Ben-DutkaHere's the thing: when a developer hints that a sequel or a follow-up title might feature a change of focus, fans of that original title are immediately skeptical…and a little annoyed.
And although many are anticipating Dead Space 2 , early comments from EA concerning the amped-up action and the increased "bad-ass-ness" of the main character Isaac have prompted some negative feedback. The fans say this can ruin the creepy, freaky feel that made the first Dead Space so damn invigorating. In other words, keep that Hitchcock-ian feel and don't bother with the "Saw" approach, which we tend to agree with. However, EA wants to clarify; Dead Space 2 producer Steve Papoutsis spoke with Rely On Horror about this subject, and his words are definitely encouraging:
"Dead Space 2 is going to be just as scary, gruesome, and tense as the original game. The action comments are often misunderstood. What we are trying to do is augment the tense sections with moments where Isaac feels more capable or like he has the upper hand for a change. Remember Isaac has dealt with the Necromorphs before, he has learned some things, and so we want to give the player a chance to experience the upper hand. That does not mean it changes the rest of the game. These situations will still be scary and tense the only real difference is that they will also be a bit faster paced than the rest of the combat you might experience in the game."
Now that's what we wanted to hear! Isaac's increased capability shouldn't impact the atmosphere or overall fearful sensations we experienced in the original game; the character is simply a bit better when it comes to surviving. However, our only remaining question is whether or not the action sequences take up more of the gameplay than before…if they do, is that not a definite shift in focus? But really, we're immensely excited 'cuz Dead Space totally rejuvenated – and perhaps even revolutionized – the survival/horror genre. We can't wait for number two.
Related Game(s): Dead Space 2
cant wait, i loved the 1st dead space
if they can keep the horror element while ramping up the action and all the while the action moving. it will be golden. by the way didnt i read somewhere that this seaquel will have coop?
Lol. Sounds more like this to me to be honest:
"We looked at other games on the market and saw that people were buying Modern Warfare 2 type games and thought we should do that and make Isaac all Gears of War buff and bad ass but then everyone got pissed because apparently not everyone eats that up, so we have to back pedal and make the game right. Sorry"
EDIT: I am really looking forward to DS2 and I do think it will be a terrific game, I just think they were about to pull a Square Enix with all this "fast-paced" talk and then thought better of it.
Last edited by coverton341 on 4/13/2010 11:00:35 AM
My thoughts too. I might pass this game up if this is indeed the case.
I'm waiting for DS2 too, that is, if it stands for Demon's Souls 2
"What we are trying to do is augment the tense sections with moments where Isaac feels more capable or like he has the upper hand for a change."
THAT is what sold me on the first game. I don't want to feel like Batman in AA. I want a helpless game like the first. Bummer.
Fully agreed, feeling like you could be decimated at any moment by just about anything even baby head monsters was one of the key selling points for me and it definitely added to the overall fear factor.
Having Isaac come in all guns a-blazin' and better suited seems like it is going to take away from that edge of your seat feel.
But I guess there is a need to evolve the game or it would become stale playing the same thing with updated graphics.
Well put coverton341.
"Edge of your seat" is why I got the Platinum trophy on that game. The harder difficulties just made it more exhilarating, and not cheap as in the case of Call of Duty titles.
agreed, feeling like you could die at any moment was what made DS1 such a gem.
It's all in the use of the situation. If they use it right, which I have faith they will, then you will feel like you have the upperhand but then "boom" something comes out and scares the bejesus out of you. Could have potential…
Oh well that's good to know.
I think this game is going to be awesome. I was never worried when all this talk came out, and I don't mind if they amp Isaac up a little bit.
I kinda take it like Ripley from Alien into Aliens. In the first one she is the only one that survives and she does it by hiding in a space suit….then in Aliens she turns into a kick-arse chick going after the aliens to save Newt….same philosophy here man.
And yes LV, Aliens IS the best movie in the series.
Yeah too bad they ruined the whole thing after Aliens where Newt grows up to become Newt Gingrich and is a GOP leader.
say what?
Alien and Aliens are completely different movies. It's far easier for someone to tell you The Godfather2 is better than The Godfather and compare the two movies, they're very similar. Alien is Sci-Fi Horror while Aliens is 80s Action, it comes down to what you prefer more.
I prefer the originality, setting, acting, mystery, and set design of the original. JC took all that made Alien unique and added "boom" to it all.
I do love Ripley though in Aliens and I wish Signourney had brought home the Oscar.
I never tried Dead Space 1. At one point I did some research on it, even watched the Dead Space animation movie. The movie was enough to keep me away from the game.
I love Resident evil, even the 5th game. When a certain characters die in RE series, they die with honor, but in Dead Space, they get their limbs and head cut off. It's just not the kind of game for me.
I don't get it…
You mean shooting a zombie in the head allows it to die honorably, but shooting the limbs off of a necromorph causes you so much anguish that you can't even play the game??
Yeah godsman your reasoning doesn't make much sense to me either.
I mean shoot a zombie in the face and his head pops. Shoot a necro in the face and cut him off at the jaw. No dignity or honour in either of those if you ask me but to each their own.
If you mean the way playable characters or non enemy characters die then you really need to at least give Dead Space a rental and find out that you are dead wrong. Team characters and non playable partner type characters are not dismembered.
EDIT: Also, the movie doesn't have much to do with the way the game plays out or its overall feel.
Last edited by coverton341 on 4/13/2010 1:17:54 PM
He's talking about Isaac and all his comrades getting ripped a new one, torn asunder, violently raped, getting dumped on and pwned. It's not his kind of thing, doesn't like to watch that. Unlike characters in normal games who just drop dead.
Last edited by Banky A on 4/13/2010 6:08:33 PM
Maybe Isaac will be duped by Necromorph mind games to THINK he has the upper hand.
Whatever they do I'm sure it'll be great. They did a good job on the first one so I'm not about to tell them how to make the second one.
i loved the first game and this will be a day 1 purchase for me, even tho i dont think it was as scary as f.e.a.r.
I liked the 1st one looking forward to the 2nd one 🙂
I think they could make some fantastic moments by having an "upper hand" moment immediately followed by a "run like hell" moment. Think about it…
You have this feeling of power after a huge battle and then this thing comes out that you have no chance of fighting off. You get chased around until you find something in the environment to take it down. Then cue the dramatic music.
I would be back on the edge of my seat waiting for something else to happen. That feeling of vulnerability would be even better–for me–after something like that. I may be more capable now, but there are still things I don't stand a chance against.
The whole idea of horror is that the protagonist absolutely does NOT have the upper hand. If you can wallop the necromorphs, there's no reason to be afraid of them. Then we just have another Halo on our hands.
I'd much rather see the necromorphs getting smarter and Isaac still being outmatched.
On another note, what is the premise of DS2? Clarke, having escaped the first abandoned spaceship full of necromorphs, mistakenly lands on yet ANOTHER abandoned spaceship full of necromorphs? Somehow I think the first game actually did end. EA needs to make sure they don't go all Pirates of the Caribbean on us and ruin the story by tacking on crappy sequels.
First one was awesome but I think I'll wait for the PSXE review this time, I'm still wary of this sort of change. Not sure if I'll be on the full price bandwagon this time, but Visceral really is a talented studio so I have high hopes.
I'm with you World. Just like movies the toughest thing to do is follow up a great original with a sequel that's on par or better. I loved DS and I'm looking forward to the sequel but so far those involved with the game keep making me doubtful the game can match the same brilliance the 1st had.
I think this is good news. I'll wait for some more info to come out before I buy. I'm hoping for the best.
I always thought this game was the spriritural successor to the first 3 Silent Hills. I have hope that the second one is just as frightening.
i just have to say that big trouble in little china is brilliant!!
2 points for the classic movie avatar!
"China is here, Mr. Burton."
This is great news I know they will do a good job with this game. I think dead space might replace the resident evil series since resident evil 5 wasn't so good.
Looks like they might be doing the "Alien to Aliens" transition, from more of a creepy feel to an action feel. Whether or not this will work as well as it did in the Alien franchise (where Alien and Aliens were both good for different reasons), well, we'll have to wait and see about that.
Fingers are crossed. DS 1 had the best atmosphere in a game this generation hands down. Although I'm a little worried about the new shift, I trust Visceral Games will get it done
Holy crap sunspider! Your avatar from Big Trouble Little China is epic, haha.
No but seriously, I am not really the action junkie, unless it is in the right context. But I do believe Dead Space 2 will be awesome, I was quite surprised by the 1st, and I have no doubts they could do the same again.
I hope the sequel turns out to best DS. DS is my favorite survival/horror game so I'm super hyped for this release. Maybe when they mean badassedness they're talking about the melee attacks or how Isaac confronts certain monsters now that he's had experience in the field (decimating and separating Necromorph body parts). I'm not worried about this title missing the target audience by a unfavorable transformation somewhere in the gameplay. These guys at Visceral have done it once so I'll trust they'll bring the same feel but different experience once again.
So…that means that Deadspace 2 is goin to do for the Deadspace series what RE2 did for that series?!
I hope so!
thats not exactly encouraging because dead space was hardly scary!
you want scary, go play the suffering not only does that give you the fright and jump but its scary on a psychological level, just fu**s with your mind!
i remain skeptical only because it sounds like they want to have a action period than a horror period, have a break in between.
you cant do that because it takes the atmosphere away from the game, you either go for one or the other.
if im playing a horror game i want it to slam me against the wall and hold me there till im done with the game.
i want to be in the corner shrieked up into a ball shaking, covered in sweat, and constantly swinging around screeching WHAT WAS THAT!
if the games not doing that, than sorry it has failed!
^_________: Even thou for once I kinda agree with you, these days I think it is becoming increasingly difficult to get kind of fear effect and atmosphere. I mean so many games before have done that. Silent Hill, Siren and even The Suffering as you said.
I think it's becoming harder every time because people will say well that's not new…. But they did that before…
I am not saying it is impossible I just think we have gotten use to a lot over the years. These days (and I blame the new generation of gamers for that) OTT gore seems to rule. For a lot of kids these days the want to see blood and guts and heads explode, they couldn't care less about walking on the streets of Silent Hill with a crow bar and broken radio, not knowing what's out there….just crapping your pants for the next time that f**** siren goes off…
So now what do the developers do? Go with heads exploding or actual psychological fear? I guess they can do both but where is the perfect balance?
I will get Dead Space 2 the first one for me was one of the biggest surprises of that year. I just say they should head in the "Event Horizon" direction….
actual psychological fear, and not something so obvious.
like in dead space it never scared me only because i knew what was going to happen.
the music was perfect, the build up was spot on, it built the tension nicely.
the same with fear 2 it had perfect music, it built the tension nicely but it never has a climax so to speak.
a game with just tension is not a horror game, you need that spike to make the person paper their pants.
dead space especially was so predictable, like there was one part where i was walking down a coridoor, creepy music started playing, i entered a elevator the camera was facing the wall opposite the doors, there was a loud bang, lights went out, camera quickly switched to doors closing.
and i said let me guess, a necromorph is going to leap out and try to pry the doors open, and guess what happened.
same as fear 2, both games are just far to predictable.
they need to go back play through dead space, get a few people, and ask them what were you expecting at this part.
than do the opposite.
you can not be scared if you know whats going to happen.
its not age either because well im not exactly hard to scare, in a seance im a pu*** and im playing resident evil on my psp and its still scaring the sh*t out of me!
I've been playing DS since I first read this and I finally just got my z-baller trophy, yay!
Back on subject, I think you guys might be getting a little paranoid about this one. The comment does make you wonder, but I don't think they will stray to far away from the superb gameplay and atmosphere that made the first one so great.
I just got a promo from Sony in the mail saying that DS is now a greatest hit. So any of you who haven't tried it no longer have any excuse not to.