Dead Space 2’s Excavations Trailer Digs Up the Plot

I think it’s almost a given that in most sci-fi settings, humanity is represented as a collection of greedy jerks, spoiling planets for our own personal gain. That’s how the original Dead Space came about in a way, as the Marker, the terrifying alien obelisk that created the Necromorphs, was found during “planet-cracking”, the method of stripping a world for resources. Since Dead Space 2 is inbound for a January 25 release (28 in Europe), the new, extended Excavations trailer catches us up on the background information series, complete with the requisite horror and gore that the series is known for.

As the first big release of 2011, Dead Space 2 will go a long way in setting the tone for what will be an excellent year for us gamers. With a new spine-chilling single player campaign and an added multiplayer mode, Dead Space 2 might just cause us to shout with joy…if anyone could hear you scream in space, that is. Is Dead Space 2 a must have for you, or a rental? Go!

Dead Space 2 Trailer Shows the Evolution of Isaac Clarke

Dead Space is kind of a cult hit amongst gamers along with Mirror’s Edge, the two sort of forming the spearhead of the “new EA” movement. While the games didn’t do gangbusters either commercially or critically, there are legions of fans knocking down doors demanding sequels, so I guess EA did something right. I myself enjoyed a bit of Dead Space, even though it stopped being scary for me about twenty minutes in. My other gripe was Isaac Clarke, the mute handyman that I took control of. His design was bad-ass, but the lack of a voice bugged me, especially during the later hours when he was still busting his ass to fix a broken ship crawling with scythe-limbed zombies with nary a complaint. One of the major changes for Dead Space 2 is to give old Isaac a voice, and his evolution as a character is detailed in this trailer:

Dead Space 2 is hitting shelves and download services January 25, 2011. It’s one of the two games I didn’t have a chance to get a peek at during PAX 2010, so I’m definitely intrigued. Is Dead Space 2 on your list?