Strategically targeting different parts of an enemy's body to produce different results is a system that carried over elegantly to Dead Space, and helped make that game the worthy successor to Resident Evil 4 that it's considered to be today. In a system that was revolutionary for the time, Resident Evil 4's enemies would react realistically to taking a bullet - falling to the ground if shot in the leg, dropping their weapon if hit in the hands, and being left open for a melee attack if hit in the face. One of the reasons that Resident Evil 4's combat still feels so fresh is the incredibly detailed and responsive ways that enemies react to being shot. It's also possible to trace this DNA back to Resident Evil 4. This system is so central to the appeal of the game's combat that it's one of the most exciting ways that the upcoming Dead Space remake can improve upon the original experience, with considerable effort apparently being given towards making this mechanic feel even more visceral and intense. The game's enemies cannot be killed efficiently with shots to the body, so the player has to lop off their limbs to slow them down and eventually defeat them. The focal point around which Dead Space's combat revolves is tactical dismemberment.
