#wright bagwell

While the locales of Dead Space 2 change frequently, a common theme of the environment design in many of the later stages is ‘domestic living,’ and this remains consistent for much of the game (with the player going through a daycare, a theater, even a shopping center). In addition to distinguishing the monsters and Isaac from the world around them, and making both entities feel alien to this space, it also creates a wellspring of meaning behind the multitude of monsters that have infested the station. The Necromorphs are not just scientists or corrupt miners, they’re families that have been consumed by a virus that has no hope of being cured.

An important and extremely frightening feature of the enemies in Dead Space comes through in how they address being incapacitated in some way; depending on the enemy, losing a limb or a head isn’t the end of their relentless onslaught, and they continue moving after the player, but with subtle changes made to their actions. Headless enemies move forward arms outstretched, grasping for the player. Enemies that can no longer walk will scramble towards them on the floor. They adapt to their new circumstances, and thus provide a unique challenge in play while also changing up that play during individual encounters based on player decisions.

The camera in Dead Space is gripped tightly over the shoulder of the player character- and from that decision comes many aspects of the game’s claustrophobic environment and sense of horror. In choosing to make the player feel separate but also very close to Isaac, it’s A) more difficult to disengage from the situation he’s in, and B) much easier to make moments where enemies are able to sneak up on you, while also indicating they’re behind you once they do attack.

The enemy design in Dead Space 2 emphasizes unusual movement and uncomfortably placed weak points. The player can almost always hit an enemy as long as they’re looking at them, but among a swarm, especially one with various types of enemies bearing down, making the shift from combatant to combatant can be very difficult, greatly increasing the tension of the encounter overall.