JBoc924There’s been many conflicting opinions on this new DLC for Dead Space 2. The usual comments lay blame on the price being too high for such a small package (in terms of game-time). Regardless of what some people may say, Dead Space 2 ‘Severed’ is worth every dollar, and it provides one of the most memorable scenarios in the series to date. It even rivals the overall effectiveness of Dead Space 2’s main plot. Find out why in our review below.
Right from the beginning of ‘Severed’ players are treated to a very simple yet effective intro scene that serves to paint the desperate scenario Dead Space Extraction’s Gabe Newell finds himself in. He’s lucky to be alive but he’s not so lucky in terms of what lies ahead. After communicating with his wife Lexine Murdoch (another Extraction survivor) he makes it his top priority to escape the mines and head into the hospital where Lexine was going about a regular day at work…until the Necromorph infestation hit. Yeah, another one. As if surviving the events of Dead Space Extraction wasn’t enough.
While we still don’t know exactly what happened to Nathan McNeill, we do know the current status of Gabe and Lexine. As aforementioned, they’re both married with Lexine working at the Sprawl’s hospital and Gabe being a security officer. The latter’s job title serving as what drives his character, game-play wise.
Whereas Isaac is more strategic in his ways of dismemberment, Gabe is a much more offensive force. It’s pretty evident too, what with his initial weapon selection consisting of the pulse and seeker rifles. His more offensive style translates into what is one hell of an action-oriented scenario that kicks off before Isaac regains consciousness in the Sprawl’s hospital, ultimately leading to the second chapter which takes place hours after Isaac ventured through said hospital. And trust me, these two chapters are extremely intense.
Then we have the returning Necromorph: the Twitcher. This monstrosity brings with him a more tense experience than one would’ve expected upon hearing about the more action-packed nature of this DLC. The Twitcher behaves just as you remember him back on the Ishimura, though he does seem to have received a boost in strength/speed since then. Stasis is your friend with these Twitcher encounters and just be sure to watch out for any other Necromorphs around you, of which there are hordes. While it doesn’t get to levels that are completely overwhelming, there are a lot of relentless waves of enemies coming at you within this DLC’s two chapters. And if you feel like your current weapons aren’t effective enough, you could just upgrade them at benches (as usual) or stock up on supplies at a nearby store. Or maybe you’re part of the Dead Space veteran club and you want a much tougher experience, those people will be happy to know that there’s a difficulty selection for this DLC as well.
‘Severed’ presents a pretty linear affair, like the main game, but there are some little detours here and there with the most notable one leading to the return of Peng! And it’s worth addressing the issues some are having with the familiarity with this DLC’s levels. Yes, it’s true that the majority of the experience will take you through environments that you’ve already been through. ‘Severed’ pretty much sees you traversing in reverse when compared to the main game which saw Isaac starting in the hospital working his way to the mines. This doesn’t mean, however, that ‘Severed’ doesn’t feel fresh. The different enemy placement coupled with the more corpse-ridden and blood-filled aesthetics of the levels makes for an experience that, despite taking place in areas previously gone through, feels fresh in its own way.
I would love to delve into story-specifics, but I’ll refrain from doing so. What I will say, though, is the ‘Severed’ offers a much more effective and even (dare I say) emotional tale than the yarn spun by Isaac’s main quest. Now that’s saying something. In the end, ‘Severed’ stands as an extremely satisfying and dread-inducing package that’s wrapped in a story that not only pushes the mythos forward but also provides an ending that will definitely have fans discussing over the repercussions.
10 out of 10
