Published by: SouthPeak Interactive
Developed by: Renegade Kid
Release Date: May 4, 2010
Available on: Nintendo DS
INTRO: In case you don’t remember, Dementium is one of my favorite horror games for any portable platform and even got a bit of review face time on this website a couple of years back. Now we’re back with the sequel and I’m here to give you the straight dope- is it worth your time or should you stick with what you know?
The company like claims that Dementium II continues to push the horror experience by melding FPS action and puzzles with a story and ambience that will have players on the edge of their seats. New wrinkles to gameplay, all new weapons, dual wielding items, improved interface and save system, and mind-boggling environments promise to engage gamers and spawn fear the likes of which some never thought possible.
Read on, true believers to find out the true details about the horror that awaits you!
GAMEPLAY:
One thing I remember well about 2007’s original game is that it took itself seriously and never gave up. It was a game steeped in rich and creepy atmosphere and in the right setting could actually be a scary experience, which is saying a lot about a game played on a portable console. Luckily all involved, I’m happy to say that Dementium’s sequel does not disappoint or take a back seat to the original. It also isn’t a huge step up- but I’ll get to that.
I will try not to spoil too much of the plot for you but you are once again assuming the role of William Redmoor, a victim of a nasty operation in the first game. In case you don’t remember, the first game featured poor William going insane, being told he killed his wife and was first in line for a nasty lobotomy. In the sequel, things pick up directly where they left off. You’re sent to recover in the hospital and things are falling apart all over again. This game feels more linear and sensical than the last game, with a plot that is a bit more coherent.
Dementium II is once again a game where reality and fantasy have been horribly blurred together and you’ve got to fight a lot of nasty monsters. Without lingering much longer on the story, I’ll talk a bit about control. The game hasn’t grown up a ton since the first one, which means you’re going to die a lot. You swipe around by using the stylus to see what’s going on and when stuff gets heavy you’re going to be frustrated as all hell as you swipe to the ceiling. It is responsive, but almost too sensitive.
With that being said, the game does control quite well. You can do a strong attack this time around which does more damage but is harder to pull off, and the inventory management is much better as you can actually store items for later rather than using them right away. Don’t forget, you can finally dual wield in this game too, holding a flashlight in one hand and a gun in the other and you can also jump and crouch. Unfortunately, the easy strategy is to either get in close and cut monsters to ribbons or to shoot them from far away. Thank god that the enemies don’t respawn again when you leave a room and that you can actually save throughout the game instead of just at the beginning of each level. These are things that were desperately missing from the first game.
The boss battles have been improved too, and the pacing of the game works quite well as it ramps up to a fever pitch by the end of the journey. Unfortunately the game is short, and doesn’t offer a ton of replay value but is good while it lasts.
Gameplay: 8/10
GRAPHICS:
The graphics have had a good overhaul in this sequel, although you won’t notice a huge difference. You can make out more nasty details on the ghostly figures that haunt you, like the various wounds and metal appendages that have been affixed to their nasty carcasses. Animations have improved the most, reminding me of Silent Hill’s unsettling stop/start sort of animations that just give you the willies. Unfortunately for all of the human NPCs, they look like big, blocky dummies. Not pretty.
Graphics: 7.5/10
AUDIO:
Sound is once again fantastic, albeit somewhat repetitive. The first time you hear some of the monsters in this game you’ll get a shiver up your spine. Unfortunately though a lot of these sounds are looped and can get grating after awhile. Still though, the sound design is excellent, atmospheric and tense with good voice acting where it counts. If you listen with headphones you’re in for a treat.
Audio: 7.5/10
FINAL VERDICT:
I really liked the first Dementium, and my opinion hasn’t changed much with the release of the sequel. The game improves on a few issues from the last one and tries to make the game a more cohesive experience. Ultimately, my problem is that the game still feels really similar to the last one and when you’re making a sequel you should try to break a bit of new ground. Still though, this is a great game for horror fans who own a DS, can be picked up for cheap and has the ability to scare the pants off of you if you play it in the right situation which is not something I can say for even most console games I review!
Final Score: 8/10