Dead Space 2 almost in production

By Tom Bramwell Published 30 September, 2009

Movement and combat stuff in place.

Visceral Games' follow-up to Dead Space is "in the later stages of pre-production, ready for production in the next few months, with many of the navigational and combat mechanics in place".

That's according to a job posting from earlier in the month on LinkedIn, which superannuation spotted today and we've not seen mentioned elsewhere.

"We have complete autonomy and creative control over our own decisions," says the advert page, which seeks a "lead combat and controls designer" to join the studio formerly known as EA Redwood Shores.

"This M-rated action/shooter sequel will set new standards for an action-packed story-driven console experience. Our team values are as follows: gameplay comes first, controller feel is everything, culture of creativity, be highly iterative, playtest early and often, learn from failure, work fast and smart, and surround ourselves with the best talent in the world."

It's the second time Dead Space 2 has been outed by LinkedIn, but then EA doesn't make much secret of its intention to persist with the horror series. Silver-haired fox John Riccitiello has mentioned the desire for follow-ups in the past, and the game has already expanded successfully onto Wii.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (38) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • JahB #1 2 years ago

    Holiday release 2010, you've heard it here first.

    and personally, i can't wait. first game was ace

  • bad09 #2 2 years ago

    Bring it on!

    Oh, EG don't give it to Dan to review ;)

    WRONG WHITEHEAD! :)

  • paul.doh! #3 2 years ago

    The first one was on par with Resi-5 for single player IMO. I hope they add the co-op feature in the second game!

  • Dizzy #4 2 years ago

    Good news.. the original was almost perfect (except for the unkillable monster bits).

    Would like to see more puzzles and more different locations.

  • JohnnyWashnGo #5 2 years ago

    Dead Space was a fantastic game, everything that Resident Evil used to be and should still be. Controls were tight, story was pretty much spot on, some genuine edge of the seat moments and a good amount of exploration made for a cracking game.

    Some more of the same would be much appreciated. Just no multi player nonsense please. In fact, take a look at Resi 5 and make sure you are as far away from that as possible and I will be happy.

  • menage #6 2 years ago

    FUCK YEAH

    Best game next to F3 and Fable 2 last year.

    @Paul.doh

    I hope they fucking don't.

  • bad09 #7 2 years ago

    Yeah DS pissed all over Gears Of Evil in terms of scares. RE5 is not a scary game.

    I've said it before, it's weird how RE4 turned RE into an arcade shooter and DS "borrows" heavily from RE4 and makes survival horror. Go figure..

  • Vin #8 2 years ago

    Where's my goddamn Mirror's Edge sequel?

  • OllyJ #9 2 years ago

    I just hope it has more variety. First game was good but felt like a long march at times, I wouldn't complain about a shorter more varied game.

  • matrim83 #10 2 years ago

    Yes! Great news. Now all I want from EA is a new Mirrors Edge and a new SSX game.

  • funkateer #11 2 years ago

    Great news!
    The first game was (to me) an unexpected winner.
    I hope they'll have the same people around that did the audio design of the first one, that was the best I've heard in ages!

  • penhalion #12 2 years ago

    All they need to do is make sure we follow the same hero. He's already got his necromorph killing cridentials and I like them the way they are. The only downer to the original was the "Go here, press that switch" structure to the missions. I would like some autonomy to discover what I have to do without someone tucked safely in an office (on a ship with no safe places no less) telling me what to do.

    Don't break the combat!
    Do correct the useless nodes on weapons nonsense!
    Do continue to have the survivor use future tools for weapons.
    Do give the story some more open-ended missions.
    Do start the new game exactly where the old one left off. So few developers understand the importance of this.

    I'm going to buy it but, I've long since learned not to just buy something because the previous iteration was good. Developers have a knack of breaking what wasn't broken to begin with.

  • rogueJT #13 2 years ago

    Just an awesome game.
    The way Isaac looked and moved was just so cool, and amazingly satisfying combat.
    Can't wait fot this.

    (By the way, PLEASE GOD no co-op for this)

  • RedPanda #14 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 14:31:59 28-01-2012

  • PeacockDreams #15 2 years ago

    I hope you can make your character quick turn in the sequal, the first game missed it big time, other than that I enjoyed it

  • menage #16 2 years ago

    Dead Space didn't do that well because it was released alongside every big game out there, not because it didn't have co-op.

    Just look at Batman or Bioshock for proof.

  • cianchristopher #17 2 years ago

    I'm pretty sure that Glen Schofield (the driving force behind the first game) left EA this year to join Activision (boo!).

    Hope they can keep the quality, and I hope it's not like Ken Levine not being involved in BioShock 2.....

  • creepylizard #18 2 years ago

    There is absolutely no chance on gods green earth that they will include some muppet co-op feature.
    And you can quote me on that.

  • penhalion #19 2 years ago

    On the subject of Co-Op.

    I hope the developers realise that one of the things that made dead space great was that feeling of lonelyness. They somehow managed to capture the "lonelyness of the long distance runner" feel. There may be dozens of other survivors but, you are always aware that none of them can actually save you.

  • StooMonster #20 2 years ago

    PC version at same time as consoles please, oh, and on Steam at launch not lagging a year.

  • BabyJesus #21 2 years ago

    Good news!

  • makeamazing #22 2 years ago

    I got the game about 2 weeks ago and loving it.... the sound work is excellent and really makes it a scary game. Its good they will continue with it.. hope the Wii version sells (even though I wont be getting it).

  • muscleblade #23 2 years ago

    @designerheadache

    It was longer than most other games. I completed it 2,5 times for the 1000/1000 and it wasnt done in a couple of days. I think it took 10 hours. Thats 25+ hours if you want to complete it on the hardest unlockable difficulty + fully upgrade all weapons.

  • symmetry #24 2 years ago

    Dead Space was a truly excellent game and I cannot wait for the sequel.

    And reiterating what others have said, please don't include any kind of multiplayer in this. Unless it's a drop-in monster replacement deal ala L4D.

    "So-and-so has joined your game" - OH SHIT! That really would be scary :)

  • FogHeart #25 2 years ago

    I don't think the story turned out, er, 'bollocks', but Big Monster Ending has been done too often for us veterans of games (but let's face it most gamers want to see). The idea behind the Marker, the Unitologist religion, the ghosts, the fact that we have a FAKE marker, and the little clues about where the game might go (e.g. the fact that Unitologists get to spend their death days aboard giant mausoleum ships), all point to a big investment in a sci-fi mythos that stands up well to books I've read - considering it's just a game/comic/anime right now.

    My hopes for this game:-

    Will be controllable like resi 4 for the Wii, BUT using the Wands. It'd be great if they made it for the Wii too but I don't have much faith in that I'm afraid.

    Steal some ideas from System Shock 2...buy 'abilities' from the shop, like make ammo half price, or more inventory slots, or be more effective against certain enemies, or half damage from fire etc etc.

    Make the locked storage lockers hackable with tools you can buy or a skill you can develop (like upgrades on the RIG).

    If you're gonna make the player run about fixing things make it clear from the outset so he sees it as an overreaching mission (get the Ishimura stabilised) split into sub-missions (power the engines, clear the debris field etc), rather than being ordered from pillar to post.

    A flamethrower that works!

  • RedPanda #26 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 14:31:59 28-01-2012

  • FogHeart #27 2 years ago

    Seriously? Moving the laser sight upabitdownabitleftabitohshittoolate with twin sticks is better than just pointing and firing? I've got Resi 4 for both Wii and PS2, and I know which was better! Please tell me you don't think you'd be jumping about and stretching out with the wand. Really, you just sink into the sofa, rest the Wiimote/wand on your lap and move your wrist a bit to aim.

    But yes, if they do implement it for the PS3 it must be optional, since the outlay for the wands - sticks and eye - would limit how many people could play it.

    Edit: I hate being marked down when I don't see later posts with disagreements or counterarguements. If you disapprove, I'd like to know why, even if it's 'well learn how to aim then'.
    Edited by 1 at 30/09/09 @ 16:31

  • AphoticCosmos #28 2 years ago

    I cannot wait! First one was easily a 10/10 and the best game of 2008 without question, for me. So utterly absorbing, compelling and beautifully put together.

    Roll on Dead Space 2!

  • Evolution #29 2 years ago

    I'm suprised that I'm one of the few people that doesn't love this game to bits. Excellent? Beautiful? I don't deny it was a nice game but it was a mish mash of sci-fi horror tropes. Also on the PC I recall Issac wasn't the easiest to control with the old keyboard and mouse.

  • FogHeart #30 2 years ago

    That much was true. But as soon as you turned on Vsync, it was smooth as silk.

  • tobsen #31 2 years ago

    EG will have to give this a 12 to make up for the botched review of the first one.

  • WJF #32 2 years ago

    DS1 was a pretty solid game, but they really need to improve the writing and pacing in the sequel (the combat, graphics, animation and the fantastic sound should remain, natch)

    The sections that were meant to 'creep me out' didn't work for the most part. The main problem being I never once felt, after the very first encounter, that I was in any danger. The moment I completely lost it with the plot is when you find the 'news report' in uniology. It's just a big old joke at scientology and felt completely out of place with the rest of the game. Even worse when I realised it was a major plot point! Were they trying to be serious?

    Also, while the sound in general is great, the whispered voices managed to drag me out of the game once I could hear what they were saying. For those that didn't play with headphones - one says 'blah blah blah' and another quotes a character's bio - 'She went to the university of engineering at the age of...' not exactly the scariest things to hear :-/

    Edit: Aww I got marked down for a change :-(
    Edited by 1 at 02/10/09 @ 08:38

  • dllord #33 2 years ago

    Roll on Crimbo 2010!!!

  • MrE26 #34 2 years ago

    Loved the original, so as long as this is more of the same i'll be happy. I just hope they keep the same awesome oppressive atmosphere & don't go overboard with the combat.

  • jambo74 #35 2 years ago

    EA in popular game sequel shock!

  • smelly #36 2 years ago

    If they make it less linear than the first - i'll be happy.

    Apart from the REALLY COOL zero grav bits, the first may as well have been on rails..

  • davisorle #37 2 years ago

    First was a great game and came out when I was in the need of something of the kind. Resi was more gorgeous but I wish it was giving you the mood of Dead Space. Resi is suppposed to be giving you the creeps or be dark etc. I loved R5 but if I had an option id ask somethign with the atmosphere of Dead space into R5 and i wont care if noone else liked it cause i know for ime it would be sweet.

    Hope they do great with Dead Space 2. First one was great addition for our consoles and PCs.

  • XdarXideX #38 2 years ago

    Can not wait!