>Okay, enough of that. Let’s get down to business.
>
>
>1.2: STAYING ALIVE ON THE STREETS OF SILENT HILL
>
>These are some rules I’ve formulated after playing the game thorough a
half-dozen times or so that should greatly increase your chances of survival.
>
>Rule #1) Walk, don’t run.
>
>Okay, I know Silent Hill is a big town for one guy to cover on foot.
Consequently, we tend to run through most of it (my average running stats at the end of each
game are something like
15 kilometers – no wonder Harry’s always out of breath.). Most of the advice I’ve seen for
surviving out in
the open is “Run like hell”. This is probably not bad advice, but that seems to take all the fun
out of the game
for me. I’m one of those guys who hates the “speed run-through” approach to gaming. I like to
take my time,
explore the environment, and most importantly, KILL EVERY MONSTER THAT DARES TO CROSS MY PATH!
>
>Running saves time getting across town, but often you end up running into a
pack of monsters in the process. When you hear that radio start to hum, slow down and ease
forward. Often you can
spot the monster or pack of monsters before they spot you, and then decide whether to go around
or fight through
them. This is least effective with air screamers (winged monsters) who tend to appear out of
nowhere, but sometimes
you can sneak up on them when they’re perched and take them out without too much trouble.
>
>One of the coolest things about this game is the flashlight, and the
lighting effects the game uses in darkened areas. Most players, including myself, run through
all the dark parts of
the game with the light always on the first few tries. While this helps you see better, it also
draws every monster
in the vicinity to you like bugs to the porch light. Knowing when and how to use the light makes
a BIG difference in
the game strategy, and can greatly increase your chances of survival.
>
>Turning off the light makes it more difficult to navigate outdoors in the
dark, but you should be able to see enough detail to make your way along. You can always stop
and turn it on long
enough to look at the map (so long as your radio’s quiet).> Use your
radio to locate enemies in the dark, as the sound will change in pitch and volume the closer you
get. You can see
better in the dark than most of the monsters (if you can’t, adjust your screen brightness in the
options menu to a
level you’re comfortable with), and if you can see them first, you can get the drop on them. Get
close enough to
be sure your shot will hit, then turn on the light and open fire. Once they’re dropped, turn it
off and move away
from that spot before an air screamer can lock onto you.
>
>In buildings like the school or hospital, it’s best to turn the light off
every time, just before you open the door to a new room. This is most helpful in a room full of
demon kids. They
usually won’t spot you unless you’re close to them. Sometimes they’ll come very close to you,
even right
towards you, but don’t panic! Unless they make that little moaning noise first, they haven’t
spotted you yet.
They tend to move around the rooms in patterns, so wait until they’re spread out and then pounce
on the closest
one. The others might hear you and come looking for you, but half the time they’ll wander past
you in the dark. It
also helps to get one of the desks between you and them, so you can smack them over the head
with a pipe or katana
without them lunging at you.
>
>Giant Cockroaches are more of a nuisance than anything. They don’t do too
much damage, and they don’t move around, so they’re easy to sneak up on and smash in the dark.
The hardest part
is spotting them. I usually use the first person view (which you get after playing the game
through once, in the
secret options screen – press L1,L2,R1,andR2 at once while in the normal options screen for the
secret screen). As
you walk down a dark hall in first person view, Harry will look straight ahead until he gets
close to a roach. Then
the view will shift downward toward the floor, enabling you to spot the roaches.
>
>(one side note about the secret options screen – There is a “bullet
adjust” feature that allows you to increase the ammount of ammo you get with each box. This
factor increases with
every game you play, but you have to go into the secret options screen to enable it. You should
never have to worry
about running out of ammo in the game with this feature. Running out of first aid, however, is
another story)
>
>Doctors and nurses are easier to kill than the zombie kids, especially in
the dark. They don’t move around much, are easier to hit, and there are usually fewer of them
per room. Often
their backs will be to you, and they won’t turn around unless you turn the light on, so give
them a nice
sledgehammer to the back of the skull.
>
>The one place I usually leave the light on the whole time is in the sewer,
because I use the first-person view mode (L2) to look ahead and see where the monsters are
hanging from the ceiling
so I can shoot ‘em. I’m not sure how well they can see in the dark, and since the radio won’t
work down there,
I like to have as much advance warning as I can.
>
>With the light off you CAN:
>--still see the enemy
>--fight accurately with melee weapons
>--open unlocked doors, or tell that doors are locked or jammed.
>--Shoot and hit a target if you are very close, or hit a target at medium
distances with a shotgun.
>--still see the location of power ups
>
>You CAN’T:
>--take power-ups or items.
>--Unlock doors or use keys on doors.
>--Look at the map
>
>
>1.3: KNOW YOUR ENEMY – The monsters, their strengths, and their
weaknesses.
>
>Some monsters are tougher than others, harder to hit, etc. Here’s a quick
rundown.
>
>1)Winged monsters (air screamers) – the first ones you encounter in the
game. They are a huge pain in the ass because they seem to come out of nowhere and one big
shortcoming of the game
engine is that Harry can’t look UP. He can aim up, if his weapon is pointing in the right
direction, but he
can’t look up very high to see what direction they’re coming from. They have two attacks, the
claw and the beak
(beak is the worst), and they can locate you fairly well in the dark by sound. There are a
couple of strategies that>
>work against them. If you have a good target lock on them and keep pumping rounds into them,
they can’t
attack you, even if they’re right on top of you. If you hear one swooping down on you, run in
circles or
figure-eights until he shoots past (he almost always misses if you’re moving in circles), then
you can track him
once he’s gone past and shoot him when he comes in on his next strafing run. Also, if there are
any recessed
doorways or awning-covered businesses close by, try to take cover in one of them. That way he
can only attack you
from one direction.> You’ll generally run into these things one at a
time, but occasionally they will come and attack in packs of 3-6. This usually happens at
certain locations, mainly
on the way to the drawbridge or amusement park, but also at other locations – usually at the
“ends” of the
streets, where the chasms are. This is probably a good time to run like hell, but, stubborn me,
I like to stand my
ground and take them on. The best thing to do is to keep moving and firing, standing still as
little as possible. Be
prepared to go through a couple of health drinks, though.
>
>Don’t even think about trying to use hand weapons against these
things.
>
>2)Dogs – Not as tough as the winged monsters, but they tend to roam in
packs of 2-3. They are fairly easy to sneak up on in the dark or fog, but once they spot you,
you’d better be
ready to shoot. The best time to fire is when they’re in mid-leap, or when their side profile is
exposed. If
they’re on the ground and facing you, the pistol tends to miss unless you’re in very close.>
>You can use hand weapons, but you will take a lot of damage at first until you learn to time
their attack. I
have killed them with the katana, but it’s hard to time the attack just right. Too soon, and
you’ll miss them,
too late and they’ll already be in your face and biting. Ideally, you want to smack them in mid
air. Best stick to
firearms unless you’re feeling cocky.
>
>3)Demon children – I hate these bastards. They are small, hard to hit,
tough, and usually hunt you in packs. Plus they are creepy as hell. I’m always more than a
little afraid of these
punks, and with good reason. I’ve already discussed my tactics for fighting them in the dark,
and most of the time
they work quite well. Sometimes they will spot you and gang up on you anyway. Don’t let them. If
you can get past
them down the hall or to the other side of the classroom, you’ll have time to catch your breath
and plan your next
attack. Plus you might lose them in the dark. The main idea is to not let them gang up on you.
One of these guys can
do enough damage with the lunge attack where he grabs your legs. If the others start stabbing
you as well, you’re
toast. Try to use the fast-tap attack with hand weapons and hit them just before they get into
lunging range,
otherwise they will lunge in under your swing and grab you with that evil little laugh of
theirs.
>
>4)The big lizard in the basement – this was the toughest boss for me at
first, because he can kill you in one bite. Don’t let him back you up against the wall, or
you’re gone. The best
tactic I’ve found is to stand in the middle of the room, close the little iron fence around the
flame. He will
come around that and try to charge you. Don’t let his head get past your body or he’ll bite you
as you try to
back up. Keep your body positioned in front of his snout. He’ll try to back you up to the wall,
but stand your
ground, even if he nudges you. As soon as his mouth starts to open, start backing up and
shooting. Always stay close
to the center of the room, so you have plenty of room to back up.
>
>5)Nurses and Doctors – I’ve never found these guys too much of a
challenge. They’re slow on the attack and fairly easy to kill. They’re usually alone, or far
enough apart that
they can’t attack you together. Occasionally, they will attack you in pairs, and one will grab
you while the other
one stabs. That can be bad news, but they’re so slow they’re fairly easy to get away from.
Always use a hand
weapon on these guys and save your ammo.
>
>6)Simians – those ape men that jump you on the street. Their attack
pattern is similar to dogs, and they can also be hard to hit with a gun. Again, you can try to
use a hand weapon,
but I wouldn’t recommend it if there are more than one of them. The good thing is that once
they’re on the
ground, they take a little time to get up, so you can finish them off quickly.
>
>7)Sewer dwellers – these are the ceiling hangers,
>and the teddy bears with Freddy Krueger claws. If they’re on the ground, the hand weapons are
fairly
effective. The Teddy bears will lunge like the demon children do, and they have a longer reach
and do more damage.
They can be killed fairly easily one at a time, but if two of them gang up on you it’s a real
pain in the ass to
get them off of you. Remember, “Use a gun, if more than one” (preferably a shotgun).
>
>8)Specters – near-invisible demon children. I HATE these guys. You can
beat them with a katana or hammer, but it’s hard to judge the distance since you can barely see
them, and be ready
to down at least a few health drinks to keep from dying. Best bet is the shotgun. It can hit
things, even in the
dark,> and hopefully hit more than one of them at once. Thankfully, you
only run into them in a few rooms toward the end of the game. Good thing the school isn’t full
of them!
>
>9)Giant worm/moth. – In the worm stage, it’s easy to avoid taking
damage. Just stand in place, don’t run around trying to dodge it. It’ll usually come up behind
you, so as soon
as you hear it, dart forward so its poison spit misses you. Then turn around and blast away at
it as it burrows into
the ground.
>
>The moth is a little tougher. He takes a lot more hits, and will both shoot
poison at you and hit you with his stinger. The best bet is to run up to the part of the roof
where the water tower
is, then walk backward around the tower as you fire at him. This is kinda hard to do, but the
main thing is to not
stand still or too close, so he can’t sting you too often. Use the shotgun on this guy (or
hyperblaster if
you’ve got it, since you can’t use the rifle and walk backward at the same time.
>
>10)Alessa/Samael – Hmmm. This final boss isn’t too tough to kill, but
the lightning attack does a lot of damage. The most common tactic I’ve heard is to run around in
a circle to dodge
the lightning. This hasn’t worked very well for me, so I just keep healing after each hit and
shooting. If
you’ve played well, you should have at least half a dozen first aid kits left by the end of the
game, which should
be more than enough to finish it off. You can’t get too close to Alessa since there’s a barrier
there, but
she’s easier to hit since she’s on the ground. Samael has no barrier, so you can get right under
him.
Supposedly, if you do, his lightning can’t hit you, but I haven’t tried that yet. Best advice is
make sure you
have plenty of ammo for the big guns and at least those five or six medkits by the time you
reach the final battle.
>
>Supposedly if you’re out of ammo, the game will automatically let you win
in the final showdown. I don’t know if this works on hard mode, though, or if you have a
hyperblaster.
>
>Note that with most of the monster types, some seem to be tougher than
others. Sometimes the average flying monster or zombie kid will go down with 1-2 hits, and other
times, the bastard
will take 6-7 hits or more and keep coming. I think part of it depends on how solid of a hit you
get with your
weapon, but other times they are definitely tougher than their counterparts.
>
>
>1.4: THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE RIGHT JOB –What weapons to use and how to get
them.
>
>The game gives you plenty of weapons, but knowing when to use which ones
makes a big difference between living and dying. Here’s a quick breakdown.
>
>FIREARMS:
>
>1)Pistol – most commonly used, but also the least accurate. Sometimes it
misses even at close range with a non-moving target! This generally gives you shitty shooting
statistics at the end
of the game (I think my highest so far has been 40% accuracy). The good thing is you can move
while you shoot. It
can hit targets in the dark at point-blank range as well. Most effective against: flying
monsters, dogs, simians,
doctors/nurses. Least effective against zombie kids and sewer dwellers. Given to you by Cybil in
the diner.
>
>2)Shotgun – decent weapon that’s effective against all monsters,
although some take more hits than others. It’s about the only weapon that can hit anything in
the dark at medium
range, and it also lets you move while you shoot. It’s found in the girl’s downstairs bathroom
in the alternate
school.
>
>3)Rifle – It won’t let you move and shoot at the same time, but it packs
a decent punch. This weapon is best used for picking off the ceiling-hangers in the sewer
levels, or for the final
bosses. This is found in the pit where you face the big worm.
>
>4)Hyperblaster – The best firearm in the game. The shots are not as
powerful as a rifle or shotgun blast, but it has a higher rate of fire and unlimited ammo. The
laser sight makes it
deadly accurate, and it rarely misses (unless in the dark). The only bummer is, none of your
hyperblaster shots
count towards your final shooting stats, so if you use it the whole game, you’ll get 0.0 across
the board. I guess
that’s a small price to pay for unlimited firepower, though.
>
>This weapon is tricky to get. You can find out how to get it in any
walkthrough, but I’ll give a quick rundown of the steps here.
>
>You’ll have to finish the game once to get the channeling stone (or use a
gameshark to put the channeling stone into your inventory). I suggest you get the bad+ ending on
purpose so that you
can hopefully get the katana too. On your second run through, you’ll find a “channeling stone”
in the
convenience store. If you use this at the following locations, you’ll get the UFO ending, where
Harry is abducted
by aliens (as if this friggin’ town isn’t weird enough). You will get a next fear game with the
hyperblaster
already in your inventory. Use the channeling stone here:
>
>1) On the rooftop of the alternate school
>2) In the courtyard where the hospital front door is, just before you fight
the giant moth in alternate Silent Hill.
>3) In the parking lot of Norman’s motel, in the resort area.
>4) In the control room of the boat, on the way to the lighthouse
>5) on top of the lighthouse, after Alessa vanishes.
>
>There are cheat codes to get a ten star ending, which will give you a
souped-up hyperblaster with a green beam (as opposed to the usual red). This weapon is extremely
powerful and almost
makes the game too easy. The codes are at: >http://community-2.webtv.net/BatStrat/GSCODES/
>
>
>
>HAND WEAPONS:
>
>When using hand weapons, it’s important to remember that there are two
attack modes. A fast double tap of the X button makes the weapon swing from side to side with
two strokes. Holding
down the X button makes Harry swing the weapon in an overhand attack. This is more powerful than
the fast attack,
but also takes more time. However, this is the only move that will work on a creature who is on
the ground injured,
or who is lunging to grab your legs. Learn to time your attack with the monster’s approach and
choose the
appropriate attack mode. Also, you can hit more than one monster with one blow, if they are
close together.
>
>1) Knife – Don’t even bother. You’re better off just running like
hell.
>
>2) Hand Axe – see #1, ha ha. This is more powerful than the knife, but
still pretty useless. I hit a demon kid with this thing several times in hard mode and he
wouldn’t even fall down,
much less die. The only good thing about these weapons is that you can walk while using them,
but they still suck.
Don’t even bother, but if you want to try it, it’s in the antique shop in Central silent hill.
>
>3) Steel pipe – A decent, if unglamorous, weapon. It’s a little slow,
but packs a fair punch. Not my first choice, but it’ll do in a pinch. You can’t move and use it
at the same
time, so be ready to stand your ground. Found in the alley when you look for Cheryl.
>
>4)Sledge hammer – probably the best of the conventional hand weapons. It
packs a good punch, and best of all, when you knock a monster down with it they tend to twitch
and go into some kind
of seizure before they die, which is kind of fun to watch. I usually like to have Harry kick
them in the head or
between the legs for good measure. Man that looks like it would hurt! This weapon found in the
generator room in the
hospital basement.
>
>Special Hand Weapons:
>
>1) Chainsaw – found in the cut-rite chainsaw store in old Silent Hill. You
need to find gas in the gas station to use it first, and you won’t get gasoline until you’ve
played through at
least once. Not a bad weapon, but it takes twice as many hits to kill something as with the
hammer or katana, and
it’s a bit too slow, giving the enemy time to stab you between your slashes. If you have dual
shock, the
controller shakes in your hand for as long as you have it turned on, which is kind of cool
except that you can’t
tell how much damage you’re taking from the vibration warnings.
>
>2) Rock drill – found in the storage room beneath the drawbridge control
tower. Also needs the gasoline. This weapon is basically good for letting enemies run straight
into it as they
charge you. I don’t think it has a fast attack mode and it’s also kind of slow, so I generally
wouldn’t
recommend it, especially against more than one enemy.
>
>3) Katana- Oh, how I love this weapon! I played the game various times
trying to get it, and finally broke down and used a game shark. It’s the most difficult weapon
to get in the game,
and several people claim to have gotten it with different endings, difficulty modes, and
rankings. However, most
people seem to have gotten it with the bad+ ending (where you save Cybil, but do not save
Kaufman – If you want a
better explanation, look below or read a full walkthrough), and that was the only ending I ever
got it on (in hard
mode) without using a game shark.
>
>The room where you get it is in the house on Levin street, with the locked
door inside. If you see the katana on your prize screen, that door will be unlocked on your next
game. I thought it
would just be a closet you find it in, but the room it’s in is actually kinda cool. It’s small,
but it looks
like a little dojo with Japanese-looking architecture and art on the walls. In the far corner is
a small bench, and
a stand with two swords on it. The katana is the big one, and the only one you can take. If you
get to this room,
give yourself a big pat on the back. This damn weapon was my holy grail in this game for a long
time, since I’m a
big fan of games like “Tenchu: Stealth Assasins,” “Soul of the Samurai” and any other game
involving
Japanese swordplay.
>
>Using the katana is a bit tricky at first, but it’s very fast,
graceful-looking, and pretty deadly. When you hold the aim button, Harry will hold the weapon at
his left side. Fast
attack mode, he’ll double-slash the enemy with a diagonal upward slash, followed by a downward
slash. This can be
repeated a couple of times until the bastard falls down and is so fast that they usually can’t
stab you in return.
The second attack mode will make Harry raise the sword high over his head and slash downward.
This weapon is pretty
effective against the demon kids, but you have to be careful and not let them gang up on you. It
seems to work best
if you can sneak up on them from behind and get them with an overhead blow. That will sometimes
kill them with one
shot, even on hard mode. If you have two or more coming at you, use the fast slash on the first
one. As soon as he
falls down, release the target button and then hold it down again. This will lock you onto the
next one in line. If
you forget to release the target button, Harry will still attack the one laying unconscious on
the ground, giving
the other one time to lunge and grab you. Make sure you attack the upright ones only at first,
then go back later
and finish them off when they’re all down.
>
>Also keep in mind that this weapon makes you lunge forward a bit when you
use it. Remember that, when judging the distance between Harry and the target. If you get solid
hits, you can even
lunge forward between swings and strike down 2 or 3 monsters in a row. This weapon is best used
in one on one
situations and on monsters that you encounter indoors. Nurses and doctors are especially easy
prey, and after you
kill them, they just stand there for a moment before falling over dead, like in those old
Kung-fu/Samurai movies.
Pretty cool.
>
>The Katana really makes the game a lot more fun and is the best hand weapon
in the game hands-down, although the sledge hammer is a close second.
>
>
>1.5: THIS IS THE END, MY FRIEND . . . or is it?
>
>There are five endings to Silent Hill, each with it’s own cinematic
sequence and reward given afterward. I won’t go into detail on the cinematic sequences, since I
don’t want to
spoil it for the new people. However, I will list the endings and what you need to do to get
them. Briefly, they
are:
>
>Bad:
>-Do not go into Annie’s bar in the resort area and save Kaufmann
>-Do not save Cybil at the merry go round with the red liquid you found at
the hospital
>Reward: Not sure, Possibly a channeling stone or a gas can for the chainsaw
or rock drill, depending on your stats.
>
>Bad+
>-Do not go into the bar and save Kaufman
>-Do save Cybil at the merry go round by using the red liquid on her.
>