Dead Space

CHICAGO – If you play games as a way to relax and unwind after a long day at work or school, “Dead Space 2” might not be for you. It is the opposite of relaxing. Rarely have I literally felt my heart rate increase or my hands become a little shakier than my average caffeine buzz as when I was playing this riveting, terrifying, great game, a must-own for single-player fans held back only slightly by a few minor disappointments in the multi-player realm.

CHICAGO – One of the most anticipated games of the next several months has to be EA’s sequel “Dead Space 2,” a title that promises more incredible action and sci-fi scares. To prime audiences for that title, EA has released a DLC prologue to the game called “Dead Space Ignition” that can be purchased or activated with a pre-order of the January title. An odd mini-game, “Ignition” feels only loosely-related to the “Dead Space” universe and a missed opportunity at something that would truly remind players knee-deep in mega-titles of the season like “Fallout: New Vegas” and “Fable III” that there’s another great game coming soon.

CHICAGO – When most of us first heard about “Dead Space Extraction,” we had a cautious reaction. There have been several successful franchises that attempt to release a semi-sequel on another console and the results usually do nothing more than tarnish the original title. Such is not the case with “Extraction,” a game that plays just as it should, an expansion of the “Dead Space” universe more than a precise continuation. It’s one of the best Wii games of the year.