How to deal with Silent Hill 2 remake’s Nurses
Next to the Pyramid Head, the Nurse is probably the most iconic of Silent Hill’s monsters. It’s no surprise that these macabre medical assistants make a return in Bloober Team’s remake of Silent Hill 2. Here’s how to deal with the Nurses, which start appearing in Brookhaven Hospital.
Nurses have more attacks than previous enemies
Whether they are holding a pipe or a knife, Nurses go for a mix of one, two, and three-hit combos. The regular one-hit attack does the least damage but can easily catch players off-guard due to the Nurse’s sporadic movements. A Nurse will look like it’s shuffling toward James Sunderland, but will be priming up for a melee weapon swing.
Both the two and three-hit combos have the same start-up animation – the Nurse will raise her melee weapon arm for a short duration. When this happens, immediately dodge to the left or right. Dodging backward is also an option, but you have to be more accurate as the Nurse’s combos can catch poorly-timed dodges. While this start-up animation may be followed up by a single attack, the two- and three-hit combos are more likely. Nurses also have a grab attack like most enemies, so watch out for that as well.
There are nuances to the Nurses’ behavior
Since the Nurses’ movements are so unpredictable, you want to see what they do first and act accordingly. A forward shuffle could be nothing, but it could also be a chance for the Nurse to sneakily attack. Nurses will also sometimes stop and start twitching in place. This isn’t a game bug, and it gives you ample time to get some good hits in.
Aside from its attacks, you should also be on the watch for the Nurse’s counter move which can occur when you attack it with a melee weapon. The Nurse will catch your melee strike and push you backward, leaving you open to a counterattack (which it usually does afterward).
As with many of the Silent Hill 2 remake’s enemies, knocking down a Nurse doesn’t necessarily mean you defeated it. Nurses tend to play dead, so make sure you get some good stomps and melee attacks in to ensure it won’t get back up.
The Nurses are a step up from the common enemies players have been facing up to this point. Unlike the Lying Figures and Mannequins, Nurses have more health and a bigger moveset that requires players to be extra cautious. Nurses will start appearing throughout Silent Hill after the Brookhaven Hospital visit, so you should learn how to deal with them before they start taking over the town.
