Slight Improvements from the Original, More of an Add-On than a Separate Game
The game play was almost a carbon copy of the previous game, though, annoyingly, they placed the 'back' button and auto-health use as the same button and I inadvertently used up much of my health without meaning to. After having just finished the first game, jumping into the second was gratifying just for the overall similarities in controls. There are too many games that change the little things too much, making the graduation from game-to-game more of a chore than an enjoyment.
The graphics and environments felt much more varied in this game. Issac moves through a city and then back to the Ishimura and then onto the government sector. While the enemies aren't greatly varied, they were tough to bring down at times. I did miss not having some of the challenge, or scare, from the first game. The only really scary environment was the Ishimura, mostly for the eerie way in which it was presented.
The story was, unfortunately, weak. Giving Issac a voice, to me, was a great detraction. What made the original Dead Space so scary was the fact that you never really knew Issac's place or thoughts on things. In this sequel, Nicole is used generously, and while Issac's reactions are fair, it would be nice to allow the gamer to react on their own without his dialogue. The side-story with Ellie and Stross was mildly diverting, but only barely.
Overall, as sequel, this game paled in comparison to the original, both in game play and story. While it lacked much that was new, the game was still very fun. I blazed through the game, not wanting to stop, wondering where the story would take me. Even with a mediocre ending, the game was well worth playing. I now wish I'd gotten to it much, much sooner. With the third iteration coming out soon, this is a game worth picking up now.