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Silent Hill 2is a game that will look to push all your buttons, get you hot and bothered, disorient you, and leave you feeling utterly befuddled. That is part of its charm. So, if you are going to win the day and push through these foggy streets, you’ll need to have a game plan.
There are a lot of little things that will help you succeed. From tips on how to secure more items, to common pitfalls that we can help you avoid altogether, this guide will give you everything you need to succeed in conquering the streets of Silent Hill.
This guide will not be covering the combat in Silent Hill 2, as we have an entire guide dedicated to it.Give that one a read as well to get a whole host of hints on how to handle the monsters of Silent Hill.
A Note On Puzzle Difficulty
Our first point is going to start right at the beginning, well, before the beginning, actually. While you can change the combat difficulty as you like, puzzle difficulty will be locked in. So, it is an important thing to get right. This setting will not change ALL the puzzles, some of them remain unchanged across all difficulties, but it does change the marquee puzzles. Here is the breakdown of what to expect from each…
Personally, I’d say thatSilent Hill 2 is a worse game when played on any of the difficulties easier than hard.So, only choose those options if you don’t like puzzles, and you are solely playing the game for the vibes and the combat.
The Map Will Compile Most Relevant Information For You
One of the most important tools at your disposal is your map. If you have encountered a puzzle that you have yet to solve, your map will mark its location.If you haveencounteredsomething that is important but didn’t acquire it, your map will keep track of it.Any locked door you encounter, the map will track. If you find a passcode for a padlock, the map will even mark it down!
This doesn’t apply to passcodes that are in pictures, you will need to consult those by looking at them.
Given all the map does for you, I’d recommend playing with it in mind. So, as you are walking down a hallway, check every door. That way, your map can track which rooms are locked.If you are ever stuck, you can just consult your map and see where you haven’t been yet. It is as easy as that.
Itispossible to miss some maps. They are almost always on the wall near the beginning of the stage. So, make sure you diligently look for it before you march forward. Playing through Silent Hill 2 without a map would be pretty damn difficult.
Take Screenshots To Document Things That The Game Won’t Let You Take With You
Most documents that are vital for completing the game you can take with you. However, some things, like paintings or sculptures, are able to be stuffed in your pockets. In these instances, you will need to write the info down.Or, you can take a snapshot by pressing the share button on the PlayStation or the print screen button on the PC.
So, if you see a statue that has dates on it, maybe grab a screenshot. A bunch of paintings that look like they could be relevant? Screenshot ‘em.Once again, only a handful of this stuff will ever be needed, but it does come up, and it is nice to be able to just flick through a couple of pictures and come up with the answer instead of trekking through haunted halls trying to remember where you saw that random book.
I know I just talked about how invaluable the map is, and that is absolutely true, but it doesn’t keep track of paintings, sculptures, or other documents you’re able to’t take with you as well.
Smash Every Glass Surface You Encounter
The Silent Hill 2 Remake stores a ton of items behind glass. There is an abundance of Health Drinks, boxes of Handgun Ammo, and other collectibles located in cars, behind display windows, in display cabinets, in vending machines… you get the picture.If you encounter glass that is transparent and doesn’t have an obvious cage surrounding it, then you will be able to smash it. And smash it you should.
If I had to estimate a number, I’d say that about a third of the items in this game are behind a pane of glass. Additionally, this will sometimes unlock optional areas that hold even more items. And if not items, then at least interesting tidbits of lore.
Fighting Enemies Isn’t Always The Best Approach
In the combat guide, I advocate for clearing areas. And I still think that makes life more pleasant when it comes to searching the place. However,there are moments when youcanclear the room, but it is probably considerably wiser to just make a run for it.If you are in a room, off the beaten path, and it suddenly fills with monsters after you trigger an event, does itreallymake sense to fight all the monsters?
That being said, if you are in an area fills with monsters, and it is a place that you will likely need to traverse multiple times, running is viable, but it means you are going to have to do that every time you enter this space. At that point, just clear it out.
Or hey, if you are being chased by a big baddie, and the game is providing you with multiple hallways to escape through, is it sensible to square up and pump half your bullets into them?The game is sorta strongly hinting at running being the appropriate solution, right? It will let you face off against these big baddies, by the way. So, if you want to fight your way out, it will often allow you to do so, but you are going to waste a ton of bullets in the process.Sometimes you are just better off running.
Your Actions Have Consequences
Yes, just like in the original Silent Hill 2, what you do will affect things pretty dramatically. If you are new to the series, the ending you receive in the game will depend on how you behave in different situations.
Some of these can be as obscure as trying to be at full health as often as possible, using one item instead of another when solving certain puzzles, or interacting with people when you have the chance to.I don’t want to give anything away here, but it is important to consider what you do and how it will affect your relationship with others if you are seeking a specific end result.
If you want to see all the different endings, then you can just do whatever, and in New Game Plus you will have the opportunity to find books and notes scattered around South Vale that will instruct you in how to obtain the different endings.
