=============================================================================== Silent Hill: Homecoming Platform: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC Developer: Konami, Double Helix (2008) Genre: Survival/Psychological Horror Rating: M (Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Sexual Themes) Author: Georgi Samaras E-mail: [email protected] Version: 1.36 Last Updated: December 7, 2009 =============================================================================== Contents Introduction ...................................................... [idn] Controls .......................................................... [cnl] Survival .......................................................... [srv] Combat ............................................................ [cbt] Weapons ........................................................... [wpn] Monsters .......................................................... [mns] Walkthrough Nightmare: Alchemilla Mental Hospital ........................... [ntm] Shepherd's Glen: the Shepherd Family Home ....................... [sg1] Missing Persons: Rose Heights Cemetery and the Junkyard ......... [msp] Hotel: Silent Hill's Grand Hotel ................................ [hte] Sheriff's Station: Escape the S.G.P.D. .......................... [shs] Sewers: Shepherd's Glen's Underground ........................... [swr] Hell Descent: Dr. Fitch's Office ................................ [hld] Shepherd's Glen: Town Hall, Rose Heights, and Home .............. [sg2] The Attic: the Pain of the Shepherds ............................ [aic] Dark Times: the Streets of Silent Hill .......................... [dkt] Prison: Saving Wheeler and Elle ................................. [prs] Church: the Face of the Cult .................................... [chc] Underground: Revealing the Truth ................................ [ugd] Extras ............................................................ [xta] Memos and Documents ............................................... [mmo] Achievements ...................................................... [acv] Trivia ............................................................ [tvi] Miscellaneous ..................................................... [msc] To make getting around the guide easier, I've implemented a keyword search feature. Just copy and paste the three-letter keyword (complete with the brackets) of the section you want into your browser's Find feature (Ctrl+F) and it should take you where you want to go. =============================================================================== Introduction [idn] Recently discharged from military service after a stint in a hospital, Alex Shepherd heads home to the little New England town of Shepherd's Glen. Recently, he has been plagued by nightmares concerning his brother, Josh, and he heads back home for fear of his brother's safety. What awaits him is a catatonic mother, no sign of his father or brother, and a small town wrapped in fog accented with "Missing Persons" posters. With thoughts only of Josh's well-being, Alex heads out to find the truth behind the happenings at Shepherd's Glen. Silent Hill: Homecoming is the second game to be made after the franchise passed hands from Team Silent. Though much more combat oriented than the other games, this installment does not skimp on the impressive locales, psychology- laden plot elements, or absolutely amazing sound design thanks to the one and only Akira Yamaoka. As always, this guide is here to get you through the game in one piece and get you every achievement, as well as throw some extra stuff your way because we all know that Silent Hill games are not just games. This was written using the Xbox 360 version, so I cannot vouch for PS3 or PC players, though the gameplay is very similar from what I hear. As I have played this game several times before writing this guide, I can no longer tell the difference between an outright spoiler and a nudge to get you to think in the right direction. I tried to leave theory and plot spoilers out of this document, but sometimes it just can't be helped. The walkthrough itself is fairly safe, but beware of the Extras, Memos, Achievements, and Trivia sections as they will spill a lot of the beans. =============================================================================== Controls [cnl] left analog stick: controls movement in a 3D scheme, meaning tilting the left stick right results in a right strafe, not in Alex facing right tilt slightly to walk navigate menu move/select pieces for certain puzzles right analog stick: move camera select pieces for certain puzzles push in the right stick (R3) for a first person view, to examine objects in your inventory, or to zoom in on the map rotate objects in inventory change targets (in combat stance) d-pad up: toggle flashlight d-pad left/right: toggle weapons left bumper: open inventory wheel right bumper: open weapon wheel left trigger: combat stance right trigger: shoot firearm (in combat stance) X: use health drink in item inventory finishing move used randomly in grapples and conversation heavy attack (in combat stance) reload firearm (in combat stance) view objectives (in map screen) toggle flashlight (in weapons screen) B: rolling dodge (+ left analog stick) used randomly in grapples quick recover when knocked down ducking dodge (+ left analog stick in combat stance) Y: bring up map use first aid kit in item inventory used randomly in conversation toggle radio (in weapons screen) A: fast attack examine/interact used randomly in grapples and conversation double tap in front of a door to burst through =============================================================================== Survival [srv] Along with the old Silent Hill elements, Silent Hill: Homecoming presents us with some new survival techniques, revamped inventory screens, and more chances to use the environment to our advantage. Here, I'll try and hit on the most important stuff to know to get around safely. ============================================ Inventory Screens ============================================ There are two inventory screens. The left bumper brings up your items and the right bumper is for your weapons. Alex's health meter is visible on both: it is the red mark on the left. Your items screen is where you go to access any key items (such as keys or puzzle elements) or healing items you will need. Health drinks and first aid kits are automatically placed on hot buttons. Press X to use a health drink and Y for a first aid kit. The weapons ring is the storehouse for your melee and ranged arsenal. Note that for firearms, the only ammunition Alex can carry is what the gun clip will hold. For example, your first pistol can't hold more than 18 shots in Normal mode, so don't feel the need to completely hoard your ammo. Also note that newer, stronger weapons will replace the old ones. For example, the crowbar will take over the steel pipe's duties when you find it. The two hot buttons for this screen, X and Y, toggle the flashlight and radio, respectively. ============================================ Healing Items ============================================ Alex's health meter is the red mark on the left side of either inventory screen and will also appear if he takes damage. If it is depleted, your game is over. Once dead, you have the option to start over from a continue point instead of being forced to reload a saved game. This is still a pain, so you should always use healing items to stay in the red. There are three kinds of restoratives for Alex: health drinks, first aid kits, and serum. Health drinks restore about 50% of your health; first aid kits restore about 75%; and serum will fully heal Alex as well as increase the size of his health gauge. Never, ever squander healing supplies, especially if you are not doing well when fighting. Topping off your gauge with a health drink when you've only lost maybe a fourth of it or using a serum when you are already at full health is a good way to screw yourself over later in the game. Jack has written in saying with certainty that there are 35 health drinks in the game and around 15 first aid kits. Use 'em wisely. ============================================ Flashlight and Radio ============================================ A staple in the Silent Hill series, the flashlight and radio are almost always on hand. The radio emits white noise when monsters are nearby. They cannot hear the radio and use it to detect where you are, so there is never a need to turn it off. Alex is the first Silent Hill protagonist to have a fully functional radio, so he will use it to keep in contact with others, but you, the player, will only use it as a monster detector. The flashlight is a double-edged sword. You can see much better with it, but so can the monsters. Leaving your flashlight on will attract any creatures in the area, so turn it off when the radio goes off. You can't play at the stealth game if you broadcast your position. However, there are some times when you absolutely need the light, regardless of enemies: some areas of this game are pitch dark. ============================================ Journal ============================================ Alex's journal is accessed by pressing the start button, where you can go to change your game options and exit to the title screen and all that. Whatever Alex finds that seems even remotely important will be stored here, like puzzle clues, photos, and drawings. This is basically the memo feature from past games, except that Alex will not keep every single little scrap of info he finds. A journal icon will appear in the upper left hand corner of the screen when something is added to the journal, a new objective is acquired, or a current objective is completed. ============================================ Environment and Interaction ============================================ Something new for Homecoming is environmental interaction on a much wider scale. Depending on what weapon Alex is holding, you can cut open thin sheets blocking paths, knock down walls, or pry open doors. You can also jump across holes (instead of falling down them for a change) and climb up small ledges. If you reach a dead end, look around: there may be a hole in the wall or ledge you can use. If you are being chased by something and don't want to fight, flee through a crawlspace or jump over a hole to get breathing room. Enemies cannot follow you except through open doors, but they will wait for you outside a hole or crawlspace. Interaction that is important is usually prompted by a button command using A, but some interaction is not. Pushing A while in front of an object (any ole object) will usually get Alex to examine it and comment on it. Things like puzzle clues are usually hidden on something along the lines of a plaque on a wall or memo near the puzzle in question, so if you ever get stuck, just look around. What Alex says can be extremely insightful, and he is on par with Heather from Silent Hill 3 on the amount that he has to say (that is, he says A LOT). Watch Alex's head when looking for things to examine. He will turn to look at anything that interests him. This may be seemingly useless stuff, but he also looks at key items and pick-ups. Humor him and examine everything he looks at because it just might be important. If you can't tell what he's looking at, press in the right analog stick to enter first person view. The camera will automatically center itself on whatever he is staring at. Along with the environment, you can interact with others you meet. When talking to someone, you may get to choose what Alex says. There are only three instances when what you say or do will have serious consequences, and these are towards the end of the game and are extremely obvious. Every other conversation is just there for you to get information. Choosing one prompt over another will change what Alex talks about, but nothing serious is lost or gained from small talk. ============================================ Maps ============================================ Another Silent Hill staple, the map is your best friend; the walkthrough portion of this guide is going to be referencing the map whenever possible. There is one for almost every area in the game, and they will make the exploration process a lot easier. Alex will automatically mark things like save points, locked/jammed doors, puzzles, and destinations in red. Your current position and facing direction are indicated with a blue arrow. Alex will also note his current objectives on the map screen (viewable by pressing X). ============================================ Save and Continue Points ============================================ Save points are marked with a glowing red symbol consisting of a large red circle encompassing three smaller circles. You can't miss them: the game's dark environments make their red glow unmistakable. As always, it is a good idea to save often. Homecoming uses a continue point feature, meaning that if you die, you will not be forced to start over using your last saved game. Instead, you will restart at a certain point before you died, usually before a major event or right after a cutscene. =============================================================================== Combat [cbt] To veteran Silent Hillers and newcomers alike, one thing is clear: compared to the previous games, this one is unforgiving at first when it comes to fighting if you are not prepared. Alex is a soldier, so he can fight just fine; however, so can the monsters. Make sure you take the time to get the hang of fighting because you can't always master the art of running away. ============================================ Combat Stance and Attacks ============================================ To get ready to fight, hold in the left trigger to enter combat stance. If there is an enemy nearby, Alex will focus on it and keep it in his sights. While in readiness, you can perform a fast attack with A, a heavy attack to stun enemies with X, or perform a dodge with B. If holding a firearm, use the right analog stick to aim (Alex will not auto-aim with a gun) and the right trigger to shoot. You can also perform a close range melee attack with the butt of your gun. Light attacks with A are simple slashes or swings with a weapon and will not really stun enemies, but successive rapid light attacks will disrupt them. Heavy attacks are what cause foes to skip a beat, and they can be charged by holding down X. Combos are performed by chaining light attacks and can end with a heavy attack. By the time your foe recovers from the last strike, you can feel free to go in with another chain of light attacks. Heavier and tougher foes will withstand your combos, so you need to perform dodges as needed in-between. One of the best combo patterns is two light attacks and a heavy attack (A, A, X). Most of the time, this will knock your foe to the floor and you can whale on them mercilessly, most likely stunning them. A stunned enemy will stand in place and looked literally dazed. This is when you must drop everything, run up to them, and hit X for a finishing move. These are absolutely brutal and are different for each weapon and enemy. (Makes you wonder where Alex learned to fight; what do they teach those boys in the military?) Bosses can only be killed with finishing moves, so watch for the prompt. ============================================ Dodging, Blocking, and Countering ============================================ Master this or pay the price. You can perform several different types of dodges. The first kind is when you are not in combat stance or are far away from an enemy. Pressing B while pushing the left stick in any direction will make Alex perform a diving roll. This is great in that it covers a greater distance than the other dodges and helps out against wide range attacks. The other kinds of dodges are performed in combat stance. These are simple ducking motions and sidesteps. Use these when in close range combat. Enemies attack in many different directions, so hang back a bit, watch their attack patterns, and learn in which direction is the best to dodge. Do not dodge until you see your enemy launch an attack! If you dodge too early, they will follow your motions and attack you while you are in the process of dodging, totally defeating the purpose. Monsters are not shy about telling you when they're going to attack; be smart and wait for the signals. A stare down is safer than rushing in and pushing your luck. It is possible to block an enemy attack. It requires good timing but can also be done by accident or pure luck (which is how I usually pull it off). If you press B at the same time an enemy is about to hit Alex, he will hold up his weapon and block it. It causes both you and the enemy to skip a beat or get thrown off a little, but it's better than the alternative. If you successfully dodge an attack, Alex will counterattack if you hit A or X. All this is is a special move with your weapon that knocks enemies back, but it also puts you in position to go in with a combo or charge a heavy attack. If you don't do well at dodging and find yourself knocked to the ground, press B right as Alex hits the ground, and he will quickly get back up. If you don't get up quickly, you are susceptible to more enemy attacks while on the ground. ============================================ Grappling ============================================ Enemies can grab Alex and cause him major damage or instantly kill him if he does not break free. To grapple with an enemy who's got you in their clutches, wait until a button prompt appears in the upper right hand corner of the screen and then mash it for dear life. If successful, Alex will retaliate and knock the enemy away. Avoiding grapple attacks in the first place is actually pretty easy since enemies make a big scene before a grapple move. If you dodge, they are left extremely open and are just asking to be counterattacked. When you are required to mash a button, you may find it easier if you use your index finger instead of your thumb. Place your controller in your lap or on a smooth surface as well. For some people, their index finger just seems to move quicker than their thumb. ============================================ Choosing the Right Weapon ============================================ You might want to think twice before you ditch the combat knife for that fire axe. In this game, the weight of a weapon drastically changes how Alex will fight. Sure, this was true for past games as well, but with your foes being as fast, agile, and tough as they are, you have to gauge which weapon is best for which monster now more than ever. Some enemies are exponentially tougher when you do not use the right weapon. For example, trying to fight a Feral head-on with a fire axe may not end well for you. Some enemies also have weak points you can exploit with the right weapon. Lurkers are susceptible to tons of damage or even a one-hit KO if you charge the axe, since their heads are their major weak point and the axe's heavy attack is a downward swing. =============================================================================== Weapons [wpn] There are a limited number of weapons to find throughout the game. It has been suggested that I take the time before the walkthrough to give you a quick reference guide to what they are and where to find them, and do this I shall. There are two bonus weapons, but these are discussed in the extras section. ============================================ Combat Knife/Ceremonial Dagger ============================================ There are two knives in Homecoming. Knives are amazingly fast and are highly recommended for basic combat, especially if you are still getting used to it. The combat knife is the first weapon you get, so you will find it in the Nightmare hospital. The ceremonial dagger, found in the secret room in Town Hall, replaces the combat knife for the entire game and is a combination key and weapon. Along with fighting, knives are used to cut open sheets and film blocking areas. ============================================ Steel Pipe/Crowbar ============================================ The steel pipe, a Silent Hill favorite, is first found in the Shepherd garage and then rediscovered in the underground later in the game. The crowbar is tucked away in a detour in the Hell Descent area. It is possible to miss the crowbar completely, but you should always have the steel pipe. These weapons are used to pry open doors. They are nice and blunt but a little slow. ============================================ Fire Axe/Pulaski Axe ============================================ Even though I much rather prefer the rusty variety, the axes in Homecoming are awesome weapons. The fire axe is first found outside the Grand Hotel in Silent Hill, and the Pulaski axe is in a truck bed outside the prison. It is possible to bypass the Pulaski axe, but you must at least get the fire axe. Axes have a lot of power and require time to swing, so you should use them after successfully dodging an attack. They are used to hack away boards blocking passages as well. ============================================ Mk 23 Handgun/"Chrome Hammer" Pistol ============================================ Your basic handguns, which don't have a lot of power behind them unless used wisely. The Mk 23 is given to you by Curtis, and the Chrome Hammer is found in Rose Heights Cemetery during a return trip. Because of how Homecoming has you use firearms (e.g. - no auto-aim), you may find it difficult to hit a fast moving target unless you are good at manipulating the right analog stick quickly. These are best used on Smogs, but will work on anything if you can get a clean headshot. ============================================ 12 Gauge Shotgun/"BlueSteel" Shotgun ============================================ The first shotgun is given to you by Wheeler in the police station, and the second is hidden in Adam's secret basement room. Shotguns are most effective at close range and will pretty much one-hit kill anything that isn't a Siam or a boss monster, if aimed wisely. Save your shells for when you are boxed in or in serious danger, as they are scarce. ============================================ M14 Assault Rifle/Police Marksman Rifle ============================================ Rifles are the most powerful firearm outside of the laser pistol, but they have a long reload time, making them a serious liability. The M14 is easy to miss, as it is hidden in Dargento Cemetery in Silent Hill and requires a fetch quest/puzzle to obtain. The second rifle is found in the underground area towards the end of the game. Because of their power and scarce ammo, it is wise to save the rifles for monsters like Siams and especially Amnion. =============================================================================== Monsters [mns] You can't have a Silent Hill experience without twisted interpretations of your or others' psyches trying to hunt you down and kill you. As explained in the sections above, these baddies have gotten much more aggressive since the past games, so it's important to know who's what and how to take them out. This section lists all the small fry. Boss monsters are covered in the walkthrough. Monsters are attracted to both light and sound, so the best way to avoid a fight is to walk with your flashlight off. Monsters have a tendency to attack wildly when they spot you, so if they are close to one another, they will actually end up hurting each other. They may not do as much damage as you and your weapons cache, but every little bit helps. ============================================ Nurse ============================================ Everyone in the Silent Hill universe is afraid of nurses. You can't spend time in a hospital without coming to hate their faces. Alex's stay in the military ward makes him no different. Nurses carry knives they use to quickly slash you to pieces. They can chain combos because of their speed, so it is vital to wait until you see one raise its knife to attack, perform your dodge, and then counter. Or you should at least strike before they do. Nurses can appear in small groups; when fighting more than one nurse, the ones Alex is not focused on don't seem to attack him unless he is wide open. Nurses only appear in health care facilities, so look for them in Alchemilla Hospital and Dr. Fitch's office. ============================================ Swarm ============================================ Swarms are the lightweights when it comes to foes. They are basically over-sized roaches that emerge through holes in the walls and floor. To dispatch them, enter combat stance and hit A to step on them if they are on the floor or slash them if they are in the air. Their only attack is to latch onto you and deplete your health. Drop what you're doing and start mashing B to get Alex to tear it away. Follow this up by hitting the correct button and Alex will crush the Swarm for you. ============================================ Lurker ============================================ Lurkers love the water, so they appear wherever there is enough to wade in or a drainage vent or some other tight space to crawl out of. They get around by dragging themselves along by their front legs with claws that look vaguely like fishing hooks. As far as attacks go, they will swipe with their claws and will ram into Alex in an attempt to knock him down. Lurkers are best taken care of with an axe: one heavy attack is enough to cut their heads clean off, but they can still attack without a head, so beware. ============================================ Feral ============================================ Ferals are the ever-present dog image in Silent Hill. Alex is a dog person, but he can't stand these skinless beasts. Ferals can be seen chowing down on random fleshy piles left all over town, but they can sense Alex easily and will rush at him if he's in their range. They are very fast and will catch up to you if you try to outrun them; if they catch you and knock you to the ground, they will try to rip your throat out. The absolute best way to take down Ferals is with the knife. Its speed is a perfect match for them, and two or more combos will kill them easily. Like Nurses, they can appear in groups but will only attack if Alex is either not already fighting or is off guard. ============================================ Smog ============================================ A chain-smoking patient demon, Smogs are armless monstrosities that spew acrid smoke from their fluorescent lungs. If Alex is caught in a Smog's spew, he will begin to choke and you must mash B to clear the air. They're easy to see in the dark and are best taken out with a ranged weapon since they can lunge at close range as well. Equip a pistol and aim for the Smog's lungs. Wait until it opens its chest to spew its smoke and then fire. You can take a Smog down in just two shots this way. For those low on ammo, Kajisirri has sent in a way to deal with Smogs with a melee weapon: bait them into exposing their lungs, then run/dodge/roll up to them and hit them with a heavy attack while their lungs are exposed. If you time it right, this should knock them down, leaving them open for more. Smogs don't normally appear in groups of more than two and, unless you encounter them in a narrow space or an area where you want breathing room, you can just run right past them since they are not fast at all. ============================================ Needlers ============================================ Needlers look and sound like a fleshy insect of some kind and have four knives for feet, enabling them to climb on walls and slash you. They are cautious creatures and will not attack right away. Wait for them to raise an arm and then roll to safety. Their grapple has them raise both front legs in the air and lets them grab Alex to try to dig a knife through his head. They can also retreat to the ceiling; be prepared to dodge when they gain the higher ground. They use their two front legs to block head-on attacks, so you must get to their side to cause any damage. A clean head shot with a pistol is supposedly possible to kill Needlers, but their defensive move makes it hard. Attacking their blind spot is a much safer bet. Believe it or not, the pipe is awesome against Needlers. A light attack followed by a heavy one results in an upward swipe, instantly knocking them to the ground. Shadow Grave noted that when a Needler stabs forward, this is an excellent time to dodge forward and attack with an upward swing with the axe to kill it in one shot, just like the Lurkers. ============================================ Schism ============================================ Schisms are pale creatures with a split head that comes together to form a blade. These weak-looking creatures walk doubled over because they are so top heavy, but they use that weight to swing their heads in wide arcs. Schisms don't usually give a warning when they are going to attack: when they move, it is to swing their blade, so take every motion as an excuse to dodge. It's hard to get close to them, except when they go to perform their grapple. They will rear up and open their mouth before lunging. Dodging this is a great way to get in and start a combo. Schisms are light and will be pushed away by the force of your blows; either use a longer weapon or wait for them to come to you. Shotgun blasts are also very useful against these annoying enemies, especially when they appear in groups. ============================================ Siam ============================================ An apelike creature that sports both male and female features, Siam is truly a beast. It is surprisingly quick for its size and can swing its giant arms with great force and range, making dodging it a real task. Its backside (or female side, if you prefer), is its weak point, but it can be difficult to get completely behind Siam without it catching on to you. Blows from normal weapons will not phase Siam in the least. The shotgun or rifle is the best way to take this one out; just make sure that you put distance between you and it before firing because not even a shot from a rifle will stop Siam in its tracks. The good news is that Siam does not appear too often. ============================================ Order Members ============================================ Order members are those who follow the religious cult of Silent Hill. They are the only instance in a Silent Hill game where we are forced to fight a human that isn't possessed, already dead and/or a ghost, a horrible monster in disguise, or a delusion. They come in two varieties: pipe wielders and rifle toters, and they fight exactly like Alex when he uses these weapons. Pipe guys will dodge your attacks easily and rifle guys will shoot you from afar and hit you with the butt of their gun up close. Any weapon you are comfortable with will work on them as long as you can dodge their attacks to buy time to swing. Like all humans, they will fall after a few rounds of gunfire. You will only encounter them in Silent Hill around the Order's base of operation, like the prison. =============================================================================== Walkthrough This walkthrough was written while playing on Hard mode. The only notable difference between Hard and Normal is that enemies are tougher, deal more damage, and firearms carry less ammo. Puzzle solutions and strategy remain unchanged. All directions given (north, south, east, west) are given in relation to the map, but directions like "left" and "right" are used in relation to Alex's position. ============================================ Nightmare [ntm] ============================================ After the awesome opening scene, get ready to mash A to get out of your restraints. Check your inventory: all you've got is a flashlight and a radio. Good luck, soldier. Check the memo to the left of the double doors and head through. Follow the blood through the next set of doors, and check the memo to your right. Approach the barred gate to see Josh and initiate a creepy looping sound clip. Note the keypad next to the door. The only open door is right next to the keypad. Open it and check out the X- ray to your right. This is the first half of the code we need. A memo on the desk across the room explains what you need to do to get the rest, and the HOSPITAL MAP is to your left. Exit using the nearby door. The only open door in this hall is 203. Just listen for the crying baby, and examine the middle incubator to get it to stop. There's a HEALTH DRINK and another memo on the desk behind you. Hop over the broken window to room 204. In here is the X-RAY FILE for the code we need. On the center table is a pamphlet laying out melee combat. Head back to the Nurse Center and stick your X-ray up on the board for the code 624872. Exit out the other side of this room and push that into the keypad. Like a good little sibling, Josh will run off. Pick up the CHILD'S DRAWING and follow him. Feel free to take a peek in the bathroom stalls, but make note of the glowing red save point in the next room. This game uses a continue point feature, so saving is not a top priority anymore, but it wouldn't hurt. The next room is another restroom and a dead end. Grab the COMBAT KNIFE sticking out of the mirror and enjoy the show. A nurse will then attack you. Use this time to get the hang of dodging. Wait until she makes a move or else you might walk right into her attack. Learn to love the knife as it is the most highly recommended melee weapon because of its speed. Slip through the crack in the stall the nurse popped out of. Grab the FIRST AID KIT by the door and exit. Enter the door to your immediate left, the stairwell. Watch out for falling debris but take a look at the memo on the opposite wall before giving chase. This one is the hint that the flashlight should be off and you should walk, not run, if you want to avoid confrontation. (To walk, lightly tilt the left analog stick.) You should hear static upstairs. Use your knife to break open the window and dispatch the nurses inside. Only one will be visible in front of the TV. Attack her and another will appear. With the knife, you should be able to continuously slash the first nurse without dodging and be okay. The second one will not attack you right away, and you can take her out any way you want when she's all alone. You can also retreat over the window frame and use it to get them to funnel towards you. It is recommended that you kill both because you need to cut open the fleshy film on the west wall to progress, and you are not immune to damage during this. Room 303 has a save point and a note on the bed. Head to your right down this hall to face your first batch of Swarm enemies. Just hit A to step on them or slash them. If one latches onto you, press B until Alex tears it away. If you hit the correct button prompt after this, he will crush and kill it for you. Grab the HEALTH DRINK in the linen room and enter the hall. Go right, towards the restrooms on your map, and grab the PHOTO on the stretcher. Now double back and enter the operating theatre. There's a patient chart on a shelf to your right as you walk around. When you drop down, three nurses will attack. Just hold the left trigger and perform your knife combos, focusing on the one closest to you. I promise that as long as you keep slashing with your knife, you will stay one step ahead of the nurses' attacks and can come out unscathed. You can also completely sneak past all three by walking around the outside of this area. Check out the half body on the table (if the nurses are gone) and cut open the way to the stairwell. Check the wall opposite for a CHILD'S DRAWING and climb. Up here is the other half of that body, and he's holding the OPERATING THEATRE KEY. Use it downstairs. There's a memo in the operating room but not much else. Exit to your right to the hall where we first saw Josh. In fact, he's still here. Talk to him however you want; either way, we're going to have to find his stuffed Robbie the Rabbit. Enter the Nurse Center for a HEALTH DRINK, a save point, and another memo. Exit to the 200-block of rooms. Enter room 203 again. There's a CHILD'S DRAWING on the wall to your right, but more importantly, we've found Robbie. Be a man and stick your hand in to save your brother's precious toy. Just be prepared to mash a face button to get your arm and the ROBBIE TOY back. A Swarm will attack afterwards. Backtrack to Josh and give him back Robbie. Once you can get through, pick up the CHILD'S DRAWING and give chase once again. All the doors in this hall are locked, but make note of room 206. There is a CHILD'S DRAWING on the door and interesting sounds emanating from it. Open the elevator doors using the panel on the wall, head down, and... ============================================ Shepherd's Glen [sg1] ============================================ Welcome home. There are absolutely no items to be picked up in the streets of Shepherd's Glen, so just work on getting to your house on the north side of town. Also, note that if you try to go west down Main Street, you will get lost in the fog. Look to your right on Main street for a brick building with arches; this is Dr. Fitch's office, and there's a poster advertising the town's 150th anniversary on one of the pillars. You'll run into Judge Holloway outside Town Hall. She tells you to go home, but you can check out the Town Hall and chat if you want. Why not? We're already there. Through the large double doors inside is nothing much. There's a PHOTO as well as a book on the town towards the back of the room. You can also examine all the paintings around here to get info on the town founders. Exit south according to your map. Through the door here, look to your left for some tables. On one of these is a medical case with SERUM inside. There's also a newspaper article framed on the wall about a bus accident involving an 8-year old Alex Shepherd. Now head to the east hall for two doors. Judge Holloway's in the room on the right. Talk to her and check the room next door. In here is a HEALTH DRINK and a save point. There's nothing else to do here now. You might have noticed a boarded up door in the north hall of the building; we'll get back to that. Head home. If you want insight into the Shepherd family, take the time to examine everything lying around the house. Alex will talk about his relationship with his family, as well as note that he is absent from every family picture. Head upstairs and enter the double doors. This looks to be his parents' room. There's a letter from his mum to her husband and some pictures of her and Josh around. Check out the bathroom for a CASSETTE TAPE. Back out in the hall, the attic door will close and lock before you, and you should hear footsteps downstairs. Check the nearby door to enter Alex and Joshua's room. There's a FLASHLIGHT on the bed; pick it up for a flashback. (If this is a replay game and you've gotten the UFO ending before, you can find a LASER PISTOL with infinite ammo on the toy chest by the bed.) Take note of the bug collection by the broken-looking bookshelf and then examine the shelf. It is hiding a secret switch. Move all the junk to the left twice to uncover it. You get a MAP OF OUR HOUSE for your trouble. Head back downstairs to see your mother. She just came out of the basement and is trailing water. Follow the trail downstairs. A Lurker is waiting for you beneath the water. For these guys, enter combat stance ASAP so Alex locks on to their position. Wait until it comes close to you, dodge its initial attack, and then counter repeatedly with a heavy attack (X) with the knife. Alex will jab forward, right into the Lurker's head. Continue until it falls. Check the generator towards the back of the basement for the GARAGE REMOTE and a gasoline fetch quest to get the generator running. Head towards the stairs but look to your left for a multicolored thin sheet blocking a side room. Turn off your flashlight and look through the sheet to see what looks like Alex's father with his back turned to you. Cut through and examine the locked door if you like; there's nothing to do here, and we'll be back later. Go back upstairs and outside. Use the remote to open the garage. A Lurker will attack. Repeat the jabbing strategy from earlier. It's easier to fight them when they are not in water since you can see when they swing their claws. There's a STEEL PIPE in the garage as well as another pamphlet on melee fighting. Use your new pipe to pry open the cabinet to get the EMPTY GAS CAN. (If this is a replay game, you can find the CIRCULAR SAW on the tool bench.) Another Lurker will come out of the hole in the brick wall by the garage. Kill it and crawl through. You'll want to kill it because we'll be coming back here shortly. In the park area, look to your right for a CHILD'S DRAWING. Look by the slide for a PHOTO. There's also a newspaper on one of the benches. On the southern wall should be a wire fence door. Pry it open with your pipe and examine the semi to your left, but not before killing the Lurker underneath it. Use your empty gas can here and you can get the FULL GAS CAN with what's left in the truck's tank. Head back home to the basement and use your full gas can to run the generator. Now you can unlock the door to your immediate right. Enter the back door to the house and use your cassette tape in the answering machine. Open the fridge for a HEALTH DRINK. Through the only open door is a living room of sorts. Nothing in here except a note next to the phone. Go out back to the yard again. Look to your left behind the tree for a CHILD'S DRAWING. There's a HEALTH DRINK hiding in the dead plants to the north. On the west fence is a door with Josh's backpack and a PHOTO. Go through. ============================================ Missing Persons [msp] ============================================ So the Shepherd house has easy access to the cemetery. Nothing weird there. Follow the path, grabbing the ROSE HEIGHTS CEMETERY MAP on your way. Alex can comment on any and all tombs here if you want to read them; he will also note the extreme number of deaths for such a small town. There's a guy digging up graves in the Bartlett plot, but we can't reach him. Drop down into the East Garden, prepared for a Feral attack. All you need for these guys is the knife. Do a combo. Wait and dodge. Enter another combo. Rinse. Repeat. Check the fountain in the center of the garden for an OLD STONE PLATE. Then climb up to your right. There's a HEALTH DRINK by the gazebo, and the Bartlett Family Mausoleum is locked. Enter the family crypts to the west. In the north block, the second crypt on your right (second gate) has a save point. The third crypt on your left (second gate) has a hole in the wall you can squeeze through to get to the middle block. Here, the first crypt on your left (second gate) has a HEALTH DRINK in it. Right across from you in the crypt opposite, there is another hole to squeeze through to your left. Still in the middle block, make your way as far east as you can and look in the last crypt on the right (second gate) to find a hole to crawl through to Founders Row. A Feral will jump you as you head south. Take care of it or run past it as far south as you can. Look to your left for a gate to run through and a hole to jump into. Follow the spiders until you are on the outer ring of the Founders Garden. There is a Feral chowing down in the center of this area, but you can completely avoid it by walking around the outside to the northeast corner of the garden. However, Ferals are good at sensing Alex's presence, so it may see you regardless when you try to leave. Check to the left of the exit in the north for a HEALTH DRINK; the exit is on the ground floor, but the drink is up the stairs to the left. The path splits up to the West Garden, but both stairs lead to the same place. On the landing of either staircase is a plaque with a hint that something needs to be made whole. Perhaps it has to do with our half of a stone plate? Check the fountain in this garden for a STRANGE STONE PLATE, just what we need. Use both plates at the gate on the north side of the West Garden to unlock it. You'll emerge into what used to pass for civilization. Head west towards the police station. Go to the front of the S.G.P.D. and head to your left for a FIRST AID KIT. Continue west to run into Elle posting missing persons flyers. She'll give you a WALKIE TALKIE. Check behind her billboard for a CHILD'S DRAWING. Head down to the southwest corner of your map. Look to your right for a covered bridge. Follow the path to a door. Once inside, head right and look for a hole to crawl through. There are no items in the junk yard, so head around the heaps of scrap to the back of the house to squeeze through a hole in the shed. You should be able to get into the house on this side. Try talking to Curtis. Alex will trade the broken revolver he got from his mother for information, but we'll also get the MK 23 HANDGUN. You can talk to Curtis again if you want. Beware: he's a dick. But he also gives us a hot tip about the clocks in town. 206 is an important, recurring number. Remember it. Check behind Curtis for a brochure on ranged combat and PISTOL AMMUNITION. Raid his back room for a JUNKYARD MAP, more PISTOL AMMUNITION, a HEALTH DRINK by the fridges, a save point, and the exit. Leave the junkyard the way you came in, but beware of a Feral attack. You can kill it or run past it to get to the streets. Alex will get a call on the radio and then come under a coughing spell. Meet the Smog, a nasty looking creature but easily dispatched. Run away from it and break out the pistol. Let it get close to you and wait for it to growl and reveal its glowing lungs. Shoot the lungs once and wait for it to expose them again. Two or three pistol shots should be enough. If you want to fight up close, it's a little harder since they can lunge, but just dodge your way around to its blind spot and combo. Or you can just run right past the thing. It's too slow to give chase. Make your way all the way back to the cemetery. Go east down main street and enter by way of the parking lot which will be on your left. You can run past any Smogs you might see, but kill any Ferals after you, just in case. In the cemetery, you need to backtrack all the way to the Bartlett Mausoleum, which means going through the West Garden, Founders Garden, Founders Row, and the family crypts. Smogs will appear along the way, but as long as you run and follow the arrows on your map from your previous run, you can avoid fighting (except with the one blocking the small passages in the family crypts). Military training has done Alex well: he never tires while running. Mayor Bartlett is gone, but his family tomb is open. Examine the middle casket for a lock puzzle. ============================================ Unlocking the Bartlett Family Tomb ============================================ The purpose here is to pull out the locking piece in the upper left. Use the right analog stick to select pieces to move and use the left analog stick to actually move them. It's basically a sliding puzzle, so just move the pieces around until the spaces underneath the locking piece are free. There are plenty of open spaces to move the pieces, so this should be fairly easy. If you haven't touched the puzzle yet and want a straightforward answer, here it is. To make this easy, I'm going to refer to the pieces as if they were on a table. For example, the uppermost square piece would be at row 1, column 3. You need to make sure column 2 is empty. To do this, move these pieces in these directions: row 1, col 3: move left twice row 3/4, col 4: move up twice row 3/4, col 3: move up twice row 3, col 1/2: move right twice, then down once row 2, col 1/2: move down once, then right twice That should do it. Select the locking piece and pull it down. Alex will pull out a broken watch which gives him a headache. ============================================ Hotel [hte] ============================================ We've finally landed in Silent Hill. At the end of the street ahead of you is a broken-down fire truck and a Smog in an alley. Go down that alley, climb down and under the truck, and snatch the FIRE AXE. This is perfect for hacking down boarded up doors. Go across the street to the Grand Hotel and do just that to get inside, since that's where Josh ran off to. Go down the first hallway to your right for a HEALTH DRINK. Go into the foyer after Joshua now. He'll escape through some rubble and up the stairs. Check the reception desk for a letter, the GRAND HOTEL MAP, and a memo. Jump across the elevator shaft and look to your right for a MAINTENANCE KEY. We need to rewire the hotel to get the elevator to run, so head back outside. There will likely be a Smog or two on the way outside. I recommend killing the one outside since we need breathing room to rewire this place. Use your key to open the gate to your right on the street. There's a HEALTH DRINK back here and a panel with wires. ============================================ Rewiring the Hotel ============================================ Check the clipboard behind you on the dumpster to see a note about a game and the number XXI. Now check out the power box. Use the left analog stick to pick a wire, A to put it in place, and X to test the power. The XXI in the note is actually the pattern in which the wires should be connected. Pretend the wires (connected at the top) are numbered 1-5 from left to right, and so are the connectors at the bottom. Match them up in this order: Wire 1 (yellow) to Connector 2 Wire 2 (white) to Connector 1 Wire 3 (red) to Connector 4 Wire 4 (blue) to Connector 3 Wire 5 (green) to Connector 5 Press X when you've got it to bring the power back. (Thanks to syn6661, Bob, and an anonymous e-mailer for pointing out the memo on the dumpster.) Go back in, call the elevator, and hop in. Get the PISTOL AMMUNITION inside and hit the only working floor button. A new type of monster will attack on the way up. These are Needlers, and they are going to tear the sides off the elevator and reach in to attack with their claws. Equip a weapon and attack through the holes. The knife and axe are great for this because of their heavy attacks. The knife's is a forward jab, so Alex can stab neatly through the hole and right into the Needler's face, and the axe's is a powerful downward swing, capable of knocking off a Needler in one hit. Try not to stand too close to the elevator's sides or you may just end up hitting the elevator and missing the Needler. All you need to do to dodge an attack is duck. Climb up out of the elevator when it stops. Check out the painting of the woman to cut it open and reveal a locked door. Examine the door for a PHOTO, but go left and duck under the wall to see a save point. Head towards the hall and Alex will automatically start talking with the woman in 301. We have to find three of her memories before she will help us. There's a message on the wall in 303 and a letter in 304. Go through the hole in the wall in the middle of this hall to emerge in 307. Room 308 holds another letter detailing the subplot of this area, as well as another message written on the wall. Go to the east end of the hall and look towards room 309 to see some boards for you to hack away. Climb up the rubble here to the fourth floor. Enter 406 by way of the hole in the wall. A letter is in here and Swarms will attack once you try to enter the hall. There's a memo on the little table on the left side of the center of the hall out here. You should be hearing white noise as well; there's a nurse in 402 waiting for you. Look through the hole in the wall in front of room 403 for the last cryptic, bloody message. Enter 402 to find a bookshelf that needs pushing. Duck in to room 404 and enter the bathroom to find the first of the three memories we promised to help find, the ALCHEMILLA POSTCARD. We've reached a bit of a dead end, so let's backtrack. Out in the hall, notice the spiders moving towards the east. Also take note of the strange red glow... Approach the hall for a scene. We are introduced to Pyramid Head, heretofore known as the Bogeyman. ("Pyramid Head" was the name James Sunderland gave him in Silent Hill 2. James is not here, so I will stick with the Homecoming name.) He clearly senses us but does not seem to give a damn. Swarms will break open room 405 and attack after the scene. Get them out of the way and head through. Go in and through 407 using the hole in the wall. Now look for boards blocking the wall of the bathroom outside 408. Hack them away and look inside for the SERUM. Follow the Bogeyman by hacking away the boards blocking the way to the stairwell. On the fifth floor, the Needlers make their official appearance. With Needlers, it is vital that you wait for them to make the first move: they will chirp and raise one of their front claws. Dodge to one side and attack their blind spot. You can get in one or two combos before they turn around. Head-on attacks will only be blocked by their front legs, so don't bother. They still do damage, but not as much. The steel pipe is a good weapon against Needlers: do a light attack followed by a heavy one and Alex will do an upward swipe, hitting the Needler in the stomach and knocking it to the floor, ready for you to heavy attack it to death. Jump across to the southern end of this hall to get a HEALTH DRINK. This is also a good spot to retreat to if you want to attempt a head shot on a Needler. I always thought it was too hard, but you might want to try it. Swarms are in 508 along with a letter. Hack away the boards in front of 505 and push the shelf away to gain access to 507. On the bed is the second memory, the LAKESIDE AMUSEMENT PARK POSTCARD. There's also a letter on the shelf here and a HEALTH DRINK in the bathroom. Backtrack to the hall. Once you reach the center, a Needler will appear but it may not see you right away if your flashlight is off and you are quiet. Use this time to try shooting it if you want. You can't completely sneak past it since we need to go down to that end of the hall. Hack into 504 for a shelf you can push to reveal a CHILD'S DRAWING and PISTOL AMMUNITION on the bed. Duck into 503 before more Needlers attack and climb down into 403. In the tub is the last memory, the TOLUCA LAKE POSTCARD. It's ultra mega backtrack time. Needlers will attack, but you can run past them. Head to the east and go down the stairs. A nurse will attack you down here. Now jump down the hole in 406. Wind your way through the third floor rooms (mindful of Smogs) to get back to 301. The woman will give us the STRANGE KEY, which will open the mysterious room 306 behind the painting. Jump across the hole to be reunited with Josh. Or not. In this new room, check one of the northwest tables for PISTOL AMMUNITION and a HEALTH DRINK. There's a save point to the southeast. Head towards the atrium (the big round room) to find it locked. Head back to see a peculiar sight. Inside the now-open atrium, we find Mayor Bartlett and our first boss fight. ============================================ Sepulcher ============================================ Don't bother rushing up to Sepulcher to fight him. The trick to damaging him in this stage is to destroy the hanging flesh sacks surrounding him. Sepulcher will lash out with his long arms and slam them down to rain glass on you. Dodge in any direction to avoid the glass, but hide behind one of the bookshelves around Sepulcher to make him lash out at you and hurt himself instead. While he is reeling, run out and start slashing away at a flesh sack. Do this for each one until all are gone. If you are adventurous, you can hide behind the flesh sack instead of the bookshelf. This will cause Sepulcher to hit himself, but it's risky. He will also catch on to your game and have the flesh sacks raise up slightly to avoid getting hit. You can use any weapon for this stage since you can take cover when needed. Keith has e-mailed in to say that each flesh sack will explode after three pistol shots. If you haven't squandered any bullets, you can just stick with the pistol and keep your distance. Once all are gone, Sepulcher will drop to the floor. His only attacks now are lashing out with his long arms and grabbing you. Be prepared for a button prompt when this happens. Fighting back is easy as pie. Wait for Sepulcher to make a downward swipe; he will get his hand caught in the dirt floor. Slash his hand/arm and he will collapse. Slash his head until he gets back up. Rinse. Repeat. Don't attack until Sepulcher is stuck. Just be patient and dodge to the side when he raises his hand. When he's had enough, you will see the X button appear in the upper right. Alex will deliver the finishing blow. Even though the finisher is with the axe, you can use any weapon to kill this monster. Alex's victory will be in vain, as he falls down a hole... ============================================ Sheriff's Station [shs] ============================================ ...and into a jail cell. Check your inventory; everything is gone. There is nothing you can do in this cell so just hang tight for now. There's a poem on the back wall if you want some reading material. Deputy Wheeler will come by after a bit and interrogate you. Tell him the truth to learn that he can see the monsters around town too. He'll let you out. Just follow him around for now; all the doors are locked anyway. When he tells you to run for the chief's office, run down the hall but stop when a Schism bursts open a door. There's a PHOTO in this room. Don't worry about Wheeler: he's got your back with that shotgun and I'm fairly sure he can't be killed here. Enter the door to your left at the end of the hall, and the second door on your left in this new hall will be the chief's office. Wheeler will give us a 12 GAUGE SHOTGUN. Save your shots; this is important. The STATION MAP is to the left of the door. Head for the green-lit exit and hack away the boards. Schisms are going to break in and attack. Their attacks involve them swinging their bladed head and slicing you. Schisms are pushed back easily with even the knife, so you should combo, back up, wait for them to attack, and then go in swinging. You can also use the doorway to get them to funnel in towards you and take them out with a firearm. Shotgun blasts make quick work of Schisms, but you should save those shells and you will see why in a bit. The doorway is a good way to make knifing them one at a time easy. The first two can be taken on one at a time; after them, two attack at once. Carefully lure them to you through the green-lit doorway and take them on in that small space. Sounds crazy, but you can get them up against a wall easily, making it hard for them to turn around and attack. The second will not attack while you are fighting the first one. You can also just run past them since we will not be coming back through this area, and Schisms are kind of slow. Enter the men's restroom for a HEALTH DRINK. Jump over the broken window pane for another HEALTH DRINK. Another Schism will likely attack you in the lobby. Down the east lobby hall, you will be forced to crawl into a room with two Schisms. This is one time where you might consider taking one out with a shotgun blast (Hard mode players might need to use two or all three of their shells) and finishing the other normally. There is more SHOTGUN AMMUNITION on a filing cabinet in this room, which is good because you need it. Hack away the boards and enter the garage. There's a Schism hiding back by the police car here. Take it out with your weapon of choice. Read the memo on the trunk of the car and enter the little office. There's a keypad-locked safe here. The memo said "Only time will tell who has the will to live." Well, what time is it? It is and forever will be 2:06. Enter 206 to unlock the safe for SHOTGUN AMMUNITION, PISTOL AMMUNITION, and a HEALTH DRINK. Pull the lever on the other wall to open the garage doors. Equip the shotgun before heading out. Now do you see why I wanted you to save those shells? This beast is called Siam, and the only safe way to take it out is with a ranged weapon. When you gain control, run away from Siam. Once you feel you've got enough room, open fire. Unfortunately, shotgun blasts do not slow it down, so if Siam catches up to you, you need to drop what you're doing and run. When you run out of shells, switch to the pistol. Close range combat is possible but not advised. Nothing you have will stop it from swinging those massive arms to knock you on your back. Almost every punch it throws will knock you to the floor. If this happens, it will continue to pummel you while you're down. Keep your distance. ============================================ Sewers [swr] ============================================ Time for a sewer level! Head forward and Elle will point out a valve by gate 3. Turn it and let her under, and she'll return the favor. The path here is pretty linear. When you drop down into the water, watch for Lurkers. They will target Elle as well as Alex. It probably goes without saying that she can die here and will net you a Game Over if she does. However, I've never seen this happen, and you'd have to stand around idle for a while before she took enough hits to kick the bucket. She will not fight or run when an enemy appears; she cowers in place instead. Out of the water, you'll find PISTOL AMMUNITION x2 on the blue tank. After dropping down, look to your left for a raised area with a wire fence. Pry it open with your steel pipe and turn the valve back here to drain some water up ahead. Ignore the area with the ladder you just drained and go past it for a save point and a small room with the SEWER MAP and SHOTGUN AMMUNITION. Drop down into the small pool you drained and climb up the other side. Continue along the linear path. Look for a raised area to your left when heading south; there's a HEALTH DRINK up there. Turn the valve at the end of this path to let Elle under the gate. She can't do the same this time, so you have to backtrack all the way to where you first dropped into the sewers. Needlers are going to attack you on the way, too. Either fight or run; it doesn't matter. Just know that Needlers can climb ledges after you. Stand by gate number 4 and Elle will raise it for you. A Needler will attack first thing through. Use Elle as bait if you want. It's a good way to get behind the monster to attack its weak side. Along this path, look for an alcove to your right with SHOTGUN AMMUNITION. You will need it. Another Needler will attack from an alcove. Kill it and drop down the ladder it was guarding. In the spillway, two Lurkers are lurking. Elle will cower in fear until they are gone, meaning you must kill them to proceed. Climb up on the other side once they're gone. Kill the Needler here and go to the far end of the hall for SHOTGUN AMMUNITION and PISTOL AMMUNITION. Pull the lever by the light to open the gate to your left. Make the long drop and look around for a room with a save point. Head right for the main drain chamber. There is a gate here that you must let Elle through. After this, you are stranded and three Needlers will attack. It is highly recommended that you run back to where the save point is. That way, you can take them on almost one at a time since they will be slow in following you. I don't know what it is about Needlers in the sewers, but they have a habit of attacking you and then inexplicably running away, only to turn right around and come back. Save your ammo though. You'll see why. When all three are dead, you should hear some interesting sounds coming from Elle's location. Head back to the main drain chamber with your shotgun out. Turn around as soon as you hit the gate because a Siam is barreling up right behind you. The gate opens once it's dead. Be sure to check the alcove to your left in this new hall for a PHOTO. Oh, and there's copious amounts of blood on the ground ahead. Follow it out into the fresh air. You'll emerge outside your house, but the front door is inaccessible. Head down the street to get a call on the radio. Two Ferals are up ahead on either side of the street. Go to one side and then the other to confront them one at a time. You destination is the doctor's office, circled on your map. Just look for a trail of blood outside and follow it in. Check behind reception for a HEALTH DRINK. The only open door here is the last one on your right. There's a PHOTO on the counter, lots of creepy dolls, and a small locked box on the dresser. Examine that box, and when you go back out to the hall, a horde of nurses will attack. And I mean a horde. Don't be afraid to pull out the shotgun here. They all came out of the room next door. There's SERUM on the counter and a SMALL KEY and a note on the medical table. Use that key to unlock the box in the previous room. Alex will faint yet again. ============================================ Hell Descent [hld] ============================================ SCARLET'S DOLL in hand, take a look around to learn you don't have much of a choice in where to go. This area is the only one in the game without a map, so please bear with me as I try to lead us through in a coherent manner. Go straight until you see Josh, but don't follow him, as it's a dead end. Go left instead. Follow this path and look for a stairway to your right that leads down. Jump across and button mash A to climb up safely. Go left now and look to your right for a place where you can jump across. Jump over the fan and look to your right. There is a doll at the end of this short hallway. Examine it for a cheap scare or bypass it and jump down the fan shaft. Kill the Swarms down here and grab the PISTOL AMMUNITION. Keep going, going, going until you hit a dead end marked by an "Exit" sign. Back up and look to one side to see a place where you can drop down. Head up those stairs and get the HEALTH DRINK there. Turn around and go down those stairs. Keep on ever downward until you see Josh. Get out the pistol and look to your left because there's a Smog for you along with a CHILD'S DRAWING to your right. Up ahead, jump across and go left. Drop down, turn left, climb down, keep going left, and the next time you drop down, keep going forward. After you climb down a ladder, go over to where the two cages are and look right for a spot where you can squeeze through. Behind the fan awaits a CROWBAR. Backtrack. When you see a red "Biohazard" sign, you know you're back to where you need to be. Hit the switch on the wall to stop the fan ahead. When you drop down and see Josh run away, look in front of the nearby fan for a CHILD'S DRAWING. In the room with three fans, duck under the one not working, cut open the fleshy wall, kill the Swarms, pull the switch, duck under the nearby fan, and then drop through the hole in the floor. The next big room has six fans you can manipulate. Before you do anything, duck under the fans numbered 3 and 2 to get the SERUM. Go back out. ============================================ Manipulating the Fans ============================================ There are five switches here to control the fans, located on the walls between the fans they affect. One switch is connected to two fans, and they work by turning one off and the other on. They will not work if both fans they are connected to are either on or off. For instance, the switch between fans 3 and 4 will not operate right now since they are both off. We want to go through fans 4, 5, and 6 to get out. Flip the 4/5 switch to turn on number 4. Then flip the 3/4 switch to turn on number 3. Now flip the 2/3 switch to turn on number 2. Go back and flip the 5/6 switch, then the 4/5 switch, and finally the 3/4 switch. You should now be able to safely duck under fans 4, 5, and 6. Continue on and you should see a save point at the base of the ladder if you need it. We're almost home free. After dropping down another ladder, you should see Josh. Follow him to a brick wall, where a new hallway will appear. At the end is Dr. Fitch. Talk to him and give him Scarlet's doll. ============================================ Scarlet ============================================ Three cheers for awesome, creepy-as-hell boss music! Scarlet looks intimidating, but don't be fooled. Her only attacks are swiping with her arms and slamming them down for a shockwave-like attack. Scarlet makes really wide motions with her arms before she swings, so there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to dodge in time. The only thing that might trip you up is when she swipes twice: first in one direction and then the other. Do a rolling dodge when she raises an arm high and slams it down. To damage Scarlet, you need to hack away at her porcelain body. The fire axe is perfect for this. Dodge a swipe then hack away until she starts collapsing. After a while, you should get a button prompt for a finishing move. Don't worry if this takes a while; that's normal. Scarlet's second form is faster, and she's going to hop around the area for a bit. Stay in combat stance and get ready to hit B when she comes your way. The only way to really damage her is to wait for her to crawl on the ceiling. Get ready to hit B when it appears on the screen to dodge her attack. If you were successful, she will crash to the floor, inviting Alex to finish her. Try it and she will push him away and continue the assault. You can try to attack her normally; a fast weapon like the knife is good for a combo when she's in your face. A safer way is just to wait for her to knock herself silly from falling down. The only buttons you need for this stage are the left trigger, B, and X. Afterwards, you'll awake in Dr. Fitch's office, no better for your ordeal. Except now we have the FOUNDERS KEY. Alex will clue you in as to where to use this. To the Town Hall! ============================================ Shepherd's Glen [sg2] ============================================ Now that we have an axe, go to the north hall (through the door to your left when you first enter) and hack away the boards there. P.S. - There are Smogs in the building now. Push the bookshelf on the left wall to reveal a CHILD'S DRAWING. There's a painting here of Alex's ancestor, one of the founders of Shepherd's Glen. However, it's been taken off the wall and this office is laid bare. Enter the central room and look for a pedestal at the eastern end of the room. There is a keyhole here, prefect for our newest key. Go down the gaping hole in the floor and look on the ground ahead for a FIRST AID KIT. Go left or right, doesn't matter, until you hear white noise and see a narrow doorway in the wall. There are three nurses in here, but if you turn off your flashlight and walk, you can avoid fighting them. If you want to clear them out, get their attention and use the doorway to get them to funnel in towards you single-file. You can use this to try and take them out with a well-placed shotgun blast, too. There are four books to be read in this room. Check the right wall to see a cross by the little lamp. You will get the CEREMONIAL DAGGER, a combination melee weapon/key that will replace your combat knife for the rest of the game. The wall opposite of the way you came in, between the two books, is the first opportunity to use your new key. It doesn't look like a door, but stand in front of it for the Unlock prompt, equip the dagger, and Alex will use it. This next series of hallways only gives you one way to go, but there's lots of dead ends. Go right, right, left, right, right, left, and climb up and out. We're back in the Founders Garden in Rose Heights Cemetery and our destination is the Shepherd home. Let's take a quick detour first though. Before you leave the mausoleum, look to your left for a CHILD'S DRAWING. Unlock the door, go across the way, and unlock the other mausoleum here to get the SERUM inside. Look in the upper level of Founders Garden to the right of the northern exit for some PISTOL AMMUNITION, which will come in handy. (Thanks to Ack for finding this.) Now exit the cemetery north. In front of the S.G.P.D., there should be PISTOL AMMUNITION where the first aid kit was before. Check near the billboard where Elle was hanging flyers. There's PISTOL AMMUNITION and a PHOTO here. Dodge the Smogs all the way back to Curtis' place to find SHOTGUN AMMUNITION x2, a HEALTH DRINK, and the realization that Curtis finally skipped town. (Thanks to Hari and Mr. Trenchy for pointing out this side trip! Kory has also pointed out that if you didn't get the child's drawing behind Elle's billboard when you first saw her, you can get it now.) Go back to the cemetery now. To get home, we need to go all the way through Founders Row, the family crypts, the East Garden, and the old crypts to Barker street. There are lots of Smogs about, but it's not worth it to kill them since this is our last trip through this cemetery. After Founders Garden, run past or kill the two Smogs when you drop down into the next area because they are guarding a FIRST AID KIT and SHOTGUN AMMUNITION. When you reach the north block of family crypts, hack away the boards covering the first door you see. There's a "CHROME HAMMER" PISTOL in here. Two Ferals will attack in the East Garden, one in front and one from above. Stand your ground after jumping down and slash away in front of you. As long as you have your back to the wall, you're okay. Continue on and enter the gate with the "Beware of DOG" sign. Go in the back door; we've got boards to hack. Clear the only blocked door in the kitchen and enter the dining room for a FIRST AID KIT. Go back outside and head downstairs via the cellar door. Unlock the secret side room with your dagger. There's a "BLUESTEEL" SHOTGUN in the cabinet and the ATTIC KEY on the table. Use it upstairs. This is dad's room. Through the door here is the attic. Look to the left side of the room for a PHOTO on some boxes. Not a very flattering picture of Alex. Go back a bit and look for a bookcase. Push it to reveal a door. After the flashback, look to your right to read something on Alex's dad's desk. Adam was a pretty decorated soldier. Now, look to the other desk for an annoying sliding puzzle. ============================================ The Shepherd's Glen Seal ============================================ The idea here is to slide the pieces to recreate the town seal. If you need to know what that looks like, back out of the puzzle and take a look at the flag above the desk. The sliding pieces are not all square, so this puzzle is harder than it looks. Use the right analog stick to select pieces and the left stick to move them. I have gotten confirmation from Dynamic Sheep that puzzles can be reset, so if you want to start over, exit the Shepherd house entirely (that is, leave out the backyard gate so you get a loading screen with tips for fighting, not just a blank one) and then come back. If you haven't touched the pieces or have reset, here is a list of steps to finish the puzzle. To make this easy, I'm going to reference the pieces as if they were on a table. For example, the upper left piece is in row 1, column 1. Ready? Here we go: row 1, col 3/4: move left row 2/3, col 4: move up row 3, col 2: move down row 3, col 3: move left row 4, col 3/4: move up row 4, col 2: move right twice row 4, col 1: move right twice row 3, col 2: move down row 3, col 3/4: move left row 2/3, col 1: move down row 1/2, col 4: move down row 1, col 1: move down You will find a LETTER FROM MY FATHER and a MAP OF SILENT HILL. Go downstairs to share this with mum. ============================================ The Attic [aic] ============================================ Read the writing on the wall to your right and check out the switch on the left. There're four lights, one for each member of the family. I have to tell you now that if you want to really analyze what's going on with the Shepherds, you need look no further than this hellish house. Really analyzing puzzle solutions for this section of the game is hard without spoiling some plot. Leave the switch alone, we'll tackle the first light first. Look in the living room (where your mother was until recently) for a save point and an ANGRY MASK. Now enter the only open door downstairs to get into the kitchen. Swarms are in here, setting off your radio. Get the HEALTH DRINK and FROWNING MASK off the counter. Pay attention to what Alex says when he picks it up. Through the only open door in the kitchen are two corpses on a cross of some kind. This is the purpose of the masks, but we don't have all of them yet, so head upstairs. Look right and get the CLEAVER from under the window. Go through the nearby double doors and jump across to what used to be mum's bathroom. Get the INDIFFERENT MASK. Turn around and look in the tub for a STUFFED RABBIT. Go back down and through the kitchen to the two bodies. ============================================ The Two Masks ============================================ Read both sides of the cross. The first side says, "To hide her pain, this face she did wear." The back side says, "Behind this mask her heart was laid bare." This is obviously talking about Alex's mother, if not for the comments Alex has made about the masks, then for the reference to the person as a "she". Mother Shepherd is the only female Shepherd we know. Alex said the angry mask sort of reminded him of his mother, meaning she got angry sometimes (who doesn't?) but not enough to make that look perpetual. When you picked up the frowning mask, Alex said he never remembered his mother being so sad. When you picked up the indifferent mask, Alex said, "Just like mom." The corpse in front, the one hiding her pain, should wear the indifferent mask because it's the face she always wore. The corpse in back should be wearing the frowning mask because something is definitely troubling Alex's mother, but she never let it show. It's not something that would make her angry but incredibly sad and depressed, enough to make her practically dead to the world around her. Place these two masks and a corner of the front door will light up. We're done here, so go back to the main hall, but watch for a Schism attack. Flip the switch to open what used to be the attic door upstairs. Go up and look to your right for a generator-like machine on a track. Push it to reveal a HEART OF DARKNESS MEDAL. In the attic, there's a Schism to your right. You can try to avoid it by turning your light off and staying away. He's just kinda tucked in the corner. Across from him, behind you, is an area in the pipes you can squeeze through for PISTOL AMMUNITION and SHOTGUN AMMUNITION. Look to the left of the entrance (right, if you're facing it) for a pipe you can duck under. There's a mannequin here wearing the VILE ACTS MEDAL. A Schism will attack, but you can just duck back under the pipe. Now go left and squeeze past the big pipe here. That's a Schism on the floor. Traverse the pipes to your right until you reach the attic room. Another medal, the FALLEN STAR MEDAL, lies here. Check out the military jacket for another puzzle. ============================================ Medals of Dishonor ============================================ Did you notice the box for the medals when you picked up the last one? (If you missed it, enter first person view to take a good look.) The Fallen Star medal was in the leftmost slot. The middle slot, if you look closely, is fitted for the Heart of Darkness medal, and the rightmost slot is pointed, perfect for the Vile Acts medal. Mirror this set-up on the jacket, and another corner of the front door will light up afterwards. Go downstairs. Pull the lever and go back upstairs to where Alex and Josh's room was. Another puzzle, but this one is easy. Inside, to the right of the door is a memo about patient 206. Go ahead and cut open the way to the side room to get the BUTCHER KNIFE and CHILD'S DRAWING. Now about that puzzle... ============================================ Light and Time ============================================ Look at the lit spot on the wall for a poem. If you are having trouble reading it because of the text, open up the journal and read it from there, or just read it here: "Nobody saw when you were crying on your bed. I wanted to help you, but I hid myself instead. "The ticking of a clock, then suddenly not. Fate left me here, in shadow I will rot. "Under my covers the darkness kept me in. Only the daylight can save me from my sin." Note the line referring to "the ticking of a clock, then suddenly not". We've been told the clocks in town have all stopped at 2:06. Every reference to time up to this point has pointed to 2:06. Also, the memo by the door was placed there almost as if to remind you of this very important recurring number. Look behind you for a clock-like dial on the wall. Move the left analog stick left and right to select a hand of the clock, then move it up and down to set the time. Set it to 2:06 and the panels on the wall will open. One window is lit; remember the line in the poem about how "only the daylight can save me from my sin". Investigate it and place Robbie there since he is the only thing in our inventory that looks appropriate (you'll get a more concrete reason later). Another corner of the door is lit. Pull the lever one last time to open the way to the basement. The path down here is linear, but there are Lurkers. Make your way to dad's secret room. Pull the BOGEYMAN KNIFE from the Schism's body and take a look at the work bench. Don't break a sweat over this "puzzle". You should have three knives now; just place them in their appropriate spots on the rack: the butcher knife up top, the cleaver to the right, and the big knife in the Schism's head. Go upstairs and open the front door. ============================================ Dark Times [dkt] ============================================ Climb up the wooden dock and through the hole in the wall to emerge on the city streets. See the storm drain up ahead? Lurkers are going to spawn intermittently from those things, so listen for the tell-tale signs. After the call on the radio, look right for a narrow entrance into Dargento Cemetery. This is a completely optional side trip, but you must make it if you want all the 360 achievements and the rifle. Follow the path and look to your left for a SAPPHIRE on the bench. In the area ahead is a statue of the mythological figure Janus, guarded by a Smog. Examine the statue to find that it's a puzzle. ============================================ Dargento's Hidden Treasure ============================================ There are two holes in the side of Janus' marker, one marked "1 The New" and another marked "12 The Old". What does this mean? That sapphire we picked up must have something to do with it. Examine it in your inventory to see that Alex notes that the sapphire is the birthstone for September. Why would he note that unless it were important? From this hint alone, we can discern that the holes in the Janus statue require the birthstones for the first and last months of the year: January and December, "new" being a reference to the new year and "old" to a year about to end. We've solved the puzzle already and we don't even have the pieces yet. Remember this place; we'll be back shortly. Go back out to the street and head all the way south to the bait shop. Go around to the back for a save point, a CHILD'S DRAWING, and PISTOL AMMUNITION. There's another entrance to the cemetery across the hole in the street. This one puts you in the Sun Garden. As soon as you exit the wide area, look to your right to see a section of the wall that can be torn down with the axe. You'll find the GARNET to your right, on a bench. This is the January birthstone needed for our puzzle. You can use the gate behind you to access the Janus statue to put the garnet in the "1 The New" hole. Go back the way you came. The gate to the Moon Garden is locked, so we're done here for now. Alex will call Wheeler outside the prison gate. Keep going west down the road and through a door to a new section of town. Go to the circled area on your map, and Alex will call again. Our new destination is the Water and Power Plant, but you must go through the boiler room to the south to get there. Kill or run past any Lurkers hiding in the water here, and be sure to grab the HEALTH DRINK on the machinery before leaving. Outside, head right to the barricade in front of the boiler room. There's some RIFLE AMMUNITION on the window sill. Go over to Alchemilla Hospital's easternmost side to find a BLOODSTONE, which we actually won't be needing because we've already solved that puzzle, and red herrings mean nothing to us. Now head to the front gate in the middle of the front of the building. There's SERUM on the bench to your left. Toluca Lake and Power is sealed shut, so you need to enter from the Toluca Lake Offices next door. The entrance is across from the church. There's a newspaper on the desk on your left and PISTOL AMMUNITION to your right. Go through the lower landing and head west to the office. Nab the HEALTH DRINK and the TURQUOISE in the sink. This is the December birthstone we need for the Janus statue. Jump across the gaping hole to a room with a save point. Hack your way into the kitchen area. The TOLUCA LAKE AND POWER KEY is on a desk. Backtrack to the lower landing area and use your key in the door to the east. Ignore the noise and look right for a whiteboard with some writing on it. There are three valves in this area marked A, B, and C which need to be turned in a certain order. Hold off on that for now. There are Order members patrolling the wide area. Pipe wielders are especially annoying because of their dodging ability, but they aren't as bad as the guys with rifles. Rifle guys deal lots of damage with a simple melee attack, so use your pistol on them. Your radio will not go off when they are near, but they will yell out at you, which is just as good. There's two for now, one up top and another on your level. Look in the southeast corner of your map for some PISTOL AMMUNITION. Up on the second level, look to the northwest for a FIRST AID KIT on the wall. Outside the foreman's office is RIFLE AMMUNITION x2. To the left of the office door is a notice. ============================================ Cut the Power ============================================ Read the foreman's notice to learn that the boiler must be shut down first. The whiteboard downstairs said the boiler was valve B, so turn it first. It's right next to you. Now, the other two valves control the water (A) and the steam (C). Let's think for a minute. If we turn off the steam valve first, then that would mean the steam generated by the already-boiled water would have no way to escape and could spell major problems. Therefore, if you try to turn valve C before A, the fail-safe system will kick in. Turn off the water after the boiler, and then turn off the steam. In other words, turn the valves in this order: B, A, C. Then pull the lever behind you, overlooking the area. The power will go out. Two Order members will attack after this; they're downstairs. Stay on the second level and let them come to you. The pipe guy will climb up and you can take him on up here. The rifle guy will attempt to snipe you, but he is a bad shot. Pull out your pistol and snipe him back. Backtrack all the way to the prison gates. Toluca Lake and Power apparently powered the sun in Silent Hill because it's dark out now, too. Run past any monsters on the street to and through the boiler room. Pull out your shotgun as you approach the prison because a Siam is going to greet you. DO NOT ENTER THE PRISON YET! It's time for us to get our rifle. If you don't want it, then skip the next paragraph. Go past the prison to the previous map of Silent Hill, the one with the two cemetery entrances. Go back to the Janus statue and put the turquoise in the "12 The Old" slot and you can grab the MOON GARDEN KEY. Based on its name, you should know where to use this. Kill the Smog in the Moon Garden, as he is guarding the M14 ASSAULT RIFLE. Lock 'n load. Take the time to read some of the cryptic-looking graves here. Head back to the prison now. There's a HEALTH DRINK on the dumpster by the front door and a PULASKI AXE in the back of the broken-down truck in the yard. Look for a corridor/alley to the left of the entrance to get in using a side door. ============================================ Prison [prs] ============================================ Save if you need to. When you come to a locked gate, look in the office next to it for a lever to open it. Hack open the first doorway you see for a FIRST AID KIT. Go around and use your dagger to break open the glass to access the other side of this room. A prisoner's note is here. Go through the door here and then through the double doors to your right for some PISTOL AMMUNITION. The PRISON MAP is on the wall of the large area. Behind you is a note on a table from a disgruntled electrician. Open the door near where you found the map for a HEALTH DRINK, then climb up the stairs. Jump across to the office on this level. Examine the TV monitors, check out the gate panel controls, and pull the lever to open cell block B. Two Order members are ahead. B5 has a newspaper. Pull the lever to open the stairwell. B2 has a prisoner's letter. Across from there is some RIFLE AMMUNITION. Through the double doors into the next cell block, two Order members attack. Pull the lever on the wall to free Wheeler and prepare for a Siam attack. Lin has e-mailed in to confirm that Wheeler can actually die here, so you many want to give him a helping hand. Follow him, and when you pass a hole in the wall of the upper guard room, enter and get the CHILD'S DRAWING. Wheeler will lead you back to the office with the gate panel, which he will miraculously get to work. Jump over to cell block A. Check cell A6's sink for a HEALTH DRINK. Go through the double doors here only to find the electric gate won't work. Go back and Wheeler will unlock the gate to the stairs. A Needler is going to come out of A1. Kill it and the door across from the cell will open. Head into the shower area. Two Needlers will attack. Unfortunately, you must kill them because the way out of here demands you break down a wall with your axe. Your crowbar will make short work of them using the light, heavy attack combo. Head through the power room and up the stairs to a save point. Go through the only open doors and follow the hall to a jammed door. Wheeler will come back. Go back to the stairs and he will open the gate at the base of them. In A block, go ahead and go straight through the double doors opposite to find a broken keypad. Crawl into cell A11 and check the vehicle in A10 for a LOOSE WIRE. Go upstairs, grab the HEALTH DRINK, and jump across to the upper guard room to see why the keypad won't work. We need two more wires. Luckily, they're in close proximity. A RADIO WIRE is for the taking in cell A20. Go through the double doors and check the station here for a SCRAP OF WIRE left by that cranky electrician. Go back to the guard room and stick all your wires in the box on the wall. ============================================ Rewiring the Prison Keypad ============================================ This rewiring puzzle is exactly like the one at the hotel, only somehow more frustrating. Trial and error seems to be the name of the game for this one. Try numbering the wires and connectors and trying different number patterns. If you get tired of guessing, here's the answer: Pretend the wires (connected at the top) are numbered 1-5 from left to right, and so are the connectors at the bottom. Match them up in this order: Wire 1 (white) to Connector 2 Wire 2 (green) to Connector 3 Wire 3 (yellow) to Connector 5 Wire 4 (blue) to Connector 4 Wire 5 (red) to Connector 1 Press X to turn on power not only to the keypad but also three switches. Pull the lever to your left. This opens A15. Jump across and get the SERUM. Now drop down and flip the two switches here. The leftmost one opens A12. Read the note here for a number which will help with the gateway to our freedom: 110391. It's our keypad code. The other switch opens A14, but there is nothing in there. Go out and punch in our number in the keypad. Welcome to solitary confinement. Someone is here for you, and you have a choice to make. It will directly affect which ending you receive. Make your choice, watch the consequences, and backtrack. In the room where we went on the wire hunt, a contraption will rise from the floor and something will retract into it. Trying to reach your hand in now will result in you steadily losing health until you pull it out again. ============================================ Three Little Riddles ============================================ How are you at riddles? Check the wall to your left (the south) for this message: I stand beside the holy man The monarchs fear my wrath None may move the way I can Ever the crooked path Look behind you for a dial on the monster contraption. These are all the possible answers to the riddle, and they're all chess pieces. Two chess pieces can be considered "holy men": the bishop and the king. The back row set-up on a chess board is rook, knight, bishop, king/queen. However, only one of these moves in a "crooked" path when no other piece can, not even the queen. It's the knight, which moves in an L shape. Turn the dial so the horse head points up. Check the west wall for this riddle: The man who devised it Does not want it The man who bought it Does not use it The man who used it Does not realize it Check the dial behind you for some guesses. There are only three that I can actually make out: a skull and crossbones, a coffin, and a sword. (The box- like one might be a cage now that I think about it.) The skull represents death and does not fit. The sword does not fit the riddle either; I would think one would know if they were using a sword. The only answer that fits is a coffin since no one really wants to use one, you don't really buy one for yourself, and you don't realize when you do use it. The last riddle is one that may trip you up: What man loves more than life Fears more than death or mortal strife What poor men have, the rich acquire And all contented men desire What misers spend and the wastrels save And each man carries to his grave? If you want to split hairs, any one of these (except omega and money) may be a possible answer. However, notice that one of the sides of the dial is blank. Nothing is a guess, and it fits. Poor men have nothing. Misers spend nothing. Contented men desire nothing. Turn the dial so the blank slot is up. Now go to the other side of the contraption and reach in. Drop down the hole. Save if you need to. Look for a hole in the wall you can squeeze through on the other side of this area. The path here is linear. Take care of the Needlers that attack further down. Right before you hit the circular room on your map, look left for a room with a save point, a FIRST AID KIT, and a HEALTH DRINK. Now open the sealed door. ============================================ Asphyxia ============================================ You'll find that Asphyxia fights an awful lot like Scarlet. Watch for her to swipe with her main pair of arms. She likes to do three swipes at once: two side-to-side and then she'll thrust upwards to knock you down. For this last one, try backing away instead of going to the side or she may still clip you. When her tail shakes, roll away because she's going to swing it in a circle around her. She will shake and screech before she attempts a grapple. Be ready to mash a button to get away. One last attack of hers is to spit up a black substance not unlike what a Smog does. It doesn't choke Alex but will still damage him and possibly knock him down. Equip a fast weapon (you can never go wrong with the knife) and slash her a couple times after you've avoided one of her combos. Her tail is her weak point, and the best way to get in position to attack it is by avoiding her grapple move. Once you get the pattern of her attacks down, dodging is easy. After enough swipes to her backside, you will get a prompt for the finisher. All it takes is one finishing move to end this fight. Follow Josh out the window to come upon the church. ============================================ Church [chc] ============================================ Look to the left of this area before you reach Josh and you should find PISTOL AMMUNITION x2. Run past the Smog ahead and turn the wheel to open the gate and go through. Then go to your immediate right for a HEALTH DRINK. Avoid the Smog up ahead and look to the right of the stairs for RIFLE AMMUNITION. Go inside. The CHURCH MAP is on a pew ahead to your right. Some hymn lines are further up on the right as well. There's some SHOTGUN AMMUNITION in front of the pews, still to your right. Examine the organ-looking device ahead and use your dagger. Note the Halo of the Sun as well; that design will be used for a puzzle later, but it's solvable without studying the symbol. Head back to the entrance and watch for a Schism. Go to the east wing. Look in the basin on the desk to get the last PHOTO. Ignore the white noise and turn the valve behind the baptismal font to grab the CHALICE PLATE. Swarms will attack. Turn around and look for some stairs to your left. An excerpt from a psalm is on the table here and a save point is ahead. Check out the confessional to learn that someone is inside. You have another choice to make here, one that will affect your ending. No matter what you decide to do, you can get the KNEELING MAN PLATE from the other confessional afterwards. Go past the save point for a HEALTH DRINK and, to your left, an UNLIT CANDLE. Go back to the main hall, but watch for two Schisms to attack. If you have the ammo for it, duck back behind the boards and shoot them safely from there. Be warned that they take a lot of shots to kill. At least shoot one and tackle the other normally if you can. Head across to the west wing. Examine the statue in this first room and place the unlit candle there to get the CANDLE PLATE. There's PISTOL AMMUNITION to the left of the statue. Up the stairs to the other part of the wing, you'll see a triptych. Get the HEALTH DRINK from the table and examine the paintings. You can cut through each of them but you really only need to slice the one of the man to find the TREE PLATE. As soon as you do, a Schism will come through the gate to your left. Before you go through that gate, look to your left behind the pews for SHOTGUN AMMUNITION. There's RIFLE AMMUNITION to your right and a FIRST AID KIT further down on a desk in front of the stained glass window. Equip your rifle and reload all your firearms before examining the middle pane. You'll get the SWORD PLATE, but a Siam will force you back to the main hall the hard way. Even worse, a second one will come up behind you. Run to the far end of the main hall. It's blocked by barbed wire so you can't escape, but you just need to make room between you and the Siams. Open fire when possible and when they close the gap, drop everything and run to the other end of the hall. Repeat as needed, switching firearms if you have to. We have all the plates for the five slots on the organ; time to open up a way out. ============================================ The Five Tenets ============================================ Let's tackle this in a clockwise motion, starting from the top. The first slot is labeled Vengeance. Think back to the circumstances under which we collected our plates. Which one would most call for an act of vengeance? How about the knight getting executed? When looking at it, Alex asked what the knight did to deserve such a death; such thoughts inspire vengeance. Stick the sword plate at the top. The next one is Desire. This one was best represented by the man chasing after the woman in the painting. Put the tree plate in this slot. Sorrow is next. Think back to the statue where we placed the unlit candle. After she uncovered her face, Alex noted that she bore a look of sadness. Put the candle plate in the third slot. Next is Sacrifice. The body in the baptismal font instantly comes to mind, especially since it's the only one that fits out of the remaining two. The sword plate might have been a candidate here, but the knight wasn't exactly being sacrificed, just executed. Put the chalice plate in the fourth slot. Penitence is the last one, a perfect fit for our friend in the confessional. Put the kneeling man plate in the last slot. The organ should open up, revealing something interesting. After the scene, you get the SHEPHERD FAMILY RING. Walk ... through your father and look to the left behind the wooden structure for a CHILD'S DRAWING. Get the HEALTH DRINK here and chase after the Bogeyman. Pressurized steam will shoot out of the pipes to your right at the base of the stairs, making it impossible to pass, as it will steadily drain your health. Go left to find some special mining clothing to put on to progress. Call the elevator and watch the scenes. ============================================ Underground [ugd] ============================================ After the scene, be prepared to mash A and then X to free yourself. Look around for two FIRST AID KITS, the LAIR MAP, a HEALTH DRINK, and your CEREMONIAL DAGGER. That's going to be one of your only weapons for a while. Head towards the area in sector 2 with rooms 211 and 212. There's an Order member in 212 and another one in the adjoining room, but he won't attack until you break the glass in-between. Relieve the corpse in 212 of his STEEL PIPE. There's SHOTGUN AMMUNITION in the little shelves, a book on the table, the SECTOR 3 KEY on the key rack and your MK 23 HANDGUN by the monitors. Exit out the door of this room (noting the list of names on the wall) and check to your left by the machinery up ahead for the last CHILD'S DRAWING. Two Order members of the pipe variety will jump you as you backtrack. Focus on one at a time and you will be fine. Head towards sector 3. After using your key, you should see another Order member patrolling this area. Hang outside the hall opposite 302 to hear some guys talking. Pry the door open to fight them. It's possible to get them one at a time. Inch forward with your light off until you see the outline of one of them. Quickly flash him with your light and he'll attack you while his buddy stays back. Follow this hallway and listen for a scream. Head to room 320 to initiate a scene. When it's over, climb over the gate to your left, push the shelf out of the way, and pry open the door. Curtis will attack you. Equip the knife, get him in your sights, and slash away. That saw is so slow that Curtis can't even lift it up before you do a whole knife combo on him. He wasn't even worthy of having to press X to finish him, but that doesn't mean he doesn't get a gory finishing move. Go back into 320 to get a FIRST AID KIT, a HEALTH DRINK, and a book on the cult. There's a ROOM 301 KEY on the wall in the area where you fought Curtis. Rejoin Elle and do the gate trick to get out. Watch out when you reenter sector 3: two Order members will attack, one of which has a rifle. Focus on the one with the pipe. Rifle guy is a really bad shot; he will even shoot his buddy instead of you, he's so bad. Empty your pistol on him and finish up with the knife or pipe. Unlock 301 for lots of goodies. To your immediate left is a memo about Shepherd's Glen. Keep right, and look for PISTOL AMMUNITION in the shelves here. Through the stretchers and dividers is all your stuff in a bag and more PISTOL AMMUNITION to your left. The last SERUM lies back behind all the shelves, as well as a HEALTH DRINK. Go back to the glass separating the two rooms. Look left for a flyer (Coffee and donuts?! Those monsters!) and right for a letter. Break the glass and raid this room for a FIRST AID KIT and a list of names of people who've been brought to this hellhole. Our destination is sector 1. Head to sector 2 and go north through the door here. Do the gate trick one last time after getting rid of the Order member. 113 is the only open door. Look left upon entering for the POLICE MARKSMAN RIFLE. (Svairt has hypothesized that health drinks missed during the game can be found along the same wall as the rifle, back in the corner of the room, so if you feel you have missed some, check here to restock.) Check the shelves for SHOTGUN AMMUNITION, and by the glass for a FIRST AID KIT and a book to read. Break the glass to see Wheeler. He's not dead yet, and whether or not you save him is the last decision you'll make that affects your ending (though Wheeler does not actually affect two of them). Exit out the only open door. In sector 1 proper, note the sound effects. We've heard this once before... There's a memo on the left wall as you head east. There's only one way to go here. In the circular room is our last big puzzle. ============================================ The Founding Families ============================================ Look at the pillars around this area and use your dagger to "unlock" four of them, making the text on the red windows legible. Make special note of the symbols on both the pillars and the top of the windows, two for each family. Now check the set-up on the floor: three inner circles and an outer ring, very much like the Halo of the Sun we saw earlier. The prescription pad on the floor is the only clue we have as to how the symbols should be set: that's Dr. Fitch's place. The symbols on the pillar represent the inner ring and the stained glass windows, the outer. Dr. Fitch's inner ring symbol is a stick figure. However, there are two stick figures on the inner ring. Make note of the Bartlett and Holloway inner pillar symbols, the mountains and the air, and check the machine in this room that controls the floor rings. There's only one way to get the stick figure in Dr. Fitch's spot while getting the mountains and air in the other two rings. Turn the inner dial twice using X. Now for the outer dial. Check the Fitch's stained glass to see that their other symbol is an eye. Holloway's is a scale and Bartlett's is I'm not sure what. Looks like a triangle with some squiggly lines. Again, even though there are multiple symbols on the ring, there's only one way to position them so they match their respective families. Turn the outer ring 8 times to match the family symbols in the inner and outer circles. How come there was no Shepherd family emblem in that puzzle? Well, because we need that to open this new door. Use the left analog stick up and down to rotate a ring, and push it left or right to switch between rings. The Shepherd family inner ring picture is a drop of water. The outer ring image looks like a trident of sorts. The door should open when the two are matched. Examine all the tombs here until you get to the Shepherd family's. ============================================ Amnion ============================================ Amnion's legs give him great reach, so break out all of your ranged weapons and shoot until your ammo is gone. Like with Siam, you need to get distance between you two before you can safely fire because Amnion will knock you to the floor and continue to pummel you if you don't get back up quickly. Along with swiping with his legs, Amnion can spew putrid sea water to knock you down, too. Unless you went crazy and used up all your ammo before this fight, you should have enough to knock Amnion into his second form. If not, you need to play the dodging game to get close. I would recommend the knife for this because Amnion is fast and will not give you much time to take a swing with anything else. The best time to go in for a melee attack is when he is spitting water because he rears up, occupying his legs, and it takes him a bit to recover his stance. The second stage is more dangerous because Amnion's front legs are now completely free to grab you and throw you around like a rag doll, which means no going near his main body. This stage is easier though because Amnion will get his front legs caught in the floor when he goes to grab you and misses, leaving you with the perfect opportunity to get close. Don't go in to attack him until he's got his legs stuck. This form will still spew sea water and swipe like crazy, so just hang back until you see the tell- tale rear and lunge. If you're having problems getting him to make himself vulnerable, try getting close to him. He won't try to attack if you're not in his range; rather, he'll just follow you around and try to spit water on you. It shouldn't be too long before you see him collapse on his back legs, belly perfectly exposed for a finishing move. Enjoy or lament your ending afterwards. If you happened to get all of Josh's photos, you get an extra scene after the credits, regardless of what ending you received. =============================================================================== Extras [xta] When you finish the game once, you get the chance to save, but you don't reload a finished game to access extras; select New Game to reap all the benefits. There isn't too much bonus content, but it's enough to add to the replay factor. ============================================ Endings ============================================ There are a total of five different endings. Which ending you get is directly affected by three tough decisions Alex must make in the latter part of the game: 1. Kill his mother out of mercy or no? 2. Forgive his father for years of mistreatment? 3. Save Wheeler or not? Different combinations of yes and no will yield a different ending each time. Ending 1 (The Good Ending): Forgive your father and kill your mother; what you do to Wheeler does not matter. This is your typical survival horror ending. Ending 2 (The Drowning Ending): Don't forgive your father but do kill your mother; what you do to Wheeler does not matter. This ending supposedly shows what would have happened if the fiasco on the lake never occurred. Ending 3 (The Bogeyman Ending): Don't forgive your father, don't kill your mother, and don't save Wheeler. Alex's unforgivable acts will catch up to him, turning him into a literal monster. Ending 4 (The Hospital Ending): Forgive your father and don't kill your mother. Probably the most realistic ending based on the story and all those memos scattered around. Ending 5 (The UFO Ending): Don't forgive your father, don't kill your mother, but do save Wheeler. Homecoming's ode to Silent Hill's sense of humor. If you would rather not play through the game five different times to get all the endings, make a separate save file in the prison before you meet your mother and again before you get the chance to forgive your father, get one ending, save your final progress in another slot, then reload one of your two saved games in the prison and church and play for another. As long as you save in a new slot after beating the final boss, you will keep your unlocked goodies for finishing. You get achievements regardless of whether or not you saved. (Thanks to Aspect_P for pointing this out.) There is also an extra scene to be had after the credits but is not technically an ending, as it will play no matter what ending you receive. You can see it only after having found all of Josh's photos. The children's drawings have nothing to do with it. ============================================ Costumes ============================================ Bonus costumes are unlocked by getting different endings and by knowing a little Konami history. Here's a list of what is awarded and when. Classic Alex: this is the default costume Young Alex: input the Konami Code at the start screen using the d-pad and face buttons; the code is up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B; a sound will play and you'll have got it Big Rig Alex: get Ending 1 (Good Ending) Order Soldier Alex: get Ending 2 (Drowning Ending) Bogeyman Alex: get Ending 3 (Bogeyman Ending) Orderly Alex: get Ending 4 (Hospital Ending) Deputy Alex: get Ending 5 (UFO ending) ============================================ Weapons ============================================ Two new weapons are unlocked during a New Game + after you've finished at least once or have gotten the UFO ending. Circular Saw: found in the Shepherd's garage on the tool bench Laser Pistol: found in Alex and Josh's room on the toy chest The saw is brutal but slow; you can get by without using it. The laser pistol comes with unlimited ammo. You can only access it after having gotten the UFO ending, and it's worth it, as it is incredibly strong and can take down the final boss in four shots. (Thanks to SilentEdge for pointing out the laser pistol's requirements.) =============================================================================== Memos and Documents [mmo] Thanks to a generous contribution from Valtiel's Silent Hill site (http://circleofdestruction.net/silenthill/) this guide now has a memo section. Most of the following memos were transcribed by the webmaster, so she deserves credit for the work (and transcribing is *a lot* of work). I tried to fill in the gaps where I could. Random signage like you find in the Hell Descent area is not included; neither are the tombstone inscriptions in any of the cemeteries. If, for whatever reason, you need a list of all the names in Rose Heights cemetery, I can oblige (I just have names, not dates or inscriptions). Author: nur_ein_tier E-mail: [email protected] Homepage: http://circleofdestruction.net/silenthill ============================================ Lobotomy Memo ============================================ The patient in room 206 is scheduled to undergo a trans-orbital lobotomy tomorrow. I�ve mandated that the following medications be doubled on the day of the procedure. ============================================ Missing Patient Bulletin ============================================ Room 205, patient went missing, last seen in the day room after a confrontation with another... "The rest of the message is blurred and illegible." ============================================ Security Memo ============================================ Attention Staff: Our security has been somewhat compromised - a patient used an X-Ray Film to write down the code for the security gate. We have recovered the first half, but the second half is still missing. Should you find the missing X- Ray piece be sure to notify the head of security immediately. ============================================ Incident Report ============================================ ...the patient proceeded to leap through the window and then ravaged the adjacent room. The patient was not responsive to verbal commands. Three staff members eventually subdued the patient. The patient entered a catatonic state and stopped responding to outside stimuli. Restraints were unnecessary during the following week's electroshock therapy sessions. ============================================ Combat Training Manual: Melee ============================================ Basic Weapons Combat Today's soldier needs to be prepared for the rigors of training and beyond. These are techniques that are going to keep you alive out in the field. Equipping a weapon: To equip a weapon, hold down or tap RB [right bumper] and use L [left analog stick] to select your weapon of choice. How to use combat stance and targeting: To get into your combat ready stance, pull and hold LT [left trigger] when a melee weapon is equipped. When you enter combat stance and enemies are present, you will automatically target the closest enemy in your field of view. If multiple enemies are surrounding you, the target will be the closest hostile. The targeted enemy will be highlighted by the flashlight. To change targets, tap R [right analog stick] in the direction of that target, typically left or right. To break targeting at any time, exit combat stance by releasing LT. Fast Attacks, Strong Attacks, Charge Attacks, and Combos: When in combat stance, press A for Fast attacks and X for Strong Attacks. Strong attacks can be charged up for added damage by holding down X. Successive Fast attacks followed by a Strong attack can make for uninterrupted strikes, known as Combos. ============================================ Patient Memo ============================================ The doctors say that I'm unable to discern fantasy from reality ... but I think I know what's going on around here. I saw those demons murder the other patients. I want to escape from this cursed place but I don't dare venture into the light. It seems that they're attracted to light. That's why people who need light to see are their natural prey. They also react strongly to sound. If you want to go on living, you'd be better off just sitting in the dark and staying quiet. But even that probably won't save you. ============================================ Patient's Letter ============================================ she's not here she's not here she's not here she's not here she's not here she's not here she's not here she's not here ============================================ Patient's Chart ============================================ SCHEDULE OF TREATMENT TYPE Electroshock DOCTOR Copen Doctor�s Signature is required after each entry. MONDAY 9:00 a.m. (signed) Dr. Copen TUESDAY 9:00 a.m. (signed) Dr. Copen WEDNESDAY 9:00 a.m. (signed) Dr. Copen 5:00 p.m. (signed) Dr. Copen THURSDAY 9:15 a.m. (signed) Dr. Copen FRIDAY 9:00 a.m. (signed) Dr. Copen 5:00 p.m. (signed) Dr. Copen 11:00 p.m. (signed) Dr. Copen SATURDAY SUNDAY Comments: Treatment has yet to achieve desired results. Patient is non- responsive. Please administer pureed foods only. ============================================ Electroshock Memo ============================================ ...setting the electroshock machine beyond the seizure threshold has yielded impressive results in the patients. The most violent and depressed patients are rendered completely docile... The only side effects have been minor: memory loss, some dislocated bones, one fractured leg, and a patient bit off his tongue. This accident was quite a nice side effect as this particular patient was also one of our noisiest. I�ve instructed the doctors to continue with this intensity level for all treatments. ============================================ Anniversary Banner ============================================ SHEPARD'S GLEN 150TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Saturday and Sunday, September 20th and 21st 2 BIG DAYS - RAIN OR SHINE Events kick off Saturday with a Parade down Main St. 10 am. FOOD - GAMES - RIDES - DUNK TANK FEATURING MAYOR BARTLETT! Period Costume Contest - Prizes will be awarded! Live Music and Entertainment by Eye of the Storm Admission is free. Bring the Kids! ============================================ History of Shepherd�s Glen ============================================ The history of Shepherd�s Glen is one of opportunity and enterprise. First settled nearly a century and a half ago, its founders came here as pilgrims, searching for a new home to practice their faith and ensure the prosperity of their four families. It soon flourished into a thriving small town. Shops and businesses sprang up on what is now Main Street. The turn of the century brought tourists, eager to explore the region�s lakes and rivers. And with tourists, came more business. In the 1950s, many of the original municipal buildings, such as the town hall and the library, were restored. The 1990s encouraged further investment, modernizing Shepherd�s Glen as it headed into the new millennium. But throughout its success, Shepherd's Glen has always managed to remain a close-knit community, maintaining the same ideals on which it was founded. One can only hope that the founding families would be proud, if they saw the town as it is today. ============================================ Newspaper Article in Town Hall ============================================ What should have been a normal school run home turned into tragedy last week when a freak thunderstorm washed a school bus into the raging torrent of the Toluca River. The normally placid river, swollen by nearly a week of record-breaking rainfall, was running almost 15ft higher than normal. Mark Ward, the conscientious school bus driver for Toluca County, was unprepared for what he found when entering River View Road that runs parallel with the river. The fast moving water eroded the soil underneath the asphalt, leaving it unsupported. The road suddenly collapsed as the bus pitched into the roaring river below. Carried along a white water ride for a 1/4 of a mile, amongst the screams of the petrified children, the bus became lodged under the aptly named Hope Bridge. Doctor Martin Fitch MD had just finished a house call and was on his way back to the office, following directly behind the school bus when the road gave way. Managing to stop in time Doctor Fitch got out of his car, braving the downpour, and ran alongside the river for 1/4 of a mile when the bus finally became jammed under the bridge. Without a thought for his own personal safety, Doctor Fitch jumped into the river and swam towards the bus. After breaking the rear window, he climbed inside to assess the situation. Inside he found a terrible scene. The driver, trapped by his safety-belt, had been killed when the front of the bus flooded. All of the 2nd and 3rd Grade Students survived without major injury, but appeared severely frightened by the events. The children were evacuated to the nearby Alchemilla Hospital in Silent Hill to recuperate after their ordeal. During the evacuation, the situation took another terrifying turn. His leg trapped by the partially crumpled front of the vehicle, brave 8-year-old Alex Shepherd was unable to move. Doctor Fitch knew that if Alex didn't drown, the cold waters of the Toluca River would put him into cold shock as his core temperature plummeted and he succumbed to hypothermia. Time was critical. The Doctor quickly stripped off his shirt: taking a hold of the boy, he wrapped his arms as tightly as he could around him, and then waited for the rescue crews to reach them. The heat and warmth of the doctor's body may well have been the only thing that saved Alex's life that day. It took the fire crews nearly 4 hours to finally free Alex from the wreckage of the school bus. During the entire time he was trapped in the bus, Doctor Fitch never left his side. For his feat of bravery the City council gave their highest award to Doctor Fitch, along with the Key to the City. Though tragedy struck for Martin Ward; the potential loss of all those children was averted by the selfless act of one man, Dr. Martin Fitch MD. ============================================ Letter from Mom to Dad ============================================ Adam, I know that you will soon return to me, but I miss you dearly and writing to you always calms my nerves. Everything here is the same, but with you gone, the house is so empty... ============================================ Newspaper in the Park ============================================ Paul Russell Douglas was executed for the murder of 8 children in and around Silent Hill and Shepherd's Glen areas, according to court records. He offered no resistance as he was arrested and strapped into the electric chair as officials, witnesses and reporters watched. "This execution is not going to stop anything." Douglas said. "I've worked and waited for this day. All that's left is to rejoin my lord." After preparations were completed, Douglas received a sudden blast of electrical current, followed by a two minute stream that jolted him back in the chair. Medical officials pronounced him dead at 2:09pm. ============================================ Note by the Phone ============================================ Adam, don't forget to ask Curtis about the engine. ============================================ Rose Heights Fountain ============================================ This fountain is hereby dedicated to the memory of Charlotte Borden by her loving parents. Taken suddenly from a life yet fulfilled - Born... the rest is illegible. Age 8 years old. "There's an additional inscription below." Inseparable, yet divided, two halves of the same person, in two places, now forever apart. ============================================ Rose Heights Puzzle Clue ============================================ The Guardian that once was whole Reveals the way that is shut Two Halves on Twins Enshrined Forever Split in Waters Divine Once whole but now split in twain Opens the way for souls to leave Find the plates and release their pain Once separate but now whole again. ============================================ Rose Heights Fountain ============================================ This fountain is hereby dedicated to the memory of Claire Borden by her loving parents. Tragically lost moments after her twin sister died - Born... the rest is illegible. Age 8 years old. "There's an additional inscription below." Inseparable, yet divided, two halves of the same person, in two places, now forever apart. ============================================ Combat Training Manual: Ranged ============================================ Basic Ranged Combat Equipping a ranged weapon: To equip a ranged weapon, press RB [right bumper] to bring up the weapon select screen, then select your ranged weapon of choice. Firing a ranged weapon: Hold down LT [left trigger] to enter precision mode. Press RT [right trigger] to fire the weapon. Performing a gun butt: While in precision mode, press A to perform a gun butt. Reloading a ranged weapon: Ranged weapons will automatically reload after you fire the last round in the gun, so long as you have additional ammo available. It is often advantageous to reload before you empty your gun, so you are not caught reloading in close combat. This can be done by pressing X. ============================================ Letter on Reception Desk ============================================ Paul, As Mayor Bartlett will be working in the Atrium late this evening, please make sure the exterior service doors are left unlocked. Mr. Jones ============================================ Memo on Dumpster ============================================ Don't forget to tape the big game! XXI ============================================ Messages on the Hotel Walls ============================================ I can't see my face. Maybe you will in 404. 405 scares me. I left my ducky in there. You can't wash it off. ============================================ Letter from Clayton to Sam ============================================ Sam, I can't thank you enough for all of your hard work in restoring the Atrium to its former glory. My illness continues to worsen, but it gives me great comfort that my Carol and I can find solace in the beautiful garden you've created. Thank you so much. -Clayton ============================================ Letter from Carol to Sam ============================================ Dearest Sam, I can't describe how much my life had turned a corner since you've begun tending the Atrium. With Clayton's illness slowly taking its toll, I've felt so lost and alone. Your presence and your gift in restoring the garden... It's the single ray of light in my tired life, and it brings me joy. Thank you for the many wonderful evenings we've spent together. It will be different - better - when I no longer have to pretend. All my love, -Carol x ============================================ Letter from Clayton to Carol ============================================ Carol, I'm struggling to the find the right words. My body was broken and now you've broken my heart too. I don't know why. I loved you unconditionally, gave you everything I had, I thought you loved me too. I guess I was a fool. There are things, things about Sam you don't know, and if you did, I guarantee you'd feel differently. I want to forgive you Carol, but I can't... I've simply nothing left. ============================================ Notice ============================================ Delivery Notice Alchemilla Hospital: -Two oxygen tanks removed and replaced with full ones for Mr. Doyle's suite. ============================================ Alchemilla Postcard ============================================ I long for the days before my illness overtook me. From my window I can see a large oak. The leaves are ablaze - yellow and red - and with each day more of them fall. When the sun is low, the shadows from its branches fall across my walls, but soon after the darkness fills the room. Please come and see me soon, I want to share one more memory with you, while I still can. Love always ============================================ Letter from Paul to Jim ============================================ Jim, They were there again last night. I saw Carol creeping towards the main ballroom and you know where that leads... I don't know what the old man would do if he were to find out- given his health, he might not make it. Do you think I should say something? -Paul ============================================ Lakeside Amusement Park Postcard ============================================ What a wonderful day! The smell of cotton candy and the sound of laughter filled the air. Days like this make me appreciate what it was like to be young and carefree. Family is the most important thing - and our children are the future. I only wish I could feel that innocent again. See you soon. ============================================ Toluca Lake Postcard ============================================ I have some sad news to share. Yesterday I took a boat out - as far as I could row - and I dipped my face into the cold clear water. As I leaned over the side of the rowboat, my necklace caught on the oar and the chain snapped. I saw your precious gift slip into the blackness. I wanted to dive in after it, but the water was so icy so deep. Please...forgive me. I miss you. ============================================ Poem on Prison Wall ============================================ All I want is freedom, To forget about my past. All I need is freedom, So my sanity will last. Are you seeking freedom, From this wretched metal cell? Then look no further than yourself For now you're trapped in hell! ============================================ Police Station Memo ============================================ Only time will tell who has the will to live. ============================================ Dr. Fitch Diploma ============================================ Southeastern University Upon the recommendation of the Faculty of The School of Medicine And by the virtue of the authority vested in them by The Congress of the United States the Board of Trustees of Southeastern University Has conferred upon Martin Fitch Medicine Doctor Together with all honors, rights, and privileges thereto pertaining. In recognition of all requirements for this degree. ============================================ Letter from Dr. Slater to Dr. Fitch ============================================ Dear Mr. Fitch, I was so disappointed that you missed our appointment last Thursday. This is the third time in a month that you've not appeared at the allotted time. I implore you to reschedule as soon as you can. We've made such progress over the past few months - I can't stress how important it is that we maintain regular contact to ensure a speedy recovery. I look forward to seeing you soon. Sincerely, Dr. Slater Chief Resident Psychiatric Department Alchemilla Hospital. ============================================ Ancient Book: Importance of the Keeper of Lore ============================================ To continue on the path we have laid before us, it is vital that the people remember the road traveled. We must continually provide, update and nurture accurate records of the past that cannot be challenged by outsiders. Once the lore has been handed over, The Keeper shall confine himself to an uncorrupted sanctuary. There he shall learn the history of The Founders. In God�s name, so shall it be. ============================================ Ancient Book: Importance of The Executor of Law ============================================ In defense of The Tenets, it is necessary that one person preside over the punishments of any members who have fallen from the Path. These rulings must be based on complete understanding of the laws set forth and must be executed without prejudice. The Executor Of Law must not waive in the responsibility of enacting this power, he must declare his oath, in public forum, to uphold the ideals of The Book. In God�s Name, so shall it be. ============================================ Ancient Book: Importance of The Performer of Rites ============================================ With the truth of the old believers fractured, it is essential that one person maintain and effectuate the modern sectarian rites we have toiled so faithfully to create and protect. After taking up the mantle of this post, The Performer Of Rites shall make a pilgrimage to the edge of the forsaken region to purify himself from the sins of the past. There he will beseech the forefathers for forgiveness and understanding. In God�s name, so shall it be. ============================================ Ancient Book: Importance of The Master of Arms ============================================ In the pursuit of creating a more perfect Way, rules must be followed and rules must be enforced. Any member who ignores this command shall be dealt with swiftly and in view of all. This shall ensure continued prosperity. It is, therefore, imperative that the effective Master Of Arms not waive in the responsibility of enacting this power until his last day in this life. In God�s name, so shall it be. ============================================ Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty ============================================ CERTIFICATE OF RELEASE OR DISCHARGE FROM ACTIVE DUTY NAME: SHEPHERD, ADAM J. RANK: COL PAY GRADE: O6 DATE OF BIRTH: 19540418 PLACE OF ENTRY INTO ACTIVE DUTY: FORT BENNING, GA LAST DUTY ASSIGNMENT AND MAJOR COMMAND: XVIIITH AIRBORNE CORPS STATION WHERE SEPARATED: FORT BRAGG, NC DECORATIONS, MEDALS, BADGES, AND CAMPAIGN RIBBONS AWARDED OR AUTHORIZED: GOOD CONDUCT AWARD, PURPLE HEART, SILVER STAR MILITARY EDUCATION: BASIC PARACHUTE TRNG, AIR ASSAULT CRSE, US MIL COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE TYPE OF SEPARATION: RELEASE FROM ACTIVE DUTY CHARACTER OF SERVICE: HONORABLE NARRATIVE REASON FOR SEPARATION: RETIREMENT I hereby certify that the attached document is a true and accurate record to the best of my knowledge. (signed) Adam J. Shepherd ============================================ Father's Letter ============================================ I have failed, and they know it. They blame me. They should. I swore to protect this town, but I can�t. The streets decay before our eyes. The curse we always feared has come upon us. Worse yet, The Order has returned, kidnapping and killing with impunity, brainwashing those they take in an effort to rebuild their flock. Whether they want to punish us for the exodus of our forefathers - or simply breathe new life into the old ways, I don�t know. But they�ve taken our people. The only thing left is to face the source of this evil, to fight it, and pray that some hopes can be restored. My sole consolation is that I�ve finally opened my eyes to the evil in Silent Hill. ============================================ Wall Memo in Shepherd's House ============================================ To escape to the future you must know the past We are bound to our pain, remember, and set us free. ============================================ Corpse Puzzle Clue ============================================ To hide her pain, this face she did wear... Behind this mask her heart was laid bare. ============================================ Upstairs Puzzle Clue ============================================ Nobody saw when you were crying on your bed. I wanted to help you, but I hid myself instead. The ticking of a clock, then suddenly not. Fate left me here, in shadow I will rot. Under my covers the darkness kept me in. Only the daylight can save me from my sin. ============================================ Power Company Notice ============================================ Notice: Due to the recent accidents we have implemented new system fail- safes. The generator will now only power down if the proper sequence is followed. First and foremost, the boiler needs to be shut down. Closing off any of the other systems before the boiler is closed will result in a system reset to prevent damage to the facility. "The rest is burnt and illegible." ============================================ Prisoner�s Letter ============================================ When you�re notified you have a visitor, an officer searches you, and then escorts you to the visitor area. You then get placed in a cage, get un- cuffed, and wait for your visitor. For the right amount, officers will let visitors bring things in. It�s against the rules, of course, but even high ranking officers do it ... I mean, who�s gonna stop them? After the visit is over, they strip you, search you, and let you get dressed. Then you get cuffed and escorted back to your cage. Seeing friends and family is the only thing that gives us hope. Dad, I hope you visit soon. Until next time, - Dave ============================================ Worker�s Note ============================================ I�m tired of the ridiculous time constraints you people give me! You ask me to fix the cameras, and then thirty minutes later you call and ask why I haven�t patched the hole in the wall yet! I�m tired of the mixed signals - someone just tell me what you really want! To whoever is reading this, do NOT touch my tools, I�m coming back to fix the god damn cameras after I brick up the god damn hole in the god damn showers! ============================================ Prison Newspaper ============================================ For any readers looking to enjoy that old Shepherd's Glen hospitality, you may want to reconsider your options. I recently stayed at the Shepherd's Inn, located conveniently just outside the downtown area. While our previous overnights at this location were memorable, the year since their Sesquicentennial Celebration has not been good to our neighboring burg. Our accommodations themselves were inhospitable, to put it mildly, and the locals seemed gruff and uninviting. Even the Town Hall, once a friendly way for tourists to learn about the area's culture, stood in disrepair. On day two-- "The rest of the message is blurred and illegible." ============================================ Prisoner�s Letter ============================================ Whoever gets this message, please help! We haven�t seen a guard in days. We�re hungry...Losing hope... Please help us! We�re dying in here. - Ron ============================================ Prisoner�s Letter ============================================ I�m going to kill you. I�m going to kill you. I�m going to kill you. I�m going to kill you. ============================================ Prisoner�s Letter ============================================ Kenny, I can�t wait to get the hell out of here. The god damn cooks are the ones who should be thrown into solitary. In order to eat, you�ve gotta have your light on, before the officer will put food on your tray. They make you kneel against the back wall when they�re dishing it out...otherwise you get nothin. Then the officer closes the window and you can eat your food, but then as soon as you get started they come back to pick-up the trays. The meals are never fully cooked, and sometimes the food is still cold in the middle. Also, they give you less than what a grown man would normally eat. I�ve seen the officers scrape most of it on the ground to make the tray lighter. We get juice, but it�s watered down, to be just like the food - tasteless. The first thing I�m gonna do when I get out is eat a god damn cheeseburger. - Bryan ============================================ Keypad Note ============================================ If anyone finds this note, I can help you access the gateway to your freedom. But to escape your fate, You must first visit solitary confinement Prisoner Number: 110391 ============================================ South Wall Riddle ============================================ I STAND BESIDE THE HOLY MAN THE MONARCHS FEEL MY WRATH NONE MAY MOVE THE WAY I CAN EVER THE CROOKED PATH ============================================ West Wall Riddle ============================================ THE MAN WHO DEVISED IT DOES NOT WANT IT THE MAN WHO BOUGHT IT DOES NOT USE IT THE MAN WHO USED IT DOES NOT REALIZE IT ============================================ North Wall Riddle ============================================ WHAT MAN LOVES MORE THAN LIFE FEARS MORE THAN DEATH OR MORTAL STRIFE WHAT POOR ME HAVE, THE RICH ACQUIRE AND ALL CONTENTED MEN DESIRE WHAT MISERS SPEND AND THE WASTRELS SAVE AND EACH MAN CARRIES TO HIS GRAVE? ============================================ Few Lines from a Hymn ============================================ Where shall my wondering soul begin? How shall we all to heaven aspire? ============================================ Excerpt from a Psalm ============================================ Blessed is the man who does not tread the path of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. ============================================ Through the Fog ============================================ Through the Fog - A Skeptic in Silent Hill by: Paul Scheible Silent Hill: A town known for its mysterious happenings and now-defunct cult, "The Order," which was recently exposed by Detective Douglas Cartland. But, what darkness really lies behind the simple veneer of this sleepy town? Paul Scheible�s latest book chronicles his research during a two-year stay in the town, including detailed interviews with long-time residents, cult documents you won�t find anywhere else, and an appendix of popular local legends. As expected, life in Silent Hill is far more mundane than you may have heard, and the "great evil" The Order sought to find originated from the same abyss whence all religions spring: nowhere darker than the fanatical minds of its followers. ============================================ Child�s Drawings Poem ============================================ Where is Steven, mommy? He can�t play and I�m sad. You mustn�t ask, my darling- Steven has been bad. Billy too, and Sally? Did they do something wrong? I�m afraid it�s true, child- all your friends are gone. Beware of he who took them- he goes by many names. The Bogeyman, the Shadowed One, but all are he, the same. For every sin a child has, must be a punishment to bear. Your friends are now beyond our reach: trapped deep within his lair. Remember always to behave, for sins he won�t abide. He wields a rusty, jagged blade, to cut out your insides. The lying little children, with souls selfish and small, Will find their wriggling tongues cut out, and nailed to his wall. And if they take what is not theirs, there can be no doubt He�ll stretch their skin until it snaps, and all the blood drains out. The bullies with their spiteful wrath will find torment as well, Soon he will strike them where they stand and drag them into hell. Child, you must obey your parents: do everything they say. Little ones who do otherwise, he tortures in the flames. Beatings cleanse the soul, they say, and that is what he�ll do If you don�t control your anger then you�ll feel his anger too. You are your brother�s keeper, remember it always. Or else, the Bogeyman will chain you underneath the waves. And while good children live, bad ones cannot escape their fate For once you hear his screeching wail, it�s already too late. So do not cry aloud at night stay hidden in your bed... Or the Bogeyman from Silent Hill will come chop off your head. ============================================ Doctrine ============================================ Every child born of the flesh bears the Filth of the flesh that created it The lives of the un-pure are steeped in Filth and their deeds and words spread Filth through the world Even Death is not enough to cleanse generations of this Filth from the flesh. The only way to ensure these poor souls can live pure lives is to cleanse the flesh from their bodies. ============================================ Experiment Memo ============================================ The experiment failed. It was a shining hope for us all, but the weakness of a few has darkened that light for us all. However, we will survive, we must. Our purpose is too great to be halted and no cost is too great in the service of our Lord. Shepherd�s Glen is lost, and its people are doomed to Hell and don�t even know it. It falls to us, and our enduring Order to save them. We alone can offer them salvation, and their salvation lies here in Silent Hill where we belonged all along. Go, save them all. They are frightened and know not what awaits them if they refuse us, so give them the choice. JA RH DH GP ============================================ Propaganda ============================================ The time has come! These dark days are merely a test to find the worthy! None of you will survive the coming fires, you know this in your hearts. All of the horrors you may have witnessed are nothing compared to the Hell that awaits you. We know your fears; we know you are not mad. Flee to us for shelter from the coming storm. Flee to us to absolve your sins. Flee to us because you have nowhere else to run. Please join us at our weekly service, Fridays, 6pm at the Church of the Holy Way. Coffee and donuts served. ============================================ Note ============================================ I�m happy to report today I successfully converted seven subjects to serve the will of our divine lord. If God is willing, please take this as a sign of my commitment and spare my wife, for she does not know better. Yours, -Steve ============================================ Torture List ============================================ By decree of the ordained council, the following have been chosen to serve the will of our divine lord. Audrey H. Thomas S. Terri L. Maggie G. Mary A. Sarah E. David S. Julie J. Susie R. William H. Recie T. Milli A. Remember the penalty for not serving our lord is death. "Do not keep company with those who have not faith. For what is there in common between righteousness and evil, or between light and dark?" -AS ============================================ Set of Bylaws ============================================ 1. Commitment All Members of the Order must have fully committed themselves to this purpose in their beliefs, their activities and their lives. 2. Membership Membership within the Order is extended to all that seek the Old Ways. A. Levels of Membership a. Mother Circle -The Mother is considered the founding group of the Order. The name of the founding group is The Mother. b. Daughter Circle -Any Second Generation group hived off of The Mother. c. Servant Circle -Any Third Generation group stemming from The Mother. 3. The High Council The High Council is set in place as a tool for all within the Order to make use of. The purpose of the High Council shall be to aid in the process of group formation as needed, act as a governing body in matters pertaining to the Order as a whole, and to be a judge/jury if asked to settle disputes. 4. Grievances and Discipline Procedures All decisions made by the High Council are binding. Presenting your case before the Council implies your acceptance of their decision. Those seeking mediation must contact the Scribe. a. The High Council shall be called in to preside over disputes within a group to hear complaints and accusations of inappropriate acts, abuse of power by leaders and any other complaints that are deemed worthy to preserve the public image or internal integrity of the Order. b. The nature of the disciplinary action shall be decided at the sole discretion of The High Council. These actions shall contain, but not be limited to, assignment of manual labor, persecution of an individual member, banishment of an individual member, and banishment of a group. c. If an individual member wishes to leave the Order, they are required to bring their request to the High Council. ============================================ Shepherd Family Contract ============================================ We, the Family Shepherd, in order to ensure our continued protection and prosperity, do enter into this Holy Contract with our God, accept our duties as Master of Arms and willingly consign our child to the water in God�s name. ============================================ Holloway Family Contract ============================================ We, the Family Holloway, in order to ensure our continued protection and prosperity, do enter into this Holy Contract with our God, accept our duties as Keeper of Lore and willingly consign our child to the noose in God�s name. ============================================ Bartlett Family Contract ============================================ We, the Family Bartlett, in order to ensure our continued protection and prosperity, do enter into this Holy Contract with our God, accept our duties as Executor of Law and willingly consign our child to the earth in God�s name. ============================================ Fitch Family Contract ============================================ We, the Family Fitch, in order to ensure our continued protection and prosperity, do enter into this Holy Contract with our God, accept our duties as Performer of Rites and willingly consign our child to the knife in God�s name. =============================================================================== Achievements [acv] Xbox 360 players get the joy of completing a total of 32 achievements for this game. Beware before reading because some of these contain spoilers. I'm proud to say that the walkthrough will help you achieve every one of these, most of which can be gotten in a single playthrough. Alchemilla's Finest (10G): Defeated 1 Nurse Creeper Reaper (10G): Defeated 1 Swarm Sightseeing (10G): Found 1 Photo Kaufman's Handiwork (10G): Found 1 Serum Lurk No More (10G): Defeated 1 Lurker Eddie's Legacy (10G): Defeated 1 Feral Clear the Air (10G): Defeated 1 Smog To The Point (10G): Defeated 1 Needler Six Feet Under (50G): Defeated Sepulcher Split Personality (10G): Defeated 1 Schism Shades of James (20G): Defeated 1 Siam Blood Donor (50G): Defeated Scarlet Lock 'n' Load (25G): Found Rifle Out of Order (10G): Defeated 1 Order member Mercy (20G): Alex ended his mother's suffering Compassion (20G): Alex could not end his mother's suffering Catch Your Breath (50G): Defeated Asphyxia Josh's Gallery (50G): Found ALL Photos Forgiveness (20G): Alex forgives his father Angela's Choice (20G): Alex does not forgive his father Nursery Rhymes (50G): Found all the Children's Drawings Health Junkie (50G): Found all Serums Now about those drinks (25G): Saved Wheeler Head Above Water (50G): Defeated Amnion Smile! (50G): Achieved Ending 1 In Water (50G): Achieved Ending 2 Judgement (50G): Achieved Ending 3 Intensive Care (50G): Achieved Ending 4 No Dogs Allowed (50G): Achieved Ending 5 Rising Tension (25G): Found Circular Saw Science Fiction (25G): Found Laser Pistol The Old Gods... Haven't Left This Place (100G): Complete game on HARD difficulty. =============================================================================== Trivia [tvi] Silent Hill titles are known for sneaking in a lot of extra content with the gameplay and plot. This section will be ever growing to try and list as many things as I find, though contributions are always welcome. It's probably best to read all these after having played the game at least once, since these will hopefully give you a reason to play it again. Plus, THERE ARE LOTS OF SPOILERS UP AHEAD! ============================================ Silent Hill 1 References ============================================ Josh's mounted and framed bug collection is very much like Alessa's, which can be found in her room towards the end of the game. (Thanks, Seta.) When crossing Toluca Lake to get to Silent Hill, Deputy Wheeler tells Alex about a female cop he heard about that disappeared in town. This is Cybil Bennet, Harry Mason's only ally in the first game. Players get to choose whether she lives or dies. The Kaufman's Handiwork achievement is named for one of the doctors at Alchemilla that Harry encounters. Dr. Kaufmann was a drug trafficker and had ties to the Silent Hill cult. He also worked with White Claudia, a plant that had hallucinogenic effects and actually caused people to slip into the Otherworld. When Alex gets to Rose Heights and sees Mayor Bartlett digging a grave, he blurts out "What's that guy doing?" This kind of vague and obvious question is reminiscent of Harry's constant stupid queries. (Thanks to Zachery for sending this one in.) The doghouses you sometimes see around the streets in Homecoming might be a reference to the doghouse that holds a vital key in SH1. (Credit to Hugo for this find.) ============================================ Silent Hill 2 References ============================================ Most of the references to this game are in the achievements. Eddie's Legacy refers to Eddie Dombrowski, one of the three main characters called to Silent Hill. Eddie's first act of murder was killing a dog, hence the reason you get this achievement for killing a Feral. Shades of James is in reference to the protagonist of Silent Hill 2, James Sunderland. James was called to Silent Hill through guilt for killing his wife, Mary. This achievement is gotten by killing a Siam, a monster composed of both male and female bodies merged together. Spacey and Keith have written in describing the Siam as representative of sexual tension or frustration since the Siam is dressed in a sexual manner and is overly aggressive. The fact that the female side is on the back could also be symbolic of James carrying the weight of his wife's murder. Hugo also has pointed out that the dual nature of the monster is very much like the duality of characters like Mary/Maria. Angela's Choice is named for Angela Orosco, a 19-year old who killed her father after he raped her. Since this achievement is gained by not forgiving Alex's father, the connection is clear. The In Water achievement is named for the In Water ending of Silent Hill 2, in which James commits suicide by driving his car into Toluca Lake. No Dogs Allowed is gained by getting the UFO ending. The image of the almighty dog in Silent Hill was started with the DOG ending of Silent Hill 2. Since Silent Hill �rigins, the dog and the aliens that constantly abduct our heroes have come together to supply our humorous endings. The achievement for completing the game on Hard mode is called The Old Gods... Haven't Left This Place. This is a line used by James in Silent Hill 2's Rebirth ending. He murmurs this as he rows out to an island with his wife's dead body in order to revive her using cult rituals. Probably the most blatant reference to Silent Hill 2 is the appearance of Pyramid Head, now referred to as the Bogeyman. There is a lot of theory surrounding Pyramid Head, and I don't want to get into that here, but the Pyramid Head that appears in Homecoming is based more off of the movie than anything else. This includes design and purpose, meaning he is more a tool of the Otherworld than an agent of the subconscious: note that he never pursues Alex and never attacks Josh, meaning his purpose is not to get Alex to see the truth of what he's done; such was the reason for his appearance to James. In the Shepherd home on the landing of the first floor stairs, examine the spot on the wall where a photo once was. Alex will say, "There was a picture here, but it's gone now." This is a direct reference to the famous Neely's Bar message, "There was a HOLE here. It's gone now." The lone mannequin in the Shepherd's basement is very reminiscent of the mannequin sporting Mary's clothes in the Blue Creek Apartments. (Thanks to Seta for this one.) There are several instances where Alex will come across an empty dog house. A lone dog house in a parking lot was where one would find the key to unlock the DOG Ending in Silent Hill 2. Alex doesn't find anything in his dog houses though. spardante2000 has pointed out that some drawings of the Bogeyman depict him with a lance instead of his usual huge knife. Around the time James steals Pyramid Head's Great Knife, the demon switches over to using a lance, a good weapon for stabbing people in the back, as depicted in the stained glass in the church and as Pyramid Head demonstrates in SH2 towards the end by stabbing Maria. The Vile Acts Medal used in the attic puzzle in the alternate Shepherd's house is shaped like the Bogeyman's helmet. The Bogeyman/Pyramid Head's design is a warped version of old-time Silent Hill executioners', so it is perfectly suited to be associated with vile acts. Zachery pointed out that the plots of both SH2 and Homecoming share a similarity in that the protagonist is searching for a loved one only to discover that they are responsible for their disappearance and went crazy afterwards, forgetting it ever happened. Sara pointed out an obvious one I had missed: "At the hospital, Alex has to reach inside a hole in the wall to grab the Robbie Rabbit toy. James does the same thing in the Apartments to grab a key. Only with James, even though we expect something to happen, nothing does. But with Alex something does grab his arm and tries to pull him in." Another obvious one I missed: "The Patient's Memo in the hospital says 'If you want to go on living, you'd be better off just sitting in the dark and staying quiet, but even that probably won't save you.' Which is a reference to a series of note cards James finds near a burned body while looking around town, the person says those exact words in the first note cards before the notes slowly lead into madness." Thanks to britters pilcher for sending it in. ============================================ Silent Hill 3 References ============================================ Josh's Robbie the Rabbit doll is from Lakeside Amusement Park, a recurring locale in the Silent Hill games. It was only really only explored in Silent Hills 1 and 3 but is mentioned in numbers 2 and 4. (Thanks to Eric for clearing some of this up.) The scene in the hospital bathroom reminded Steeple333 of a similar scene in Silent Hill 3. Heather comes across a locked bathroom stall and knocks to see if anyone is in. Later, that stall opens in the Otherworld and reveals a mess of blood. Alex comes across a locked bathroom stall in the hospital but doesn't knock and instead gets a nurse when it opens in the Otherworld. Ana sent this in: "Do you remember the fortune teller shop near the book store? Where the two white cars are. One of them is stuck between the store and a wall. Do you remember when Heather in Silent Hill 3 escapes the shopping center and sees this car stuck? It's exactly the white car only from the other side." The idea of an anonymous cult member in a confessional asking their god for forgiveness when the main character just happens upon them is taken right from Silent Hill 3. Like Alex, Heather gets a choice, and it affects her endings as well. Like Homecoming, Silent Hill 3 also starts with a foreshadowing nightmare sequence as its opening level. (Credit to Patrick for pointing this out.) To be fair though, most of the Silent Hill games start with a nightmare sequence of some kind. A book found in the Order's lair towards the end of the game mentions that the Silent Hill cult was recently exposed by a detective named Douglas Cartland. Douglas was one of Heather's allies in Silent Hill 3. He was originally hired by the cult leader at the time, Claudia Wolf, to retrieve Heather, but in working with Harry's daughter, he discovered their true purpose and apparently went on to work against them after the events of the game. Silent Hill 3's church location featured a map drawn in crayon. Both Homecoming and �rigins continued this tradition with the map of the house (Homecoming) and of the Otherworld (�rigins). (Thanks to Mother_Ranma for sending this in.) ============================================ Silent Hill 4 References ============================================ J�r�me has pointed out something interesting with Silent Hill 4: "Yamaoka literally plundered his own work in the sound dept. You won't find any explicit references to SH4 in Homecoming but there are a lot of sounds borrowed from SH4." Two sounds I've been able to place: - the scraping of the Bogeyman's knife in the hospital elevator is taken from the grating of the metal subway gates in Silent Hill 4 - the cries/moans/gurgles of a feminine voice can be heard in Dargento Cemetery and the streets of Silent Hill, just like the one you hear through the hole in Henry's apartment or in the intro to Cynthia's appearance Chris has also found a possible link to Silent Hill 4: "There's a reference to Silent Hill 4 in a newspaper article- I can't remember where I found it but I think it was in the entrance to the Grand Hotel. "It was about a man who had murdered 7 children and had been sentensed to death. He said that it was all part of the plan and he would now go to meet his god. "This is a reference to the 21 Sacraments ritual described in 4 (but performed in 1 and the rebirth ending in 2)." (Ricky has pointed out that "the paper is found in the park on the bench (right after getting the empty gas can) and it should be 8 children and not 7." Another possible nod in number 4's direction is the fact that both feature murder victims that resemble their method of death in their appearance in the Otherworld. For example, Jasper - burned alive in SH4 - appears perpetually in flame, and all the boss monsters in Homecoming resemble the children murdered by their parents. (Credit to Mother_Ranma for bringing this up.) ============================================ Silent Hill �rigins References ============================================ The man driving Alex home in the beginning is Travis Grady, the protagonist of Silent Hill �rigins. Travis asks Alex "Bad dream?" when he wakes up in the cab. Afterwards, it almost looks like he gives a little nod when turning on the radio. Travis was also constantly plagued by nightmares in �rigins. The "big rig" outfit unlocked by getting Ending 1 is based on Travis. ============================================ Silent Hill Movie References ============================================ The 2006 movie directed by Christophe Gans is probably the biggest influence on Homecoming. Much of the design and effects are lifted right from it. Since rewatching the movie, I thought it might be fun to try and list all the references I saw. Since the movie draws from the games as well, some of these are not exclusive to the movie's design. - the use of children's crayon drawings as well as Josh's furious scribbling in the hospital level being like Alessa's - the symbol of the church in the movie can be found in Town Hall, among other places; the cross in Homecoming is similar, not exact - the raining ash/snow in Silent Hill - smoke rising from fires underneath the town - the "Welcome to Silent Hill" sign - Nathan's drugstore, seen on the same street as Ann Black's and the Grand Hotel in Homecoming (as Nathan's Convenience Store) - the "flaking" transition to the Otherworld - the Ann Black store - the scene where Cybil gapes at the Patient Demons behind the fence outside of town possibly inspired the race to the sewers where Alex and Elle were surrounded by Schisms climbing a fence (Credit to Seta.) - the design of the cult members, as well as their weaponry (except for the rifles) - the scene in the school bathroom where a monster appears out of the last stall as the Otherworld appears - fire/smelting/mining imagery - Pyramid Head's helmet and outfit design - the scene of Pyramid Head using his knife to stab through a door at the main character - the Grand Hotel (the outward design is different in Homecoming though) - a room hidden behind a painting in the hotel - outward and inward design of the church - sirens on the church (Seta pointed out that these are only visible above the entrance to the church on Wilson Street in foggy Silent Hill) - the scene where Pyramid Head skins Anna might have inspired the line in Bogeyman poem about how he will "stretch their skin until it snaps, and all the blood drains out" (Thanks to Seta for this one.) - design of the nurses and the erractic movements they make when assaulted with your flashlight - the image of barbed wire (used primarily in the church and hotel in Homecoming) ============================================ Street and Building Names ============================================ The streets and some buildings in Shepherd's Glen and some locales in Silent Hill are a tribute to the horror genre. This is a staple in Silent Hill cartography. - Barker Street: Clive Barker (Hellraiser) - Craven Avenue: Wes Craven (Scream, Nightmare on Elm Street) - Carpenter Avenue: John Carpenter (Halloween) - Kubrick Avenue: Stanley Kubrick (A Clockwork Orange, The Shining) - Lyne Street: Adrian Lyne (Jacob's Ladder) - Scott Boulevard: Ridley Scott (Alien) - Friedkin Road: William Friedkin (The Exorcist) - Dargento Cemetery: Dario Argento (famous Italian horror director) - Walton Avenue: Captain Robert Walton (character in Frankenstein) - Koontz Street: Dean Koontz (prolific horror author) - Bachman Road: Famous author Stephen King's pen name was Richard Bachman. - Overlook Penitentiary: The Shining takes place in the Overlook Hotel. (Thanks to spongebualls, Biohazard EXTREME, Jay, Kamlord, and S Assassin.) ============================================ The Shepherd's Glen Sacrifices ============================================ There are several interesting elements to the story revolving around the new generation of sacrificed children in Shepherd's Glen. First, the various scenes of torture in the opening scene in the hospital actually depict the sacrifices of the other three founding families: Scarlet Fitch being dismembered, Nora Holloway being strangled, and Joey Bartlett being buried alive. (Credit to Aspect_P for this one.) However, Blitz has noticed that all of the children in the opening sequence are actually Josh since they are all wearing his shorts and shirt. All four bosses in this game are actually representative of the four children sacrificed for the town's 150th anniversary. Sepulcher is Joey Bartlett, who was buried alive. This is the Bartlett family method of sacrifice, so Joey appears in a dirt plot and attempts to smash others into the dirt, like his father. Scarlet is Scarlet Fitch, who was dismembered and who does the same to Dr. Fitch. Asphyxia is Nora Holloway, who was strangled to death, hence the disturbing pair of hands on her neck. She will also try to strangle you if she grabs you while fighting and if Alex hadn't intervened, Nora probably would have tried to smother/strangle Judge Holloway. Amnion is Josh Shepherd. Though he wasn't a sacrifice, he still represents his family's method of sacrifice by spitting sea water, since the Shepherds killed by drowning. (Thanks to Raul for bringing up this topic.) The four bosses not only represent the method of their sacrifice, but also their hobbies when alive. Joey Bartlett loved tree houses (the photo of him shows him in the Shepherd tree house), so Sepulcher is described as a tree. Scarlet loved dolls, so her boss fight pits you against a giant porcelain doll. Nora's picture depicts her reading her favorite book, Alice in Wonderland, so she takes the form of a caterpillar from the story. Finally, Josh loved spiders, so the final boss looks like a spider. (Thanks to Nicole for sharing this great insight.) Spacey has also noted this about Amnion: "it looked pregnant ... because of what Alex said to Josh in the cut scene just before that same fight." That quote was "Dad thinks you're a little baby who can't do anything on his own." I always attributed the "pregnant" look to swelling (common in drowned bodies), but either interpretation works. The name of each boss is also a good indication as to what they represent. A sepulcher is a tomb or burial place, perfect for someone who'd been buried alive. Scarlet is so named because she was dismembered, so there was lots of blood. Asphyxia's name comes from "asphyxiate", which means to die or lose consciousness by suffocation or smothering. Jesse e-mailed in to shed light on Amnion: "Amnion is the proper name for the sac the embryo/fetus and the amniotic fluid are contained in during pregnancy. And when you kill this boss, Josh falls to the ground as though being born (essentially yeah, a big baby as Alex says)." KevinC also pointed out the black cord/tube that runs along Amnion's body, which is most likely representative of an umbilical cord. ============================================ Prison Graffiti ============================================ In the prison, there is graffiti on some of the cell walls that Alex will not read but players can by entering first person view. There are about four or five messages per cell on average; some sound like a prisoner wrote them, others sound like game developer in-jokes, and some are cultural references. A lot of them refer to general themes running throughout the Silent Hill series as well, like questioning whether or not a person can see monsters. For your reading pleasure, I took the time to write them all down with comments in brackets for some. Make of them what you will. B8: Nothing Is Real Steve Loves Puzzles Please Don't Kill Me It's Snowing Outside. Jacobs, Are You Making It Snow? Time Is Up Noah's Viking Tool B7: I'm As Quiet As Can Be. Just My Cell And Me. I Am Ed Ma My Cell Has Something From Everyone Else's Cell [illegible; looks like "Jenkins"] Is The Real Sausage King of Chicago [A reference to the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Sent in by Olivia.] Somewhere Down There Is Your Soul. Moso Forever Hell Here [Meagan has pointed out that this is oddly similar to a scene in the movie Batman Returns "when Selina Kyle returns home and breaks the O and the T off Hello There to obviosly create Hell here.] *There is writing in B6, but it's hard to read through the bars. B5: Trust Yourself I Am The Real Khoi Willette You Live a Little Longer My Name Is Pat So Take That. [illegible] Needs to Stop Talking Seriously Look Behind You Capt Coatrack Shall Return B1: Who Are You? Jafo is Watching You Too Late The Zarzoo Minds Man B2: Ryan Has Been Lyin' Now He's Dyin' I Like Pizza Drink The Evil A5: Eric Fights A Doppelganger I Used To Move Buildings Around Now I Cry On The Ground The Nate Dawg Cometh TMASS Is Broken U R Dead Kevin & Crystal Sittin A Tree Show Me Your Heart Smithy Loves Games So Shut Up Sell Your Soul You Can Not Kill [illegible] A6: I'm Sure The Electric Chair Is Coming For Me Abandon Hope [Most likely a reference to the Divine Comedy, where the gates of Hell had the message "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here" written above them. Submitted by khryss armit.] It's All Greek To Me Panos I Rob Banks For The Loot Now I Wait In Despair For The Boot Where's Kristan? Hide The Creature Inside You The Horror... [Reference to Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. Courtesy of J�r�me.] A8: Confess Now Chad Is The Maya God I Am The Walrus [Title of a Beatles song.] Farm Team Will Always Rule Something's Happening Boyle? Give It Back Beware Of Hurricane Jane Turn Back Watson Lives Byrne It All Down A1: Berhns Returns You're Not Here [This is a title of a track on the Silent Hill 3 OST.] You See Monsters? Don't Fear The Greenman Help Me, Please Gonna Haak You Up? I Fish In My Toilet With No Luck. I Bet One Day I Get My Head Stuck. [Svairt pointed out that this is likely a reference to the on-going toilet gags.] ============================================ Josh's Photo Captions ============================================ Thanks to Mo, Jess, a PS3, and an HD flatscreen TV, we can now list all the captions of Josh's photos. Thanks, guys! (Spelling errors are Josh's, not ours.) Picture 1 - A big spider crawling next to my army toys in the park. Caption - [crossed out name] wouldent let me squish the spider. Picture 2 - Scarlet Fitch, in her bedroom with all of her dolls. Caption - Scarlet never comes out to play, she just plays with her stupid dolls all the time. Picture 3 - This looks like a picture of dad's hunting room, but how did Joshua get in there? Caption - Alex dared me to go Into dad's room. I took this picture for proof. I wasn't scared. Dad doesn't care if I come in here. He just doesn't want Alex to. Picture 4 - Mom and Judge Holloway talking in our house. Caption - Mrs. Holloway came over. Mom cried while they were talking. Picture 5 - Joshua taking a picture of himself in our bathroom. Caption - Me. Picture 6 - The repair guy Curtis Ackers in his shop. Caption - I don't like him. Picture 7 - Joshua's Robbie the Rabbit doll stuffed in his backpack. Caption - Robbie keeps the bad Man away. Picture 8 - Dad and Deputy Wheeler on the Police Boat. Caption - Dad went to talk to sheriff wheeler. Picture 9 - Joey Bartlett sitting in the Tree House in our backyard. Caption - Joey Bartlett. Picture 10 - Nora Holloway sitting on the Town Hall steps. Caption - Nora's always reading that book. She likes the caterpillar. I like the cat. Picture 11 - Hey... This is me. What am I doing? Caption - Hi Alex. ============================================ Random Tidbits ============================================ Alex's last name, Shepherd, is shared by another Silent Hill character: James' wife Mary from Silent Hill 2. Her full name is Mary Shepherd Sunderland, leading us to believe that Shepherd is her maiden name. However, no connection between her and Alex is ever shown. The American flag patch on Alex's military jacket is backwards, but this is not a mistake. According to the Department of Defense, "The regulation states that when authorized for application to the proper uniform the American flag patch is to be worn, right or left shoulder, so that 'the star field faces forward, or to the flag�s own right. When worn in this manner, the flag is facing to the observer�s right, and gives the effect of the flag flying in the breeze as the wearer moves forward. The appropriate replica for the right shoulder sleeve is identified as the 'reverse side flag'." The opening sequence is homage to Adrian Lyne's film Jacob's Ladder, cited as being one of the first major influences for the Silent Hill franchise. Jacob himself is a military man and is carted through a hospital past varied scenes of horror before being placed in an operating room. The orderly carting Alex around and the body in the operating theatre that is cut in half is Alex's father. The orderly abandons Alex in the operating room, just like Adam abandoned him in the mental hospital. The orderly's body is also cut in exactly the same way the Bogeyman slices Adam later in the church. One of the x-rays in the nurse center shows a nail going up through a person's jaw into their skull. Foreshadowing for Judge Holloway perhaps? Alchemilla Mental Hospital and other sections of the Otherworld are brimming with fan imagery. Fans in Silent Hill represent a cycle, something continuous. They are present in every game and their meaning changes slightly for each. The most cited example is in Silent Hill 3, where the fans (along with Valtiel's ever-turning valve handle) stand for the reincarnation of the Holy Mother. The mirror with the combat knife stuck in says, "Where are you?" and has a picture of Robbie drawn in blood. Nurses in Homecoming are pregnant. If you look at them with a light source behind them, you can see a fetus in their midsection. (Thanks to Erin for sending this in.) Every time you kill an enemy or cut through a fleshy Otherworld wall, blood gets splattered on the screen. When you catch up to Josh in the Otherworld hospital and try to open the barred door after you agree to find Robbie, Josh will laugh at you. All of Josh's drawings found in the hospital have water-soaked edges. A nice touch considering how he died. (Credit to Oliver for sending this in.) Brandon has sent in some theories about the last hall in the hospital level: "At the end of the hospital, before you get into the elevator only to get stabbed, there are five rooms. The first room is blocked off by an overturned bed, the next door is destroyed by a medical lamp used in operating rooms, the third door is locked, but you can hear heavy metal scraping along the ground, the fourth door closes as you near it, but if you examine it Alex says he hears some waves, and the fifth door is locked on the left side of the corridor. I think each door represents an ending, the second, third, and fourth being the Hospital, Bogeyman, and Drowning, while the first door could be for the UFO ending on account of the bottom of the door being blocked, potentialy hiding a doggy door (No Dogs Allowed achievement) or it could be the fifth door, seperate from the rest because it, like all the others, is just for a good laugh." To add to this, the fifth door is lit up thanks to the lamp for the "UFO Ending" door; perhaps linking the two and making door number 5 the good ending, seeing as how it's bright. The town's 150th anniversary celebration was held on a Saturday and Sunday in September. If you read a certain memo in the hospital (a list of the scheduled visits by Alex's doctor, Dr. Copen), you would see that the only days Alex did not receive treatment were a Saturday and Sunday. Due to the fact that the town went downhill after the Shepherds failed to sacrifice a child for the anniversary and that Alex was committed after the Toluca Lake accident (which ruined things for Adam), I couldn't help but note the coincidence. Examine the bus stop outside of Town Hall and Alex will reminisce about the day he left for the military. The four offices in the Town Hall are for the four founding families. The materials on the shelves correspond to that particular family's duties to the cult: Keeper of Lore (Holloway), Master of Arms (Shepherd), Executor of Law (Bartlett), Performer of Rites (Fitch). The room that is boarded up is the Shepherd office. It is stripped almost bare and the founder's picture is off the wall because the other families saw the Shepherds as traitors for not sacrificing Alex. Some rooms in the Town Hall are buggy. Watch Alex's head as you go near the bookshelves in Dr. Fitch's and Judge Holloway's rooms and use R3 to see that he is staring at the floor. It's very possible that he is staring *through* the floor to the items in the secret room underneath. As mentioned in the walkthrough, there is a framed newspaper article in one of the rooms in Town Hall that talks about a serious bus accident in which an 8-year old Alex Shepherd nearly drowned. This may have had to do with his hatred of water when he was young, but he will have eventually gotten over it, since an older Alex tells us that he loved to go out on Toluca Lake for hours in a canoe. (Thanks to Ryan for bringing this up.) If you look in the mirror of Alex's mother's vanity (where her unfinished letter is) in the bedroom upstairs, the room appears devoid of furnishings. Same goes for the bathroom. When you examine the bathtub in his parents' room, Alex will say that he always hated baths and it would be a struggle to get him in the tub. Keep that in mind as you view Ending 2. The barrel of the Laser Pistol reads "KONAMI". Also from the walkthrough: in the basement, if you turn off your flashlight and look through the multicolored sheet blocking the way to the secret room, you can see that an image of Adam has replaced the mannequin there. He has his back to you and simply stands idle in place until you cut through. (Thanks to Seta for confirming this.) The Shepherd family dog's name is Shuki, and whether you examine the dog house or not, you will hear horrible dog noises in the backyard. The one thing that haunted Alex the most during his stay in the hospital? The smell of chocolate, specifically chocolate brownies. Svairt has noticed a child's drawing (not one that you pick up) on the fridge at the Shepherd home. It depicts three people outside a house: two adults and one child. It's safe to assume that this is Josh's since the folks probably wouldn't show Alex's art any respect, so not only is Alex absent from the family photos, but he is also absent from his brother's drawings of the family as well. An anonymous e-mailer sent in this tidbit about the circular saw and its achievement: "The achievement for obtaining the Circular saw is 'Rising Tension'. this might be a reference to the popular French horror Film 'High Tension'. There's a great scene at the end where the main character goes berserk with a circular saw. The main character in the film also deludes herself with a false reality for much of the movie much like Alex does." Sometimes when you enter the park, you can hear children chanting "Pocket full of posies!" This is from the infamous playground game Ring Around the Rosie. The monuments in Rose Heights cemetery are in memory of two girls named Borden. There is a Borden street in Silent Hill; no clue if there's any relation though. Nabeel and MaryBeth have pointed out that this may also be a reference to Lizzie Borden, the infamous woman who supposedly chopped up her father and stepmother. Since it is unlikely that there is a street named for twin 8-year olds and the Borden reference carries over from past games, Lizzie seems the likelier bet. The surrounding walls of each layer of the Founder's Garden in Rose Heights has stones laid in it for members of the founding families. Only one of the family graves matches one of the sacrifices: Daniel Shepherd, son of Isaac, for whom the town is named. He was killed on September 23rd, the date of the town's anniversary, at the age of 5. However, there is no year, so we can't use it to determine when Shepherd's Glen was founded or when the game takes place. The covered bridge leading to Curtis' place has a sign on it that says "Black Forest Bluff". The sign outside of Curtis' place says "No Trespassing. Violators will be shot. Survivors will be shot again." (spardante2000 pointed out that this may be a GTA loading screen reference.) Another sign reads "Danger. Unsafe Mine. Stay Out, Stay Alive." (Credit to Svairt for the last one.) Apparently, a favorite pastime of Alex and his friends was climbing the water tower in Curtis' junkyard and daring each other to jump off. Svairt also noticed that Curtis has an Order member's outfit in his back room. Examine it and Alex will ask, "Rubber gloves and boots, what kind of crap does Curtis work in?" Like Travis before him, Alex has a staring problem: he is programmed to look at things of interest and (as seen in Town Hall) will look through objects to get to them. Svairt noticed that he does this outside of Curtis' place; it's because he is staring at the ranged combat pamphlet inside. "In the Grand Hotel Street, there is a Ann Black shop. it could be a reference to Annie Blackburn. the girlfriend of Dale Cooper, the FBI Agent in Twin Peaks." (Thanks to J�r�me.) Twin Peaks is a 90s TV show that had Silent Hill/Otherworldly aspects to it. Ferret Zippo has also pointed out that the Ann Black shop is a reference to the Silent Hill movie (see above). Ashley made a cool observation about the Bogeyman's knife: "Pyramid head's sword has a radical redesign in HC from the other games and the movie. ... It is notched along the back near the hilt and slightly re curved near the hilt on the bladed edge. Both features are common characteristics of milatary combat knifes." Svairt has pointed out that the more prominent posters in Dr. Fitch's office are in regards to the danger of STDs and their affect on children. Greg also e-mailed me with a link to a blown up version of one, a real poster from the WWII era: http://www.militaryimages.net/photopost/data/614/ wwpost6.jpg Dr. Fitch got his degree from Southeastern University. There are two actual Southeastern Universities in the U.S.: one in Florida and another in Washington, D.C. You can see the outline of a person on Scarlet Fitch's bed. Svairt has pointed out that the Hell Descent area is like a hospital, even though Dr. Fitch's office is more of a little private practice. The idea of descending is a big one in Silent Hill (especially when it comes to jumping down holes) that represents digging into one's subconscious for the truth. The fact that we are descending through a hospital is important, at least to Alex. The dolls in Scarlet's room in Dr. Fitch's office are the same ones that show up intermittently throughout the Hell Descent area. Richard has also sent in this bit about Scarlet's dolls: "The teddy bears/ dolls wearing the red coats that are found always facing the walls or corners are a reference to the Donald Sutherland film "Don't Look Now" in which after coming across what he believes to be his child wearing a red coat facing away from him turns out to be a evil dwarf woman." The dolls could also be references to a slew of other horror movies because they are used often because they are unbelievably creepy. One more bit about the dolls thanks to Michael: "Before Alex falls into hell's descent, the doll he picks up becomes [bald]. After defeating scarlet when Alex lands back in the room, the doll's head is detatched. The doll represents Dr. Fitch, how he looked and how he died." When revisiting Town Hall, if you enter Judge Holloway's room or the one next to it, you should hear a woman sobbing. Also during your return to Town Hall for the Ceremonial Dagger, you will find that the framed article in Dr. Fitch's room about Alex and the bus accident has disappeared from the wall. You can see each founding family's coat of arms in the downstairs room in Town Hall. Thorsten noted that the Ceremonial Dagger bears a striking resemblance to the Lance of Longinus or Spear of Destiny, the spear used to pierce Jesus Christ's side during crucifixion. The name Patricia Bartlett (found in Rose Heights Cemetery) could be a reference to the Peter Jackson film The Frighteners; the killer's name was Johnny Bartlett, and his girlfriend/accomplice's name was Patricia Bradley. (Thanks to Jesse for sending this in.) The Shepherd coat of arms in the attic says "Shepherd" along the top and "England" along the bottom. Alex's father served with the XVIIITH Airborne Corps and was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. This is a real corps and a real place. They even have a website: http://www.bragg.army.mil/18abn/default.htm During the scene in which Alex's mother gets kidnapped, you can see one of the order members holding a circular saw. Since we know Curtis has a soft spot for that weapon, we can only assume it is him. (Thanks to Chaz for helping me confirm this.) In the Otherworld version of the Shepherd home, Alex's parents' room is completely upside down except for the bathroom. In cell A6 in the prison, you can find a health drink in the sink above the toilet. Ever since Silent Hill 2, there has been a long-running line of "reaching into toilet" gags. Sadly, they have gotten more tame as the series progresses. Seta e-mailed this in: "Have you seen the name of the curch we visit near the end of the game? (see the plate on the left of the entry) It's the 'Church of the Holy Way'. I think it's not a coincidence that this sounds VERY similar to Judge Holloway. Even combinations would make sense, like 'Church of Holloway' or 'Judge of the Holy Way'." In the church room with the triptych, you can see a painting of a woman that Alex thinks looks familiar. That's because it resembles his mother. The rightmost window of the stained glass triptych on the top floor of the church shows a knight getting stabbed through the chest with a spear, and the person doing the stabbing is wearing a red hood. This is where Pyramid Head and the Bogeyman originated: executioners wearing red hoods. When Alex's health is dangerously low, he will clutch his side and limp until you heal him. Todd sent in an interesting little bit about Alex's facial features: "if you look at Alex's face closely in the cutscenes, you can see his left eyelid droops and he has a slight scar on that upper eyelid at the edge of the eye socket. This could very well be from the lobotomy procedure mentioned at various times throughout the game, and either functions as a premonition of the hospital ending (like the memos themselves) or infer he already had the procedure done which further inhibited his memory and made him more docile." His eye is most notable during the drill scene in the prison, among other places throughout the game. According to memos in the hospital, Alex was scheduled for a trans-orbital lobotomy. A Psychosurgery site I looked up says, "The infamous transorbital lobotomy was a 'blind' operation in that the surgeon did not know for certain if he had severed the nerves or not. A sharp, ice-pick like object would be inserted through the eye socket between the upper lid and eye. When the doctor thought he was at about the right spot, he would hit the end of the instrument with a hammer." For a demonstration, see a movie called Session 9, a big influence on earlier Silent Hill games. When Curtis confronts Alex, he holds his saw over his head and screams. In Silent Hills 2 and 4, the protagonists did exactly the same thing when they got their chainsaws. James was the only one to scream out loud though. Josh died at 2:06 in the morning. Along with the notes about Amnion, Patrick has pointed out that, in general, "there are many references to mothering/female anatomy/birth in the game. These include the hole that Alex pulls Robbie out of in the first area, the fleshy doors that Alex cuts and squeezes through and the pregnant last boss." Amnion's design looks very similar to the monsters in a manga called Gyo. Both sport spider legs, tubes protruding from every orifice, and an association with water. (Thanks to Andika for sending this in.) There is a theme of order running throughout the game. Seta sent in these observations: "-in the cult 'The Order' "-in the sense of a soldier's order "-and in the sense of putting things in order/destroying the order. "This may be connected to Alex 'destroying' the order by Joshua's death (the family order as well as the order of victims and so on)." The word "order" also appears in many of the song lyrics. Another motif is "No Exit", as Seta also noticed that there are many false exits in the game, whether it's a blocked exit or exit signs that don't mark real escape routes. According to Seta, the Bogeyman was originally going to be called the Sandman. Some of the children's drawings still have that name on it: the one about the "lying little children" has "The Sandman got him" written on it, and the one about the bullies says "Don't let the Sandman get you". Craig has written in with a little extra info on the Sandman. Apparently, the name has a darker meaning and is associated with a demon that stole eyes rather than just a man who put people to sleep. Fitting for the Bogeyman, but not many people know of the Sandman's other side, so the name was most likely changed to something people knew to be a little more frightening. Hugo also sent this in about the name: "It's possible that the Sandman mentioned in the game is another horror movie reference. In Sleepstalker, the Sandman was a child-killer who was executed and came back from the dead to kill more children, as well as his adult younger brother whom he tried to kill as a child." james m has sent in an interesting something that sounds like a glitch. I couldn't get it to work, but maybe someone else can: "i was able to use the shotgun during [a] cutscene. there would be a gunshot blast in the middle of the screen during the fmv; also, after the scene, i went from 2 loaded bullets to 4 ... just try having the gun (shotgun first, or any other gun) equipped during a cutscene and youll see what i mean. the cutscene i had it equipped on was when elle and alex went into the sewers and they were talking. i had the shotgun equipped and was shooting it off while they were talking." Bryan also sent in a weird experience he had with the game: "During the SGPD segment, I shoulder-rolled the door to the Chief's office, and the following cutscene played at double speed, with no audio. The characters' dialogue subtitles scrolled at normal speed, though, so after it was over, I had the funny experience of reading Wheeler say 'Here we go!' while I was busy killing the Schisms in the next room." =============================================================================== Miscellaneous [msc] If anything in this document is inaccurate, you have comments and critiques, or you have a question about the game, feel free to let me know at SophiaLee04 at yahoo dot com. Be sure to mention "Silent Hill: Homecoming" in the title or you will most likely be mistaken for spam. ============================================ Credit/Thanks ============================================ Many thanks go to the following people, places, and/or things that helped me with this guide! Konami, Double Helix, et al for this installment of one of the best series ever to grace our video game libraries. Coca-Cola, breakfast of champions. For help understanding Alex's patch: http://www.usflag.org/flagpatch.html as well as a soldier my dad saw randomly in town whom he actually stopped to ask. Aspect_P and Blitz for clarifying the torture in the opening scene, and to Aspect_P for the hot tip about manipulating saves for quick endings. spongebualls, Jesse, Biohazard EXTREME, Jay, Kamlord, and S Assassin for the notes about the street/place names. syn6661 and Bob for pointing out the clue to rewiring the hotel. anonymous e-mailers; I don't like posting people's e-mail addresses in these walkthroughs, but you still deserve mention! DGM-payne and Not So User Friendly for more input on the Rising Tension achievement. Thanks to everyone who recommended it; great movie! Hari and Mr. Trenchy for pointing out the goodies at Curtis' place. james m and Bryan for noting some weird goings on in the game. Raul, Nicole, and her 20/20 vision for the significance of the bosses and what they represent. SilentEdge for help with the laser pistol and for recommending a weapons section. Ack for pointing out some much-needed ammo I missed. Todd for the awesome bit about Alex's eye and http://www.psychosurgery.org/index_files/page0012.htm for lobotomy info. Spacey, Keith, and KevinC for theories on Siam and Amnion, and Keith for a Sepulcher boss tip. Ryan for a possible explanation for little Alex's fear of water. Dynamic Sheep for sharing the resetting puzzles tip. Lifesaver! J�r�me for the SH4 music, Twin Peaks, and Heart of Darkness trivia. Lin for sharing all her PS3-related finds as well as noting that Wheeler can be killed in the prison. Good to know. Ferret Zippo for the Ann Black shop tidbit. Mark for some proofreading help. Svairt, Seta, spardante2000, and Hugo for sending in a lots of general info! Kory for helping with an oversight. Kajisirri and Shadow Grave for monster strategy. Ana, Eric, Patrick, Steeple333, and Mother_Ranma for Silent Hill 3 references. Nabeel and MaryBeth for the Borden reference. Greg for a link to some actual posters used in Dr. Fitch's office. Oliver and Brandon for insight into the hospital level. Chaz for spotting Curtis in the kidnapping scene. Olivia, Meagan, Joseph, and khryss armit for graffiti references. Ashley for a note on the Bogeyman's new knife. Craig for an addition to the Sandman info and why the name is so fitting. Mo, Jess, and their PS3 for captioning Josh's photos and sending them in! Andika for the Gyo reference. Zachery for some SH1 and SH2 refs, and Sara and britter pilcher for SH2 stuff as well. Chris and Ricky for a SH4 reference and a correction. nur_ein_tier for the memos. Thorsten for noting a strange resemblance in the Ceremonial Dagger. Jack for counting all the healing items. Richard for a movie reference concerning Scarlet's dolls and Michael for another doll reference. Erin for a note on the nurses being preggers. you, for reading! everyone who's sent in encouraging and informative e-mails! all the gaming sites that host my writing. I love doing this stuff; thanks for making it possible to share what I do! ============================================ Version History ============================================ 1.36 - 12/07/09: two new references added: one about the tutorial memos in the hospital under the SH2 trivia section and another about how Scarlet's dolls resemble Dr. Fitch under the random trivia section 1.35 - 07/26/09: just now realized I forgot to go over save and continue points in the section on game mechanics; also, I know have a screenshot version of this guide up on PlayHaven 1.34 - 07/10/09: I've updated a couple times since upping the version number, mostly due to trivia; I've also added a new host 1.33 - 05/10/09: graffiti reference added in regards to the "Abandon Hope" message 1.32 - 04/13/09: nur_ein_tier from Valtiel's Silent Hill site got the ball rolling on a memos section; I am not a big fan of transcribing so I am happy to host her work, but I got suckered in and did some work on it too (how do you memo FAQ writers *do* all that?!); also, my folks recently got an HD TV, so now I can read all the little details I couldn't before, like Josh's photo captions and the prison graffiti; some random trivia was added too 1.21 - 03/30/09: a reference each for SH3 and SH4 were added 1.20 - 03/21/03: added two missed street references 1.19 - 02/22/09: corrected a piece of random trivia and added a possible SH4 reference 1.18 - 02/02/09: added one piece of trivia each for SH1 and SH2 references, as well as a tie-in to the horror manga Gyo in the random section 1.17 - 01/18/09: we now have a new section under the trivia section for the captions for Josh's photos 1.16 - 12/29/08: more trivia added, specifically at the end of the SH2 section, the street names section, and some interesting info on the Sandman name towards the end of the random stuff 1.15 - 11/08/08: sorry for the late update; I've been working on putting a lot of stuff together: much more trivia added (including all of the prison graffiti), added the Lurker to the enemy list since it was missing for some reason, and also did general proofing 1.14 - 10/19/08: did some proofreading and revamped the trivia section to split it up a bit and make it easier to read; still working on adding more 1.13 - 10/13/08: hammering out the small stuff: we now know the requirements to get the laser pistol and have a new section to be used as a quick reference regarding weapons and their locations 1.02 - 10/10/08: finally found the *real* solution to the "Medals of Dishonor" puzzle, as well as all the photos and drawings; we are now technically 100% complete! 1.01 - 10/09/08: bear with me as I update to accommodate all the great feedback I've gotten already; found a new child's drawing in the hotel; I've also gotten a clue to the hotel rewiring puzzle and a hint on how to get multiple endings/ achievements without going through the game five times; plus, whenever this guide is updated, just assume that trivia has been added 1.00 - 10/07/08: walkthrough finished and submitted; I still have yet to get the photo and drawing achievements (so close!) so I will work on that in the future, as well as scoping out more trivia 0.00 - 10/03/08: walkthrough started ============================================ Hosts ============================================ Below are the sites that have permission to host this guide. They should all have the same version, but it's not a guarantee. Check the sites at the top of the list first for the latest. GameFAQs, http://www.gamefaqs.com Neoseeker, http://www.neoseeker.com HonestGamers, http://www.honestgamers.com Super Cheats, http://www.supercheats.com GamesRadar, http://www.gamesradar.com GamersHell, http://www.gamershell.com Unlimited Gamer, http://www.unlimitedgamer.net http://thenumber35.webs.com/ My360, http://my360.com.au/ ============================================ Legal Info ============================================ You should know the drill. This walkthrough was written for personal uses only. If you want to use it for any other purpose, please ask me before doing so. No ripping off anything in this document for the forces of evil. Please. Copyright (�) 2008, 2009 Georgi Samaras
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