Combat has always been one of
Dead Space's finer points. There's nothing broken, and nothing to fix. However, a few additions help deepen the combat system. Like in previous games, enemy designs force you to think outside the box. A standard necromorph can now be split in half at the abdomen, but the pelvic region will sprout razor tentacles similar to those of lurkers. Oh, and its mobility will naturally increase.
Like in Dead Space 2, necromorphs aren't Isaac's only enemies. A group of unitologists has also landed on Tau Volantis, presumably with the goal of bringing about Convergence, the ultimate end to which the despicable means of Unitology are employed. Unlike in Dead Space 2, however, Isaac is not given the option to simply sic the necromorph herd on them. He's going to have to fight back. This means we're in for some cover-based shooting. Using Dead Space 3's mining weaponry on regular human beings is a strange but fun experience, and the addition of a cover system makes this more viable.
Speaking of weaponry, one mechanic has been fleshed out quite a bit. In Dead Space and Dead Space 2, the workbench was Isaac's personal upgrade station. Power nodes were welded to certain spots, and the functionality of his weapons was improved. Now, Isaac's role as an engineer comes into clearer focus as he actually has the opportunity to build weapons. As his adventure progresses, he can scavenge for junk and spare parts. At the workbench, he can fit all of these parts together to build improved versions of classic weapons or even brand new implements of destruction. In my time with the game, I built a plasma cutter with a cutting width that easily doubled that of the original one. I'm curious to see where Visceral takes this nuance.
