As a passionate Dead Space fan and veteran Necromorph slayer, I was thrilled to dive back into the eerie halls of the USG Ishimura with this year‘s visually stunning remake. The developers kept much of the original game intact while also introducing some new surprises, like the Master Override security system.
This guide will cover how to find each of the 8 Master Override locks scattered around the ship and planetside environments. We‘ll analyze the powerful upgrades and rare items hidden behind these locks to help you strategize how best to spend your hard-earned Security Clearance keys.
Strap in and secure your RIG as we plot a course through chaotic low-orbit shredder asteroids, claustrophobic ventilation shafts, and blood-soaked biologist dens on the hunt for every last Master Override location.
Overview: Types of Master Override Locks
The Ishimura of Dead Space Remake introduces a new dual-keycard security protocol involving General and Executive Clearance keys that unlock doors and storage to restricted areas. But even with these keys, some stashes can only be accessed with the special Master Override Security Clearance obtained in Chapter 3.
There are 8 total Master Override locks divided into two categories:
Master Override Doors (2)
- Bridge Tram Station
- Engineering Tram Station
Master Override Storage Chests (6)
- Cargo Bay
- Engineering
- Hydroponics
- Executive Quarters
- Deluxe Quarters
- Aegis VII Surface
Between weapons upgrades, ammo, med packs, and valuable items like Gold Semiconductors, these locked caches offer crucial resources for surviving the Ishimura crisis.
In the sections below, we‘ll outline the exact location of each lock and how to access it, along with examining the potential benefits and uses of the items inside to inform your upgrade priorities.
Master Override Doors: Rare Weapon Upgrades
Let‘s begin with the dual Master Override doors harboring weapons upgrades that diversify your arsenal with enhanced fire modes.
Bridge Tram Station Room
This first locked door holds a major pulse rifle upgrade alongside other useful items, but reaching it requires paying close attention to the ship‘s convoluted layout.
Location: Water Purification Storage Room on Floor 5 of the Bridge Tram Station
Make your way to the tram platform, ride over to the Bridge Station, then access Floor 5 near the Security Station. Exit the elevator and enter the narrow hallway to your right to find the locked door.
Inside you‘ll discover:
- High-Yield Grenades for Pulse Rifle
- Turns alt-fire into a powerful timed explosive on surfaces
- Power Node
- Critical for upgrading weapons/suit at benches
- 2 Ammo Drops
Scoring those grenades early on substantially improves crowd control and enables clever traps against hordes of Necromorphs. Just be careful not to catch yourself in the splash damage!
The High-Yield Grenades upgrade unlocks a very useful alt-fire mode for Pulse Rifle.
Engineering Tram Station Room
Now let‘s tackle the vital Contact Beam upgrade stashed behind the Engineering Station‘s locked door.
Location: Tool Storage Room inside the hallway of the Engineering Tram Station
Ride over to the Engineering platform and make your way inside to the hallway junction. Look for a small blocked off room covered in boxes. Use Kinesis to break through the debris barrier and unlock the stash inside.
You‘ll obtain:
- Diffraction Module for Contact Beam
- Adds chain lightning arcs between pierced targets
- 2 Large Med Packs
- Full heals minor injuries
Scoring this upgrade early complements the Contact Beam‘s sheer stopping power by allowing you to fry multiple clumped-up Necromorphs at once.
Just make sure to equip both acquisitions soon after grabbing them so you can take full advantage of the bonuses!
The Contact Beam‘s chain lightning allows crowds of Necromorphs to be electrocuted.
With these room upgrades unlocked early on, you‘ll give yourself a major advantage in firefights with added utility. But impressive weapons alone won‘t keep you alive out here…
Master Override Chests: Resources to Survive
Now let‘s crack open the 6 storage chests locked down by Master Override protocols across the breadth of the Ishimura. Each contains hard to find resources that just might save your life!
Cargo Bay
Making a brief stop in the Cargo Bay while the area is still accessible nets you a Force Gun upgrade for increasing its crowd control utility.
Location: Hangar Bay stuck among Necromorph tissue near the right wall
After riding the tram over, check around the right side walls and floors near massive encrusted biomass piles for the chest.
Inside awaits:
- Suspension Module for Force Gun
- Upgrades Stasis Bubble to suspend all objects in air
- 5% Drop Rate from White Storage Crates
This upgrade allows you to freeze mid-air swarms of Pregnants and Lurkers at a distance, lining up easy pickings to get quickly shredded by your secondary weapon. That buys precious time for escape or regrouping when situations get hairy.
Master Override chest loot drop rates suggest extra copies of this module are quite rare, so grab it while you can!
Suspending Necromorph swarms help wipe them out from safe distance
Engineering
Another quick ride over to Engineering lands you a nasty Ripper upgrade for eviscerating towels…I mean Necromorphs at close range!
Location: Machine Shop Room reached through Control Room inside Engineering Station
Wind your way through the initial hallways and Control Room until you reach the Machine Shop just past the Preparation Room.
Stashed away inside:
- Carbon-Fiber Blades for Ripper
- Upgrades primary blades for +50% damage
- 3% Drop Rate from Reinforced Storage Crates
Scoring this powerful damage boost to your primary mode this early is extremely valuable in a game renowned for scarce resources. It provides a major leg up in stripping flesh rapidly during deadly close encounters.
I highly recommend equipping immediately after unlocking!
Dealing over 50% more damage with the Ripper is brutally effective
Hydroponics
Amidst greenhouses full of…not so green flora…lies a chest stashing a vital Line Gun upgrade for mowing down creatures charging your flank.
Location: Hydroponics Central Hub off hallway connected to Mining Tram walkway
Make your way down the path linking the Mining and Hydroponics stations until you reach the Central Hub chamber.
The prize inside for braving this hotzone:
- Precision Lasers for Line Gun
- Widens horizontal beam angle by 100%
- 4% Drop Rate from Blues Storage Crates
Having your Line Gun beam blast widen this substantially early on makes fighting large groups flooding into side hallways much more manageable. I cannot recommend enough adding this to your loadout immediately!
A wider horizontal beam drastically improves crowd control
Executive Quarters
Brave the Bachelor‘s Den to nab a rare Gold Semiconductor stashed away for a rainy day.
Location: First Officer D. White‘s Room inside Executive Quarters
First grab the Executive Quarters Keycard from the nearby bathroom before unlocking Officer White‘s storage room.
Inside resides:
- Gold Semiconductor
- Trades for 15,000 Credits at the Store
- 1% Drop Rate from Reinforced Crates
Nabbing bonus Credits is always useful for buying ammo/life support items from the Store when you‘re in dire straits. So scoop this valuable component up within the first 5 chapters before this area shuts down!
Gold Semiconductors net a hefty 15k Credits a pop!
Deluxe Quarters
Score a Flamethrower upgrade by renovating an electrifying deluxe suite filled with…body parts.
Location: 3rd Floor Suite, rewire circuit nearby to unlock
Take the detour here while the area is somewhat intact in early chapters. Locate the wall-mounted circuit by the locked door and connect the battery with Kinesis to gain entry.
The spoils include:
- High-Pressure Nozzle for Flamethrower
- Adds wider dispersal and +2 damage
- 4% Drop Rate from White Storage Crates
Doubling down on fire damage and radius turns the Flamethrower into an ideal tool for initial Necromorph encounters. Crisping multiple hostiles at medium range helps fully exploit canister ammo.
I highly advise grafting this on early before the nursing wing turns into a slaughterhouse!
Increasing the Flamethrower‘s ignition radius and damage drastically improves its effectiveness
Aegis VII Surface
After crashing planetside, be sure to detour a short ways to pick up a final Master Override cache before the game‘s climax.
Location: Small storage room after entering the Transfer Junction
Wind your way through the chaotic excavation tunnel network until you reach the Transfer Junction hub. From the entrance, turn left to spot the chest.
Claim your just rewards:
- 3 Power Nodes
- Essential for upgrading suit/weapons at benches
- 5% Drop Rate from Reinforced Storage Crates
Grabbing a few spare nodes before gearing up for the final battles can make a difference in damage and survivability from upgrades. It also pads out potential mistakes when applying nodes.
Be sure to scavenge wisely and conserve resources headed into the endgame!
The caves of Aegis VII hide the last of the Master Override rewards
Preparing to Escape the Nightmare
I hope mapping out the Master Override spoils hidden in restricted areas helps you value each upgrade and scarce resource when preparing Isaac for the battles ahead.
Prioritizing the right weapons and modules early from these caches provides a major advantage in taking down Necromorph hordes crawling through the shadows of the planet cracker.
Stay frosty out there, survivor! Keep checking back for more Dead Space survival guides soon.
