TheDead Space Remakerequires the protagonist, Isaac Clarke, to bring several weapons with him on the USG Ishimura. Set upon by countless Necromorphs, Isaac’s survival is dependent on resource management, keen ammo conservation, and using his weapons to their fullest potential.
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Players are likely to experiment with weapons as Isaac retrieves them, ultimately settling on four hot-bar weapons for the majority of the game. Although different weapons suit different playstyles and situations, each weapon has the potential to excel with a little imagination and a lot of upgrading. Between the different choices of weaponry at Isaac’s disposal, here are the best weapon upgrades in the Dead Space Remake.
7Pulse Rifle: High-Yield Grenades
The High-Yield Grenades upgrade improves the Alternate Fire on the Pulse Rifle, effectively increasing the explosive area of effect. In other words, this upgrade causes more damage over more space, affording Isaac a greater tactical advantage over his hostile work environment.
The other two special upgrades, Kinetic Autoloader and PCSI Custom Magazine, respectively, increase the rate of fire and magazine capacity. As such, the other two upgrades boost the overall stats of the Pulse Rifle that could otherwise be boosted by non-special upgrades. The Schematics for this upgrade are located inside a locker in the Atrium during Chapter 10: End of Days.
6Flamethrower: Gellified Hydrazine
The Gellified Hydrazine upgrade also enhances the Alternate Fire of the Flamethrower. The Alternate Fire produces a wall of flame, cutting off entryways and inflicting damage over time to any Necromorph caught in the flames. This upgrade makes the wall last for a longer period of time, rendering it more efficient for larger groups of enemies.
The other upgrades are certainly useful but only increase basic stats rather than augmenting the Flamethrower’s utility. The Macroliter Fuel Tank increases the ammo capacity of the Flamethrower, whereas the High-Pressure Nozzle increases the effective range. The Gellified Hydrazine upgrade is available very early on, during Chapter 3: Course Correction. The upgrade can bepurchased from the Storefor 11,500 Credits.
5Ripper: Any/All Upgrades
That’s right, any and all special upgrades are the best for the Ripper. Why is that? Well, all three special upgrades—Ricochet Tracer, Angled Launcher, and Carbon-Fiber Blades—all do theexactsame thing: add another ricochet to the Alternate Fire.
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The Alternate Fire on the Ripper is a reliable means of cutting limbs off of Necromorphs at medium range. With more ricochets, the Alternate Fire does even more damage to even more Necromorphs. Of course, this means that upgrading the Ripper’s Alternate Fire leads to a greater degree of combat efficiency and ammo conservation. The first upgrade, Ricochet Tracer, can be purchased from the Store in Chapter 3: Course Correction. The second upgrade, Angled Launcher, is found inside Andonov’s office during Chapter 6: Environmental Hazards. The last upgrade is in the Machine Shop in the Engineering wing, hidden in a crate locked behind the Master Override. This last upgrade is accessible by Chapter 10: End of Days.
4Plasma Cutter: Heat Accumulator
The Heat Accumulator upgrade causes fiery damage over time on enemies. The damage stat is one of the most important for dispatching Necromorphs quickly while saving on ammo.
The other two special upgrades are useful but not entirely unique, like Heat Accumulator; the Cartridge Rack upgrade increases ammo capacity, whereas the Weighted Blades upgrade increases Isaac’s melee damage. Although the ammo capacity for the Plasma Cutter is a crucial stat for this weapon, ammo capacity can otherwise be upgraded by following the upgrade tree. Melee damage is a marginal upgrade. Most players avoid using melee in combat, as this puts Isaac directly in harm’s way. The Heat Accumulator can be purchased from the Store during Chapter 3: Course Correction.
3Line Gun: Precision Lasers
Like many of the upgrades on this list, the Precision Lasers upgrade enhances the Alternate Fire on the Line Gun. The Alternate Fire lodges a laser onto any surface, inflicting damage on any Necromorph that passes through it. Enhancing the Line Gun with Precision Lasers will instead deploy three lasers, inflicting even more damage over a larger area.
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Although Precision Lasers is perhaps the best upgrade for the Line Gun, the other upgrades also considerably enhance the Alternate Fire. Both the Ionized Capacitor upgrade and the Photon Energizer upgrade increase the fire damage of the Alternate Fire. Precision Lasers is found in Chapter 10: End of Days. The Schematic for the upgrade is behind a Master Override crate in Hydroponics.
2Force Gun: Suspension Module
The Alternate Fire on the Force Gun produces a Gravity Well that pulls enemies into one focal point. The Suspension Module upgrade inflicts damage over time to any enemies caught inside the Gravity Well. This upgrade makes the Alternate Fire similar to those of the Flamethrower or Line Gun—controlling space while dealing damage.
The other upgrades also strengthen the utility of the Alternate Fire. The Subsonic Oscillator upgrade lengthens the duration of Gravity Wells, whereas the Gravitic Amplifier expands the radius of the Gravity Wells. The Suspension Module upgrade is located in Chapter 11: Alternate Solutions. The Schematic for the upgrade is found behind a Master Override crate in the Cargo Bay. Notably, this upgrade is only accessible during the side mission “You Are Not Authorized.”
1Contact Beam: Diffraction Module
The Diffraction Module upgrade for the Contact Beam increases the size of the Alternate Fire’s explosive blast. Until this upgrade, the Alternate Fire is effective at downing single, basic Necromorphs and severely damaging stronger Necromorphs. This upgrade renders the Alternate Fire capable of wiping out multiple Necromorphs in one blast.
The Portable Heliotron upgrade only increases ammo capacity by 5, which can otherwise be upgraded along the upgrade tree. Another upgrade, Supersymmetry Tether, augments the size of the Alternate Fire’s shot, making it effective for condensed groups of enemies. The Diffraction Module upgrade is the last upgrade available and is found in Chapter 10: End of Days. The upgrade is inside a Master Override Crate on the Mining Deck.
