While some things are definitely more snappy or streamlined compared to the first Dead Space, DS2 feels a little too unfocused for me to consider a worthy successor. There’s plenty of elements that might be considered a step forward from a gameplay perspective, like the speed of aiming, melee attacking and actions like kinesis and stasis, but in doing that it does start to sacrifice the original game’s sense of identity. Add to that the lack of a really strong setting like the Ishimura, and instead a cityscape where you’re just kind of bumbling through vents, elevator shafts and getting whipped by monsters or debris a dozen blocks away. The events that link different environments together don’t feel very well considered, and even then, the variety of environmental design through most of the game is rather lacking. Ultimately it’s a really well made game with lots of (insane) eye candy particularly towards the end of the game, but the experience just doesn’t live up as a whole to the first. Maybe with a remake they could MAKE IT WHOLE. eh?