Silent Hill 2 remake: How to get the “As Close As You Like” achievement

The Silent 2 remake’s firearms allow James Sunderland to dispatch the town’s iconic monsters from a safe distance. Most enemies can only attack up close, and the well-placed guns and ammunition make his life much easier. 

But what if you choose to play the entire game without ranged weapons? Here are some tips on how to get the game’s “As Close as You Like” achievement: 

Learn enemy attack patterns 

Although you won’t be fighting enemies with Dark Souls-esque movesets, the monsters in the Silent Hill 2 remake do have moves and combos that will catch you out if you fail to learn their animations. The game starts with the Lying Figures’ simple attacks but eventually ramps up to the more complex movesets of foes like the Flesh Lip and Pyramid Head. 

Take the time to learn each enemy’s attack patterns, especially those of the roaming mobs like the aforementioned Lying Figures and the tougher Nurses. If you learn their behaviors, you will know when to go in for melee attacks and when to dodge out of the way. 

Abuse the dodge’s invincibility frames 

Speaking of dodging, James can dodge sideways, forwards, and backwards, depending on the direction you are going in when the dodge button is pressed. Executing the correct dodge at the right time will cause attacks like the Pyramid Head’s horizontal Great Knife slash, the Flesh Lip’s charge, and even Eddie Dombrowski’s gunshots to pass by James without damaging him. 

As you’ll only be using melee weapons, a lot of time will be spent closing the gap between you and your enemies. Be patient, watch your enemy, and dodge when you see an attack coming. 

Don’t get greedy with melee attacks 

Melee strikes aren’t the most damaging attacks, so expect to wail on your enemies for a good while before they die. Enemies won’t just stand and wait for you to deplete their health though, so be prepared for some retaliation.  

Amidst your blood-fueled rampage, be on the lookout for telltale signs of an enemy counterattack. This could be as subtle as the Mandarin arching its body slightly forward for a tongue lash or as obvious as the Pyramid Head raising its Great Knife for a downward slash. Keep a cool head as you did when approaching them and melee combat will eventually reward you with a fallen enemy. 

Hit corpses for good measure 

Just because an enemy is on the ground doesn’t mean it’s down for the count. The Silent Hill 2 remake has a nasty habit of bringing corpses back to life. Some enemies will stay dead after a few stomps and smashes while others will get back up no matter how many times you hit them. Remember to use James’s stomp and ground smash moves (both of which are executed by hitting the attack button near a downed foe) for some added insurance. It won’t always ensure that the foe you’re attacking is dead, but it sure feels satisfying. 

Running away is as good a tactic as any

If you don’t want to deal with learning enemy attack patterns, dodging, and attacking with melee weapons, running away is often a valid option. Killing monsters does not award experience, nor does it provide you with healing supplies or ammunition.  

One might argue that running towards objectives as fast as possible without exploring Silent Hill thoroughly is the best way to complete a melee-only playthrough. Melee combat can be quite cumbersome and time-consuming, and some enemies can easily go out of melee range. Focusing on the puzzles and killing only a handful of mandatory enemies will allow you to finish the game faster and get back to using your much-beloved firearms. 

While it can be done on your first run, attempting a melee-only playthrough is much easier once you have cleared the game. You’ll have a better understanding of the area layouts, puzzles, and enemy placements (provided you haven’t changed the game difficulty). The overpowered Chainsaw can also be acquired in New Game+, making this challenge exceptionally easier. Completing the Silent Hill 2 remake without ranged weapons is tough but with a little patience and perseverance, you can conquer this self-implemented challenge..