In Dead Space Remake, Isaac will have to make a lot of decisions about what gear to upgrade. Even what gear Isaac uses will be an important choice to make. What upgrades to pick first will determine the rest of the player’s time aboard the Ishimura.
One of the changes in the Dead Space Remake is the upgrade system. Before, players would have to spend their Power Nodes on tracks on the upgrade tree that did not actually upgrade anything. These tracks were simply blank slots on the way to other upgrades. Now, however, players will gain a benefit from every track on the upgrade tree, while also working toward special upgrades at the end of the branches.
Best Upgrades to Grab First in Dead Space Remake
While there are many upgrades to get and players may have various styles, there are some upgrades that will benefit each player no matter what. There are two main types of upgrades, those directly available from upgrade trees at the upgrade bench, and those that players must find or purchase schematics for. The latter will add more branches to the original upgrade trees and will usually unlock a special upgrade for that weapon, a new addition for the Dead Space Remake.
The first early upgrade that will benefit any player is the HP upgrade for the RIG suit. Available as the first node on the RIG suit upgrade, there are other nodes along the RIG suit that will add HP. These suit upgrades in between HP nodes are also valuable. The Kinetic Grab Range KI/R and the Stasis Duration DUR are also priority upgrades, so follow the paths between HP upgrades in the Dead Space Remake that include those as well. These upgrades will be important for later boss fights, and the Kinetic Grab Range will allow players to save ammunition in the long run, as they will be able to pick up items to take down enemies without having to spend any ammo.
The second early upgrade should be to grab the next-level RIG suit. The Level 2 and 3 RIG suits are available very early on in the game. The Level 2 suit is available at the first store, while the Level 3 suit is available in Chapter 3. These upgrades will increase inventory and health by adding armor to the suit. This can increase player survivability without having to spend any Power Nodes.
The third early grab should be dedicated to the iconic Dead Space Plasma Cutter. The Plasma Cutter is still a fantastic weapon, and there is still an achievement for getting through the game with just the Plasma Cutter. The Heat Accumulator is a particularly strong upgrade for the Plasma Cutter, which unlocks a new upgrade path that gives the Plasma Cutter more damage.
The special upgrade is purchasable from the store for 11,000 Credits, and it will allow the Plasma Cutter to deal extra damage over time once unlocked.
In general, upgrading the Plasma Cutter to deal more damage is a good early choice, as it will save Isaac valuable ammo and allow him to take down enemies faster. There are several damage DMG nodes very early in the Plasma Cutter upgrade tree, and it is worth spending the nodes to get them.
The Pulse Rifle is also available early. The way to find weapons has changed for the Dead Space Remake, and this one is found in the same room as the Kinesis module in the hands of a dead officer. The best upgrade for it, High-Yield Grenade, is not found until much later in the game, however, just having access to the Proximity Mines is valuable enough. For an early upgrade on the Pulse Rifle, grab the Kinetic Autoloader from the store. It will greatly increase the rate of fire once that skill is obtained on the tree and focus on the Reload Time upgrades REL on the tree. This will make the Pulse Rifle a weapon that can last the rest of the game.
These upgrades will make Isaac have an easier time exploring the rest of the game. There are not enough Power Nodes to upgrade everything available in Dead Space on the first run, so each player should prioritize what makes the most sense for them. It is recommended not to upgrade more than four weapons, as that is the limit on how many weapons Isaac can carry. Focusing on the RIG suit and select weapons like the Plasma Cutter should ensure players have a successful run of Dead Space Remake.
Source: YouTube|Dead Space