This guide will teach you combat tips to help you fight and defeat the various types of necromorphs found in the Dead Space Remake!
This guide is for the Dead Space Remake, released in 2023!
Fighting necromorphs is a core mechanics in Dead Space, you won’t be able to complete the game without doing so. Unlike conventional undead enemies in video games, necromorphs require their limbs to be shot off in order to stop them.
If you’re used to playing the average shooter where you typically aim for the torso or head, you might be at a slight disadvantage.
Fortunately, you have this guide to teach you how to defeat all the different necromorphs found in Dead Space! Images featuring weak spots of Necromorphs have had their weak spots highlighted red. There is no feature in the game that highlights weaknesses for you.
How to fight against Slasher necromorphs
The Slasher is the most common type of necromorph you will encounter. They will often attack in groups by flanking a target from the sides. If you see one, chances are there’s another nearby.
Necromorphs attack you by slashing or stabbing their blades at you. Should they get close enough, they’ll grapple you in an attempt to bite off your head.
Defeating Slashers is simple in that you need to shoot off their limbs. Start by shooting off one leg to limit its mobility. Then shoot off an arm, preferably the arm on the opposite side.
This should be enough to put down a Slasher though tougher variants may require you to shoot off the other arm to defeat.
Some Slashers will retain the body armor from when they were fully human. This can pose a problem that can make attempts to shoot off their limbs difficult. Aim for exposed parts between broken armor or shoot off their arms. The Slasher below has armor on its body and legs, leaving its arms its only weak points.
How to fight against Spitter necromorphs
Spitters are the same as Slashers however they can attack from a distance by shooting acid at you. If you find a Slasher with glowing clusters in its torso, you have a Spitter. Take it out as soon as possible by shooting off its limbs.
How to fight against Leaper necromorphs
Leapers are one of the more annoying variants of Necromorphs. Leapers will attack you by leaping at you in an attempt to bite you with their fangs. They will also attack you by slashing you with their tail that has a sharp blade at the end.
The best way to defeat Leapers is to reduce their mobility. Use Stasis if you need to or if you’re fighting 2 or more Leapers. If you shoot off one arm, they’ll be reduced to a crawling pace making them easy targets. Shoot off the other arm and they’ll be rendered immobile and defeated.
You’ll often find Leapers in Zero-G zones which you can use to your advantage. Using Zero-G mobility, you can get at a good angle to shoot off the tail. Shooting the tail off will prevent them from jumping.
How to fight against Lurker Necromorphs
Lurkers primarily used ranged attacks by launching projectiles from their tentacles. If you get too close they’ll either run away or jump on you. Due to their small size, they can be rather difficult to hit in large rooms where they’ll use long range to their advantage.
To defeat a Lurker, wait until they extend their tentacles. Shoot these off in order to defeat them and avoid body shots. A dismembering weapon would be preferred here with the Plasma Cutter being the best weapon to defeat them.
The angle best suited for cutting changes as they’ll move from to floor to the walls and to the ceiling. If they’re on the floor or roof, use the horizonal mode on the plasma cutter. If they’re on the walls, use the vertical mode on the plasma cutter.
How to fight against Infector Necromorphs
While not very dangerous by themselves, you should always make these your top priority to defeat first. Infectors most commonly appear in rooms filled with numerous corpses. If they get close enough to a corpse, they’ll latch onto it to insert their proboscis into the corpses skull. This will create a Slasher and in certain segments, they can create multiple Enhanced Slashers.
Defeating an Infector is rather easy, just shoot the “wings” on the sides. You can also shoot off the proboscis to prevent them from converting corpses into necromorphs. The best way to deal with them is to smash corpses you find in a room in case an Infector shows up. If enough limbs are detached from the corpses, they can’t infect them.
How to fight against Pregnant Necromorphs
Pregnants are very similar to Slashers but have an enlarged, bloated torso. You must NEVER shoot their torso. Doing so will cause them to release Swarmers or on occasion, Lurkers. Fight them as you would a Slasher by cutting off a leg then the arms.
How to fight against Swarmer Necromorphs
Swarmers will appear occasionally and don’t appear like much of a threat. They’ll attack you by swarming all over you forcing you to rip them off. This leaves you unable to use your weapons until they are removed and makes you vulnerable to attack. Using weapons with a good area of effect such as the Flamethrower or Force Gun works best as they can be hard to hit with other weapons.
How to fight against Guardian Necromorphs
Guardians will appear on walls in an attempt to block passage to you. They are stationary and won’t be able to move but you should still treat them as a significant threat.
If you get to close to one, they’ll decapitate you so don’t try to punch them. They will attack you by launching out Pods that will attack you.
The way to defeat a Guardian is to shoot off the tentacles it protrudes from its chest. Aim for the parts with the reddish-orange colors and not the black part of the tentacles.
They will sometimes retract inside the body only to protrude later and change position. Using a Proximity Mine from a Pulse Rifle will make short work of them. Otherwise, shoot each tentacle individually until all of them are detached.
How to fight against Pod Necromorphs
Pods rely on ranged attacks similar to Lurkers. They are ejected by Guardians and are also sometimes ejected by The Corruption, the massive mounds of flesh covering walls.
Pods are very weak when alone but they pose a threat when there are a bunch of them attacking you at once. All you need to do to defeat them is to shoot off the tentacle they use to fire projectiles at you.
How to fight against Exploder Necromorphs
If you hear a high pitch scream, chances are there’s an Exploder nearby. Exploders pose a significant threat as they’ll hit you with their pustule growth if they get close enough. Needless to say, this explodes if this hits hence the name. Fortunately they’re rather slow and easy targets.
The easiest way to defeat an Exploder is to shoot their explosive pustules on their left arm. It’s a big target and when shot, it will damage any other necromorphs nearby. Alternatively, shoot off its other arm and the limb holding the pustule. You’ll then be able to use Kinesis on the pustule to launch it at enemies for explosive damage.
How to fight against Divider Necromorphs
Dividers pose a significant threat as they’re rather hard to put down. If you hear a low, bellowing sound then a Divider is nearby. In its first form, it will assume a humanoid shape albeit in an elongated, deformed shape. It has no specific weak points in this work so you’ll just need to shoot it wherever you can.
After you shoot it enough, it divides into tendrils and a head with tentacles. Your first priority should be to dispatch the head as it poses the biggest threat of the pieces. Given the chance, it will attempt to strangle you. If successful, it will decapitate you and use your corpse as a puppet as it assumes the role of your head.
The tendrils made of viscera are weak but can be hard to hit. Other than that, they’re more of a pest than a threat. An easy way to defeat the Divider in its complete form is to use the secondary fire of the Contact Beam to quickly defeat it. A Flamethrower is also good as the pieces of the Divider will continue to burn after dividing. If you’re having a hard time hitting the small targets, the Force Gun works well against them.
How to fight against Twitcher Necromorphs
Twitchers are a variant of necromorph made from the remains of soldiers from the USM Valor. These necromorphs are dangerous and hard to hit due to their Stasis module fusing with their body. This allows them to move at high speeds which can let them dodge your shots. They’ll attack by running to you and attacking you with their blades.
The best way to defeat them is to shoot their Stasis module on their chest. Your own stasis module will not slow them. If you shoot their chest, their Stasis Module can break slowing them and any nearby necromorphs. From there, just shoot off the limbs starting with a leg then arms.
Consider placing down traps such as proximity mines from the Pulse Rifle or laser traps from the Line Gun. As they will dodge shots from a distance, weapons with a good area effect such as the Flamethrower can be good for easily detonating their Stasis Module.
How to fight against Brute Necromorphs
Brutes act as mini-bosses in segments and are a serious threat if left unchecked. They’ll quickly charge at you and attack by swiping their powerful arms at you. If they defeat you, you’ll be torn in half by these necromorphs.
The best way to deal with Brutes is to use Stasis on them and run behind them. Their joints have glowing pustules from behind and these are the points you’ll need to shoot. As always, start with a leg then the arms to defeat them. Every time you defeat one, you’ll get a power node!
How to fight against The Hunter Necromorph
This fine young gentleman is named Harris, but we’ll just keep calling him The Hunter. The Hunter is a beefed up Slasher with the ability to regenerate lost limbs. That’s right, if you shoot off enough limbs he’ll just grow them back!
Needless to say, he’s an issue that won’t go away easily. The best you can do is shoot off all of his limbs and use Stasis on him while he regenerates. During that time you should run and get to your next objective. Conventional weapons are incapable of defeating The Hunter so the best you can do is run.
How to fight against Tentacle Necromorphs
Tentacles appear every so often and will start a cutscene when they do. They’ll grab Isaac by the leg and attempt to drag him inside a hole in the wall. When you’re grabbed by a Tentacle, you’ll only have a limited about of time to defeat it before it eviscerates you.
Aiming can be tricky here due to the way these encounters play out. Do your best to aim at the glowing cluster found on the arm to blow it up. If you succeed, it’ll let go and cry out in pain. Using a higher DPS weapon such as the Pulse Rifle or Contact Beam is useful here. Weapons that require more precision may miss as the Tentacle can affect your aim as it pulls you further down a hall.
Eerily enough, the part that grabs you is full of faces. It’s likely this is how the Tentacle sees its target by using the eyes of the heads in it “hand”.
How to fight against Enhanced Necromorphs
On occasion but more so in the later chapters of Dead Space, you’ll run into Enhanced Necromorphs. These necromorphs have undergone advanced necrosis making them hit harder and take more shots to put down.
They’ll differ from regular necromorphs as they will have mottled, green skin with glowing eyes. Be careful around these types of necromorphs as they can take a serious chunk of health from you with one attack at harder difficulties.
How to fight against Phantom Necromorphs
Only available in a New Game Plus, Phantom Necromorphs are the strongest variant of necromorphs in Dead Space. They have very powerful attacks and are exceptionally difficult to take down when compared to a standard necromorph.
You can identify a Phantom Necromorph easily by their black-purple skin and glowing red eyes. If you’re in a New Game Plus, you should be able to handle them fairly well as you would have kept any weapon upgrades.
Dead Space Combat Tips
Knowing the weaknesses of necromorphs is one thing, but that alone will not be enough to keep you alive. Use the following combat tips to improve your chances of survival.
Never Skip Leg Day
Throughout this guide, I’ve mentioned that you need to shoot the legs first. I cannot stress enough that this GREATLY increases your odds of survival. Reducing the mobility of necromorphs is paramount to easily finish them off. Unfortunately, this may not work on certain necromorphs such as Slashers with leg armor. Regardless, ALWAYS dismember the legs first then the arms wherever applicable.
Push Forward When Attacking
If you’re fighting a necromorph or two, walk forward while firing at them. It may seem like a bad idea to get closer to them but it only helps ensure your safety. Necromorphs attack you by flanking you, so if you find a necromorph in front of you then chances are there’s one behind you. When you defeat the necromorph in front of you, turn around to see if there’s one behind you.
Look Around For Vents
As you’ll come to learn about Dead Space, necromorphs like to pop out of vents. Whenever you go into a room, look around the walls and ceiling for air vents. The more you understand of your surroundings, the less likely a necromorph can get you off guard.
Save Ammo by using Kinesis
When you defeat a necromorph, you should be able to pull off an arm blade with Kinesis. These blades make excellent weapons and can one-shot a weaker necromorph by pinning it to the wall. This is a good way to save ammo especially at higher difficulties. If you find any metal rods with a light at the tip, you can use these to impale necromorphs as well.
Double Tap your Opponents
Necromorphs will sometimes play dead if you shoot off a limb. If you’re not 100% sure they’re dead, shoot them again to see if they react. If you find an intact necromorph on the ground that you didn’t fight yourself, shoot it. If it gets up, then you saved yourself some health by not falling for the trap.
Use Traps to your Advantage
This is more useful in cramped spaces like hallways, but a good way to save ammo is to use traps to dispatch multiple necromorphs. The Pulse Rifle’s Proximity Mine is useful for quickly dispatching a group of enemies while the Line Gun’s Laser Trap is better for waves of necromorphs coming your way. Place the traps low so their legs are taken off the shoot off the arms.
Dismember All Corpses
If a room you entered is filled with a disturbing amount of corpses, chances are entering further into the room will provoke an Infector to pop in. Stomp on the bodies to dismember at least 3 of their 4 limbs to prevent them from being transformed. If they are too far away, use Kinesis to pull the bodies to you at the room’s entrance and smash them there. While you could use weapons to dismember corpses from a distance, it can be a waste of ammo. Why am I doing this in the image below? Because the Contact Beam is fun to use, that’s why.
Maintain Movement
If you’re in a large space, maintain your movement by walking forwards, backwards, or strafing left or right. This can cause Slashers to miss their attacks against you, makes you a harder target for Lurkers to hit, and is necessary for some opponents such as Brutes.
That’s it. I hope you have found this guide on how to successfully fight each necromorph type in Dead Space Remake helpful. If you are a new player, I strongly recommend you to read the entire collection of Dead Space Beginner Guides we have.
We also have full collections of Puzzles Guides, Boss Encounters and Consumables and Collectibles Locations Guides.
If you want to master the art of dismembering and defeating necromorphs in the most efficient way, you will find our guide to all Weapons and RIG Upgrades and where to find them most helpful!
