"Hard Core" Mode in Dead Space 2
Dead Space 2 is a game that's full of surprises. Scary, but can also have challenges that will put you to the test to see how long you'll last in every chapter of the game. From strategies, to choices, to sacrificing, to being tactical, you have to show that you can endure a dangerous and bloody ship with a lot of Necromorphs. And by playing Hard Core, it shows that you are ready. The real question is, will you survive long enough or give up? I had to go through this, but have no regrets.
What EXACTLY is Hard Core?
Hard Core is the most difficult mode in the game, and it's a combination of 2 other modes:
- Zealot (for max health type quality and ammo quantity reduced).
- Survivalist (for the increased enemy damage).
- This mode is unlocked after beating the game on any difficulty.
This mode also has a few of twists. First off, there's no New Game+, so you'll have no other choice but to start from scratch. That means that any playthrough you've done won't even matter. You'll have to get every schematic, every collectable, every item all over again. Second, there are NO CHECKPOINTS throughout the game. If you mess up on something, then it's too late. No going back. And if you die... Well...this leads to my third point. The third and most important but sad thing is, you'll only have THREE SAVES. If you save on a certain chapter and progress to a harder chapter, then die at that chapter, you'll go back to the last save you did. That would mean you'll lose everything that you've collected at the time of death. For example, you save on chapter 4, then you move on to chapter 8. Dying on chapter 8 means you'll go back to chapter 4, and everything you've collected between 4 and 8 are gone.
What happens when you beat Hard Core?
It may be the most difficult mode, but it doesn't mean it's impossible to beat. And the hardest modes in games come with great rewards.
When you beat Hard Core, you'll unlock 3 free suits with max armor and max inventory slots, each with their own abilities and to enhance the specific weapons. That's not all, you'll also unlock the mostly comedically overpowered weapon in the game. That weapon is....the hand cannon. It's a red foam finger, like how fans use them in sporting events, but this thing is way more than that. The power of this thing is so strong, a single shot is enough to kill a necromorph. Even the melee holds the same effect. And unlike all weapons in the game, this has unlimited ammunition and the rapid fire depends on how fast you press the shooting button. It's that strong, and saying that word is an understatement. This also carries through other modes, including the game's DLC called "Dead Space 2: Severed", which makes things much easier.
How to beat Hard Core?
Well, it's not an easy task for some, but I'll explain the best I can.
Weapons: Always carry weapons that you know you can fight these necromorphs. I would suggest to have 2 weapons: one for basic shooting and another for crowd control. If you prefer the Plasma Cutter and the Contact Beam, then that's good. Some weapons like the Force Gun, which pushes most enemies back hard, the Pulse Rifle that can cause dismemberment and stunning enemies with its grenade launcher, and "Line Gun" for its alt fire, which shoots a sticky timed mine that can eliminate tough enemies like Brutes.
Stasis and R.I.G.: Both of these, especially your health, are your main priorities. With your R.I.G. (Resource Integration Gear) upgraded, you should be ok to survive harder chapters. Have a lot of med packs, try to find medium and large ones. They will definitely help. As for your stasis, it's very important to use it. Basically, it's your best friend. Always slow your enemies down to shoot better or to run from them.
Be conservative: Always make sure you use your environments around you and to reduce the likelihood of shooting your weapons. Not a lot of ammo will be around, especially the low numbers. Find poles or other spear-like objects that can pin enemies to walls. Use their own blades against them if you can't find other objects. This saves time AND ammo. For the money, save as much as you can. Find some ammo that you don't need to sell them. The best ammunition is Contact Beam energy, they sell for $1,000. The other is Line Gun racks that can sell for half the value.
Power nodes: It's ALWAYS important to have power nodes with you. Every node counts for something, such as your R.I.G. and your current weaponry. And make sure to keep a spare node at all times, doors may need one so that you can have a bunch of good loot. You might be lucky to find large med packs, a couple of power nodes, credits, and will have a schematic for a suit or weapon (depends on the chapter).
Save your game WISELY: Know your game, know your saves in each chapter, and know where you'll probably die at. Be sure to save in chapters that you know you'll survive at, too. You DO NOT want to die, or you'll lose everything you've gained so far.
Don't panic and take your time: Sometimes, fear can help you escape certain things. It shouldn't mean you should be afraid all the time. It can actually get you killed. You panic, your instinct is to fill up your health fast by tapping the heal button if you get swarmed. That's a very poor choice. But with the right tools, you can pull things off and get away scot-free. Nothing is impossible, you just have to be smart and be cautious at all times.
Pick the best suit: How can you have max protection without suits? If you want the best suit for protection, including your inventory, then get the "Advanced Suit" in chapter 11. To make things quick, I'd go for a DLC pack that contains 3 suits. One of them will give you 15% bonus health efficiency when you use a med pack. This is called the "Elite Engineering Suit". This suit, along with 9 weapons, are from the "Supernova Pack" DLC. Trust me, I used it and it's worth it.
Conclusion:
With everything I've said, this should be more than enough for Dead Space fans to get ready for a big challenge. Just be strategic, tactical, smart, and resourceful. You'll be able to achieve a trophy that many say it's very hard to get, and I agree. You'll do great. I know I have. No regrets. 👌
What EXACTLY is Hard Core?
Hard Core is the most difficult mode in the game, and it's a combination of 2 other modes:
- Zealot (for max health type quality and ammo quantity reduced).
- Survivalist (for the increased enemy damage).
- This mode is unlocked after beating the game on any difficulty.
This mode also has a few of twists. First off, there's no New Game+, so you'll have no other choice but to start from scratch. That means that any playthrough you've done won't even matter. You'll have to get every schematic, every collectable, every item all over again. Second, there are NO CHECKPOINTS throughout the game. If you mess up on something, then it's too late. No going back. And if you die... Well...this leads to my third point. The third and most important but sad thing is, you'll only have THREE SAVES. If you save on a certain chapter and progress to a harder chapter, then die at that chapter, you'll go back to the last save you did. That would mean you'll lose everything that you've collected at the time of death. For example, you save on chapter 4, then you move on to chapter 8. Dying on chapter 8 means you'll go back to chapter 4, and everything you've collected between 4 and 8 are gone.
What happens when you beat Hard Core?
It may be the most difficult mode, but it doesn't mean it's impossible to beat. And the hardest modes in games come with great rewards.
When you beat Hard Core, you'll unlock 3 free suits with max armor and max inventory slots, each with their own abilities and to enhance the specific weapons. That's not all, you'll also unlock the mostly comedically overpowered weapon in the game. That weapon is....the hand cannon. It's a red foam finger, like how fans use them in sporting events, but this thing is way more than that. The power of this thing is so strong, a single shot is enough to kill a necromorph. Even the melee holds the same effect. And unlike all weapons in the game, this has unlimited ammunition and the rapid fire depends on how fast you press the shooting button. It's that strong, and saying that word is an understatement. This also carries through other modes, including the game's DLC called "Dead Space 2: Severed", which makes things much easier.
How to beat Hard Core?
Well, it's not an easy task for some, but I'll explain the best I can.
Weapons: Always carry weapons that you know you can fight these necromorphs. I would suggest to have 2 weapons: one for basic shooting and another for crowd control. If you prefer the Plasma Cutter and the Contact Beam, then that's good. Some weapons like the Force Gun, which pushes most enemies back hard, the Pulse Rifle that can cause dismemberment and stunning enemies with its grenade launcher, and "Line Gun" for its alt fire, which shoots a sticky timed mine that can eliminate tough enemies like Brutes.
Stasis and R.I.G.: Both of these, especially your health, are your main priorities. With your R.I.G. (Resource Integration Gear) upgraded, you should be ok to survive harder chapters. Have a lot of med packs, try to find medium and large ones. They will definitely help. As for your stasis, it's very important to use it. Basically, it's your best friend. Always slow your enemies down to shoot better or to run from them.
Be conservative: Always make sure you use your environments around you and to reduce the likelihood of shooting your weapons. Not a lot of ammo will be around, especially the low numbers. Find poles or other spear-like objects that can pin enemies to walls. Use their own blades against them if you can't find other objects. This saves time AND ammo. For the money, save as much as you can. Find some ammo that you don't need to sell them. The best ammunition is Contact Beam energy, they sell for $1,000. The other is Line Gun racks that can sell for half the value.
Power nodes: It's ALWAYS important to have power nodes with you. Every node counts for something, such as your R.I.G. and your current weaponry. And make sure to keep a spare node at all times, doors may need one so that you can have a bunch of good loot. You might be lucky to find large med packs, a couple of power nodes, credits, and will have a schematic for a suit or weapon (depends on the chapter).
Save your game WISELY: Know your game, know your saves in each chapter, and know where you'll probably die at. Be sure to save in chapters that you know you'll survive at, too. You DO NOT want to die, or you'll lose everything you've gained so far.
Don't panic and take your time: Sometimes, fear can help you escape certain things. It shouldn't mean you should be afraid all the time. It can actually get you killed. You panic, your instinct is to fill up your health fast by tapping the heal button if you get swarmed. That's a very poor choice. But with the right tools, you can pull things off and get away scot-free. Nothing is impossible, you just have to be smart and be cautious at all times.
Pick the best suit: How can you have max protection without suits? If you want the best suit for protection, including your inventory, then get the "Advanced Suit" in chapter 11. To make things quick, I'd go for a DLC pack that contains 3 suits. One of them will give you 15% bonus health efficiency when you use a med pack. This is called the "Elite Engineering Suit". This suit, along with 9 weapons, are from the "Supernova Pack" DLC. Trust me, I used it and it's worth it.
Conclusion:
With everything I've said, this should be more than enough for Dead Space fans to get ready for a big challenge. Just be strategic, tactical, smart, and resourceful. You'll be able to achieve a trophy that many say it's very hard to get, and I agree. You'll do great. I know I have. No regrets. 👌
