How To Defeat The Brute Boss In Dead Space Remake

From the boss's weaknesses to recommended strategies, here's everything you need to know to defeat Dead Space Remake's Brute.

To say the Dead Space Remake is terrifying would be quite the understatement. Even common foes like the standard Necromorphs can lead to panic and indecision that quickly devolves into frantically pulling the trigger in a bid for survival. Adding a boss fight into the mix, like when it comes time to beat the hulking Brute, and it's a recipe for potential disaster. Even with series icon Isaac Clarke's engineering armor and tools, a beast this size doesn't go down with just a few well-timed shots. It'll take perseverance, grit, and a high ammo count.

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It's time to stock up on Ripper Blades, learn how to dodge hefty swipe attacks, and carefully time well-placed shots to weak points. Before the fearsome Hunter, there's this intimidating foe to take down. Here's a rundown of the encounter against the Brute and how players can best prepare themselves for it.

At one point during Chapter 4: Obliteration Imminent, players will have to face off against the Brute in the Main Atrium. The boss battle occurs shortly after the conversation with Hammon on the way back to the Bridge, upon activating the elevators. Knowing this, Isaac Clarke can prepare carefully by clearing the Main Atrium of its many supplies.

Around the arena, players will discover plenty of credits for future upgrades, Flamethrower Fuel, and many Ripper Blades. The latter two will come in particularly handy, but credits can also be spent on either healing items or ammo depending on what the player is running short on.

Overall, the boss battle against the Brute isn't overly complicated. It's a matter of perseverance more than anything else. The player will chip away at the boss's health pool, time their movement to nail weak points, and strike when weakness rears its ugly head. The thing is, Isaac can strike with almost any weapon at this point. Yes, even the bog-standard Plasma Cutter will serve the player well against the Brute. With the encounter happening quite early in the game, Isaac doesn't have access to a lot of his future arsenal.

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Speaking of striking weak points, this is key to Dead Space's combat (see the unfortunate Wheezer above). The Brute features multiple vulnerable areas the player may exploit for critical damage. These are generally situated, of course, on the back. The overall design of the Brute means it's up-armored in the front to tackle damage head-on but is weak on the back, similar to a modern-day tank.

The Brute's weak points are under each armpit and two spots along the hips around the backside. As the Brute is large, aggressive, and challenging to hit, players must time their shots carefully to exploit these weaknesses.

The area of effect damage caused by the Flamethrower proves most effective for hitting weak points en masse, but the Pulse Rifle's secondary proximity mines shine through in this fight. The mines ignore armor to a point, though they consume ammo in droves. Use them wisely for the most significant effect!

Alternatively, instead of waiting for an opening, why not make one? Isaac's iconic ability, Stasis, is one of the most effective tools in the Brute boss battle. Players can hit the horror with a Stasis blast, then quickly move to the backside to unleash as much damage as they can with any weapon that's readily available.

The window to do so is brief, and Stasis usage is strictly limited, so fans should make the very most of it that they can.

The Brute isn't overly quick on its feet, thanks to its sheer size. It lumbers about the battlefield, making it more of a heavy hitter than an agile foe. Despite its size, it can move relatively quickly when it charges, and Isaac's engineering suit slows him down significantly. The player will find just enough time to run out of the way of oncoming attacks to narrowly avoid taking damage.

It's vital to be wary of running and dodging too far from the foe. If the player puts too much distance between Isaac and the Brute, the latter will spit a ball of poisonous substance that, if it strikes, causes plenty of damage.

It's possible to catch the poison ball midair and throw it back using Kinesis. It also does a ton of damage to the Brute!

On average, the spit attack occurs once or twice during the fight before the player can topple their foe. It's not worth relying on, though taking advantage in the moment can conserve ammunition and deal a good amount of damage in one fell swoop. If the Brute winds up to prep for a spit attack, Isaac should be ready with the Stasis.

Ever since the original Dead Space release in 2008, the one ability everyone could rely on was Stasis. It still is to this day. During the Brute fight, Stasis will become the player's best friend, as it helps create an opening to deal massive amounts of damage with the Flamethrower or Pulse Rifle.

First and foremost, it's essential to wait for the Brute to charge and close the distance. It's no use wasting Stasis on an enemy the player can't circle. Once the Brute charges, hit it with Stasis and circle around either side. Players will note the yellow pustules near the armpit and hips. These are the targets. As soon as they come into view, concentrate fire on them.

Efforts should be focused on the weak points along the hips, first and foremost. Like any other Necromorph in Dead Space, the Brute is susceptible to limb excision. If enough damage occurs, the limbs will separate from the body. The goal is to remove the legs from the Brute, locking it in place for future attacks. The player should remember all the extra Ripper Blades scattered about the arena before the fight; those work wonders!

Before the Brute can stand back up, consider hitting it with another bout of Stasis. If the charge is available, of course. If the attack is timed carefully, it's possible to finish off the Brute before it strikes Isaac once.

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Now that the player better understands the Brute, the game will throw a second one into the fray before the end of Chapter 4. This second fight occurs once Isaac moves to reroute power in the Electrical Systems area of the Ishimura.

This second encounter proves a mixed bag. The arena is far more cramped, with servers and electrical systems creating choke points and claustrophobic hallways. As such, the Brute will rampage and cause far more damage if it can strike. But, thankfully, the game provides a new weapon at this point too, the formidable Contact Beam. It's terrific at tackling Brutes.

Next: How Long Does It Take To Beat Dead Space Remake?

Brandon is a professional writer with over 11 years of experience covering video games, search engine optimization, digital marketing, and local marketing for freelance clients worldwide. He pairs his long-standing passion for writing and video games to bring in-depth guides on the latest releases.