrative aspect to it that I find particular engaging. You’re a very adapt story teller, and I look forward to each of your releases.
It’s starting to get cold outside son, make sure to dress warmly.
The voice for this channel just hits different very awesome
2:40 18:50 I remeber this part to well… Kindergarden necromorfs ware horrifying, it stuck with me.
Return to Ishimura is one of my favourite game levels and not a lot even happens for most of it. It's just you scared of something happening and that fear is slowly dialled up to boiling point by odd sounds and audio logs of other people being just as freaked out as you are.
Playing this on the hardcore difficulty ups the fear……unless you were like me and took advantage of the infinite nodes glitch
I noticed you had 6,900 credits when you reached your first store. To that I say…
Nice.
OMG the ripper is ideal for dealing with the those litter swarmers.
When I did my hardcore run 3000 years ago. I just used the plasma cutter and ripper to make sure I had enough ammo for each
I'm kinda late on this one but you can actually change the laser pointer in the setting. In the (I think) video setting, you can change it from "center" to "classic".
I love this game, it's my favorite of the series, and I am excited for the remake of DS1.
Yeah, Dead Space 2 was poorly marketed as a horror game when its not. It might have been inevitable though. A repeat of the first game, in terms of horror, wouldn't have been as effective. After the first game, necromorphs aren't a scary unknown anymore. After all familiarity is the antithesis of horror. So they probably did the smart thing by going a more action oriented rout with 2.
you can change the static aim in the setting back to the original, yeah i know the damn game doesn't tell you that
I view Dead Space 1 and Dead Space 2 as Alien and Aliens. One more horror based whilst the latter a more action focussed horror property
Jesus, you should re-title the video to "I Don't think Dead Space 2 is a Horror Game". Seriously, you only need to mention it two or three times. I hope your ds3 "review" is not as annoying.
You described this game perfectly it so was a creepy fun house. I only played it for a little while when it came out. Its an action game.
Great video. I love this channel. But this is the video where I disagree the most. I understand your points, and yes, Dead Space 2 is an action horror game. But in all reality, so is the first Dead Space. The first game is a far cry from survival horror if we're getting into the extremist definition of the genre. But that doesn't change the fact that Dead Space is absolutely amazing. And sure, Dead Space 2 is a little more action heavy. But I didn't find it much less horror than the first game for two games that are, indeed, action horror games. Honestly, I love the first entry, but I think I like Dead Space 2 a tiny bit more.
But, nonetheless, we're all going to have our own opinions. And you were very thorough in stating yours. Keep up the great work. Again, love the channel. Looking forward to the next one!
such good narration
I mean…sure it's a bad horror game…if you keep not giving it credit for the aspects that are genuinely unsettling. The Nicole visions, new monster designs (visual, sound, and movement)/concepts, the fucking eyeball needle, the entire intro, the truly well crafted scares, and the "power outage/horde enters the government sector" set-piece are just a few of the terrifying things that I remember of the top of my head that stuck with me. I feel like "horror" as a genre just needs to present the reader/viewer/player/listener with ideas that unsettle them in some fashion and DS2 has that in spades.
As for the action/horror balance, I think the game handled it very well as a continuation of Isaac's story from the first. The ending of DS1 had already turned things up to 11 and it wasn't like the nature of the outbreak was going to be a mystery to the player or Issac this time, so instead the emphasis of dealing with the Necromorphs leans into the survival side of things while his left-over trauma is the main focus of the horror. Issac is a card-carrying Necromorph exterminator by the end of the first game and that hasn't changed, but what really haunts him is his guilt and regret. I also just never found the transitions between the action and horror focus all that jarring.
Oh and lastly I'll completely just admit my biases. I'm a sucker for cathartic/happy ending horror. I'm a total horror junkie, and love it in most every variety. That being said, having the protagonist/PC start off as helpless, for the most part just holding on for dear life, only to have them steadily concurring their internal and external fears, and by the end emerging a badass is really my jam and I basically see DS1&2 as a whole package in that vein. Also the feeling of the level of intensity the second game maintains was uncannily similar to the abuse that was my time working in retail, so getting to work through those feelings in this format was really something unforgettable.
I get your trying to frame this as a clear progression of the "loss of horror" or "action-ification" of Dead Space through the trilogy (of course I could be wrong, and if so I apologize), but I just really don't think these games can be summed up so neatly. So…hard disagree, but it's whatever. You do you, man.
Would love to hear your thoughts on Death Stranding, there was so much going on with its horror/action/mail service I feel like I didn’t understand it at all 😭
Hey kiddo, I’m sure you’ve already got plans for a series after Dead Space but I was wondering if you’re going to do any games I might have played when I was younger. The original Fallouts and System Shock were my favorites and I’m interested in what you think of them. Either way, keep up the good work. I’m really proud of you son.
I found your channel about a week ago and I've watched every one of your videos twice. You consistently put out quality content and your analysis on the given material is always well researched and well put. I'm proud of you son
On the "dead space 2 is more action than horror compared to the first" the Devs said in interviews alien was a huge inspiration and they followed the thematic blueprints riddly set out in the first two films. Upping the action in the sequel was always the plan because Isaac just as Ripply before him is now experienced with the aliens, they know how to deal with the threat and are more interested in taking the fight to the aliens rather than just fighting defence while their surrounding are engulfed. Sure some of the horror is taken from that but I think it works really well and if EA didn't sink their claws we might have seen a really interesting culmination of this on dead space 3
I played dead space 2 at least 5x to unlock everything and the multiplayer was always dead but it was so much fun when you got a game. I definitely don't care for 90% of horror games and that explains why but I fucking love dead space 2 and is my favorite of the series
Anyone remember the tobuscus song for this game?
hey kiddo, amasing job! really looking forward to the complete retrospective
i not so fondly remember playing this game and you hit all the key points. there was a point in the midgame (can't remember which chapter) that i had soft locked myself. i had no ammo, couldn't backtrack, couldn't progress. had to reset and start a new file.
this game was just flat out not scary
Fun fact the dude who dies in the elevator part at 14:55 won a contest to design a kill move the one seen at 27:40 and as a reward had his face scanned and death scene put ingame. On another note if you participated in the contest they gave you the rorschach test and patient dossier you see in the intro on the table.
Gotta say I fundamentally disagree with your analysis about DS2 as a horror game.
"The illusion is broken because in ds2 you're constantly thinking about mechanics, health, ammo, etc"
Uh….good. I don't think that detracts from horror at all. If anything it enhances it. You're more threatened, the game demands more of you, you're more on edge.
Your view of horror as an illusion, something that can only be achieved if you make players forget they're playing a game.
I almost believe the opposite is true. I think a game has the unique opportunity to force your engagement and that interaction increases intensity.
Seems unnecessary to try and judge dead space 2 on labels. Good action game? Good horror game?
Who cares about being one or the other. Whatever the fuck it does it does it well. It's a masterpiece and in my opinion even better than the first.
I enjoy your stuff and think the video is good, just feels like you got hung up on an unimportant point and tried to put the game in a box.
Please do F.E.A.R next such a good game. It reminds me of my childhood son.
Your making me a proud father son. I love seeing you try to make our family whole again
I think Dead Space 2 is more Action Horror or Action Thriller. Like the Aliens of Dead Space
After you finish and review the 3rd game you should do resident evil
33:35 you can actually turn on the classic aiming method in the settings, at least on pc
cant wait till ds3 retrospective. please dont trash it, the dungeons were sick 😀
You can change the reticle to a dynamic one in the settings. Fantastic video!
I hope doing the games you love doesn't hurt you in the algorithm! Top notch content, and your hard work deserves comparative compensation!
32:48 There is an option you can toggle on to use the classic physical laser pointer style reticule rather than the center screen dot reticule the game defaults to. No one would’ve known about it unless they ran into it while configuring their controls in the options menu or were told about it so its still fair to nitpick detail I think
I think an important point to remember is that a complete change in invironment is one of the bigger drivers of the action. Instead of a ship, we are on a massive space colony station.
Tbh you mentioned how you start to embrace the dark your put in eventually it becomes less scary. That's exactly how Isaac probably feels he's been through so much shit up till this point. At a certain junction Isaac is going to adapt he's going to inevitably going to be more proficient and less scared. The man's literally at the point everything is less scary and more really fucking annoying. That's the problem with reusing protagonists at a certain point they become a bad ass and stop being scared. I feel like if anything ds2 really encapsulates that in the same way that re4 did with leon.
The ripper in DS2 is way better than the first game. It saves you ammo and when there are a plenty, you can sell them in the store.