Dead Space 2

Dead Space 2

Developers
	Visceral Games
Publishers
	Electronic Arts
Engines
	Visceral Engine
Release dates
Windows	January 25, 2011
Reception
Metacritic	87
IGDB	90
Taxonomy
Monetization	One-time game purchase, DLC, Cross-game bonus, Subscription gaming service
Microtransactions	Time-limited
Modes	Singleplayer, Multiplayer
Pacing	Real-time
Perspectives	Third-person
Controls	Direct control
Genres	Action, Shooter, Survival horror, TPS
Art styles	Realistic
Themes	Horror, Sci-fi, Space
Series	Dead Space

Dead Space
Dead Space	2008
Dead Space 2	2011
Dead Space 3	2013
Dead Space (2023)	2023

Dead Space 2 is a singleplayer and multiplayer third-person action, shooter, survival horror and TPS game in the Dead Space series.

The Official Master server for multiplayer was shut down on December 8, 2023.

Playing multiplayer is still possible via unofficial means; see Multiplayer types for details.

General information

Steam Community Discussions

Availability

Source	DRM	Notes	Keys	OS
Retail		Released on 2 DVDs. TAGES Solidshield v2.0.3.0 DRM and SecuROM DFA DRM. All retail versions require signing into an EA account in-game. This unlocks a copy of the game on Origin for that EA account.
Amazon.com
EA app		Included with EA Play.
Epic Games Store		Included with EA Play (Epic).
Microsoft Store		Included exclusively with Xbox Game Pass for PC as part of its version of EA Play.
Steam		Included with EA Play (Steam). TAGES Solidshield DRM. EA account sign-in can be skipped in the Steam version for singleplayer but is still required for multiplayer.
(unavailable)
Games for Windows Marketplace (unavailable)		TAGES Solidshield DRM
Green Man Gaming (unavailable)
Humble Store (unavailable)

All digital versions activate on Origin.

Monetization

Type	Notes
Cross-game bonus	A save file from Dead Space 1 unlocks the Refurbished Plasma Cutter.
One-time game purchase	The game requires an upfront purchase to access.
Subscription gaming service	Available via EA Play.

DLC and expansion packs

Name	Notes
Hazard Pack	Integrated in Update 1.
Martial Law Pack	Integrated in Update 1.
Supernova Pack	Integrated in Update 1.
Collector's Edition	Includes: Zealot Suit and Zealot Force Gun.
Ignition Rewards	Reward for completing console exclusive Dead Space - Ignition. Can be unofficially unlocked on PC, see Conduit rooms not accessible.
Refurbished Plasma Cutter	Reward for having a Dead Space save file.
Preorder bonus	Allows to use Rivet Gun both in singleplayer or multiplayer. Unavailable to purchase. Was a bonus for preordering at GameStop.

The Dead Space 2: Severed story and Outbreak multiplayer maps package DLC are not available on the PC.

Essential improvements

MarkerPatch

Fan-made and open source patch for Dead Space 2 that fixes various issues and limitations in the PC port.

Stabilizes Havok physics at high framerates, preventing corpses and limbs from flying across rooms.

Fixes crash on systems with more than 10 CPU cores.

Corrects VSync to use the selected refresh rate instead of forcing 30 FPS.

Enables proper subtitle scaling at resolutions above 720p.

Disables online connectivity attempts and removes related error messages (servers are offline).

Enhanced controller support (via SDL Gamepad API) with Gyro Aiming support

Additional features include DLC management, anisotropic filtering override, corpse persistence, intro skip, and more. All options are configurable through MarkerPatch.ini.

Installation
Download the newest version of the mod from here. Extract contents of the downloaded archive into <path-to-game>. Open MarkerPatch.ini with a text editor and adjust settings to your preference.

Use DXVK to run the game on Vulkan

Using DXVK to fix potential issues[citation needed]
Download the latest DXVK release. Copy d3d9.dll from x32. Paste d3d9.dll into <path-to-game>. Notes May improve performance (such as stuttering). Improves launch times on modern systems significantly. Fixes not being able to force vsync through control panel in modern systems.

4 GB patch

Patch to use 4 GB RAM instead of only 2GB in 64 bits Windows[citation needed]
Download and run either: 4GB Patch or Large Address Aware Tool Apply the patch to deadspace2.exe. Notes May improve performance (such as stuttering) and prevent crashing on CPU's with more than ten cores. Requires a 64-bit Windows version.

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System	Location
Windows	%LOCALAPPDATA%\EA Games\Dead Space 2\settings.txt
Microsoft Store
Steam Play (Linux)	<SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/47780/pfx/

Save game data location

System	Location
Windows	%USERPROFILE%\Documents\EA Games\Dead Space 2\
Microsoft Store
Steam Play (Linux)	<SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/47780/pfx/

20 save slots available.

Save game cloud syncing

System	Native	Notes
Epic Games Launcher
EA app
OneDrive		Requires enabling backup of the Documents folder in OneDrive on all computers.
Steam Cloud
Xbox Cloud

Video

Visuals settings.

Custom Render Settings

Graphics feature	State	WSGF	Notes
Widescreen resolution
Multi-monitor
Ultra-widescreen
4K Ultra HD			See Subtitles too small at high resolutions.
Field of view (FOV)		Use Widescreen Fixer. Changing FOV inhibits selecting things in menus.
Windowed
Borderless fullscreen windowed		See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Anisotropic filtering (AF)		See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Anti-aliasing (AA)		On/off toggle.
High-fidelity upscaling		See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Vertical sync (Vsync)		In-game Vsync limits frame rate to 30 FPS for all refresh rates. See the glossary page for proper Vsync.
60 FPS and 120+ FPS		See High frame rate issues.
High dynamic range display (HDR)		See the glossary page for potential alternatives.
Color blind mode		See the glossary page for potential alternatives.

Input

Control settings.

Keyboard and mouse	State	Notes
Remapping		Unable to assign "Aim Mode (Toggle)" function to any mouse button. Unable to map certain actions such as kinesis or statis to mouse side buttons/thumb buttons on Logitech mice.
Mouse sensitivity		See Raw mouse input fix to fix multiple issues.
Mouse acceleration		See Raw mouse input fix to disable negative mouse acceleration.
Mouse input in menus
Keyboard and mouse prompts
Mouse Y-axis inversion
Controller
Controller support		For expanded Controller support: use MarkerPatch
Full controller support
Controller remapping		See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Controller sensitivity
Controller Y-axis inversion

Controller types

XInput-compatible controllers
Xbox button prompts
Impulse Trigger support

DirectInput-compatible controllers

Nintendo controllers

Other controller(s)		For expanded Controller support (includes Nintendo Controllers), Use MarkerPatch.
Additional button prompts

Additional information
Controller hotplugging
Input prompt override
Haptic feedback
Simultaneous controller+KB/M		Rapidly changes button prompts.

Audio

Audio feature	State	Notes
Separate volume controls
Surround sound		Up to 5.0 output.
Subtitles		See Subtitles too small at high resolutions.
Closed captions
Mute on focus lost
Royalty free audio

Localizations

Language	UI	Audio	Sub	Notes
English
Arabic				Fan translation
Czech				Fan translation; download.
French
German
Hungarian				Fan translation; download.
Italian
Polish				Fan translation; download.
Brazilian Portuguese				Fan translation by Tribo Gamer; download or download.
Russian
Russian				Fan voice-over by CGInfo; download.
Slovak				Fan translation; download.
Spanish
Ukrainian				Fan translation; download.

Network

Multiplayer types

Type	Native	Players	Notes
LAN play
Online play		8	Versus 4v4. Online servers were shut down in December 8, 2023. See https://zloemu.net to play online.

VR support

3D modes	State	Notes
Nvidia 3D Vision		Very poor native support; see Nvidia 3D Vision to fix.
vorpX		G3D Officially supported game, see official vorpx game list.

Devices
3RD Space Gaming Vest

Nvidia 3D Vision

Dead Space 2 has mediocre Nvidia 3D Vision support out of the box.

It has however been modded by HeliX to the point where it can be considered a 3D Vision showcase game, it can be played with any convergence and depth.

Use Helix Mod[citation needed]
Install Dead Space 2 3D Vision Fix. If playing through Steam or Origin, disable the overlay.

Issues fixed

High Framerate Issues

An unlocked or high frame rate cap can result in issues.

• High frame rate (+30) physics issues where corpses and limbs behave in a flying manner.
• Very high frame rate potentially causes problems with QTEs

Install MarkerPatch

Enable Vsync Option
The game's vsync option limits the FPS to 30fps, which is the FPS the game was designed with.

Game crashes on CPU's with more than ten cores

Install MarkerPatch

Use a Custom DxWrapper
Download the Dead Space 2 Custom DxWrapper. Unzip the contents to <path-to-game> next to deadspace2.exe. Notes Some users with newer Intel CPUs (those with a mixture of performance and efficiency cores) are experiencing shadow flickering issues with this fix.

Set Windows to automatically limit the game to one CPU core

Download the Windows ADK. During installation, it gives the option to select multiple tools; the only one needed is Application Compatibility Tools which contains the Compatibility Administrator. Once installed, open the Start Menu folder named Windows Kits, and launch Compatiblity Administrator (32-bit). Select New from the toolbar at the top. A new custom database will be created. Right-click the new custom database > Create New > Application Fix. Provide the full path of deadpspace2.exe and give it a name of your choosing. Skip past the compatibility mode options. In Compatibility Fixes select ProcessorCountLieForHybridCPU, click Next, then Finish. Click Save from the toolbar. Give the database a name and click OK. Then give the file a name and Save it. Select File > Install. Now the fix will automatically be applied whenever the game is launched. Notes These steps only need to be performed once and the Windows ADK does not need to be running with the game.

Use the WINE_CPU_TOPOLOGY="4:0,1,2,3" %command% command line argument
Notes Only applicable to Linux users, since it depends on functionality present in the proton compatibility layer.

Mouse acceleration, lag, and random sensitivity

The game has negative mouse acceleration and a sensitivity that is dependent on the frame rate, which leads to inconsistent movement when the performance is not stable. Horizontal sensitivity is also much higher than vertical sensitivity.

Install MarkerPatch
Works properly in the zero-g areas.

Use Dead Space 2 Mouse Fix[citation needed]
Notes Fixes mouse issues by adding raw mouse input. Though it says it only works with the latest version, it also works with the 1.0 exe that removes the pre-order DLC. Does not work properly in the zero-g areas. Causes the game to crash when playing as a Necromorph in multiplayer.

Subtitles too small at high resolutions

Subtitles scales poorly with resolution larger than 1280 pixels wide, making them too small at higher resolutions.

Install MarkerPatch
Correctly applies only to subtitles. Allows for custom scaling.

Use Cheat Engine table[citation needed] Also applies to text in in-game holograms, which can make them too big for their displays and make the holograms unreadable.

No rewards unlocked for higher difficulty completion

Upon completing the game on higher difficulties, The Hand Cannon^(Hardcore), Soldier Suit^(Hardcore), and Arctic Security Suit^(Zealot) should be unlocked. These do not unlock unless the game is completed in a single sitting (i.e. without closing the game).

Install MarkerPatch
You need to start a save with Marker Patch installed.

Use Save game editor[citation needed]

Manually edit gamefiles to unlock suits

Navigate to %LOCALAPPDATA%\EA Games\Dead Space 2\. Edit settings.txt. Look for the lines containing Controls.AcL.X and Controls.AcL.Y, which dictate achievement progress. These values are shown in hexadecimal. Temporarily convert them into binary (a string of length 32 containing 1s and 0s) to start working on them. Flip bit 17 of Controls.AcL.X to 1 to unlock the Mission Impossible achievement (beat the game on Zealot) and the Arctic Security Suit. Flip bit 14 of Controls.AcL.Y to 1 to unlock the Hard to the Core achievement (beat the game on Hardcore), Soldier Suit, and Hand Cannon. Don't forget to convert the binary back into hexadecimal before saving the settings file. Notes This fix can also be used to unlock Hardcore difficulty early without beating the game once prior, by modifying Controls.AcL.X.

Elite Security Suit disappears

Buying the Zealot Suit DLC would cause the Elite Security Suit to disappear from the safe (cannot retain both suits together).

Install MarkerPatch

See Save game editor to fix[citation needed]

Cannot respec power nodes at the bench

If the R key binding gets changed to something else, it can break the ability to use respec in chapter seven. This tool fixes this problem by allowing to assign another key instead.

Use Dead Space 2 Respec Key Fix
Notes Ensure that the game is not running during this procedure otherwise it won't work.

Other information

API

Technical specs	Supported	Notes
Direct3D	9.0c

Executable	32-bit	64-bit	Notes
Windows

Middleware

	Middleware	Notes
Physics	Havok Physics
Audio	RwAudioCore
Cutscenes	On2 VP6	As mentioned in the credits.

Activation limits

EA limits the game to being authorized on a maximum of five computers at a time. The games must be authorized on a computer before it can be played. De-authorizing the game on a computer does not uninstall it.

To reauthorize the game on a given computer, simply launch the game on that computer while being connected to the Internet.

See Solidshield[citation needed]

De-authorize game (Windows Vista and Windows 7)
Click on the Windows button on the Windows Taskbar. Select All Programs. Click on Games. Click on Games Explorer. Right-click on the Dead Space 2 icon. Click on Dead Space 2 - Deauthorize this machine.

De-authorize game (Windows XP)
Click on the Start menu on the Windows Taskbar. Select All Programs Find the EA Games folder. Roll over the Dead Space 2 folder. Click on the Dead Space 2 - Deauthorize this machine option.

Uninstall the game[citation needed]

Conduit rooms not accessible

There are four special rooms in the game that are unlocked by completing the Dead Space Ignition tie-in, which is not available for Windows.

In order to make this workaround effective, the game must have been beaten at least once.^{[citation needed]}

If need to install any fanmade translation patchs which modify DS2DAT3.DAT packed file, replace before installing localization.

Use unlocker
Download Dead Space 2 Conduit Rooms Unlocker. Extract the contents to <path-to-game>. Run DS2Patcher.bat to apply the fix.

EA Login Fails

In December 2023, EA shut down the authentication servers for Dead Space 2. This removed the ability to log into your EA account in-game, which has rendered the multiplayer inaccessible. There is no known workaround as the purpose of the shut down was to remove access to the multiplayer.

Weapons and suits unlocked at start

In the latest versions DLC items are available for free in the shop, negating the need to find schematics.

Install MarkerPatch
Disables all DLC weapons by default, preserving the balance of the game, and allows you to enable each DLC weapon individually. Works on the latest version of the game.

Downgrade the game to remove the DLC[citation needed]
This method removes the DLC guns entirely. Make a backup of deadspace2.exe. For Steam/Origin: turn automatic game updates off. Download the Dead Space Retail EXE. Extract into <path-to-game>. Reset the keybindings to default. Notes Not compatible with Widescreen Fixer. If experiencing "Solar Array Elevator Glitch", just exit to main menu and then hit continue.

Save game editor

It's a tool that allows players to modify their save data.

Download it on GitHub[citation needed]

Notes Backing up the original save files is recommended before using this tool. Can unlock access to items in the PC version that were previously exclusive to the console versions, which are the Hacker Suit and Hacker Contact Beam (required a save file from Dead Space: Ignition, which is not on PC), the Zealot Suit and Zealot Force Gun (exclusive to Collector's Edition owners), Rivet Gun (Pre-order bonus).

System requirements

Windows
	Minimum		Recommended
Operating system (OS)	XP SP2, Vista, 7
Processor (CPU)	Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz AMD Athlon 64 4000+		Intel Core 2 Duo AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+
System memory (RAM)	1 GB (XP) 2 GB (Vista, 7)
Storage drive (HDD/SSD)	10 GB
Video card (GPU)	Nvidia GeForce 6800 ATI Radeon X1600 Pro 256 MB of VRAM DirectX 9.0c compatible Shader model 3.0 support
Sound (audio device)	DirectX 9.0c compatible