E3 2010: Dead Space 2 gameplay adds guns, better anti-grav, bigger everything

The original Dead Space was surprisingly awesome for the player, but main character Isaac really got screwed – if we were stranded in a space station full of terrifying flesh-ripping undead horrors, we’d really want something more than a nail gun to defend ourselves. Luckily, the developers of Dead Space 2 agree, and they’ve outfitted Mr Unlucky Spaceman with one of the coolest weapons we’ve seen in ages: the javelin gun.

You’ve seen everything the javelin gun does already in other games, but we can’t recall a weapon that combined all of its capabilities in such a satisfying package. First off, it sends whatever it hits flying backward until it hits the wall, where it then pins your quarry in place. This is not only tremendously empowering in and of itself, but it also opens up some interesting strategic options. Remember that baddie from the first game with the explosive bulb on its arm? If you’ve tacked him to the wall, you can then wait until another enemy is nearby and shoot the bulb, blowing both of ‘em to bits.

In addition to that, the harpoon is electrified. Once it’s been shot, you can hit another button to trigger a monster-cooking electrical discharge – again creating an effective trap for any nearby foes. There’s even talk of it enabling you to electrify standing pools of liquid, as you could in the BioShock games (though this isn’t yet definite).

Granted, if we could choose one weapon to add to Dead Space 2, it would be a light saber – but this is pretty damn cool.

That’s not the only new weapon, either. You can now use your telekinesis to lift up specific severed limbs from various enemies. For example, remember that bomb-armed guy we pinned to the wall awhile back? Just use the plasma cutter to shoot that arm off at the elbow, and you can carry around the bomb using telekinesis until you find another enemy to toss it to, like the worlds gooey-est, most explosive water balloon. Or, grab the three-foot bone talons that sprout from several other enemies, and use it to telekinetically impale them right back. Even your melee attack has been sped up, and your curb stomp is no longer a one time use attack – you can stomp over and over if you like.