Dead Space 2

The games industry is just as fond of sequels as Hollywood. But follow ups are generally bestowed on big, bankable franchises, so it's mildly surprising to see a second serving of Dead Space.

The original game, which followed the (mis)fortunes of lowly engineer Isaac Clarke as he struggled to survive against a spaceship full of zombie-like creatures, was fairly enjoyable and added a few twists to the third-person shooter formula, but it wasn't exactly a runaway hit.

Dead Space 2 picks up some time later. Clarke is now being treated in a medical facility onboard a massive space station, when an inevitable outbreak of space zombie-ism sees our hero fighting for his life once again.

With nods to many sci-fi classics, Dead Space 2 is a notch or two above the average shooter in terms of the thought behind it. It also upholds its predecessor's innovations. For instance, there is no health bar or ammo counter cluttering the screen; all this information is built into the game world itself, with a life bar running up the spine of Isaac's suit and remaining bullets displayed on the weapons themselves.

Combat, too, is different to many other games of this type. Headshots won't work here and you will need to use your unusual engineering toolset to sever limbs in order to defeat your foes.

But where the first Dead Space game quickly became very samey, the follow-up is a more varied affair. There is much more environmental diversity, with eerily empty shopping malls, recreational areas and school classrooms. Some big set pieces provide Dead Space 2 with blockbuster appeal, while a multiplayer mode adds an extra dimension that the first outing lacked.

An improvement in just about every sense, Dead Space 2 is a highly polished game and a sequel that easily justifies its existence. We have a couple of words of warning, however.

First off, this is an extremely gory game with more than its fair share of shocks and scares; younger players and the faint of heart need not apply. Secondly, you'll need a fairly powerful PC in order to play at all. Check the full requirements before you buy.

Age rating: 18