The Dead Space series has a tradition of including difficult game modes for fans to slam their heads against after beating the campaign the first time and the Dead Space remake is no exception. The remake has “Impossible Mode” which gives players one save slot and one life meaning that, once you die, you’ll have to start the challenge over again. This makes it one of the series’ toughest challenges, but, despite its name, it is actually possible to complete Impossible Mode. If and/or when you do, you’ll unlock a small handful of in-game bonuses and the “Untouchable” trophy.
While there’s nothing that can be done to make Impossible Mode any easier, there are a handful of things to keep in mind that can help give you the advantage over the lethal hoard of necromorphs standing between you and victory. Here are NUMBER tips for completing Dead Space remake’s Impossible Mode.
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| How to Replace the Damaged Tram | Power Nodes Explained | How to Get Security Clearance Level 1 | ‘Scan RIG to Unlock Workstation’ Explained | How to Fast Travel | How to Restart the Centrifuge | How to Find Autopsy Location | How to Get Security Clearance Level 2 | How to Beat the Brute Boss Fight | Is There a Photo Mode? | How to Get the Line Gun | How to Beat the Hunter Boss Fight (First Encounter) | Tissue Sample Location | How to Beat the Leviathan Boss Fight | How to Get Security Clearance Level 3 | How to Destroy Interior Tethers | How to Fix the Comms Array | Front Toward Enemy Trophy Guide | Z-Baller Trophy Guide | How to Beat the Hunter Boss Fight (Second Encounter) | What is Peng? | How to Reposition the Marker | How to Restore Power to the Junction | How to Beat the Hive Mind Boss Fight | Is There a Point of No Return? | All Master Override Door Locations | Best Weapons |
Tip #1: Play Through Dead Space on Hard First
One of the best things that you can do in order to ensure success in an Impossible Mode run is to play through Dead Space remake on hard mode, taking note of any areas where you might run into any difficulties or potential deaths. In terms of difficulty, Impossible Mode is actually the exact same as Hard Mode so if you’re looking to do an Impossible run, you can play through the game on Hard Mode to get a feel for what you should expect and craft strategies to navigate the game’s trickiest situations.
Take note of any places where you have trouble or die in your Hard Mode playthrough and reload saves so that you can practice them a few times before attempting the challenge for real. Pay special attention to boss fights such as the Leviathan and the Hunter encounters since they can be a little challenging if you’re not mentally prepped for them. Once you’ve taken notes (mental or physical) and completed a Hard Mode playthrough, you’ll be much more confident and prepared for an Impossible Mode run.
Tip #2: Use Limited Weapons
While using limited weapons might sound like a bad idea, it’ll actually help you out in the long run. As you play, only pick up the weapons that you absolutely need since the more you have, the thinner your ammo pickups will become as the game tries to spread it around your arsenal equally. Additionally, keeping your arsenal small means that you can fully upgrade your gear much quicker using Power Nodes instead of spreading the upgrades across several items.
If you’re going to use a reduced arsenal, the best thing to do is focus on using the Plasma Cutter since it’s the most versatile weapon in the game and potentially something else for crowd control such as the Contact Beam or the Pulse Rifle. There are some people that would argue that going for a Plasma Cutter-only run is optimal for Impossible Mode since it’s so powerful and useful, but use whatever weapons you’re most comfortable with.
Tip #3: Use the Plasma Cutter for Extra Damage
There’s a way to exploit the Plasma Cutter to deal extra damage to your enemies. If you aim the weapon at a necromorph’s hip, right where their leg connects to their torso, you can deal body and limb damage in a single shot. This drastically increases your lethality and can make the regular necromorphs much easier to deal with. Obviously, this tip only works when you can clearly line up shots, so it can’t be used in close-range encounters, but use it as often as you can to save ammo and cut through enemies quickly.
Tip #4: Rely on Your Stasis and Kinesis RIG
Isaac’s RIG is one of his most valuable tools in Impossible Mode that often goes a little bit overlooked when playing the Dead Space remake on Easy or Medium difficulties. Without a large supply of ammo to rely on, many players come to find just how useful the RIG is. Statis is excellent for slowing down large groups of enemies while you figure out ways to take them all out. If you’re using multiple weapons, a stasis blast that hits a group of necromorphs followed up by a proximity mine from the Pulse Rifle or an ALT fire blast from the Contact Beam can allow you to clear through some of the toughest encounters in the game with ease.
The kinesis RIG can essentially be used as another weapon in the player’s arsenal. When grabbing high damage-dealing physics objects such as the javelin poles or the claws from dead necromorphs, players can save ammo while also dealing high amounts of damage to incoming enemies. If there aren’t any sharp objects to grab with kinesis, you can still be on the offense by grabbing things such as crates or other bulky items and throwing them at necromorphs to deal some chip damage and knock them over, creating a solid offensive opening for you.
Tip #5: Avoid Backtracking
The Dead Space remake allows players to have free reign over the USG Ishimura, but players attempting an Impossible Mode run should avoid backtracking to previous areas as much as possible. Although you’ll get access to unlocking doors to more loot in older areas as you gain more security clearance, old areas get repopulated with necromorphs meaning that backtracking can result in an unpredictable death. Unless you absolutely need to deviate, just stick to Dead Space‘s main path.
