Video games: 'Dead Space 2' is scary good

The horrifying mutants in the "Dead Space" series kill everything brutally and indiscriminately. The mere sight of them can drive a person mad. But if the Necromorphs are so frightening, why are we excited to see them again? With the release of "Dead Space 2" on the horizon, horror game fans are having trouble containing their enthusiasm for EA and Visceral Games' chilling follow-up. Though the full game isn't ready for review quite yet, I got my hands on a few chapters early in the campaign. I won't spoil any of the story moments, but here are five things you should expect from your single-player journey through the Sprawl.

Some fans were concerned that "Dead Space 2" would stray from its horror roots and become another sci-fi shooter. Rest assured, that hasn't happened. Instead of just walking down corridors waiting for something to jump out, I visited more zero gravity areas, guided Isaac as he rocketed toward a runaway tram, and played a sequence where I had to fight off Necromorphs while hanging upside-down. While these segments add flavor, the classic "Dead Space" gameplay, complete with its signature dread, is still intact.

"Dead Space" took place in the cramped corridors of a mining vessel, but the sequel is set on a populated space station. The change in venue provides more variety in the scenery; I found myself in an apartment building, a shopping center, a church and floating in deep space. In one open plaza, I noticed some clever fake advertising, like a poster for a horror movie called "The Clogger," featuring bloody wooden shoes. "Dead Space 2" certainly isn't going for comedy, but such elements add levity.

Isaac's guns are still his main weapons, but his secondary tools have seen improvements for the sequel. Stasis, which slows down enemies, now slowly recharges. You still need to carry stasis packs to replenish your meter midcombat, but in the time between encounters, you can bank a couple uses of the ability for when the fighting starts again. Kinesis has seen some tweaks, too. It's a viable combat tool now, good for grabbing environmental objects and hurling at your foes. The ease and speed with which you use kinesis are noticeable upgrades from the original.

Making my way through the Sprawl, I saw plenty of familiar (and ugly) Necromorph faces. I also saw some new enemies that made my skin crawl: midsized Necromorphs that hunt in packs and use ploys to distract Isaac. To defeat these stalkers, I had to play mind games with them, drawing one out and using stasis as it charged to get a clear shot, all the while making sure his friends weren't launching an attack. Fighting stalkers is harrowing, and they are a great addition to the enemy lineup.

At the end of the first "Dead Space," Isaac destroys the Marker that caused the Necromorph outbreak on the USG Ishimura. Unfortunately for him, that didn't lead to a happy ending. The Markers aren't just monolithic symbols; they twist the minds around them into a Lovecraftian nightmare, and Isaac was afflicted. In addition to fighting violent abominations in "Dead Space 2," Isaac also fights against his warped perception of reality. He experiences bizarre hallucinations (usually involving his onetime girlfriend, Nicole) as he travels across the Sprawl. In the early part of the game, Isaac's main goal is to meet up with a woman named Daina who has promised him a cure for his disturbing visions.