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[John Harker]

How is the game on Normal vs. Survivalist mode?

I always play games on Normal just 'cause I don't have the time to struggle with each game I play, I'd rather just enjoy the ride. But I think I seem to recall having an overabundance of health items and ammo from DS1 so I thought maybe I'd try it on Survivalist to get more of a old school feel to it, but if it's a drastic difference or the game gets really challanging I'll just play on normal.

 

[IonicSnake]

Finally got the plainum trophy.

 

[luxarific]

How is the game on Normal vs. Survivalist mode?

I always play games on Normal just 'cause I don't have the time to struggle with each game I play, I'd rather just enjoy the ride. But I think I seem to recall having an overabundance of health items and ammo from DS1 so I thought maybe I'd try it on Survivalist to get more of a old school feel to it, but if it's a drastic difference or the game gets really challanging I'll just play on normal.

I played DS on Normal and I thought DS2 on Normal was significantly harder - particularly the ending. You need to make correct decisions about how and what to level up if you're going to beat the game without frustration.

The nice thing about DS2 is that you can change the difficulty level at any point in the game. So I would start on Survivalist and then notch it down if you're getting too annoyed with the game.

 

[CadetMahoney]

Lots of talk about hard core here (my copy has still not arrived...). Making it all the way to chapter 7 without saving makes it sound easier than I thought. True?

Lots of casual gamers get too used to the upgraded weapons and health/armor/suits on their second/third playthroughs. When they try HC mode and don't have those luxuries anymore it becomes a different story. *chuckle*

 

[luxarific]

Lots of talk about hard core here (my copy has still not arrived...). Making it all the way to chapter 7 without saving makes it sound easier than I thought. True?

Depends on the individual. I died repeatedly in the first few chapters on hardcore, but had very little difficulty with everything after chapter 6.

 

[John Harker]

I played DS on Normal and I thought DS2 on Normal was significantly harder - particularly the ending. You need to make correct decisions about how and what to level up if you're going to beat the game without frustration.

The nice thing about DS2 is that you can change the difficulty level at any point in the game. So I would start on Survivalist and then notch it down if you're getting too annoyed with the game.

Didn't realize that was an option, thanks for the tip

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

Lots of talk about hard core here (my copy has still not arrived...). Making it all the way to chapter 7 without saving makes it sound easier than I thought. True?

The challenge of it is really holding your nerve, especially during the instant death sequences and not rushing in and being unprepared. Also Exploders. Exploders are bastards, let one of those get close and its curtains.

I almost died in Chapter 4, I got hit by a Spitter which slows you down and had an exploder closing in on me. I just got up to normal running speed as he got to me and managed to get far enough away from his blast radius that I just survived with a sliver of health. Fortunately that was the last enemy of the encounter so I could heal in peace.

 

[slider]

I can't remember how far I'd got in the first game but the new one (DS2) has been sat on a shelf unopened for a while now. Does it matter if I haven't finished the first? Can I play DS2 or will I be doing myself, and the game, a huge disservice?

 

[Scarecrow]

Exploder hit me dead on on my hardcore run. Came out of nowhere. Somehow I lived through it. No health bar left, just a faint red glow coming from under the metal at the bottom of where the bar ends.

 

[todahawk]

holy shit, did not know hardcore limits you to three saves.

Just starting chapter 12 on normal and seems i made some good decisions, i have my rig, stasis and plasma cutter maxxed using the advanced suit. Been putting points into force gun and contact beam the last chapter and have a good chunk of ammo, health packs and 50k in the bank.

 

[Minamu]

Hardcore sounds sweet I suppose there are no glitches for bringing over equipment etc?

 

[BeeDog]

Fucking shit, my last Hardcore save is at the beginning of chapter 13. :/ Though it's in a good state, tons of cash and ammo, plasma cutter, RIG and stasis fully upgraded and then my other three weapons upgraded to various degrees.

I'm not looking forward to the insta-death sequences and the entirety of chapters 14 and 15, that's for sure.

 

[AlStrong]

ugugugu would like 90% superman armour DLC suit plskthnx for hardcore

 

[todahawk]

Fucking shit, my last Hardcore save is at the beginning of chapter 13. :/ Though it's in a good state, tons of cash and ammo, plasma cutter, RIG and stasis fully upgraded and then my other three weapons upgraded to various degrees.

I'm not looking forward to the insta-death sequences and the entirety of chapters 14 and 15, that's for sure.

15 total chapters?

What carries over to new game+? Just rig I thought. Nothing else- no stasis, no weapons, cash, items in the safe?

 

[BeeDog]

15 total chapters?

What carries over to new game+? Just rig I thought. Nothing else- no stasis, no weapons, cash, items in the safe?

Yeah, 15 chapters. 14 and 15 are very short, but are really hard and ultimately also really cheap. Chapter 13 itself is also a pain in the butt.

For NG+, everything carries over (after you unlock/retrieve the stuff from the first store). Hardcore can't be played in NG+.

 

[todahawk]

Yeah, 15 chapters. 14 and 15 are very short, but are really hard and ultimately also really cheap. Chapter 13 itself is also a pain in the butt.

For NG+, everything carries over (after you unlock/retrieve the stuff from the first store). Hardcore can't be played in NG+.

Gotcha, thx.
Hardcore sounds like fun in a sadistic kind of way. Now I understand the talk of not getting used to upgraded weapons, etc.

 

[BeeDog]

Hardcore's pretty fun, yeah, since it forces you to take a different, more cautionary approach. The sense of relief when you hit a good save point is immense, though awaiting some of the instant-death sequences isn't good for one's mental health.

For those who have finished Hardcore mode, where did you end up using your third and final save?

 

[Dave1988]

Hardcore's pretty fun, yeah, since it forces you to take a different, more cautionary approach. The sense of relief when you hit a good save point is immense, though awaiting some of the instant-death sequences isn't good for one's mental health.

For those who have finished Hardcore mode, where did you end up using your third and final save?

Spoiler

Chapter 13. Save before you go down the elevator to the main gate.

 

[Balphon]

Spoiler

Chapter 13. Save before you go down the elevator to the main gate.

Same.

 

[BeeDog]

Hah, great. As mentioned above, I saved at the exact same spot. But I felt pushing into the end of 13/beginning of 14 would've been better.

 

[UFRA]

Just finished the game on Normal. Took about 11 hours.

Those last couple chapters really had me freaking out...normally throughout the entire game I kill all the enemies, then scavenge around for items.

Well, for the last 2 chapters I was basically just running and gunning lol...

 

[todahawk]

Just finished the game on Normal. Took about 11 hours.

Those last couple chapters really had me freaking out...normally throughout the entire game I kill all the enemies, then scavenge around for items.

Well, for the last 2 chapters I was basically just running and gunning lol...

Great, I'm just starting chap 12 and was feeling pretty cocky. :/

Quick question, are there sections with unending waves of enemies? I don't want to pull a CoD and sit there waiting for the wave to end.

 

[ThirstyFly]

I've been avoiding this until I finished the game, but now that's done so does anyone know what the alien text hidden in the corners of the main menu (when you move it around with the analog stick) translates to?

 

[ThirstyFly]

Great, I'm just starting chap 12 and was feeling pretty cocky. :/

Quick question, are there sections with unending waves of enemies? I don't want to pull a CoD and sit there waiting for the wave to end.

No, but there may be a few points where they spawn in 2 or so new enemiea if you're taking too long in a room. I'm not really sure if that's what happened, but it did seem like it a few times.

 

[CadetMahoney]

ppl used to say the bratz in the mines were neverending, but i'm pretty sure they eventually came to an end.

 

[Replicant]

Just finished the game on Normal. Took about 11 hours.

Those last couple chapters really had me freaking out...normally throughout the entire game I kill all the enemies, then scavenge around for items.

Well, for the last 2 chapters I was basically just running and gunning lol...

I still scavenge for items but in a rushed kinda way. I'd go like:

*enter a room*
"ZOMG, there are so many of them"
"ZOMG X 2, there's my stalker and we didn't even go on a date together!"
*alt-fired everyone with Contact Beam*
*Everything is in stasis with broken limbs*
*runs around the room grabbing anything I can before rushing out of the door*
*repeat ad nauseum*

I must say Contact Beam's alt-fire really came to the rescue in those last 2 chapters. I don't know about the normal Contact Beam but Hacker Contact Beam has this special node and I found out the special node apparently produces stasis while breaks the Necros' joints as well.

It's the same with Modified Plasma Cutter, it has a fire properties added to the special node.

ppl used to say the bratz in the mines were neverending, but i'm pretty sure they eventually came to an end.

They do came to an end. I verified this. And if you have Modified Plasma Cutter with fire properties, they are just one-hit kill and gives you lots of goodies.

 

[∀ Narayan]

My god, the

Spoiler

Solar Array

bit is AMAZING.

 

[Replicant]

My god, the

Spoiler

Solar Array

bit is AMAZING.

Isn't it? It's such a badass moment for Isaac. This along the train sequence were some of my favorite moments in DS2.

 

[RoboPlato]

Isn't it? It's such a badass moment for Isaac. This along the train sequence were some of my favorite moments in DS2.

I loved how (relatively) peaceful that section is too. It's a nice, gorgeous break from everything else. Plus the end is totally badass.

 

[Drewsky]

Isn't it? It's such a badass moment for Isaac. This along the train sequence were some of my favorite moments in DS2.

Nothing matches the Tormentor fight as far as badass goes.

 

[Deleted member 30609]

mid-way through Chapter 3.

I'm not sure how I feel about it yet, to be honest. I have little sense of where I am and why I'm doing what I'm doing. Each environment feels like the last one. I mean, don't get me wrong, cool combat, but when you crashed on the ship and stepped onboard the Ishimura and saw the giant-lit up signage, you were in such a striking place with a really clear purpose. Here it's just like Isaac is tap-dancing from one scene to the next with a giant cane sweeping him along from stage-left. It's really killing the mood.

 

[RoboPlato]

Nothing matches the Tormentor fight as far as badass goes.

Was that when

Spoiler

Isaac launches the huge necro into space and blows up the gunship

? If so, I totally agree.

 

[WEGGLES]

End game spoilers.

Spoiler

Game kind-of shits the bed at the end there? As someone with a fully upgraded ripper and more ammo than I could ever need... that unkillable monster was just a nuisance more than anything. And the last boss fight? What the fuck... again... with the ripper... it wasn't apparent to me to shoot the background area... so I spent 20 mins trying to kill Nicole the required number of times to win... then I checked a guide and found out I was doing it all wrong. Kind-of annoying. Especially since I found the design of the boss to be a pain in the ass anyways. The game was really neat aside from the very end. Seems like there may be a #3? Can't wait to play extraction

 

[Replicant]

Yeah, I love that Tormentor sequence too.

Two questions:

1. Is there a larger version of this awesome image from the OP?

2. What's the name of the music used on this trailer starting from 1m10s? Will it be on the OST?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiQhlSwxLz0#t=1m10s

 

[Drewsky]

Was that when

Spoiler

Isaac launches the huge necro into space and blows up the gunship

? If so, I totally agree.

Oh yeah, that's the one. The rest of the game could have been shit and that would have made up for it.

Spoiler

The way the sound cuts out when the glass breaks and you fly into space, still wrestling with the necromorph. God damn.

And here you go Replicant: http://imgur.com/b6cTx

 

[bigdaddygamebot]

Fucking shit, my last Hardcore save is at the beginning of chapter 13. :/ Though it's in a good state, tons of cash and ammo, plasma cutter, RIG and stasis fully upgraded and then my other three weapons upgraded to various degrees.

I'm not looking forward to the insta-death sequences and the entirety of chapters 14 and 15, that's for sure.

That's about when I'm saving my last save for.

I'm thinking...right before the "surgery".

 

[UFRA]

No, but there may be a few points where they spawn in 2 or so new enemiea if you're taking too long in a room. I'm not really sure if that's what happened, but it did seem like it a few times.

I could have sworn that in Chapter 13

Spoiler

when you are in the main room where the drill machine crashed and all the monsters are coming out of the wall

that there was infinite respawn.

Either that, or I managed to escape in a break in the action and didn't actually finish the "wave". I stood there for maybe a good 5 minutes going "when will this end?" lol.

As for the end game battle...

Spoiler

I got killed by Nicole like 3 times after some really long battles of simply trying to kill her (LOVE my Contact Beam lol...1 shot = Nicole disappears) until I finally figured out that you have to shoot the giant heart-thing in the background after you shoot her. As soon as I realized that I beat that battle in literally less than a minute.

 

[Carnby]

End game spoilers.

Spoiler

Game kind-of shits the bed at the end there? As someone with a fully upgraded ripper and more ammo than I could ever need... that unkillable monster was just a nuisance more than anything. And the last boss fight? What the fuck... again... with the ripper... it wasn't apparent to me to shoot the background area... so I spent 20 mins trying to kill Nicole the required number of times to win... then I checked a guide and found out I was doing it all wrong. Kind-of annoying. Especially since I found the design of the boss to be a pain in the ass anyways. The game was really neat aside from the very end. Seems like there may be a #3? Can't wait to play extraction

Spoiler

What!? I beat Nicole by shooting her until she disappeared, and then I would shoot the marker until she returned. You're telling me that all I had to do was just shoot the marker? No wonder everyone thinks the final boss is a joke. Ugh.

 

[UFRA]

Spoiler

What!? I beat Nicole by shooting her until she disappeared, and then I would shoot the marker until she returned. You're telling me that all I had to do was just shoot the marker? No wonder everyone thinks the final boss is a joke. Ugh.

No you did it right. I think he did the same thing that I did (see my post above).

 

[Replicant]

And here you go Replicant: http://imgur.com/b6cTx

Thank you! It looks awesome.

I could have sworn that in Chapter 13

Spoiler

when you are in the main room where the drill machine crashed and all the monsters are coming out of the wall

that there was infinite respawn.

Yeah, I'm not sure about that part either. In my experience, if I save after killing a few and return to the room, there seems to be as many Necros as it was before. But I did beat them all and walking around the room (not saving) for a while and nothing seems to come out anymore so maybe it's just designed in such a way so that you'd finish everything in the room at once and proceeds to the next one ASAP (without saving).

That was the point where I actually screamed in frustration. Not because of the final boss, not because of the ubermorph, but at this gang-bang shit that also happened near the end of DS1.

 

[LiK]

i never understand why the Advanced Suit has such weird looking shoes.

 

[luxarific]

1. Is there a larger version of this awesome image from the OP?

There really needs to be a Dead Space art book a la Raising the Bar. I know there's some art in the Prima guide, but that's not equivalent to a dedicated Making-of-Dead-Space/Art Book. Something along the lines of that awesome Uncharted 2 artbook would be great. I could spend hours just looking at all the suits, lol....

 

[Replicant]

There really needs to be a Dead Space art book a la Raising the Bar. I know there's some art in the Prima guide, but that's not equivalent to a dedicated Making-of-Dead-Space/Art Book. Something along the lines of that awesome Uncharted 2 artbook would be great. I could spend hours just looking at all the suits, lol....

If there's a good Japanese figure maker who'd create a 12" (30cm height) figurine of Isaac in his Advance suit, I'd so buy it. Not fond of the American ones. They look cheap and nasty.

 

[LiK]

If there's a good Japanese figure maker who'd create a 12" (30cm height) figurine of Isaac in his Advance suit, I'd so buy it. Not fond of the American ones. They look cheap and nasty.

I got the NECA DS2 figure and it looks good. Altho the DS1 figures had better weapon molds.

 

[Mako_Drug]

I keep getting 'connection lost' messages then kicked to the menu when playing multiplayer. I can't figure out if the host is dropping or if its my connection, anyone else getting this?

 

[WEGGLES]

Spoiler

What!? I beat Nicole by shooting her until she disappeared, and then I would shoot the marker until she returned. You're telling me that all I had to do was just shoot the marker? No wonder everyone thinks the final boss is a joke. Ugh.

You did it right. I was just saying, since I was using my ripper I was unable to shoot that far off. So there was 20 mins or so of "what am I doing wrong" before I consulted a guide.

 

[JohngPR]

Just got through the Solar Array bit...that was awesome.

DS2 is shaping up to be a great game. Love the set pieces, the graphics, and the progression.

They took a few cues from Uncharted 2 much to the betterment of the game.

 

[Carnby]

You did it right. I was just saying, since I was using my ripper I was unable to shoot that far off. So there was 20 mins or so of "what am I doing wrong" before I consulted a guide.

Oops. Sorry. I misread what you wrote. I understand now.

I still don't understand all these complaints about the final boss (I thought it was great,) yet no one complains about how the ending its self is extremely weak. Waiting for the credits to end was not worth it.

 

[poserdonut]

I'm in chapter 4 and I'm still just running around with the plasma cutter.

In DS I used the plasma cutter and the line gun. What are people recommending for DS2? Should I just go all out with the plasma cutter and get it fully upgraded or is it worth getting one or more of the other weapons?

 

[BeeDog]

I'm in chapter 4 and I'm still just running around with the plasma cutter.

In DS I used the plasma cutter and the line gun. What are people recommending for DS2? Should I just go all out with the plasma cutter and get it fully upgraded or is it worth getting one or more of the other weapons?

If you're playing on Normal, I would recommend Plasma Cutter, Ripper and either Force Gun or the Pulse Rifle. To be honest, the game's pretty easy on this difficulty level, so you can experiment as much as you want. But as in DS1, the Plasma Cutter is your most trusted friend.