Tentacles are massive Necromorphs that can be classified as either their own entity or as part of a larger Necromorph such as the Leviathan, the Hive Mind or the Tau Volantis Moon. Tentacles that are a part of a larger Necromorph tend to act as their "limbs", similar to arms.

Variants and overview

Tentacles are either stationary Necromorphs that belong to no other creature or they are part of a bigger Necromorph.

Necromorph Tentacles appear to be formed mostly from muscle tissue, internal organs and possibly bone. This area is heavily armored and resistant to damage from any weapons that Isaac may use against it. Located in between the "tip" and "stem" area, a large sack filled with yellow glowing liquid can be seen. This area is not as heavily armored as the rest of a Tentacle and thus is susceptible to damage if a weapon is fired at it. This spot connects the "stem" and "tip" areas of a Tentacle. The purpose of this liquid filled sack is unknown.

Tentacles emit loud elephant-like roars when they are far away or when they appear out of nowhere as a scare-factor. They can also be heard emitting loud and high pitched screeching noises.

The first variant, known as a "Drag Tentacle", usually tends to attack Isaac by launching out of a hole that it has made in an area, and grabbing a hold of him. Once it grabs hold of him, it will knock him down onto the ground and proceed to drag him back to where it came from while periodically slamming him onto the ground in an attempt to damage him. 

During the Aegis VII incident, Isaac encounters a total of three tentacles that attempt to pull him into a hole they have punched through previously. When Isaac first encounters one, he will witness a bunch of body parts littered on the walkway near where the first Drag Tentacle attacks him, seemingly the remains of the tentacle's previous unsuspecting victims. In Dead Space 2, Drag Tentacles are only encountered once (two times if one counts the hallucination tentacle that Isaac encounters).

Usually the areas where Tentacles appear are filled with Corruption and, often, some Tentacles can be seen growing through the Corruption. They are stationary however. It is possible that the Tentacles that attempt to pull Isaac are part of these Corruption hives.

Some tentacles, however, are part of a larger Necromorph. The Leviathan possesses three rhizome-like holes where tentacles will sprout out of and attempt to smash Isaac. It seems that the Leviathan uses the Corruption to grow limitless supplies of tentacles for various purposes, like blocking off entryways as seen in front of the Food Storage entrance. If one of the three tentacles is cut off, the Leviathan will grow more in a matter of minutes. The Slug in the original game and the Urchin also have tentacles similar to the Leviathan that serve the same purpose, with the Slug using its tentacles to grab objects off the Ishimura's hull and throw them at Isaac.

The other variant, the "Slam Tentacles", are typically encountered in large areas appearing to be protecting something. These tentacles usually remain dormant underneath a pile of objects or something that keeps them hidden from sight until an unsuspecting victim comes up to them. Once that happens, the Tentacles will make a loud roar and begin to attempt to smash into their victims. These types of Tentacles are specialized in "guarding" due to having their tips modified into a boulder-like shape in order to maximize the effectiveness of their smashes and increase the weight on the tip of the Tentacle in order to create more damage. Several Slam Tentacles are encountered in various areas in the Aegis VII incident. They are first dealt with inside the Cargo Storage area of the Ishimura, seemingly guarding the Red Marker stored within the storage area. They are then encountered again along the catwalk located on the Aegis VII Colony leading to the site where the Marker was originally located before its extraction to the USG Ishimura.

Strangely, no Slam Tentacles are ever encountered during the Sprawl incident in Dead Space 2. Slam Tentacles are, however, encountered once again years later. They are first fought off inside the crossover tube on board the CMS Roanoke as Isaac and Carver attempt to restore power to the derelict ship. Later on throughout Dead Space 3, they are encountered and have to be fought off again as Isaac and Carver try to navigate through the Alien City in hopes of trying to stop Jacob Danik from deactivating the Alien Machine. Several large Slam Tentacles are lastly encountered near the end of the game blocking a walkway after the Tau Volantis Moon is awakened.

Sometimes, massive Tentacles can be found blocking Isaac or Carver's path, requiring them to blow up a specific object for the Tentacles to move. Large Tentacles like this are encountered in the Tripod's Nest and on various locations years  later , such as inside the power core of the CMS Roanoke and all over Tau Volantis.

Slam Tentacles appear mummified like the rest of the Necromorphs encountered throughout the events of the Tau Volantis conflict. The "stem" area isn't partially red like the ones in the previous games but is now completely grey with a few black patches. The liquid sack is also more red in color and glows brighter than before.

Strategies

• Drag Tentacles will drag Isaac in short, quick bursts. In between, they will slowly coil, giving him just enough time to target the weak spots and destroy it.
• The Tentacle shifts and moves as it prepares to drag Isaac further. Use a fast-firing weapon with instantaneous projectile speed such as the Plasma Cutter or the Pulse Rifle to hit the weak spot more accurately. Or, if you have good aim, a basic Contact Beam will kill it in one shot. Similarly, a basic Flamethrower can kill a Drag Tentacle within seconds, even in Impossible Mode.
• The Slam Tentacles can harm other Necromorphs almost as if the contact of the strike is an explosion. Thus, it can release the Pregnant's payload.
• None of the Drag Tentacles are affected by Stasis.
• Drag Tentacles can be killed before they grab Isaac, however it is extremely difficult to do so, so it is best not to waste ammunition on it.
• Leviathan Tentacles will often wiggle slowly in the air before they attack, giving you plenty of time to shoot the pustule or, if needed, freeze it with stasis.

Death Scenes

• Each Drag Tentacle has their own death animations:
  • Chapter 3: If Isaac fails to destroy the yellow sac on the Drag Tentacle during the first encounter, it will drag him into the hole. Isaac will try to brace himself on the hole's edges, but a mini tentacle inside of the hole will attack him. The Tentacle will drive itself into Isaac, which will rupture Isaac's organs, killing him. Once Isaac is dead, the Tentacle drags his lifeless form into the depths of the hole.
  • Chapter 6: If Isaac fails to destroy the yellow sac on the Drag Tentacle during the second encounter, he will be dragged towards the hole. Isaac will hold on to a metal brace in a bid to save himself. However, the Tentacle will lose its grip and let go of Isaac. Isaac will begin to dazedly stand up, but the Tentacle will suddenly grab him again (this time by the head) and pull him in. In the 2023 remake, the tentacle's powerful grip will crush his body, causing blood to splatter.
  • Chapter 10: If Isaac fails to destroy the yellow sac on the Drag Tentacle during the third encounter, it will drag him into another hole (this time in the ground). Isaac will be dragged in, and some blood will splash out of the hole. At this point, Isaac will emerge from the hole in an attempt to break free. A small tentacle will come up from the hole, wrapping around Isaac's neck, and snapping it before his body is dragged once more into the hole. In the 2023 remake, blood splatter can be seen as the tentacle drags Isaac into the hole.
  • There is also a death scene in Dead Space: Extraction for Nathan McNeill if he fails to hold back the tentacle by locking it in a vent using the Rivet gun. The tentacle will grab McNeill and drag him through the vent. Gabe Weller will try to catch McNeill but fails as he is dragged into the vent. Nicole, Lexine, Eckhardt and Gabe are heard screaming when this happens.
  • If Isaac succeeds in destroying the yellow sac on the Drag Tentacle, it will explode, breaking the tentacle in half. The top half will flop lifelessly to the deck, abandoned, as the bleeding back half retracts into the hole in the wall while as a roar is heard. Isaac will then slowly get back on his feet, and the player will regain control.
  • If a Slam Tentacle smashes Isaac or Carver while they have low health, they will simply get torn into pieces.

Trivia

• When retrieving Marker 3A in Chapter 11, four Slam Tentacles will attack; three Slam Tentacles will also attack Isaac when returning the Marker to its pedestal.
• In Dead Space 2, Isaac has a flashback of the first Drag Tentacle attack upon revisiting the area where it took place while on board the USG Ishimura.
  • Only one real Drag Tentacle appears in Dead Space 2. Specifically, in Chapter 11, shortly after talking to Ellie Langford and Nolan Stross, where it will drag Isaac outside and into space (note this Drag Tentacle cannot kill Isaac and vice-versa).
• In Chapter 4 of Dead Space 3, when Isaac and Carver have to travel to the Admiral Quarters to decode the Marker script, Isaac and Carver have to pass through the generator room again where there are numerous tentacles as well as much larger tentacles blocking the path where, if Isaac or Carver restarts each generator module, it forces the tentacles to flinch and unblock the path.
• In Chapter 19 of Dead Space 3, as Isaac and Carver run through the collapsing alien city, they are attacked by several Slam Tentacles.
• In Chapter 18 in Dead Space 3, the Tentacles seem to be aquatic. If you look below you can see murky water where the Tentacles are.
• In Dead Space 3, if the player is too close to the large tentacles when they retreat after the CMS Roanoke's power core gets reactivated, the player does not get thrown back; even if the tentacle supposedly hits him, it just clips right through him.
• The Drag Tentacles have received a considerable overhaul in Dead Space (2023), no longer appearing to consist of flimsy flesh ribbons, but completely out of solid muscle tissue with bony spikes surrounding it. The "hand" has severed human heads embedded in it as well.

Gallery

Videos

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