Dead Space 2 is a 2011
survival horror game developed by
Visceral Games and published by
Electronic Arts. It was released for
PlayStation 3,
Windows, and
Xbox 360 in January. The second mainline entry in the
Dead Space series, set on the
Titan-based Sprawl space station, the story follows series protagonist
Isaac Clarke as he fights against both an outbreak of the monstrous
Necromorphs and debilitating mental illness induced by the alien Markers. Gameplay features Isaac exploring a series of levels, solving puzzles to progress, and finding resources while fighting off Necromorphs. The game included a
competitive multiplayer, with the Sprawl's security forces fighting teams of Necromorphs.
Pre-production began in 2008, immediately following the release of the original
Dead Space. The storyline, alongside building upon and expanding the series lore, focused on Isaac's deteriorating mental state, with classic
nursery rhymes being used as motifs playing into the narrative and Isaac's visions. The gameplay was adjusted based on feedback from players and the team's experience, in addition to making it faster-paced and having more overt action elements. Multiplayer was included as a separate mode based on both fan feedback and requests from Electronic Arts.
Announced in 2010,
Dead Space 2 saw an extensive marketing campaign from its publisher. It was supplemented by several other multimedia projects including the novel
Dead Space: Martyr, the animated movie
Dead Space: Aftermath, the spin-off game
Dead Space Ignition, and a
mobile prequel. A
downloadable content expansion, subtitled
Severed, was released in March 2011 and followed characters from the spin-off
Dead Space: Extraction.
Dead Space 2 received critical acclaim. Reviews of the game praised its gameplay, narrative, atmosphere, graphics, and audio and level design, with many calling it superior to the original
Dead Space. The game sold two million copies during its opening week, but according to later developer interviews Electronic Arts was disappointed in its commercial performance. A direct sequel,
Dead Space 3, was released in 2013.