Creatures

Locations: Old Silent Hill, Central Silent Hill, Silent Hill Resort Area
Appearance: A large pterodactyl-looking bird with wide-spreading wings. Has a pale, pinkish-red colour to its skin.
Attacks: Most often they will swoop down from above and kick you with their feet. Take hard turns to avoid them and never underestimate what they're capable of. When on their feet, they may lunge and headbutt you.
Suggested Weapons: Rifle, Handgun
Strategy: These dinosaur-type birds are found everywhere throughout Silent Hill's streets and are among the most annoying enemy types due to their aggressive behaviour and ability to quickly swoop in and attack. When being chased, take a hard turn to get them off your tail since slight adjustments won't make much of a difference. While they're mostly found flying, some will be found standing before taking off. Consider killing them before they get a chance to get away.

To kill them, turn to the Handgun whenever they're within range and pop them until they they drop. The Rifle isn't acquired until fairly late, but despite the limited ammo it makes killing Air Screamers a breeze as it extends your range significantly, dropping them in a shot or two. Follow up with either a kick or an additional shot or two to kill.

Locations: Old Silent Hill, Central Silent Hill, Silent Hill Resort Area
Appearance: A skinny, hairless dog of pinkish, bloody flesh.
Attacks: Groaners will regularly jump and lunge at you, biting in the process. Either run away or shoot them before they get a chance, even if it's a last second effort during their lunge, since they'll often get knocked down.
Suggested Weapons: Handgun
Strategy: Groaners are simple to deal with but can catch you off guard quite easily with their aggressive and relentless lunges. Quickly use the Handgun to put them out of their misery, or just sprint past them. Running is often the best strategy, especially when they're in packs.

To save the ammo, the Steel Pipe works fairly well but you need to be quick and catch them at the right time, either as you run up to them or after an attack lunge. The Axe and Hammer also work well when you get them.

Locations: Arrival, Midwich Elementary School, Nightmare School, Lakeside Amusement Park
Appearance: A small, pale and deformed-looking child with a knife in its hand. Its head is fairly small and close to its shoulders with no neck visible.
Note: Grey Children (also known as Demon Children) appear only in the North American version of the game as they were deemed too child-like in Europe and Japan where they are replaced by Mumblers.
Attacks: Most often they will lunge forward and fall at your feet, stabbing you in the process. Others may also approach and slash at you during or after your recovery. Treat them seriously at all times, and when you are grabbed, mash the directional and shoulder buttons to escape more quickly.
Suggested Weapons: Handgun, Shotgun
Strategy: Perhaps one of the more disturbing enemies of the game due to their childlike figures, Grey Children move slowly but are supremely dangerous, especially with the surprisingly long range they can perform their main attack from. Turning off your Flashlight may help slipping by them in dark hallways, while there may often be space to do so either way. But sometimes you won't have an escape path or will be ambushed from multiple sides. Always try to get to a safe spot and then take them out one by one as they approach you.

One trick is to lure them towards you and just as they're about to dive, perform a backwards hop (Down + Square). Then either run past or take them out. Due to their knives, melee weapons are not recommended unless you can make effective work of the above trick. Otherwise, always use the Handgun to defeat them, while the Shotgun can make quicker work of them if cornered.

Locations: Nightmare School, Alchemilla Hospital, Nightmare Hospital, Sewers (to resort area), Sewers (to amusement park)
Appearance: A truly giant roach, yellow and red in colour and with many legs.
Attacks: Creepers will run up and bite Harry's legs. Quickly pop them or run past to avoid this.
Suggested Weapons: Handgun
Strategy: Creepers are mostly just annoying creatures and aren't much of a threat at all. Usually they can just be run past, but they also do come in groups and may try to gang up on you. In these cases, quickly take them out one by one with a Handgun shot, followed by a kick or another shot.

Locations: Nightmare School, Lakeside Amusement Park
Appearance: A small child-like apparition. Spotted as a small black shadow, stumbling all over the ground like an infant and signalled by a high-pitch creak. Sometimes come in groups and usually disappear after a few seconds.
Attacks: None
Suggested Weapons: None
Strategy: These shadow figures never try to attack you nor pose a threat. They have enough trouble even staying on two feet and thus have more pressing issues than to attack you. You'll often hear sharp high-pitched sounds indicating their presence, but they're not to be feared in any way. They also cannot be attacked anyway. But keep an eye out for their adult form which actually is lethal later on...

Locations: Central Silent Hill, Nightmare Central Silent Hill, Silent Hill Resort Area, Nightmare Resort Area
Appearance: Takes the form of a humanoid mixed with an ape-like creature on all fours, capable of jumping around and making ape-like sounds.
Attacks: Rompers will hop towards you and smother Harry to the ground. Do not approach them and instead attack from a distance or run by well clear. When held down, wiggle the directional and shoulder buttons to escape more quickly. Additionally they may sometimes jump an incredible distance and bowl Harry over without smothering him.
Suggested Weapons: Shotgun, Handgun
Strategy: A very quick creature that is extremely hard to run away from once it's spotted you, since it'll hop right on over and jump Harry. Instead, it's important to get the jump on them with quick Shotgun or Handgun blasts. With the Handgun, begin firing from a farther distance to ensure you won't get bowled over, but it won't take more than a few shots to down one. The Shotgun will only take 1-2 blasts if you have the ammo.

Locations: Nightmare Hospital, Nowhere.
Appearance: A nurse in uniform with a giant parasite hump in its back, carrying a small knife similar to Harry's.
Attacks: Nurses will primary try to grab you and slash with their knives, while other Nurses will approach and slash at you while held up. Push the directional and shoulder buttons to escape grapples more quickly.
Suggested Weapons: Handgun, Shotgun, Hammer, Rock Drill.
Strategy: Due to their knives, Nurses are important to eliminate before they get too close. Use the Handgun if you have the time in space, while the Shotgun makes quick work if them when in groups or up close.

Melee weapons are difficult due to their knives, but the Hammer can work extremely well. Performing the double swing not only keeps a Nurse from getting to you from the front, but knocks them down rather quickly as well. In a Next Fear game, the Rock Drill is also fantastic. Simply raise it in the air with R2 to get it running, then just let Nurses run up to you and kill themselves.

Location: Nightmare Hospital
Appearance: A doctor in uniform with a large parasite lump on its back, very similar to the Puppet Nurse. All doctors carry knives similar to Harry's.
Attacks: Just like Nurses, Doctors will grab and also slash Harry. Use the directional and shoulder buttons to escape grabs and be sure to shoot them before they get too close.
Suggested Weapons: Shotgun, Handgun, Hammer, Rock Drill
Strategy: Treat Doctors the same way as Nurses by killing them before they can get too close. Keep in mind Doctors are slightly stronger and more aggressive, so perhaps the Shotgun is wise at least when in close. They usually appear solo and thus the Handgun is suitable to take them down with enough space. There are only a handful of them found in the game.

If daring enough to use the Hammer, it also works effectively on them if you can attack first, while the same Rock Drill trick works on Doctors just as well as Nurses.

Locations: Nightmare Central Silent Hill, Nightmare Resort Area
Appearance: Another pterodactyl-type bird similar to the Air Screamer but only found in Nightmare Silent Hill areas. It has darker skin and its head is completely covered with worms.
Attacks: Just like Air Screamers they will chase you and kick from above, but they are faster and stronger than their counterparts. Take hard turns to avoid their swoops and take them out early if you get the chance. They can also headbutt you when encountered walking on the ground.
Suggested Weapons: Handgun, Hunting Rifle, Shotgun
Strategy: This creature has the same characteristics of the Air Screamer, although taking its place in the alternate world. These creatures are also stronger and hit harder so do your best to deal with them appropriately. Usually the best strategy in all these nightmare areas is just to run, but if you wish to kill them, the Handgun is still pretty good, the Shotgun is best at very close range, and the Rifle is probably the best all around with its long range and consistent power, dropping them in 1-2 hits. Follow up with a kick or another shot.

Locations: Nightmare Central Silent Hill, Nightmare Resort Area
Appearance: Very similar to the Groaner in foggy Silent Hill but takes its place in Nightmare Silent Hill. As the name suggests, their heads are covered in worms and their bodies are generally darker in colour.
Attacks: Just like Groaners, Wormheads will jump and bite you. Run on by them or attack safely from a moderate distance, while shots during airtime can knock them down.
Suggested Weapons: Handgun
Strategy: Wormheads have identical attacks to Groaners, but they do more damage and are stronger. Nightmare areas are often best traversed by running past everything, but if you do wish to fight them the Handgun works well as usual. When a quick kill is needed, turn to the Shotgun. Melee weapons are often not a good idea in the areas that contain them due to enemy frequency, but if you do have the space then the Steel Pipe, Hammer and Axe are all fairly good when used properly.

Locations: Sewers (to resort area), Sewers (to amusement park)
Appearance: A large green insect-looking creature with sharp claws. Looks somewhat like a huge praying mantis, or perhaps a giant but very thin frog. Often found hanging on the roof.
Attacks: Hanged Scratchers will approach you and attack with their sharp claws. Run past or prevent them from getting close to avoid them. They will also claw at you from the roof when below them.
Suggested Weapons: Shotgun, Handgun
Strategy: Scratchers are only found in the Sewers but are deadly creatures, capable of sneaking up on you despite their clicking legs, or ambushing in groups. One on one, take them out with the Handgun, while when quicker kills are needed due to multiple Scratchers, turn to the Shotgun. Melee requires more skill, but the Hammer can handle them well one on one.

Scratchers take a while to fall down after dying, so save your ammo when you see them beginning to fall. Also keep an eye out for them on the roof where they hang while waiting for you, sometimes hoping for an ambush if you don't notice them. When ambushed by several of them, it's often the best idea to just run away.

Location: Sewers (to amusement park). Replace Grey Children in all locations in PAL version.
Appearance: The size of a small child, with reddish skin and long, sharp claw fingers on both hands. Looks somewhat like a large and creepy monster teddybear. Its head is very small, has a hole in it, and is connected to its body without a visible neck.
Attacks: Very similarly to Grey Children, they will dive at Harry's feet and do damage with their claw fingers, or slash at Harry, including when he's already being grappled. Hit the directional and shoulder buttons to escape these holds more quickly.
Suggested Weapons: Handgun, Shotgun, Rifle
Strategy: Perhaps even more disturbing than Grey Children, Mumblers take a quite frankly terrifying form with their short size and menacing claws. They are however fairly easy to kill with the Handgun or run past if you have the time and space. If quick kills are needed when being chased or encountering them in groups, turn to the Rifle or Shotgun.

Normally only found in the Sewers in the North American and Japanese versions, these creatures are much more abundant in the PAL version, replacing all Grey Children in the school and elsewhere.

Locations: Nowhere
Appearance: The adult form of the Larval Stalker, and the apparition form of the Grey Child, appearing as a shadowy figure that's very hard to see while also carrying a knife. Unlike standard Grey Children, they are featured in all versions of the game. May also be known as Invisible Demon Children.
Attacks: Just like Grey Children, they'll throw themselves at Harry's feet with a hold while slicing, or deliver separate slashes when already held. Use the directional and shoulder buttons to escape holds more quickly.
Suggested Weapons: Shotgun, Handgun, Rifle
Strategy: Although they behave just like Grey Children, they are more dangerous since they're harder to spot with their shadowy figures. Therefore it may be a good idea to use the Shotgun to kill them more quickly, despite the Handgun still working fairly well if you have the time, space and vision to spot them. The Rifle will handle them quickly from a longer range to eliminate the threat before they get close.

Pay attention to the radio static in case one may be patrolling nearby. Despite melee being a bit trickier due to being harder to see, the Hammer can be effective on them one by one.