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Dead Space 2 Review

The cover depicts the words Dead Space in blac...
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The ‘survival  horror’ genre in gaming has long been defined and therefore dominated by one franchise, and rightly so. Since 1997, the Resident Evil series has shocked, horrified and captivated gore loving thrill seekers across a number of different platforms. The combination of a deep involving plot, intense tactical combat and mind-bending puzzle sections made what fans affectionately termed ‘Resi’ a hit, time after time.

The series has of course spawned imitators – Silent Hill anyone? But nothing has really challenged Resi’s crown until now. In 2008 Dead Space came along, a 3rd person action-horror game that combined the helpless isolation of deep space with blood hungry beasts and a slew weaponry that could blast a hole in a barn door. The tense storyline complete with obligatory twists completed the picture and lead many to question if Resident Evil had met its match.

The second instalment of Dead Space confirms that the adventurers of Issac Clarke, a deep space engineer thrust into a world of religious cults, grotesque scientific experiments and deadly, mutated beings (Necromorphs) certainly holds its own against the original survival horror brand.

While Dead Space 2 doesn’t offer anything particularly revolutionary over its predecessor, it does deliver more of the same unbearably tense thrills that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. This time round Isaac must navigate a vast space station that was once inhabited by humans but now lays in ruins, destroyed by corporations carrying out medical experiments.

The setting is far more shall we say, familiar than the original which took place on a ship, locations are recognisable as Apartment blocks, Schools and Churches, albeit futuristic interpretations. This does not make the game anymore ’homely’, in fact witnessing infected infants crawl towards you in a School hall emitting a piercing scream  is unsettling to say the least.

The weapons and upgrade system makes a return, old favourites like the Ripper, a powerful buzz saw are present alongside a few newcomers. The detonator emits proximity mines, useful for protecting yourself against hoards of enemies, while the Javelin gun fires metal bolts that pin Necromorphs to the wall where you can finish them off with a swipe of the fist, conserving ammo for later.

One welcome addition to Dead Space is an overhaul of the zero gravity sections. Now, by tapping the left stick Issac can use the thrusters on his suit to glide around freely in the environment , touching down where ever he pleases.

The fact that not much has changed in Dead Space is largely irrelevant, the format is still as fresh and chilling as it was back in late 2008, and the development of the gripping, unpredictable plot will be enough to tempt most fans back for a second helping. Dead Space 2 proves that the franchise can really it cut it with the best and in my opinion, beats Resident Evil at its own game.

A true masterpiece: 9/10

 

 

Joe is a gaming enthusiast working for a company that sell Ford Fiesta lease deals, he could do with the biggest and best people carrier to trasnport all his games from place to place! You can follow Joe on Twitter @joe__johnson__

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The Chronicles of Narnia The Voyage of The Dawn Treader

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You can see why there was so much humming and harring surrounding the production of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The resulting movie is exactly what Disney expected it to be: A fantasy bore. The Dawn Treader? More like The Yawn Treader.

It was hoped that the Narnia Chronicles could emulate The Potter and Rings franchise with an equally smooth transition to the big screen. But these high hopes were dashed long before the release of The Dawn Treader after disappointing returns on Prince Caspian (2008) (which earned $415 million worldwide but fell way short of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’s staggering $745 million haul). It begs the question: why make the movie in the first place?  The damage had already been done.

The trials and tribulations of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader had been much publicized. Producing Disney delayed and then pulled out of financing the movie. The Mouse House should have trusted their inkling; now they have another lead balloon on their hand, a sinking a ship if you will.  It just goes to show that bad things do come in threes and The Chronicles of Narnia movies is definitely a terrible threesome.

In a rather cumbersome fashion, the film does reflect the dark and dreary post-war years in which C.S Lewis penciled the Narnia stories; reflecting the issue of morality that he saw being drained and then later restored by the war’s outcome.  The Dawn Treader’s plot is arguably the most Tolkien-esque of the Narnia movies – a cod-medieval adventure, special effects and in-your-face nakedly religious overtones; like having a fat greasy vicar preach directly in your and then belch in your mouth after-wards.

The Pevensies are back in Narnia. Lucy (Henley), Edmund (Keynes) and their brat of a cousin Eustace Scrubb (Poulter) join their old friend Caspian (Barnes) on the ship Dawn Treader as they embark on a voyage beyond Narnia’s seas in search for the seven lost lords. Rather remarkably Liam Neeson’s remarkable streak of bad movies continues, if anything it’s kind of impressive; Aslan’s booming god-like voice is simply an unwelcomed distraction.

The success of The Dawn Treader will be crucial in determining the direction of the four remaining films, (yes that’s right, four remaining films). Next up, presumably, is The Silver Chair. I am literally praying that after witnessing 133 minutes of sheer agony that those Disney’s bigwigs see sense this time around and put a stop to this unbearable franchise.

Aidan Donovan is a copywriter who works for a company who sells Ford Fiesta

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