Embarking through the fog in Silent Hill 2 can be quite dangerous, and as James attempts to find his wife, he will be faced with all manners of tormenting enemies that seek his end. With Silent Hill 2’s remake, the combat system has a decent refinement thanks to Bloober Team’s work, and now James can confidently fight back against the monsters that lurk in the fog and the Overworld.

James with a radio in Silent Hill 2 (2024)
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As James fights for survival in Silent Hill 2, it might benefit players to know a few useful combat tips to better aid them in this relentless battle. Armed with a few guns and a lead pipe, James can shoot and strike his way through this abandoned town, complimented by some useful tips to make a true combatant.

6 Conserve Ammunition With Melee Combat

Melee Combat Packs a Punch Better Utilized in One-on-One Fights

james using a wooden board to fight a lying figure

Ammunition might be scarce depending on the difficulty, so it might benefit players to utilize melee combat more efficiently. Melee combat is a lot of fun in Silent Hill 2, and its system of strikes and dodges means that players never feel cheated out of a hit. Yet, melee can only focus on one target at a time, so try and keep melee for those one-on-one encounters.

By using melee when it’s just one enemy instead of several, players will be saving their ammunition for when they need it most, whether that’s during boss fights or in overwhelming and claustrophobic areas. Enemies like the Lying Figure are easy to take on in melee combat, whereas faster and more nimble foes like the Mannequin might take some work.

5 Listen To The Radio

The Radio Lets Players Know an Enemy is Present

James with a radio in Silent Hill 2 (2024)

When exploring the dark areas of Silent Hill 2, players might hear a faint static fuzz emitting from their radio. This is something that shouldn’t be ignored, as the radio is going to be great at detecting nearby enemies. If the radio is making frequency noises, then it’s time to lock in, as an enemy could very well be around the corner, or perhaps even behind James.

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Keep a sharp ear out for the radio, for turning each corner could spell James’ end if players aren’t focused on what awaits them in the next room. The radio is going to keep players immersed while also giving them some free hints on whether an enemy is nearby or not.

4 Aim for the Head or the Legs

Headshots Deal More Damage and Leg Shots Create Takedown Opportunities

james fighting lying figures

When players finally get their hands on a handgun, it’s going to be nice to lay down the law with a few body shots on faster enemies. While most go down in three hits, like the Mannequin, there are some enemies that benefit from alternative fighting styles. Take the Lying Figure and the Bubble Head Nurses for example, as these enemies will go down easier with a headshot.

Since a headshot is harder to achieve, thus maximizing the risk of losing ammo, players can stick to more accurate leg shots, which will cause some enemies to falter to their knees, allowing James to run up to them and strike them with a melee weapon for a fast takedown.

3 Stealth Takedowns Easily Kill Enemies

Stealth Kills Will Easily Defeat the Most Fierce of Nurses

james beating a bubble head nurse to death

While most players might panic easily and hit everything in sight, some encounters can actually be conquered through stealth. Turning off James’ flashlight might be a tad scary, but doing so will allow players to get the drop on unsuspecting enemies, where James will strike them in the back of the head to send them down to the floor.

Once on the floor, they are an easy target for a multitude of strikes until they are no longer moving. Stealth takedowns are great for saving ammo and avoiding direct confrontations, especially against the Bubble Head Nurses which have more health and hit harder. Their blind nature makes sneaking up on them easier than most.

2 Study Enemy Attack Patterns

Knowing When to Dodge is Essential For Survival

james shoots pyramid head

Each enemy type has distinct attack patterns that players should study and watch out for so that they know when to dodge. Enemies like the Bubble Head Nurses can deal a combo of blows, whereas the Lying Figures will puke at players, requiring a fast dodge to avoid a sickly encounter.

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Stay back from enemies when it’s a one-on-one encounter and try and follow their attack patterns so that players are better prepared for the fight ahead. Learning their moves so that they can be countered with a dodge to avoid all damage is going to be a necessity when it comes to more aggressive enemy types.

1 Know When to Run

Never be Ashamed to Retreat to Safety to Stay Alive

james aims a gun at pyramid head

There are a few encounters in Silent Hill 2 where there are more than just one or two enemies on-screen. When faced with these unrelenting monsters, it’s always a good idea to just get out of there and find a safe room or the next cutscene to negate the potential harm that could be caused by numerous enemies.

While these enemies can be fought by braver players, it’s not essential, and sometimes running into another room or a new area will aid players the most as they won’t be wasting their ammunition in a fight they don’t need to win, and they won’t risk losing any health unnecessarily. Surviving is just as important as fighting, so live to fight another day by getting out of there.

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Silent Hill 2 Tag Page Cover Art
Silent Hill 2
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9 /10
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Released
October 8, 2024
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

Developer(s)
Bloober Team
Platform(s)
PlayStation 5, PC
Genre(s)
Survival Horror, Horror, Adventure, Action