Combat

A taste of what's to come.

Basic Tips
• Use targeted attacks. You can drop an enemy much faster by taking out extremities instead of flailing away at the torso. Many enemies are practically useless without arms.
• Attack the head. Often, the head is the most vulnerable part of an enemy. Many enemies can't survive without a head, and those that can will often be handicapped as a result of losing it.
• Give yourself some room. Even though you need to be close to engage an enemy with a melee weapon, being close to several enemies at once can be quite dangerous. Since most enemies are much slower than you are, make sure you don't give them a stationary target. If you're surrounded by enemies when you enter a doorway, try breaking away and then engaging enemies one by one. Taking off a head and then running to another location to make another quick attack is much more effective than letting the enemies come to you.
• Make a strategic retreat when necessary. Because none of the enemies in Eternal Darkness will follow you through doors, and because you can simply run in circles to restore magick, never be afraid to run away from a losing battle. A hit-and-run strategy is somewhat cheap but effective. Use the tactics that work best for you.
• Because your magick recharges as you run, try to have one of your weapons enchanted at all times. The extra damage can make a big difference, and in some areas the glow of your weapon can actually aid your vision in dark areas.
• Finish him! After an enemy has been defeated, you can deal a final blow before its body disintegrates. In addition to the satisfaction you'll get from doing so, your sanity gauge will refill a bit as you assert your dominance. Try to isolate single enemies when facing large groups so that you'll have time to finish that enemy before the mob comes within striking distance.

Close Combat
Regardless of the weapon you're using, melee weapons will behave in almost exactly the same way apart from small range and damage differences. The following are tips that will help you become a more effective fighter.

• Always counterattack weaker enemies. If you're facing a zombie, a targeted attack (hold down the R button) while the creature is winding up for a swing can interrupt the attack and give you the initiative. Attacking the limb that the creature is swinging will counter with a high success rate.
• Use your combo sparingly. The three-hit combination attack all characters possess can knock back an enemy directly in front of you, but it may not knock back another standing directly to the side. You'll drain a good bit of stamina by performing a combo, so find out which situations they work best in and try not to resort to mashing buttons.
• Use the overhead attack. Because of the short range of motion involved, you can deal repeated overhead slashes in a relatively short amount of time.
• Attack fallen enemies. Some enemies will fall to the ground before they're finished. Normally you'll have to wait until an enemy rises to attack it again, but if you stand at the proper angle and use an overhead slash, you'll be able to get in a free hit or two.

Ranged and Magickal Combat
Whether you're using magick or bullets, attacking from a distance has its advantages and disadvantages.

• Keep your weapon fully loaded. After a fight, reload every weapon in your inventory to its full capacity. It may be obsessive, but it could make a difference in a pinch.
• Know the capabilities for your weapons. Shotguns can hit more enemies at a long distance, but they're much more powerful at close range. Certain pistols can fire straight through one enemy to strike another behind it. A grenade will do damage to you if you're standing near the explosion.
• Don't be afraid to spend ammo. Most of the time you'll find more than enough ammunition to take on the enemies in a given chapter. Pistols and other weaker ranged weapons are rather ineffectual against stronger enemies, and many weaker enemies can simply be avoided altogether, so there's no point in saving up.
• When reloading or attempting to cast a spell, make sure you've put proper distance between you and your enemy. If you haven't, it's better to switch to a melee weapon or a ranged weapon that's already loaded.
• Because your magick gauge will refill as you move, never hesitate to use a spell that you feel could be helpful. The design of Eternal Darkness allows you to recover, enchant, and summon at regular intervals. Don't shy away from the occult.