Silent Hill 2 Remake: Combat Tips You’ll Need To Survive

The Silent Hill 2 Remake was released to critical and fan acclaim recently and it brings back the iconic horror title with revamped combat mechanics, game design, and movement systems. These changes are more than just minor tweaks, as the entire flow of combat has been redesigned, ending up with a game that is almost twice as long as the original.

Most players, even those familiar with the original, will need to adjust and learn some new tactics. Silent Hill 2 Remake’s new and redesigned areas do require a bit of a fresh approach, and both new and veteran players can benefit from these combat tips to survive the game’s terrifying world.

Silent Hill 2 Remake Combat Tips

One of the first things you’ll notice in the Silent Hill 2 Remake is that most combat encounters are one-on-one, unlike other games like Resident Evil 4 Remake where you can easily get swarmed by multiple adversaries. 

A solid strategy here is to avoid fighting enemies in unknown areas. When you come across an enemy, lure them into a location you’ve already cleared, so that you don’t get ambushed by any lurking monsters. Even if you enter a room with more than one enemy, you can usually wait for them to spread out, then single one out and deal with it.

Though Silent Hill 2 Remake isn’t technically a stealth game, you’ll sometimes get the chance to sneak up on enemies. When this happens, it’s a great moment to strike them down with a powerful attack, especially if you’ve got a melee weapon like the metal pipe.

This often kills them with one hit. For example, if you’re in a hallway patrolled by Nurses, try hiding in a nearby room, wait for them to pass, and then ambush them from behind for some quick kills.

Master the Attack and Dodge Patterns

During combat, button mashing won’t get you far in Silent Hill 2 Remake. Timing is everything. After landing a couple of hits, hold off and wait for the enemy to make their move. Once they commit to an attack, dodge to the side, circle around, and strike again. 

Repeat this, and you’ll have a winning strategy for most one-on-one fights. For tougher ones like the Bubble Head Nurses, you’ll need to dodge multiple attacks in quick succession before it’s safe to hit them again, but this strategy works pretty well still.

Be careful when fighting Mannequins, as they have dodging abilities too. If they dodge one of your attacks, don’t spam the dodge button in response but rather wait for their attack to come, then dodge. Patience is key to avoiding damage in such scenarios.

Another important thing to remember is that enemies in this game like to play dead. Always stomp on them until you see a pool of blood, especially the Lying Figure monsters. This makes sure that they’re really dead and won’t come back later on.

If you’re facing two enemies at once, take advantage of the time one stays down after being knocked out. You have around ten seconds to deal with the second one, and then quickly finish off the first. It is very important to keep track of them both.

Navigate New Areas and Enemy Ambushes Carefully

Exploring new areas in Silent Hill 2 Remake can be a little scary at times, especially when enemies are hiding in unexpected places. If you spot cars parked around, there’s a good chance a Lying Figure could be underneath one. 

Mannequins, on the other hand, are a bit sneakier. Once you’ve encountered your first Mannequin, expect to find them everywhere throughout the game. 

They’ll pretty cleverly hide under tables, next to objects, or blend in by standing straight up against walls. Always take corners wide and be cautious of your surroundings, and sometimes just stand still in once place and try to figure out their locations.

Creepers are another type of enemy that can be hard to spot, but you can usually hear them by their clicking noises, or see them set off your radio. A few good hits with your melee weapon should take care of them.

If you’re planning to speed through the game and avoid fighting enemies, you’ll miss out on a lot of hidden items scattered around Silent Hill 2 Remake. With plenty of health drinks and syringes scattered throughout the game, it’s often worth fighting and taking a few hits along the way, and exploring every nook and cranny if you can.

Always Use the Environment to Your Advantage

The Silent Hill 2 Remake borrows some mechanics from modern third-person shooters, such as allowing you to leap over waist-high surfaces. This can be a huge advantage in combat. If you’re being chased by monsters, hop over a barrier, and they’ll have to follow you through a bottleneck. 

This gives you a chance to hit them as they struggle over the obstacle. Even a simple doorway can help streamline these enemies, preventing them from surrounding you and attacking from all sides. Hence, positioning is very important.

Like many third-person games, the longer you aim, the more your reticle tightens, giving you a more accurate shot. This can be especially helpful when dealing with stronger enemies like the Bubble Head Nurses. Headshots are more effective, so moving backwards while aiming with your handgun gives you the time to line up a perfect shot

Sometimes, you’ll enter rooms that already have dead monsters lying around. Be on high alert as many of these will rise up later in the game, especially after you solve a puzzle or grab an important item.

With our exhaustive collection of combat tips in mind, you’ll have a far easier time playing through the Silent Hill 2 Remake. Let us know which of these tips you found most helpful in the comments below!