Dead Space Engineers Guide to Effective Combat

For a veteran Dead Space player coming from the original trilogy, a lot of what I learned previously still applies here. However, our tools got some updates, some mechanics got changed, and our remastered tools, including their alternate fires, now fit into at least one of four categories: Precision, Crowd Control, Peel, and Blast. I’m here to explain what I mean by each of these categories, which weapon fits into what category (or categories, for some weapons), and how they affect the new combat loop of Dead Space: Remake.

In short, the combat loop is different but simple. Initiate with crowd control. My favorite is the Firewall on the Flamer, but most peoples will be the Force Gun. Second, use a peel weapon of your choice. Most will opt for the Force Gun because of its high peel and crowd control. Next, pull out your desired precision weapon and target the limbs.

• Plasma Cutter – Primary and Alternate
• Pulse Rifle – Primary
• Ripper – Primary
• Contact Beam – Primary and Alternate
• Line Gun – Primary

• Flamethrower – Alternate
• Ripper – Primary
• Force Gun – Primary and Alternate

• Flamethrower – Primary
• Force Gun – Primary

• Pulse Rifle – Alternate
• Flamethrower – Primary and Alternate
• Ripper – Alternate
• Line Gun- Alternate
• Force Gun – Primary

Precision weapons are weapons that you will mainly use for cutting. They require high accuracy and well placed, strategic shots in order to use effectively.

• Plasma Cutter
• Pulse Rifle
• Ripper
• Contact Beam
• Line Gun

When using precision weapons, they are generally best paired with a peel tool in order to minimize ammo usage. The Ripper is one exception to this minimal ammo usage rule, since it often only takes one saw blade to kill a necro anyways.

The Plasma Cutter will be your bread and butter workhorse for most of the game. With all around decent stats and ammo efficiency, there’s a reason people use this for their One Gun runs. It is useful in all scenarios and should be carried at all times.

The Pulse Rifle is a high DPS long range precision tool with a backup blast alternate fire. While complaints about its low damage are accurate, it is a great tool for using against Spitters and Lurkers at long range due to its projectiles being the size of footballs, and is additionally effective against Exploders and other enemy types that have explosive puss sacs, like most Bosses.

The Ripper is a CQB precision/crowd control powerhouse. While I generally found its alternate fire lacking in terms of usability, its primary provides a very high amount of cutting utility combined with an extremely high chance to stagger. It is very useful against Slashers, Leapers, and Lurkers, as well as their Super variants when peeled. It should be noted that its extremely high ammo efficiency is a part of the reason I consider this a great tool to use.

The Contact Beam is an extremely powerful precision tool firing a beam of directed energy with a charged up precision alternate fire. Dealing massive amounts of damage, this weapon should be saved for emergency situations only, as well as Brutes and Bosses.

The Line Gun is the beefed up cousin of the Plasma Cutter. Another excellent cutting tool hampered only by its poor ammo efficiency, yet extremely effective against most enemies, notably killing default Slashers in one or two hits. Generally, the Line Gun should be saved for horde encounters and Super variant enemies.

Crowd control weapons are generally meant to keep necros immobilized, stunned, or otherwise held in place in order to use your other weapons in them more effectively.

• Flamethrower
• Ripper
• Force Gun

The Flamethrowers primary provides an effective peeling and blast primary, but its alternate fire proves to be an extremely useful crowd control and blast secondary in the form of the Firewall. The firewall will frequently stop an enemy in its tracks once contact is made, allowing you to use your Precision weapons to full effect, often against a still enemy.

The Ripper may be a great precision tool, but some might argue its an even better single target crowd control tool. Enemies being hit by the Rippers saw blades will frequently stagger backwards, allowing you to move forward and press the attack. It should be noted that the Ripper has reduced effectiveness against large groups and Super Slashers, but is otherwise effective against other Super variants.

The Force Gun is an excellent peeler, but still maintains the title of the best crowd control weapon in the game. Almost every enemy hit, including the Brute, will be staggered or even knocked prone when hit with a Force Gun blast. very effective against groups of targets to give yourself space, oftentimes being able to kill a group of enemies without needing to use another tool. Maintains above average effectiveness against all enemies, but is extremely effective against Dividers and Swarmers. I am still unclear whether or not it will rupture Pregnants.

Peel weapons are great at weakening enemies for your precision weapons in order to conserve ammo on your precision weapons.

• Force Gun
• Flamethrower

Be sure to take your preferred precision tool to take advantage of these weapons peeling properties.

The Force Gun is another gun that should be in everyone’s roster. Providing excellent peel and crowd control, with an even better crowd control secondary, it is an invaluable tool for keeping yourself safe and keeping necros dead. With slightly below average ammo efficiency, be careful about using it too frequently, and save it for when you encounter hordes or need to push something away from you. It is fairly effective against most enemy types except for Bosses, and is especially potent against Super variants and the Divider.

The Flamethrower is an interesting weapon, sitting in a unique trifecta of peel, crowd control, and blast. Part of its peeling and blast effectiveness comes from its primary fire by continuously firing on a necro until it starts to scream in place. While the Flamethrower is generally ammo efficient like the Ripper, this method is very ammo inefficient when used against single enemies, and should be avoided unless firing against a horde. This weapon is most effective against hordes, Lurkers, and Pregnants due to being able to damage the pregnant without fear of bursting its belly. It is most effective when used in areas where directions of attack are limited due to tight walkways.

Blast is an interesting class of weapon made necessary by the lack of specific classification for the Pulse Rifle’s alternate fire mode, which lead me to reclass multiple other primary and alternate fires accordingly. Blast weapons generally have the capacity to damage multiple enemies at once, and are notably the most effective tool to deal with Swarmers.

• Pulse Rifle
• Flamethrower
• Ripper
• Line Gun
• Force Gun

The Pulse Rifle compliments its somewhat average precision capabilities with an extremely effective blast alternate fire, the Proximity Mine. The Proximity Mine can be used in the same way as the grenade launcher from Dead Space 2, with the ability to kill multiple enemies at once in close proximity. Best used proactively when you know a horde is coming to defend alternate paths to get to you, or reactively when you see a large group of enemies headed towards you. Fairly effective against most enemy types. DO NOT USE AGAINST PREGNANTS.

The Flamethrower is simple. Find a group of enemies, and shoot your fire into them. With a peel/blast primary and a crowd control/blast secondary, the Flamethrower and Force Gun are both very viable options against clusters of necros.

The Ripper has a below average blast secondary. It has the ability to shoot out a saw blade that will ricochet around a room, dealing damage to necros in the process. I found it to be extremely unreliable, and recommend against using it as a primary blast tool.

The Line Gun has gotten some love in DS:R, having a new alternate fire. This alternate fire projects a laser beam that deals damage to any enemy in the beam. A good precision option as well as an effective way to lock down an alternate pathway to you. Pairs very will with the Flamethrower’s Firewall.

The Force Gun is fairly self explanatory. It blasts everything in front of you, and I found it to be extremely useful when multiple enemies were approaching me. Nothing more needs to be said.