Dead Space 2 does little to advance over its predecessor, but then again, there wasn't much wrong with the original.

User Rating: 9 | Dead Space 2 PC
Elements that Dead Space 2 Continues to Succeed in from the Original Dead Space:

- intriguing story
- great visuals with non-steep PC requirements
- amazing audio that sets the atmosphere
- intuitive game pad controls and user interface (e.g. menu layout and navigation)
- great voice acting and characters
- strategic game play (e.g. dismembering instead of headshots)
- makes scavenging and searching satisfying
- tons of upgrades available to numerous brutal weapons (including armor and inventory slots)
- fast loading times
- good amount of save points
- several plot twists and scary/suspenseful moments
- overall great atmosphere
- small amount of puzzle/problem solving in between intense action that isn't too complicated and is quite enjoyable
- numerous types of enemies

Things That Dead Space 2 Improves Upon:

- enhanced navigation system (you can choose where want your GPS navigation to lead you to: your objective or your nearest save point, bench, or store)
- minor control improvements that make the game more intuitive (e.g. controls in Zero Gravity chambers)
- new armor suits that look awesome
- a new method for 'hacking' terminals which remains enjoyable throughout the game
- a few new weapons that are, of course, satisfying and brutal on enemies
- multiplayer

Things Dead Space 2 Regresses On:

- lack of depth in boss battles (e.g. no boss battles that need to be defeated using the environment around you; just a couple of brutes throughout the game and a couple regenerating bosses on the last mission)
- some dull objectives during the campaign

Overall: Much like its predecessor, Dead Space 2's overall atmosphere combined with the brutal and satisfying game play make it an amazing game. Although the game play is quite similar to the original Dead Space (aside from a couple minor intuitive tweaks), there were virtually no flaws in the original to begin with (in my opinion). I guess "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies here. The lack of 'true' boss battles and a few dull objectives barely diminish the game's enjoyment. Dead Space 2's campaign is slightly shorter than the original, however, the level of detail in this game (e.g. writing on the wall, details in rooms, etc.) is much more in depth compared to the first game (from what I can remember). This game is much more enjoyable if you take your time and actually read the text logs, listen to the audio logs, look at the writing on the wall, and explore everywhere. There's even a 'refresher' at the beginning of the game in case you forgot the important details of the first game. So it's simple: if you enjoyed the first Dead Space, you'll enjoy this one (and vice versa). Just remember to play the first game in order to fully appreciate this one.