Oh my, I couldn't disagree more. Dead Space is an amazing game, and the weapons are probably the best part of it aside from the atmosphere/tension. Love how things go to hell when you freak out IRL and thus lose accuracy in game.

I was annoyed that melee combat does nothing besides pushback and is so slow it can get you killed. Shooting off legs with a vertical gun isn't easy either, and I have pretty good aim. Lethal headshots would be nice, since they flail their arms a lot

While playing Dead Space 2, I found out by accident (don't know why they never mention it) that you can turn the plasma cutter with [space] - makes shooting a bit easier.

They do actually mention it in one of the little tutorial tips in around chapter 3 or 4; every weapon actually has an alternate firing mode, not just the plasma cutter.

For something that important I think they should mention it first, and in a way that's impossible to miss. The plasma cutter is pitiful if you don't know about that