Turns out the Dead Space 2 DLC, that was supposedly console specific, is available to unlock in the PC build. EA had previously told The Escapist that the DLC would not make it to the PC version, but users are reporting a save file is all that's required to unlock the extra suits and weapons.


There's a lively discussion, and instructions on how to access the content on the official Steam forum for the game.

Dead Space 2 developer, Visceral, recently announced they had started work on the ability to change key bindings in the game, one day after a disabled gamer created a petition for the cause. Fair play. Dan recently reviewed Dead Space 2. Read his opinions here.

(via TECHSpotlight)

Yesterday we mentioned the problems of a disabled gamer with Cerebral Palsy, who couldn't play Dead Space 2 because of a lack of key mapping features. A petition was launched asking Visceral to add key mapping to the game. It got more than 20,000 signatures. Visceral have responded today to say that a PC patch is on the way to fix the problem.

Executive Producer Steve Papoutsis sent confirmation to Joystiq that a fix is incoming. "The Dead Space 2 team is aware of the issue that disabled players are having with Dead Space 2 PC. In fact a number of folks on our team are so passionate about getting this fix done that they are currently working hard to allow players to re-map key bindings to the mouse which should help disabled players enjoy the game." He adds that "in addition to the key binding fix, the patch will include other fixes for PC players."

Hooray! A happy ending for everyone. We don't know exactly when the patch will hit, but it sounds like it's not too far away. For more on Dead Space 2, check out our review, and the official Dead Space 2 site for more information.

A disabled gamer has explained that he's unable to play Dead Space 2 thanks to a lack of button mapping features in the game. Gareth Garratt has cerebral palsy, and uses his head to control a mouse or controller when playing games. The inability to map any movement controls to his mouse means that he can't play Dead Space 2. A petition has been launched asking EA to add key mapping functionality to the game. It's already received more than 22,000 signatures.

Gareth posted about his situation when looking for a solution on the Overclockers forums, and has had hundreds of responses. "i can't use my hands, so i game using my chin. for disabled people like myself need fully customisable controls in all games, it can't be that hard to do surely?? If they can have the fire assigned to a mouse button, surely they could of assigned walk forward to a mouse button... so now I can't play this game and i wasted £25."

Gareth also posted a video demonstrating the way he uses the mouse to play Fallout: New Vegas, and has highlighted a petition started by disabled gamer and comedian, Chuck Bittner, also known as AskACapper. The petition asks developers for full button customisation in all games. Button customisation would help many disabled gamers, and it's a feature that, like dedicated servers and mod support, gives us all more control over the way we want to play our games. The petition already has more than 22,000 signatures. You can sign it here.

The “Previously, on Dead Space” video is a nice touch, though it reminds me how similar Dead Space 2’s premise and gameplay are to the last one. This time Isaac Clarke awakens on a facility on Saturn’s moon Titan, three years after the rescue-mission-gone-awry on the mining ship Ishimura, and finds a very familiar situation: Titan is overrun with space zombies called Necromorphs that have set about the meticulous dismemberment of everyone in sight—and he’s still having hallucinations of his dead girlfriend.

It also highlights that DS2 is a better sci-fi horror game, in a lot of subtle but important ways. While the plot is similar, the storytelling technique has changed for the better—Isaac has recovered from a bout of Gordon Freeman Syndrome (inexplicable muteness), and the voice performances are excellent. But the real star is the environment: for the entirety of the eight-hour campaign, Visceral does an expert job of making you feel in constant peril, alternating between tingling your spine with unsettling scenery and audio and trying to rip it out of your body by way of horrific monsters.


New blood

Fighting a Necro is different from other videogame enemies, in that shooting its head is like shooting a grizzly in the foot—it barely slows it down, and just makes it angrier. Picking off limbs takes them down quicker, requiring multiple accurate shots per target—which makes the smooth controls greatly appreciated.

DS2 has a zoo’s worth of different varieties of spitting, charging, wall-crawling nasties (including evil space-babies), and each puts up a hell of a fight. The first time I was hunted by the new Stalkers was one of the most frightening moments of the game—I caught a shadowy movement behind some crates out of the corner of my eye, but I found nothing there. I heard a chirping noise, and spun around to see a velociraptor-like creature charging toward me. With a scream it smashed me to the floor, then nimbly darted away, intelligently using cover to escape before I could hit its legs. Then, more chirping—and I realized I was surrounded. Clever girl.



Most of the 15 stages have a unique look to them (as unique as possible given that they’re mostly metal corridors), from the wrecked residential areas to the Necro-worshiping Unitologist temple to the EarthGov zone, and they’re punctuated by floaty zero-G areas. You have all the same tools as before—the upgradable Rig suit is equipped with time-slowing and telekinesis powers—but the levels are designed well and don’t overuse any one gimmick. That includes enemies that must be defeated by blasting their glowing yellow bits.

The new multiplayer owes a lot to Left 4 Dead’s example: four human players fight their way through a gauntlet of objectives while four class-based Necro players and AI-controlled backup zombies assail them from all sides. It’s fun, and produces some nail-biting finishes, but aside from making you unlock equipment with experience (which I don’t personally care for), it doesn’t do anything we haven’t seen before.



Overall, besides retaining the irritation of having to seek out a save station to avoid losing progress when I want to quit, DS2 is a smartly improved version of the original. It’s not a new experience, but it’s a hair-raiser nonetheless.

Josh, Logan, Evan, Chris, and Anthony chat about DC Universe: Online, Dead Space 2 and Monday Night Combat. We also hit on some news, surprising announcements and an interview with Monday Night Combat developer, Uber Entertainment.

PC Gamer US Podcast 257 - Squirrelgirl

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EA have stated outright that the two-mission DLC pack 'Severed' for Dead Space 2 will not be available on PC.

In a simple statement to VG247, EA said: “Dead Space 2: Severed will not be available on the PC”

The pack contains two missions where players take on the roles of the protagonists from Dead Space: Extraction, in a story that runs parallel to the Dead Space 2 narrative.

EA offered no explanation as to why the DLC would be console exclusive.

The “Previously, on Dead Space” video is a nice touch, though it reminds me how similar Dead Space 2’s premise and gameplay are to the last one. This time Isaac Clarke awakens on a facility on Saturn’s moon Titan, three years after the rescue-mission-gone-awry on the mining ship Ishimura, and finds a very familiar situation: Titan is overrun with space zombies called Necromorphs that have set about the meticulous dismemberment of everyone in sight—and he’s still having hallucinations of his dead girlfriend.

It also highlights that DS2 is a better sci-fi horror game, in a lot of subtle but important ways. While the plot is similar, the storytelling technique has changed for the better—Isaac has recovered from a bout of Gordon Freeman Syndrome (inexplicable muteness), and the voice performances are excellent. But the real star is the environment: for the entirety of the eight-hour campaign, Visceral does an expert job of making you feel in constant peril, alternating between tingling your spine with unsettling scenery and audio and trying to rip it out of your body by way of horrific monsters.


New blood

Fighting a Necro is different from other videogame enemies, in that shooting its head is like shooting a grizzly in the foot—it barely slows it down, and just makes it angrier. Picking off limbs takes them down quicker, requiring multiple accurate shots per target—which makes the smooth controls greatly appreciated.

DS2 has a zoo’s worth of different varieties of spitting, charging, wall-crawling nasties (including evil space-babies), and each puts up a hell of a fight. The first time I was hunted by the new Stalkers was one of the most frightening moments of the game—I caught a shadowy movement behind some crates out of the corner of my eye, but I found nothing there. I heard a chirping noise, and spun around to see a velociraptor-like creature charging toward me. With a scream it smashed me to the floor, then nimbly darted away, intelligently using cover to escape before I could hit its legs. Then, more chirping—and I realized I was surrounded. Clever girl.



Most of the 15 stages have a unique look to them (as unique as possible given that they’re mostly metal corridors), from the wrecked residential areas to the Necro-worshiping Unitologist temple to the EarthGov zone, and they’re punctuated by floaty zero-G areas. You have all the same tools as before—the upgradable Rig suit is equipped with time-slowing and telekinesis powers—but the levels are designed well and don’t overuse any one gimmick. That includes enemies that must be defeated by blasting their glowing yellow bits.

The new multiplayer owes a lot to Left 4 Dead’s example: four human players fight their way through a gauntlet of objectives while four class-based Necro players and AI-controlled backup zombies assail them from all sides. It’s fun, and produces some nail-biting finishes, but aside from making you unlock equipment with experience (which I don’t personally care for), it doesn’t do anything we haven’t seen before.



Overall, besides retaining the irritation of having to seek out a save station to avoid losing progress when I want to quit, DS2 is a smartly improved version of the original. It’s not a new experience, but it’s a hair-raiser nonetheless.

Dead Space 2 launches today in the US, and to celebrate EA are hosting a live event online.

The hour-long show starts at 7.30 EST over on USTREAM. Executive Producer Steve Papoutsis will be hosting, showing off both Dead Space 2 and Dead Space for iOS, along with the first reveal of the new Lurker kill designed by the winner of the 'Get Dismembered in Dead Space 2' Contest. There will also be a Q&A session and live competitions.

Dead Space 2 is available to pre-load on Steam now. Have you already got it waiting on your hard drive?

Dead Space 2 is now available to pre-purchase on Steam. Once bought, the game can be pre-downloaded to give you instant access when it's released tomorrow. To celebrate, the original Dead Space is currently on sale with 66% off. If you pre-order Dead Space 2 that discount rises to 75%. Not a bad deal for a sizeable chunk of interstellar horror.