As the survival horror genre slowly became corrupted by action game influences, Dead Space bucked the trend by creating a survival horror game that was genuinely terrifying. One of the ways it did this was to limit ammo resources, ensuring the player was put under pressure to make every shot count when fighting the Necromorphs. Uniquely, Necromorphs can only be killed by dismantling them, forcing the player to aim carefully and remove the enemies' limbs instead of spraying into their bodies. Thankfully, Dead Space hands you a tool that's perfect for careful aiming. The Plasma Cutter might not sound like one of gaming's most exciting weapons but there's an unbelievable satisfaction that comes with cutting a Necromorph's leg off with acute accuracy. The Plasma Cutter shoots in a straight line and can be rotated to fire vertically or horizontally, giving you better control of where your shot will hit. When you've got three Necromorphs bearing down on you and you're having to constantly shift your Cutter to aim accurately, it gets pretty tense and it suits the atmosphere perfectly. Sadly, with Dead Space 3, the Plasma Cutter was shunted to one side in favour of allowing players to create their own weapons. You could still attach it to a weapon but it felt less effective, especially when humanoid enemies were introduced, making the entire "shoot the limbs off" element near irrelevant. Still, the Plasma Cutter is crucial for surviving through the first two Dead Space games and it's unique firing style makes it an iconic gaming legend in its own right.
I have an addiction to achievements, a craving for new bands and a dream to become Captain America. I once finished second in a Mario Kart 7 tournament so I'm kind of a big deal.
