The Dead Space franchise has been at the forefront of horror for many years, now including a remake of the first game complete with restored cut content. No one else does Lovecraftian sci-fi quite like Dead Space. In the games, the player takes on the role of engineer Isaac Clark as he finds himself on a quest to destroy ancient alien artifacts that cause the dead to rise up as violent abominations called Necromorphs.
To accomplish that task, the player will gather a litany of weapons in each of the three games. When the most effective way of disposing of most enemies is to focus on dismembering them instead of headshots, the game provides the player with plenty of weapons designed to either tear apart or absolutely obliterate the player’s foes.
Updated November 30th, 2021 by Russ Boswell: The Dead Space series saw the introduction of a lot of iconic weapons, many of which were simply “engineering tools” turned into destructive guns by Isaac Clarke and company. Dead Space 3 introduced the ability for players to craft their own weapons, breathing even more life into the already interesting lineup of tool-based guns. To shine a better light on the best weapons in Dead Space, the following list has been updated and now includes entries from Dead Space 3, as well as some other iconic weapons.
12 Plasma Cutter
Those familiar with Dead Space, or games like it, may recognize one of the most iconic weapons in all of gaming, the Plasma Cutter is the first weapon the player receives in the whole franchise. It is essentially a pistol, but throughout the whole series, it proves to be quite effective at putting down the Necromorph menace.
The weapon fires a short line of plasma either horizontally or vertically, making it quite useful when facing off against enemies whose only weakness is having their limbs cut off. In addition, its status as a pistol makes it useful for longer-range, accurate shots.
11 Bolas Gun
Dead Space 3 introduced a lot of new and interesting weapons to the franchise. Although many will argue the third entry in the series pushed past a lot of the horror elements in favor of an “action-packed” storyline, it’s hard to deny that many of the weapons players can create can add a lot of entertainment value to the release.
The Bolas Gun is a great example of this phenomenon and is easily one of the most entertaining guns in Dead Space 3. The firearm is capable of producing electrified bolas-like projectiles that can stun enemies, as well as slice through their limbs. Depending on how players build the device, it will produce bolas that can bounce or remain stationary upon contact and continue to spin for a short duration.
10 Devil Horns
Those who have played Dead Space 2 may remember the overpowered Hand Cannon, a foam finger gun that instakills most enemies and allows Isaac to yell “Bang” or “Pew” whilst firing. In Dead Space 3, it was brought back but now as a foam hand in the shape of devil horns. Its reload animation now including Issac headbanging to a metal guitar riff.
The weapon can be unlocked after completing the game on Classic Mode during New Game+. As it appears in Dead Space 3, the finger’s stats can be modified though with very little noticeable effect as the Devil Horns are already the strongest weapon in the game.
9 Line Gun
Take the idea of the Plasma Cutter, and make it bigger, that is how the Line Gun works. The gun is slower, but it makes up for it in a number of ways. For one, the gun’s base damage is much higher than the Plasma Cutter and with upgrades can cut through Necromorph limbs like butter.
The line is also bigger, allowing the player to line up shots that can cut off multiple limbs in one shot. The biggest difference between the two is that the Line Gun includes an alt-fire mode that shoots timed mines. If timed correctly, the player can easily dispose of a whole crowd. The weapon will surely shine on next-gen consoles when the remake comes out.
8 Contact Beam
If the player needs something that will obliterate the enemy in just one or two shots, there is the Contact Beam. This weapon is designed for one thing only, to hit as hard as possible. Because of this, the gun requires charging before effectively firing its main shot, so it may not work best in a small, cramped area.
However, if the player does find themselves being swarmed the gun also includes an alt-fire just for the job. It is a seismic wave that blows all objects in front of the player away, at the very least giving them some space.
7 Ripper
It is easy enough to see how a gun that shoots and levitates massive circular saw blades can be an effective weapon in a game. As its main fire, the Ripper spins and levitates the blade a short distance away from the player. From there, the player has full control over the blade and can control it to slice off the limbs of any encroaching enemies.
If the range is an issue, the alt-fire simply shoots the saw blade at high velocity, shredding any enemy that stands in its path.
6 Flamethrower
Flamethrowers are the quintessential weapon in any horror setting, at least the ones deserving of a revival. Fire in general is typically useful when faced with natural threats. Dead Space is no different. Its primary mode of fire is simple, shoot a wide stream of fire at the enemy. However, Dead Space 1 and 2 have different alt-fires.
The first game allows the flamethrower to shoot a big ball of fire that will explode on contact. In the second game, the flamethrower will instead launch a lit canister that will explode after a few seconds if it does not come into contact with an enemy.
5 Slam Chop
There are a lot of useful blueprints to be found in Dead Space 3 but some stand out among the crowd. The Slam Chop is a great example, producing a weapon that is perfect for clearing hordes of Necromorphs. The upper tool on the weapon produces sawblades like the Ripper, giving players an easy way to detach limbs from their hungry foes.
Enemies that get to close can be dealt with easily thanks to the lower tool tip, which allows the player to use a ground-pounding effect. It’s a smart weapon that excels at the mid-range but is also capable of doing some serious damage up close.
4 Force Gun
This gun is the closest thing to a shotgun that a player can get, outside of making one in Dead Space 3, a feature that will not be appearing in the remake. As the name suggests, the gun will send out a shockwave of concussive force when fired. Much like a shotgun, this does more damage the closer the enemy gets, making it a close-range weapon.
The secondary fire acts as a grenade launcher, hurling an explosive ball at the enemy that will roll around for a few seconds before exploding unless it makes contact with an enemy.
3 Javelin Gun
Few things are more satisfying in a shooter game than pinning an enemy to the wall. That task is made all the easier with the Javelin Gun. It fires a large metal spike towards the enemy at high speed and with pinpoint accuracy.
If an enemy of the right size dies next to a wall, they will be pinned to it by the spike. The alt-fire electrifies the spike, causing it to shock nearby enemies, or the player, as it flies across the room. The gun, in its purest form, can be found in Dead Space 2. In the third game, any recreation that can be made will not be quite the same. Imagine seeing this thing at work in a movie adaptation.
2 Detonator
The Detonator is a gun that fires laser-trip mines. These mines can stick to all manner of surfaces and will explode once the enemy walks past the laser. These mines can even be picked back up if they are not disturbed, allowing the player to save their ammo and use it for a better time.
Its secondary fire simply lobs the mine at the enemy, causing it to detonate on impact. In the third game, it will not detonate on contact. Be careful though, as the player can trip the lasers themself or be caught in the blast.
1 Pulse Rifle
The pulse rifle can be considered a regular assault rifle. However, it is unique in that it actually has three major variants. Each variant has a normal primary fire mode but they differ elsewhere. One variant allows the gun to spin 360 degrees, allowing it to hit Necromorphs all around the player if they are surrounded.
Another variant includes an under-barrel shotgun for the player to utilize. The last major variant has a grenade launcher as its alt-fire. What variant the player will get will depend on the game that they play. With a remake on the way, this weapon will once again shine, unless the upcoming Callisto Protocol has something to say about it.
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