DEAD SPACE 2

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Hard Core FAQ

Written by: Daniel Bradburry

Email: daniel@bradburry.net

About this document

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This is perhaps the second real 'achievement' I have obtained iꦐn my 360&nbs𝐆p;

history.  Given that at present there was no FAQ poste꧑d for this online, I felt

compelled to writ꧂e one up.  Please note that I will not hesitate to spoil 

anything here, so if you happen t𓂃o be𓃲 reading this before you have even 

finished the game once, be forewarned.

About me

--------------------------------------🐎--------------------------------🌳---------

I've been pla🌠ying games now for 33 years,🔥 the first of which I 'beat' was

Pitfall II for the Atari 2600.  My god that was a long time ago. &nb❀sp;By now, I&🌳nbsp;

have completed hundreds, if not thousands of titl🌜es on do🍸zens of systems.

Back in 1997, I would run through the original Rꦇesident Evil, and even Resident

Evil 2 without saving in under🐈 3 hours.  I was pretty c😼onsistent with my pace, 

as long as I managed the inventory well enough it was pretty easy to do.  This ♉;

challᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚenge is basically the same concept, done ꦦthree times in a row.

Table of Contents

----------------------------------------------------------ꩵ----🥂-----------------

What is Hard Core?  ............[01]

About the Guide  ...............[02]

General Advice  ................[03]

Weapon Advice  .................[04]

Enemy Advice  ..................[05]

Chapter Advice  ................[06]

Chapter 1  ....................[C01]

Chapter 2  ....................[C02]

Chapter 3  ....................[C03]

Chapter 4  ....................[C04]

Chapter 5  ....................[C05]

Chapter 6  ....................[C06]

Chapter 7  ....................[C07]

Chapter 8  ....................[C08]

Chapter 9  ....................[C09]

Chapter 10  ...................[C10]

Chapter 11  ...................[C11]

Chapter 12  ...................[C12]

Chapter 13  ...................[C13]

Chapter 14  ...................[C14]

Chapter 15  ...................[C15]

Credits  .......................[07]

[01] What is Hard Core?

-----------------------------------------ಌ--𝄹------------------------------------

The buzz about this mode is out t൲here.  No kidding, you have limited 

ammunition, decently tough enemies and only 3 saves during what is known a𒈔s a 

6 hour campaign.  Hard Core mode is not physically tough ♍to complete; rather, 

it is the constant stress and panic that can be overwhelming.  🌟;I highly 

recommend that you finish the campaign on a basic leve♔l, and then again on 

Zealot mode before starting the craziness.

You can expect Zealot-level quan🌺tity of ammo per pickup, and about Hard-level 

weapon-damage🐼-to-enemy and enemy-damage-to-you.  This is not Zealot as you will

come to experience it, but on the whole it can be much, much tougher due to thꩵe

necessary precision under intense pressure.

[02] What this guide will and will not do

---♓--------✅--------------------------------------------------------------------

I am not going to tell you how to fight, as you should kn♛ow before starting.  

I am not going to tell you where all of the enemies or items🔯 are, as everything

is where it is in other modes.  I won't be breaki🐓ng down damage specꦑs from the 

weapons to pinpoin🥃t which is best.  What I w♔ill do is offer you advice on how I

ran the campaign, including where and when I saved, the weapons I💦 brought to🐓 

the table, and h🍸ow to tackle each enemy type reliably.  You will find that😼 I 

advocate heavily for c൲arrying🐈 both the Plasma Cutter and the Ripper, and I will

break down the reasons why (and why Iܫ d🥂idn't go with the others).

I💟 will not be spelling out every step of the campaign; rather, only sections 

that can be particularly troubling and sugge🥃sted tactics fo🅷r 'mini-bosses' and 

certain enemy types.

[03] General Advice

----------🍎--------------------------------------------------------

There are certain things to know immediately. &♐nbsp;

If you die, quit playing a𓆏nd come back later, unless you are 5 minutes

from your save ⛦point.  Let the wasted time slip from your mind and get 

back at it.  If you start over again immediately, you will be&nꦺbsp;

frustrated and cavalier, neither of which you want🧸.

Target your first save at the end of level 5 (I saved a𒊎t🍨 the beginning

of 6) in case you fail the do-or-die dragging section.  🐻He takes a good 

number of shots,𒅌 🧸and you don't want to start over from the beginning.  

I was literally one secondꦰ from failing bꦑefore I blew him away.  If you

want to risk it, the Tormentor section after iওs terribly easy.

Target your second at the end of 9 for the sa💃me reason, with the nest

of Tripods.  I will give you advice for blowing t🍰hrough this later, but

its best to save just before it.

Target the final sa☂ve at the end of 13, before the eye poke machine.

You will need to buy your ammo from the start - 🌜the drops jus🌳t won't

cut it.  They will keep you ali🎶ve in the interim until you find a 

st🅷ore, but I tended to carry 50-60 extra plasma rounds at all times.  

Once I started using the Ripper, I carried about 20-30 blades𒁏 ꧅at once.  

Reliance on the Ripper cut the p𒆙lasma usage down hard, as one blade&♋nbsp;

would tear through multiple enemies, as oppo🔯sed to 15-20 plasmaﷺ rounds 

for the same encounter.

Stomp your enemies after they🌠 die.  Make sure that they drop their

it𒉰ems before moving on, or you will regr💃et it quickly.

Be liberal with healin🙈g.  In the regula𝓡r campaign I would happily run

around with 60% health, but here I was 𒅌concerned if I only had 90% 

filled.  Don't🥃 overuse and waste it, just don't leave it in your pack 

as the 🦂unknown incoming swipe can erase a couple hours of work.

Don't blow out💝 ꦚthe windows unless you have to.  There is a spot in

Chapter 7 where you can safely detonate one and get away wꦆ൲ith it.

Abuse the🗹 respec-healing trick.  From Chapter 7 on, when you use the

bench you have the opti🌄on of respeccing your nodes for 5,000 credits.

If you are in need of a full health ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚkit, pay the respec fee for your

rig and leave the bench.  Go back into it and reset🎶 all🎃 of your nodes,

and BAM!  Full healt𝓡h.  Total cost for that is half of the price of a

full ♈health kit,🃏 so use this trick when you need it.  Make sure to

walk away and reengage the bench♓, or the trick will not work.

[04] Weapon Advice:

----------🦹-------------------------------------------------------ꦏ--------------

You should know how to handle all of the weapons and enemies profღiciently 

before you even s♈tart, that much is give🐲n.  I chose my weapons for their 

overall reliability and applicability to any givenꦦ situation.  It's also about 

your placement for certain encount▨ers, so that you can get a drop on the enemy 

before he kills you.

Plasma Cutter-

This is the only weapon I ever used in DS1, because of the ranꦺge, 

immedia𒆙te impact, rapid fire and decent damage. &n🤪bsp;At max damage here 

(plus the added flame effect), you can 💎take down most enemies with 4-5 

precise s♒hots.  This should be a powerfu🎃l mainstay in your arsenal.  

Ripper-

The Ripper needs to be number two because of the constꦬant damage

potenti🥂al, and its ability to tear through multiple enemies at the

same time.  Your ability to miss a primary fireꩲ, and then retrain the

weapon on the enemy and chew it apart without taking damag𝐆e cannot

be overemphasized.  The definitive close q♛uarters beast in terms of

DPS,🌌 throw in 👍the long distance range attack (for times of crisis), 

and the Ripper is a must have.

Line Gun-

Great, but you can't 𓃲bring back a missed shot and there are too few 

rounds in 𒁏the chamber.  And the secondary file can kill you.  It comes 

a decent third on my list.

Pulse Rifle-

Decent, but chews up the ammo ♚and doesn't do anything for reliably 

holding back a tough crowd.

Detonator-

Great in theor𓂃y, but you better hope they walk over it.  And that you 

don't.

Force Gun- 

This was something I played with in DS🌺1, but to be frank I've never 

even pulled the trigger here.🍸  I've heard that it is very competitive 

with the 🥂Ripper, but I don't recall the d💯amage in the DS1 version being 

v♕ery dramatic, as the elites took 4-ꦬ5 shots and several seconds to 

kill.  Kill time is my p🌟r🐭oblem here, as I can kill an elite slasher in 

under a second with the Ripper.

Contact Beam-

The Contact Beam was great for Brutes in DS1🌊.  The alt-fire🐲 gives great

crowd control, but you don't even get it until Chapter ♔7.  No def🐼ense 

🍌against Spitters, Pukers or Lurkers.  It just feels like a one-trick ♌;

pony to me.

Seeker Rifle-

Decent at range, but if you have it equipped when they invade your𓆏&n🐲bsp;

personal space, get r🥃eady to turn off the machine.

Flamethrower-

Throw it in the first trash can you find.  

Javelin Gun-

For this m🐽ode, throw the Javel♏in Gun in there with it.

Node Application Advice-

Spread your no💃des evenly across your rig, stasis, Ripper and Plasma

Cutter.  You have no need of air, so only apply one extra node fo🦩r it.

Ignore the ꦑTK damage increase.  Stasis needs duration and energy

quite evenly, so🌺 spread thꦑem around here.  The Plasma Cutter needs

damage, speed and some capacity and some reload.  D🥀amage (and the

special) is the easy priority. &nbꦺsp;The Ripper needs both durꦿation and

damage quickly, as both apply to DPS.🃏  Everything else is secondary

on this weapon.  By the end ofꦜ the game you will be maxing out all

nodes on all four pieces of hardware.

[05] Enemy Advice:

-----------------------------ꦺ--------------------------------------------------

Slasher-

Plasma Cutter- Put two rounds into the s🉐ame leg wit📖h the Plasma Cutter, 

and the two more into the same arm.෴ ♊ That should do it.

Ripper- Aim for the legs to d🧜rop it immediately, then drag the blade 

over its arms and fac🃏e to kill it for good.  

Spitter/Puker- 

Plasma Cutter- Same as the Slasher.

Ripper- Hide out of line🍌 of sight to get it to charge into your ൩range.

The approach is then the same as for꧙ the Slasher.  The Puker will ⛎still

try to spi🔯t at you while on the ground, so w꧟ork fast.

Pack-

Plasma Cutter- One shot anywhere.

Ripper- Hold down the primary attack and s💎aw through the whole group.  

It's actually best to u💜se this weapon, as you destroy the bodies 

i✅mmediately this way causing them to drop their it🅰ems on the spot.  

When the ꦜPack corpses start piling up, they will disappear when 5 or so

are already 👍on th🍸e ground and you lose the items they would have 

dropped otherwise.

Stalker (raptors that hunt in packs)-

Plasma Cutter- Blast the leg🎀s as he runs at you, then the arms.  

Dangerous, as🦋 ✤if you miss it will knock you down and he will still be 

in your face when𝄹 you get up.  Very easy to die this way, as two hits🐬 

will finish you.

Ripper- Aim at the feet mid-run with primary fire (make💜 sure you are 

pretty low), 💮which will dro💦p him where he is.  Move the blade up across

tඣhe body and arms, and he's done. &n♌bsp;Once practiced, it's the safest and 

easiest method to kill them.

*note♕: In al༒l cases, back up to a wall with an open pathway in front of

you and wꦑait for them to charge you.  Only one will come at a time, and

you will know it by sound when they do.

Crawler (babies that explode)-

Plasma Cutter- Hit the yellow spot to make them detonꦍate and take out&nbs🔜p;

other enemies.

Ripper- DON'T!

Lurker-

Plasma Cutter- One or two shots per tentacle, 2 or 3 ༒tentacles to kill.

Ripper- In some hallways where they can't 🧜get out of꧅ range this makes 

sense, otherwise use the Plasma Cutter only𝕴.  Don't use secondary fire 

on them.

Exploder-

Plasma Cutter- One shot to the pus sac, and BAM. ෴ In one area in 

Chapter 9, go for his legs instead.

Ripper- I🍸f he is bearing down on you, secon🎃dary shot the sac, but don't

miss ⛄as re💦loading isn't as quick as the Plasma Cutter is.

*note: If he manages toꦫ detonate on or near you, it will wipe out 60%

or so of your health🦩.  This is great compared to Zealot mode where it

would one-shot you n🐭o matter what.  Still, d๊on't let it happen.

Pregnant-

Plasma Cutter- Put two rounds into the same leg🎃, and then two more into

the same arm.  ꧅Same as the Slasher.  Don't hit the belly or you will 

regret it.

Ripper- Charge into him with the primary fire, cutting his legs apa💦rt 

and then his torso.🤡  Chances are he will be dead before the babies pop 

out, but if they do they wil𝓀l be instantly destroyed.  This is the best

weapon to use on him - no panic, no tactics.

Leaper (scorpion)-

Plasma Cutter- Open fire rapidly if you have this equipp﷽ed.  Hope you 

hit the arms💛 and head, because you won't really get his tail.  He wil🃏l 

tear you apart in a matter of seconds, and he is rarely a𝓰lone. &🔥nbsp;

Ripper-📖 Hide out of his line of sight, and make him come to you.  Hide 

right behind the corner, and charge🍬 into him with primary fire and tear

him to pieces.  It's the safest way to go.

*note: In my opinion, this guy i🅠s easily your biggest threat in the 

game.

Swarmer (babies in Pregnant's belly)-

Plasma Cutter- One shot per, but expensive.

Ripper- One blade will tear them all apart.

Cyst-

Plasma Cutter- One to two rounds per.

Rಌipper- Don't use, but secondary fire only if you have to.

*note: TK bodies or obje𒁃cts at them to cause them to self destruct.

Infector-

Plasma Cutter- Multiple shots to drop it,♉ 5-6 or so.

Ripper- Chew it up with a single blade.  Ign꧟ore secondary fire.

*note: Des🦋troy any available dead bodies before the infector appears, 

and it will walk up ღto you to be slaughtered in꧃stead.

Tripod-

Pla🍌sma Cutter- The only weapon to use on him, as you need to keep your 

distance.  Stasis him, and then blast off hi🀅s arms.

Ripper- F൲or this mode, don't use it or you ris🦹k dying and reverting 

back to an earlier save.

Brute-

There are four of th🗹em in the gameไ, and I will deal with each encounter 

as it comes up, as tactics differ.

Guardian (the guy stuck in the wall)-

In every case, do one of two things:

1. If there is an availa꧙ble explosive canister, grab 🐈it before he can 

see you, stay out of sig🃏ht and then pop out and throw it in his 🌼face 

for an easy kill.

2. If not, stay out of sight🍸, pop out and stasis him.  Blast away at 

his tentacles as they ar🌳e all centered in his midsection and slowly 

move out🦹 as he awakens.  He will be dead before he can do anything.

Do not use the Ripper, as he will tear your hea♊d off before you get a 

chance.

Nest (stationary enemy in zero-G with three yellow🌸 pods, throws projectiles)-

Plasma Cutter- 2-3 s🌠hots per sac will kill it.  Dodge the projectiles 

at ran🙈ge.  This method is dangerous and unnecessary.

Ripper- Da♚sh straight at him (immediately!) while he is waking up, and&n🤪bsp;

saw the sacs apart at close range with primary fire.  🐼;He will drop as 

soon as your blade touches all three.  I have done this se🍷veral times 

and have never been hit.

Divider (tall lanky necro with smaller necros attac🀅hed)-

Plasma Cutter- Shoot it at range until♛ it falls apart, then shoot each 

small💃er piece until they stop moving.  Uses a lot of🌱 ammo this way.

Ripper- C👍harge up the main and🍌 cut out his legs, and then sweep over 

the body until they are all dead.

Squiggly Necros (as I call em)-

Um... really?

[06] Chapter Advice

--------------------------------------------------------🔯-----------------------

The first five chapters are fa💖irly easy, so I just have a few notes regarding.

Real details start to come at Chapter 6.

[C01] Chapter 1: 

The only concern here is t꧒he Tripod.  This is something you should be 

practiced with.

[C02] Chapter 2:

When 𓃲you start up the train, some enemies will rush thrಌough the 

opposite door. After they are dead, run t𝄹o the door⛦ and turn around to

ambush tꦜhe two that bust in right where you were standing.

When you are hanging upsi💜de down, I avoid using kinesis and just blast 

them, as I can find it diffiಌcult to aim accurately with TK i🃏tems.

[C03] Chapter 3:

You can generally blast out the window he♓r🌳e safely.  Overall, this 

chapter is not hard.

[C04] Chapter 4:

Coming to🐻 the rounded staircase just befಞore the elevator, an infector 

is in front of yo🙈u making a new slasher.  Kill it and his new ༒friend 

right there, and then he🙈sitate to༒ charge down into the fray below you.  

Let the infectors do their work, and kill everything as the𝕴y funnel up🃏 

the stairs.  It's not worth charging i♕nto the group to get surrounded.

Ammo is fairly cheap, as long as you are prepared to buy it🅠.

I avoid blasting out the window in this level, and make the slashers 💝ജ;

funnel into the door.  It's not worth risking it this far 🍨into it 

before your first save.

In your first encounter witജh stalkers, stand at the door they break, 

and take out their legs as they charge you. ไ Kinesis is a good idea 

here, as they bee line for you, running straight ⭕at the screen.

[C05] Chapter 5:

Nothing too critical in this chapter.  

Make sureไ you grab the Ripper schematic here, but don't start using it 

until you have a few nodes in it.

Save before the do-or-die dragging sequence in the chapel.  The saꦆve 

point is in the room where you have to ﷽TK the three objects to✃ crawl 

through the vent.

[C06] Chapter 6 (whe🍬re things are starting to get toജugh):

The first fight here can be a decent challenge if you💞🍒 are unprepared.  

It's a giant open area with a huge statue of a marker to one si🍌de♈.  Run

into the middle of the room to spawn a pregn🌃a༺nt, and then run back into

the hallway you came from.🌼  Kill it here🍬, a two leapers will spawn and 

rush you.  Force them to come to you, and nail them w🃏hen they round the

corner into the ha꧟ll✨way.  Once they are on you, hope for the best.  

Step out of the hallway, and as so♉on as you croꦆss the threshold into 

the big room a second pregnant will spawജn righ💝t behind you.  Kill it, 

and then run back to where you fought the leapers.  Four 𝔉more will show

up, two at a time.  After all that, ꩵrun across the big room towards the

store𒀰.  Turn around and face back into the big room as෴ a third pregnant

shows up.  Blast it, and finally youﷺ can move on.

The cysts here are no problem.

After the fire sequence and two ༒lurkers, remember that there is a puker

waiting for you in the elevator!

T⛄he stalker sequence should be your first real t🥀est with the Ripper.  

💝Cause them to activate, and then stand in a corner where you have a✅ 

path in front of🌜 you and a path to the side.  You shou💛ld see several of

their heads poking out looking at you.  They will m🌃ostly be coming at 

you from the🔜 center of the room, so face in that direction.  If you 

hear a scream and d🍨on't see one running at you, whip 90 degrees and 

take out the one comi🍬ng from your side.  It'♔s rare, but happens.

Advance to the meeting poin♛t with Ellie, and take the elevator.

In the hallway bಌefore the school, 3 groups will charge you.  Take out 

t෴he cysts as you proceed, and watch for a the first two groups coming 

from the front, and thಌe third from behind.  They are all ranged 

attackers, so keep the Plasma Cutter ou🧔t until you get inside the 

school.

The on♌ly concern in the school is the gymnasium.  Make sure to stomp on

all of the bodies befor♚e hacking the panel, as an infector will bring&nb🐼sp;

them to life.  Keep the Plasma Cutter out until all of the crawlers💮 are

dead (4, I think) and then focus on using the ♍Ripper to cut th𓂃rough 

everything else.  Hold your ground on the s💜🦩tage and force them to come 

to you.

Exit the school and head to the transit station.�🦹�  The fight with the 

brute can go badly, or seriously quick if you are prepared fo🍎r it.  

Immediately grab all loose ammo around the room, pick up the stati💞s 

canister by the💟 door, and run over to the side of where he꧟ drops in.  

When he lands, I am facing his right shoulder.  On😼ce he hits the 

ground, fire the canister, close the dis🧜tance and begin sawing i꧋nto 

his shoulder with the Ripper.  As the stasis wears off, reapp𝔉ly it 

from your reserves and continue sawing iꦬnto him.  💖;After about three 

stasis🎉 charges, 🌱he will collapse on the floor, never having been able 

to move an♋ inch.  Don't get s𒊎mart and try to have him run into a

support beam, as he 🌠will simply slide around it and𝔍 happily kill

you.

Advance towards the elevator to ꦆChapter 7, but stasis and kill the 

Guardian before doing so.

[C07] Chapter 7:

Use the Ripper to chop up ♔the advancing ene⛦mies.  Repair the elevator, 

ꦦand rip up the leaper th⭕at approaches you before you board.

The elevator ride is crazy, so bring a lot of health, a lot of Plasm🦋a 

Rounds and one or two stasis packs𒀰.  Once the first tripod burstsཧ in, 

he will do so in the window to the left of𒆙 the switch that a⭕ctivates 

it. &ꩲnbsp;My technique is to run to the other side, stasis them and then 

blast away.  Always keep movi𝄹ng, as they appear to spawn in different 

placeꦚs at different times around𝔍 you.  Just hold on and survive, that's

all I can say.  Don𝄹't wor♊ry about what you've used - there is a store 

coming right up.

Remember that there is a cyst right above the door 🐓when you exit the 

roo☂m after the elevator, and another next to the store.  Don'tꦅ get 

blown up.

In the next major encounter🎀, proceeding across the 🅠floor will trap you 

bet💝ween lasers that detonate the o🌟pposite window.  This has the 

potenti👍al of killing you if you miss the target, so before advancing 

into th🔥e room, stand in the preceeding hallway and aim the glass with 

the Plasma Cutter. ♏ As the door starts to clo🌼se between you and the 

room, b𝐆last the glass.  You will hear the air ♑being sucked out as the 

room is locked down, and it will be safe to ent🀅er a few seconds later.

This way you can control the🐽 encounter on your own terms.

There is nothing more to reall⭕y speak of until the section where life 

support is shut down, 🍌just keep the Ripper out for advancing enemies.

When the life support is shut down in the hallway, sta♏y put and let the

tওwo stalkers♒ advance on you from the door.  Hack the panel and move on 

to the mainframe.

Remember to get the Pe꧒ng treasure - everything in there 𒐪is valued at 

55,000 and trust me you will need it. &nbs🎃p;Keep the Ripper out and mow do♔wn

the enemie🥃s as they funnel towards the mainframe hatch.  Blast the 

mainframe circuits and move on.

🌃B🔯last the squiggly necros in the next room with the Plasma Cutter.

Use the Ripper on the slasher an𝔉d leaper that charge you, and switch to

the Plasma Cutter to shoot down the three lu🅺rkers.  Move to the node 

door and turn around to rip up the ambushing leap🐻er.  He꧂ jumps onto the

platform right in front of the hackable door.

Upon stepping out to 💟fix the solar array, immediately launch and 

dash/fly down to the left. &n🥃bsp;Engage the nest immediat🎃ely with the Ripper

before doing anything else.  There is a ton of ꦫair on the array, so&ꦉnbsp;

take your time and make sure🍌 to open every crate.  When ready, repair 

it, use the ejector to fly🎃 back down to the transit station and start 

a really insane fight.

Your air is runni♓ng out, and the enemies are infinite.  You just have 

to hold out until Ellie unl🃏ocks the 💛door, so make sure to keep moving 

in a cౠ𝔍ircle around the room.  The Ripper is best for this, because 

everyone will be running up t💦o you to say💦 hello.  The only problem with

this idea are th📖e pukers that🎀 nail you from out of nowhere, so just do 

the best you can.  It's best to bring as much health as you🔯 can m▨anage 

bef𝔉ore starting, as there is a store just before and after.  As Ellie 

is wrapping up things up, ▨get moving to the door and back into it when 

she tells you its🍷 ready, but doℱn't go early because they will surround

and kill you if you are not careful.

[C08] Chapter 8:

In the beginning you will♉ see an infector through the window doing his 

busy work - open the node-locked♕ door and make the enemies funnel into

it, and rip them up from there.  🌜Don't chase them downﷺ hoping to make 

things easier.

After dashing through ♛the rings of fire, charge right up to the nest 

and saw it to pieces with the Ripper.

[C09] Chapter 9:

The immediate beginnꦿing of this chapter has several leapers and a 

slasher pounce on✃ you. Move far enough towards the opposit🔯e elevator 

to activate them, then run b༺ack and turn the corner on the platform.  

Unless they have a direct path to you on the walkway🐠, they will treat 

you as if their line of sight is broken, ღso use this to your advantage 

and rip them up when they round the corner.

A slasher busts out of the wall aft🐎er you ride the elevator up.

Use the Plasma Cutter t🅰o blow away the Crawlers in front of you and on 

the wall.  Ride up the next elevator.

Open the door a🐽nd move in far enough to cause ꦛthe puker to begin 

𒀰walking toward you.  When he gets in your line of sight, take him out 

with the Plasma Cutter, and then step further in the room to activat𝓡e 

the t▨wo lurkers.  Doing it♏ this way splits up the fight.

Make sure 🐻to use the exp🎃losive canister on the Guardian.

When you get to the place to repair♔ the tr🌟am, remember that there is a 

squiggly head under the big cog.  It wil🍒l choke the heck out of you ꦬat 

this difficulty.

Aꩵs soon as you꧑ summon the tram, hightail it back to the elevator and 

stand in it.  Two elite slashers will spawn, and ordinarily would run&nbs𝄹p;

through both entrances at the same 🔯time and murder you, but this way 

you ambush the ambushers.  One of💙 them will drop right in front ꩵof you,

only to be torn apart while his buddy will arrive too late to𒐪 help.

Ride the tram until you get off.

The next section is decently hard, and 🍸your last challenge before save 

#2.  Several stalkers and 2 exploders are hiding in here, and mu𝓡st be&nb♍sp;

systematically hunted d꧟own.  There are basically three waves.  The 

first is two running stalkers and th♕en a crawling stalker.  Af🥃ter 

killing those three,ܫ an exploder will jum🍌p out of the left wall, with

a couple more stalkers coming after you.  If you start ru💜nning, chanc🃏es

are the stalkers will catch you, so its best if you pick a spot🤪𒅌 and 

defend it.  Once you make🔯 it to the far rig🍰ht corner, the final wave of

st⛎alkers (2-3) and an exploder will appear and chase you again.  Once 

c❀leared, prepare to stasis and kill another guardian.  Head 💫down the

elevator and use save point #2🧜 before the final challenge of Cꦏhapter 9.

Like the brute, this fight can go easy or🌄ꦿ really, really bad, so that's

why I say save before.  The tank can take 6 shots at thisꩲ level, and 

you have no need to kill a single tripod.  Once you descend to the&n🦩bsp;

floor, pull both available canisters out and drop them, as th💃e battle 

will not start until the first one is fired.  Once a can ex༺p꧅lodes, the 

timer to replace it star꧟ts ticking.  W🔜hen ready, quickly launch both 

and prepare to deal with the first tripod.  My s🐼incere advice is to 

stasis it and rapidly blow off a single arm, which will impede its&🌌nb🎀sp;

movement and threat level.  Keep it under stasis in this condition 💞;

whi🦋le racing around to fire 4 more shots.  Once successful, get to the 

tram before you die.

[C10] Chapter 10:

Ah, the Ishimura.ꦚ  I love this level.  No threats at all u༺ntil the 

first brute, in the tram pit.

Handle the brute ba🔯sically in the same fashion as before - stasis it 

quick and then move to his rear🉐 and saw up the arms to drop it quickly.

You will need t🧔o have enough stasis in reserve to ♉handle the second 

that will charge yo🍸u shortly.  Once you move forward enough to spawn 

him, back up considerably, ꦛtaking several shots at his shoulders with

the 💟Plasma Cutter at distance.  This will soften him u🅰p for the 

statis/Ripper combo soon to come, but it a🌜lso moves you out ❀of the trap

that springs right after he dies.  In the dark, seve🍨ral enemies spawn 

in what would have been in front and behin꧂d you, but this way you keep 

them all in front, only to run them all down with the Ripper. ✤ Ride the

elevator up and head to engineering.

After decontamination, the hallway🐷 has ene🐎mies that come from both 

sides, and they wi☂ll not follow you back in the decon room.  My advice 

is to 🌞pick off those in your imme💖diate vicinity, and then run all the 

way left with your Ri🐻pper leading the way.  Once there, turn around a👍nd

head all the way to the exit.  You🌞 may encounter a few p🔜opping up 

behind you, so be forewarned.

Fix the c⭕entrifuge, and then head back to decon.  Several pack will&nbsꦏp;

bust in from opposite sides, and 4 pukers/slashers wi🦩♓ll drop from the 

ceiling.  Rip everything, and leave.

On your way out, an elite slasher wilℱl be playing dead on the floor.  

Cut off his legs before he can even stand.

Once you get back to the t🦩ram loading station, there will be two elite 

slashers and swarmers in the area, and another enemy tꦰhat climbs up 

onto the platform🧔.  Use the Plasma Cutter to keep everything at bay 

here.

After the ri꧑de to medical, keep the Plasma Cutter out killing🌊 

everything in the hall in front of you at rang💝e, as th🌳ere is a lurker 

in the mix.

O൩nce you enter the cryo chamber, move tꦡo the far side as two elite 

slashers and two exploders will come 🎶at you, one at a time.  Use the&n𓆉bsp;

Plasma Cutter to kill everything, as the exploꦬders need to be detonated

safely.

Switch to the Ripper and ha💃ck the panel.  Before opening the door, you 

will be r🐻ushed by four enemies that can be taken down at close r🌳ange.  

Wipe them out, and move on.

Proceed until the section with the lightning pouring out of the&nbs🌌p;

machine.  A lu⛦rker will crawl up the rail, which is not🌄 a problem, but 

two leapers will attack when you ride the elevator down. &nbs💞p;Use the 

Ripper to tear the first on💝e apart, but the second will spawn right

above𝐆 you and has a nasty habit of staying out of sight and picking you

apart.  For that purpose, I recommend either running into th🅠e room 

downstairs next to the elevator, or riding the elevator back up. &🐼nbsp;

Either way forces him to chase you and putsﷺ the fight on youꦦr terms.

Pull out the battery, and wal💛k backwards through where the electricity 

was.  🍬Enemies will spawn in front and behind, soꦛ cut the legs off of 

the one that you are now facing and run back to the 🌄door by the 

elevator.  Take them down from here,🔯 but know that they will noℱt follow

you inside the room.  𓆏Once cleared, you are sa☂fe to move to the tram 

loading area.

Fly pasܫt all of the lurkers, not stopping for ammo and run to the door 

leading to the bridge section. 

You will be fa꧋𒊎cing a short section of stalkers and pukers, so force the

pukers to come to you by staying out of their line of sight, and&nbs💙p;

waiting for stalkers to charge.  Finish what you came fo🐎r here, ﷺand 

abandon ship to Chapter 11.

[C11] Chapter 11:

The first threat is a short stalker section, which actually hap♑pens in 

stages.  Kill the first two facing down 🐈slope, and then run all the way

to the door to initiate stage two.  Once you are at 🎃the door, turn 

around and take them out facing up slope.  The second group contains&nb✱sp;

sta𒐪lkers and crawlers, so swap back 🦄and forth between the Ripper and 

Plasma Cutter as necessary.

In th☂e next major area, while preparing to change out the battery, you 

will be assaulꦺted f🍌rom several directions.  For the most part the 

safest option is the Plasma Cutter, so stick with that unless ༺it makes 

sense otherwise.

Aꦯfter moving to the next room, you will be dragged out into space.  

Advance on the nest and rip it to pieces quickly.  Mov🅺e on through the&ꩲnbsp;

small passageway in zero-G with cysts.

Take the upper walkway section in stages.  The P🦩lasma Cutter is good 

to have for the initial part,𓄧 but once the two lurkers are dead swa𝄹p 

back to the Ripper.  The latter half of the walkway has an elit🔴e 

slasher quietly drop behind you.

Stomp Stross's body for an audio log🌞 of him ♈talking to his wife.

The elevator up seems 🌃daunting, but its not bad if position yourself&nbs𝐆p;

well🏅 and apply a simpl🗹e strategy.  If you position yourself across from

the switch t𝔍hat activates it, and on the right hand side, then the 

enemies will consistently♐ drop in the corner on your left and the 

corner on your right. &🐎nbsp;Keep the Ripper ready to go, and quickly sweep 

the legs out from under one and then chew up and ki🙈ll the oth♛er.  Once 

they are dead, return to ♕your position.  Do this consistently and you 

will come out of this with very little damage.  Stasis is an option,&nb🎀sp;

but don't rely on it as there are too many waves 𒅌🎀and they won't stop 

coming if you haven't killed them all yet.

[C12] Chapter 12:

When you move across 🎃on the machine to get the new juncti⛦on, keep the 

Ripper out to saw up the two slashers that⭕🌸 climb over the railing.  

Oncꩵe you grab the card and ride back, have the Plasma Cutter out to 

take out the puker at range, as you are a si🌟tting duck for several 

seconds.

You will have to quickly change weapons on this♏ crazy ride, 💞and I 

highly advise blowing through your st✅ash of plasma rounds hard, as a 

store is available atᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ the beginning of🌌 13.  While riding the machine, 

stand💞 in front of Ellie the whole time.  Only a couple enemies ever&nbsꦑp;

spawn on the left side, as most wi♏ll climb up right nex🥀t to you.  For 

anything that climbs up, kill it fast and k🧜eep a solid watch for 

lurkers.  It is these that will do the most damag💛e to you here.  If

you think you see one in the distance, un💛load with the Plasma♚ Cutter.

I say ignore the red ca💜nisters, as it takes too long to be really 

accurate and i🍌f you hit with it you 🔯will kill one maybe two.  I tend 

to get shot up while trying to aim with꧑ it here, so just blow em away.

One less tentacle means one ꧒less projectile coꩲming your way.

[C13] Chapter 13:

Make sure that you have what you need from the store before attac💧king 

the nꦦecros that are advancing on the door.  The Plasma Cutter is the 

best option for the entire event here🅺.  Hack the p💃anel and continue on 

until you have let the swarm into the facility.

Af🌳ter the slaughter, poke you🌌r head out the door and have the enemies 

funnel up in the doorway, ripping them up.

In the round room just before the laꦏb, open the door𒆙 and watch an 

infector run off t🅠o do its work.  Let it, because if you chase it an 

exploder will drop in behind you and trap you against several elite&nbꦓsp;

enemies.  This will n🥃💛o doubt kill you, so wait at the door and take 

🍃them down from here one at a time with the Ripper.

If you open the node-locked door, a Div🍸ider will 🤪attack you when you 

are outside.  I💟f you don't mind the risk, take whats inside.

Another section j♔ust like the end of the Ishimura, except that you 

can🌊't run.  Force the pukers to come to you, and wait out the stalkers 

like always.

Don't screw up the section with the spinnin✨g lasers.  Use whatever 

weapon you feel you need, but expect🐻 slashers and the explosive 

crawlers to give you a hard time.

This is the last re🌸al challenge before your final save.♐  In the three 

floor room﷽, a veritable army will be coming after you, and you can't 

get them to follow you back through the door.🧔  I have watched my Ripper

tear apart fo🔥ur of these guys at the same time here, which is nuts.  

It makes no sense to just run for it, so stand your ground when&nbཧsp;

necessary and charge them when its a 𒆙good idea.  Just remember that 

theꦫy have to run or jump along the walkway and won't leap over it, so 

use that to your advantage.  

Eventually the endless tide will cease, and you can advance to th𝓰e 

bottom floor.

The final obstacle is another🍸 brute, with the same style of entrance 

as the first one in the transit station.  He will spawn when you near&ꦏnbsp;

the door, s🍬o charge him and stasis/Ripper him to pieces.   This time 

you will be so oveꦗrpowered that he goes down fast.

Resupply and use your third save.  The challenge of this mode is now ✱;

over, as the ♉🌟final leg will take 20-30 minutes to complete.

[C14] Chapter 14:

Go slow and patient on the eye p🦂oke.  If Isaac 💛is scared you will 

screw up.

♐As soon as the regenerator appears, saw off his legs and arms, 

'killing' him and then🍷 place him into stasis.  This gives you plenty 

of ti🐭me to hack the panel.  If he is stil🌱l 'alive', he will attack you

while you are trying to hack it.

In this entire chapter, your goal is to simply run, and ignore✱ all 

drops and enemies that aren't in your way.ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ  Rip up those that are,ও and

keep moving.  TK the body that oꦬpꦇens the door and throw it in front of 

it.  I knocked the regen♊erator over when I did it.

Activate the zero-G section and rush through it.  Ignore the nes🌸t and 

keep moving.

The chapter is over before you know it.

[C15] Chapter 15:

ꦛNow... slow down and be patient.  The regenerat👍or, while deadly and 

unceasing, cannot standཧ against your Ripper and stasis unit.  It's 

impatience that kills people here.  

Buy everything you think you need from the store, and b𒉰e liberal about 

weapon fire.  There's no harm in buying everything you💛 can carry.

While outside, if you have a🦄n open path in f🔯ront of you, keep running.

If anything is in front of you, kill it.  If you are wait𓆉ing for a 

door to open, turn a𒁃round and guard your rear, backing through the 

do🍷or when it opens for you.  When you enter the in🌠door sections, use 

the Ripper on every🔯thing that spawns before proceeding outsideꦡ.  While

outside, make it a point to keep moving.

Once you reach the elevator you are home free.

Unload everything you have on the final boss's forms.  ♎Y𒅌ou should be 

pretty ✃familiar with this part by now.  Hope you♊r healing holds up, 

and push through it.

The final flying section is unchanged.

MAKE SURE TO SAVE!  Your in-game rewards are well wort💎h the time 

spent, although it is a complete game breaker.

[07] Credits

-------------------------------------------------✱------------------------ಌ------

Feel free to repost anywhere, just please give ♎me credit🔥 when doing so.

Any additi♚onal advice, suggestions or comments 𝓀email them to me at:

daniel@bradburry.net

Copyright 2011 Daniel Bradburry