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 February 13, 2023 by Ritwik Mitra: Dead Space is one of the most legendary survival horror trilogies of all time. Dismembering necromorphs while roaming around claustrophobic hallways and scary areas makes for a great time, with players constantly looking over their shoulders every step of the way. It's the dread and panic induced in the Dead Space games that make them such a blast to play through, even if the third game ended up sacrificing a lot of what made these titles special in the first place.

The Dead Space remake has been a runaway success, opening up a lot of areas and recontextualizing the weapons so that they appear at appropriate moments. Players can now use them in situations that do a great job of illustrating what they're best at. Given the sheer number of weapons that have appeared across the series, there's no better time to check out which ones are the most useful of the lot.

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15 Seeker Rifle

The Seeker Rifle in Dead Space

Sniper rifles have become commonplace in most video games. Many players love the idea of taking long-range potshots at enemies and watching them crumble after a few shots. This type of weapon was eventually integrated into Dead Space in the form of the Seeker Rifle, which appears from the second game onward.

Some people might dislike the idea of not being able to use this weapon in the remake, but that's a small and pretty silly gripe in the grand scheme of things. The third game even allows players to craft this weapon without using a scope, letting players blast enemy limbs and heads off in an extremely satisfying and visceral manner.

14 Kinesis Module

Dead Space Kinesis

While the Kinesis Module isn't a weapon in the traditional sense, fans of Dead Space know perfectly well just how useful this tool can be in the right circumstances. It allows players to use telekinetic technology to move objects out of the way and solve puzzles whenever the games mandate it.

However, the use of the Kinesis Module in combat should also be highlighted. This tool allows players to use the environment itself as a weapon against the many necromorphs that are trying to hunt them down. The fact that the blades of the necromorphs themselves can be used as a weapon is proof enough of just how dynamic and interesting kinesis is in the heat of battle.

13 Rivet Gun

Rivet Gun in Dead Space

The Rivet Gun is basically Dead Space's take on a machine gun in a futuristic world. It's a weapon with a rapid fire rate that can absolutely decimate most necromorphs that are unlucky enough to come in contact with the player.

However, do keep in mind that the Rivet Gun is virtually useless without upgrades, prompting many players to drop this weapon from the get-go without any substantial investment. However, if players make the effort to upgrade this weapon, then they'll be rewarded with a weapon that is useful in a whole host of scenarios barring fights against more powerful foes with specific weaknesses.

12 Plasma Cutter

dead space, isaac walking down a hallway

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.

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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

Bolas Gun Dead Space 3

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

DeadSpace2, Isaac Clark, Handcannon

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

DeadSpace2, Isaac aiming plasma cutter

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 shines on next-gen consoles courtesy of the brilliant remake.

8 Contact Beam

deadSpace3, isaac aiming a big necromorph

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.

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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

DeadSpace2, necromorph floating in zero-g

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

deadSpace, isaac using 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

Dead Space 3 Slam Chop gun

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

deadSpace2, isaac Clark fighting explosive necromorph

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.

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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

Dead Space3, fight with necromorph

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

dead space3, isaac aiming rifle

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

dead space, isaac aiming

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. The remake lets players mess around with this weapon once again, with its integration in the game feeling more natural!

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