General Advice to Staying Alive in Penumbra
Hello, anonymous user. I've played through both Penumbra Overture and Penumbra Black Plague (not Requiem, not scary enough) and I have devised some tips and hints to staying alive in Penumbra. Since there is no sanity, the game is much more lightweight and you don't have to be as cautious. These will be split into three sections: Penumbra Overture, Penumbra Black Plague, and Penumbra Overture and Penumbra Black Plague.
Penumbra Overture
-Avoid enemies. I know that there is a combat system where you can hit them, but you should avoid it. If you have no painkillers, then don't even get near them, and one miss on a dog could cost you your life. Only use a weapon in worst-case scenarios.
-Use your glowstick, flashlight, or flares only when you cannot hear the music hinting at an enemy being nearby. Light sources may make it easier to see a dog, but it also makes them easier to see you. If you really want light, throw a flare and keep away from it.
-The dogs' glowing eyes gives away their position. If their eyes did not glow like a bonfire at midnight then you would have reason to use your flashlight everywhere, but since they do, just look for the eyes. It's like the saying goes: "Don't fire 'till you see the whites of their eyes." Or, in this case, the yellows.
-Stick to the shadows! I can't stress this enough. There is no sanity in the Penumbra series, so Philip won't become a gibbering, sobbing wreck every time he sees a dog. You may use light sources if there is no dogs nearby, but otherwise stick to the shadows. Enemies are nearly blind if you are in the dark.
-If you spot a dog, stop moving and wait until Philip exhales and your vision stretches while simultaneously getting brighter. Unless something bumps against you then it won't see you. In a worst case scenario, just stop while walking and let it walk past you. I once had two dogs walk right past me without seeing me.
-Use the steam cages. Dogs just can't resist the smell of beef jerky. They will obliviously walk into the cage and start nomming on the beef jerky, unaware of their inevitable doom. Just don't bump them with the door. Please.
-If you are attacked, then hit the enemy once so it falls down and run to hide. When a dog is hit, it will, about ninety percent of the time, run for help and howl. By then, you could be in a pitch-black corner and they will never find you. It sounds insane, but hiding in a particularly dark steam cage is an ideal choice.
-If there is no hiding place, then throw an item to distract a dog. Dogs are attracted to noise and movement, so they will instinctively approach it to investigate. Just don't throw it at the dog. Trust me.
-Have a steady supply of flares, beef jerky, and painkillers (if possible) in your inventory at all times. Flares provide light while you're out of sight, beef jerky can lure away dogs, and painkillers heal Philip to full health. Use them sparingly.
Penumbra Black Plague
-Stay away from the Tuurngait infected. Since there is no form of direct attack in Penumbra Black Plague, the enemies are much more dangerous. You can kill them if you are willing to throw a box at them for ten minutes, but by then another will be behind you and ripping you to shreds by then.
-Keep moving. Unlike in Penumbra Overture, the Tuurngait infected have flashlights, meaning that if you stay in one spot for too long, he'll spot you eventually. When I encountered the first Tuurngait, I hid in the corner behind the overturned locker and after about twenty-three seconds he shone the flashlight on me as he left. Barely survived the ordeal.
-Use the gas mask. It will never expire, and most gas kills you in seconds. If you think there is gas, then slap on that gas mask and be safe.
-Have a lot of batteries. Your flashlight drains batteries much faster in Penumbra Black Plague then in Penumbra Overture, and you will definitely be needing an abundance of them.
Penumbra Overture and Penumbra Black Plague
-Have a stock of painkillers on hotkey. If you're injured, you don't have time to press tab, find the painkillers, and double click to consume them when a dog is mauling you or a Tuurngait infected is bashing your head in with a crowbar.
-Don't play the big hero. You can't heroically charge out with a pickaxe or box and smite your enemies. When you see a Tuurngait come around a corner with an axe, stay out of its sight or you will pay the price.
-Close doors behind you. If you're solving a puzzle and a dog comes on its merry way and sees you toying with some things, then it will take you for a roast chicken and nom you until all that's left is the dog gnawing on your bones. If there is a closed door, chances are he won't find it interesting.
-Search everything, everywhere. If there's some hidden batteries, or a flare, or painkillers, you always want to find them and escape before a dog or Tuurngait infected finds you.
-Don't be paranoid. If you're so certain that an enemy is waiting for you just around the corner, lean out and see. Paranoia will cost you if you are looking around one corner and not looking behind you. Enjoy the respawn.
-Use the lean buttons (Q and E by default). In many videos, posts, and the like I see people walk out of their hiding spots to check if there is a dog nearby and when there is it attacks them. If you lean out, they have a lower chance of spotting you and you can instantly revert to normal (if you've seen the "Amnesia Scary Gameplay" video by Frictional Games, you would see the tester lean from the wardrobe to see if the room was now empty.)
I hope that I've helped you in guiding Philip on his quest to find answers. Good luck, leave feedback, and stay away from the Tuurngait infected!
(This post was last modified: 11-02-2011, 07:01 PM by BerenSaralonde.)
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General Advice to Staying Alive in Penumbra
) Cuts a lot of footage 