# Dead Space 2

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [January 29, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451 "2011-01-29T22:46:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/1 "2011-01-29T22:46:59Z")

</div>

All-

I just bought this for my PS3 (I agonized over this decision…I was sorely tempted to get it on PC instead, but I want to play this on my big screen in full-blown HD, and I just got a PS3…so I guess I just want to use it some).

I never played the first game. I bought the game based off of my general liking for games like Fallout 3, The Bioshock series, etc and its received glowing reviews and I’ve watched a couple demos and it looks amazing.

Anyone else playing this? I haven’t taken it out of the box yet…what do I need to know? Am I going to have a steep learning curve because of not knowing anything about the story from not playing the first game? Any tips for a rookie before I get started?

Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/2 "2011-01-29T23:02:27Z")

</div>

I’m playing through Dead Space 2 as well, and I beat the first one a few years ago. No, you don’t need to know the story to enjoy it. HOWEVER, there is actually a video you can watch from the main menu that’ll catch you up to speed.

As for tips: Search everywhere for money and ammo–you’ll need it!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/3 "2011-01-29T23:09:47Z")

</div>

> [@Red\_Barchetta](#):
>
> I’m playing through Dead Space 2 as well, and I beat the first one a few years ago. No, you don’t need to know the story to enjoy it. HOWEVER, there is actually a video you can watch from the main menu that’ll catch you up to speed.
> 
> As for tips: Search everywhere for money and ammo–you’ll need it!

Can I play it alone in a dark basement without getting a heart attack?  
😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2011, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/4 "2011-01-29T23:12:38Z")

</div>

> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#):
>
> Can I play it alone in a dark basement without getting a heart attack?  
> 😃

Some will disagree, but I’d say no. With that said, that is, of course the correct way to play. Dark room, no one around, sound cranked. I found myself terrified.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2011, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/5 "2011-01-29T23:46:44Z")

</div>

I just picked up Dead Space for $10 a couple of weeks ago. I am playing still, only PS3. I like the game and will consider DS2, but I will probably get it for the PC.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/6 "2011-01-29T23:52:02Z")

</div>

I played the first one and loved it, never tried the Wii one but I heard it’s just a rail shooter. I played the first 15 minutes of DS2 and I loved that “confined” feeling.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2011, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/7 "2011-01-30T00:31:20Z")

</div>

The first one was great. It was pretty creepy. This one is very good too but it’s nowhere near as creepy as the first. This one seems to be more of a move from a to b type game without much exposition. That’s kind of disappointing. The baby necromorphs are creepy and they travel in packs so they really eat up your ammo.

Good game though.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/8 "2011-01-30T01:43:18Z")

</div>

I think I found the first of the scheduled PC bugs that all games MUST have upon release - there’s a bit where some unitarians capture me, then the window gets blown out, I get out of there but a creature gets me… during the ‘cutscene’ I see that my ammo shows up, which usually implies that I have to shoot at something to get free… but my fire key doesn’t work… so this cut-scene repeats endlessly, with me powerless.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/9 "2011-01-30T02:06:22Z")

</div>

I think it’s chapter 5. I can aim at the thing, but holding or pressing fire does nothing. I can’t use stasis. I can’t use KT, I can’t use secondary fire, and I try other weapons, none can fire.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/10 "2011-01-30T02:13:07Z")

</div>

Got past it. For some reason, for that part only, the melee button fires the weapon. WTF!!?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2011, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/11 "2011-01-30T03:02:23Z")

</div>

I picked up Dead Space off Steam for under $7 a week or so ago. I played it for about a half-hour, then DL’ed X-mouse to let me assign some functions to the mouse buttons that were unused. I have a thumb-button set up to go to aim mode, fire the time-slowing weapon, then leave aim mode(the controls seem a little awkward on the PC, but x-mouse improves that a bit). Then I played it enough to verify the macro works, then I quit playing because it’s too spooky. I mean, really eerie, claustrophobic, scary. I’ll get back to it, maybe even tonight, but damn, really atmospheric.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2011, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/12 "2011-01-30T04:25:29Z")

</div>

I’m curious to hear how it is… DS 1 wasn’t worth full retail buy was kinda fun.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2011, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/13 "2011-01-30T12:16:25Z")

</div>

There’s a MP mode that’s kinda fun. Humans vs. Necromorphs. It’s not full blown. Only 4 on 4. DS2’s not a radical departure from the original but I enjoyed that game immensely.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/14 "2011-01-30T16:21:23Z")

</div>

So I played it for like 5 minutes last night…didn’t even make it past the first alien. I need to read the instructions but after I get up off the bed or whatever, I can’t do anything other than slowly move…and then get slain. Repeatedly.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/15 "2011-01-30T18:11:50Z")

</div>

That bit drove my wife insane from DS1: the pace is deliberately quite slow and you can’t really run. It may be a feature, not a bug.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/16 "2011-01-30T18:12:41Z")

</div>

> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#):
>
> I picked up Dead Space off Steam for under $7 a week or so ago. I played it for about a half-hour, then DL’ed X-mouse to let me assign some functions to the mouse buttons that were unused. I have a thumb-button set up to go to aim mode, fire the time-slowing weapon, then leave aim mode(the controls seem a little awkward on the PC, but x-mouse improves that a bit). Then I played it enough to verify the macro works, then I quit playing because it’s too spooky. I mean, really eerie, claustrophobic, scary. I’ll get back to it, maybe even tonight, but damn, really atmospheric.

I found the controls awkward in DS1 too. DS2 is less awkward.. In fact apart from a _slight_ mouse acceleration effect, the controls are spot-on.

In DS1 I found myself wasting ammo because the aiming reticle would shoot past what I was aiming at because of the acceleration. In DS2 it doesn’t happen. I am able to get more of my ammo on target.

edit:

> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#):
>
> So I played it for like 5 minutes last night…didn’t even make it past the first alien. I need to read the instructions but after I get up off the bed or whatever, I can’t do anything other than slowly move…and then get slain. Repeatedly.

That’s a ‘feature’ of the very beginning of the game. It’s not long before you’ll be running. What’s more - when you get a suit for the first time your run _and walk_ speed is vastly improved. After this the game’s pace is dictated quite nicely in other ways.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/17 "2011-01-30T20:08:42Z")

</div>

> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#):
>
> So I played it for like 5 minutes last night…didn’t even make it past the first alien. I need to read the instructions but after I get up off the bed or whatever, I can’t do anything other than slowly move…and then get slain. Repeatedly.

L1/Left-Bumper is run.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/18 "2011-01-30T21:15:07Z")

</div>

> [@Red\_Barchetta](#):
>
> L1/Left-Bumper is run.

I don’t think running is possible during the very first bit of the game.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/19 "2011-01-30T21:33:43Z")

</div>

> [@Lobsang](#):
>
> I don’t think running is possible during the very first bit of the game.

It is; the game even has a prompt that instructs you to.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2011, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451/20 "2011-01-31T01:12:40Z")

</div>

> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#):
>
> So I played it for like 5 minutes last night…didn’t even make it past the first alien. I need to read the instructions but after I get up off the bed or whatever, I can’t do anything other than slowly move…and then get slain. Repeatedly.

Hold L1 and run past everything. You will get hit but you should be able to easily make it through the first area without dying.

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-space-2/569451.md?page=2)
