Dead Space’s tools are some of the most unique armaments in the gaming world. Not only do they aid Isaac Clarke in cutting off Necromorph limbs, but they also keep with the theme ofIsaac’s occupation as an engineer inDead Space. It can be safe to assume that Isaac’s tools played an important role in his survival onboard the U.S.G. Ishumura and on the planet of Aegis VII.
While the tools in the originalDead Spacewere iconic in their own right, most of them had secondary fire modes that weren’t very useful. Chalk it up to being the first title in the series, but it seems as though the developers of the 2008 game were still figuring out which tools worked in the context ofDead Space’s unique gameplay mechanics and which didn’t. After more than a decade since the franchise was born, Motive Studio was able to fine-tune most of the tools and give them more useful alternate abilities in the 2023 remake.
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The Plasma Cutter
The Plasma Cutter isDead Space’s iconic tooland is the only one in Isaac’s arsenal that retains its alternate fire mode from the original game (not counting the Hand Cannon, that is). Being able to rotate the cutter alignment 90° allows the tool to fire horizontal bolts of plasma. This is great for dismembering the vertically-aligned limbs that are commonly found in various Necromorphs' anatomy. When combined with the vertical plasma bolts emitted by its primary fire, the Plasma Cutter adds puzzle-like elements toDead Space’s visceral combat.
The Line Gun
A stronger and larger version of the Plasma Cutter, the original Line Gun’s alternate fire allowed it to fire timed mines that would explode in a barrage of lasers. The lasers would immediately cut anything in its path and were great for taking outmultiple weak enemies like the Swarmwith a single mine. It could never stack up to the tool’s overpowered primary fire, but setting temporary traps with the Line Gun would allow players a little more crowd control when it came to combat.
In 2023’sDead Space, the Line Gun’s alternate fire has been changed to a single laser proximity mine. This makes it more reminiscent of the Detonator inDead Space 2. Unlike the original’s timed mines, however, the laser mines in the new game last indefinitely until an enemy or Isaac passes through them (players can also deactivate green laser mines by pressing the Line Gun’s alternate fire button while aiming at them).
When this happens, the lasers turn bright red and continuously emit a damaging stream of light that makes quick work of anything that touches them. The alternate fire can also be upgraded to deploy up to 3 lasers per shot, making it easier for the mines to activate and deal damage. Provided players don’t walk through their own mines, the Line Gun’s alternate fire mode is the quintessential tool for breaking enemy ambushes and creating personal traps.
The Ripper
The Ripper’s secondary fire hasn’t seen that many changes compared toDead Space’s other tools. It still launches a horizontal industrial saw blade at whatever it is pointed at, but the remake now allows the blade to ricochet off of surfaces. Further upgrades increase the damage of the blade as well as the number of ricochets it can do, so players have to be careful not to get hit by a returning blade once it is fired. While not extremely useful, the added possibility of a single blade to hit more than once helps save ammunition - which is the whole point ofDead Space’s Ripperin the first place.
The Flamethrower
While the Ripper excels at doing tons of damage with as little ammo as possible, the Flamethrower is the exact opposite. The tool requires a lot of ammo to do even the slightest damage to enemies, possibly because it cannot be used to target limbs like the rest of Isaac’s tools. To this end, the Flamethrower is one of the worstweapons in theDead Spaceremake.
That said, the Flamethrower has seen some improvements to its secondary fire mode. While the originalDead Spacehad the tool shoot balls of flame that explode on impact, the remake allows the Flamethrower to create walls of flame that last for a few seconds. This makes it great for dealing damage to stationary enemies like Guardians or those affected by Stasis. Provided players lead their targets properly, the Flamethrower’s alternate fire can be preferable to its primary fire mode; even if it costs 25 units of Flamethrower fuel to use per shot.
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The Pulse Rifle
The originalDead Space’s Pulse Rifle had a secondary fire mode that was the definition of the term “spray and pray”. Isaac would hold the weapon over his head while an umbrella of gunfire would blanket the surrounding vicinity. Deploying this attack would leave Isaac extremely vulnerable asDead Space’s Pulse Riflewouldn’t do enough stun damage to keep enemies from attacking him afterward.
TheDead Spaceremake takes cues fromDead Space 2’s Pulse Rifle and gives the only real weapon in the game proximity mines as its alternate fire option. Unlike the Line Gun’s alternate fire, the Pulse Rifle’s proximity mines act more like grenades. They have a wider activation radius and immediately explode when enemies get too close. With this in mind, players would more likely use them as combat openers to deal some strong burst damage and save tools likeDead Space’s Line Gunand Flamethrower for placing traps instead.
The Force Gun
A hard-hitting Handheld Graviton Accelerator, the original Force Gun’s secondary fire was a slow-moving projectile that would explode when it came into contact with an enemy. The projectile would roll around for a few seconds if it didn’t hit an opponent before exploding in a cacophony of blue energy. While the damage of the Force Bomb was substantial, its speed made it less than ideal to use in hectic situations.
The new alternate fire of the Force Gun is a gravity well that pulls in enemies and keeps them from moving for a short time. It fixes the original tool’s problem by freezing enemies in place and making it a more unique tool (the gravity well can also be upgraded to deal a small amount of damage to captured foes). The Force Gun’s gravity well is great for fast-movingDead Spaceenemieslike Enhanced Slashers and Twitchers and gives players a little more breathing room when dealing with multiple enemies at once.
The Contact Beam
TheoriginalDead Space’s Contact Beam’s alternate fire is very similar to the original Pulse Rifle’s secondary fire. Instead of shooting a hail of bullets from above, however, Isaac plants the Contact Beam on the ground. This creates a shockwave that pushes enemies away from the epicenter and gives the tool more crowd-control capabilities.
TheDead Spaceremake gives the Contact Beam a more straightforward alternate fire mode. Since players already relish using the Contact Beam like an overpowered cannon, the alternate fire charges that same beam and emits a stronger blast. This makes the new Contact Beam ideal for panic situations and pushing enemies out of Isaac’s personal space, but it is also a ratherbizarre sci-fi weapon in gaming.
While2023’sDead Spacemakes changes to the original, the weapons don’t go through big overhauls, even though the game improves them in such a way that players will be more inclined to use all of their features. Certain tools like the Flamethrower still might not stack up to heavy versatile hitters like the Line Gun, but they at least provide players more options when it comes to fighting Necromophs. Hopefully, Motive Studio will incorporate these changes should it ever decide to push forward with otherDead Spaceremakes in the future.
Dead Spaceis available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
