Enemies

Lying Figure

Strategy:
This is the first and most common creature James will encounter, and it's generally not much of a threat. The Wooden Plank is fairly effective right out of the gate, although a bit slow, while the Steel Pipe is the most effective melee weapon. Quickly approach and whack these enemies before they even get a chance to attack, then kick them while on the ground. Alternatively you can wait just outside of their spit range for them to attack, then go in for a beatdown once they shoot and miss. While the Pipe's thrust attack provides good range, the overhead downward swing offers the most power (press X tightly to perform). The same swing for the Plank is also more effective.

The Handgun is the most efficient way to kill them, however dependent on how much ammo you have. Just fire away from a moderate distance and they'll drop in about three hits. Always quickly kick them or else they might scramble away and/or get back up. The Shotgun is overkill to be honest, but feel free to blast them if you have the ammo, or if you're surrounded by a few of them.

Creeper

Strategy:
The presence of a Creeper is always heard by a buzzing/cricket sound. The best strategy for dealing with them is usually the cold shoulder. Just ignore them and move on, since they generally aren't very aggressive and won't go out of their way to follow you. If proving burdensome, just whip out the Handgun and take a shot or two to kill one. Usually this will kill them but sometimes an additional kick may be necessary. Alternatively, you can also crush them with the heel of your shoe if you time it right while running over them. This can be a bit tough to get right and you may receive a few bites in the process, so it's not quite recommended.

Mannequin

Strategy:
Mannequins are truly pathetic creatures that have very little combat sense. Not only do they have one attack, they'll often be standing in a standby state, only activating when you move near them. Do be careful because they seem to throw swing themselves into this active state and can flukily hit you this way without trying. During this activation stage or even after, the player can also push their way past Mannequins, usually avoiding any damage whatsoever as they are often slow to attack.

Since they don't have much defense, the Wooden Plank works fairly well, while the Steel Pipe will replaces it as the de facto melee choice once acquired. Simply whack them before they can attack and stomp them to death. Otherwise, the Handgun is a very efficient manner to deal with them, requiring about three shots before a kick on Normal. The Shotgun works as overkill, knocking them down in one shot if you can spare the ammo, but the Handgun should suffice every time, unless going for quick kills.

Bubble Head Nurse

Strategy:
These naughty Nurses are only found inside Brookhaven Hospital and on the nearby streets in the middle section of the game. Bubble Heads carry steel pipes very similar to James', so you'll want to avoid getting too close. That essentially rules out melee weapons, but if you have to, the Steel Pipe's forward thrust and downward swing are your best best. Otherwise, the Handgun handles them optimally, downing them in three shots from a moderate distance on Normal. Alternatively, the Shotgun will knock them down in one blast and can be very helpful for dealing with two or more Nurses together. Always be sure to kick them once down for the kill. Additionally, Nurses may commit friendly-fire if another stands between you two, which can be funny to see. Be careful though, bad boy, as you may be next.

Mandarin

Strategy:
Mandarins are only found under grating or mesh floors and there's only a handful of them found in the game. Further, you can easily run past them all without any real interaction, which is the best strategy since stopping leaves you open to attack. If you do wish to kill a Mandarin, the Shotgun works best but it'll still take a few blasts. Move in close, blast away and the Mandarin will fall to its death in the darkness below. The Handgun can also work but it's a bit weaker and takes more time.

Abstract Daddy

Strategy:
Other than the boss fight, you'll only encounter up four of these creatures in the entire game and only in two rooms, so they won't pose an extended threat. And while they are bulky and slow, they can inflict heavy damage so always aim to take them out asap. As soon as you hear their presence, grab your Shotgun and blast away. Two shots on Normal should knock them down, sometimes requiring a kick to finish off. There's really no other substitute for the Shotgun here -- it will always be your best bet. Refer to the Walkthrough for the boss fight strategy.

Red Pyramid Thing

Strategy:
This bizarre pyramid-headed creature is literally James' worst nightmare. He is completely invulnerable to all your attacks, but you can manage to slow him down by shooting or swinging at him. James encounters this beast on multiple occasions and each one of them is usually very different. For boss encounters and in the hospital basement, refer to the strategies in the Walkthrough. Otherwise if found in any other situation, just turn around and run the other way since you will not be able to kill him.

Lying Figure

Strategy:
One of the two main enemies Maria will encounter, Lying Figures are not much of a threat but still probably the more dangerous of the three enemies in the scenario. While the Chinese Cleaver can work well on them, especially since you can swing while running, the Revolver is the best bet to shoot them from a distance, without fearing an acid attack. Two or three bullets should do the trick, but be sure finish them off with a kick once on the ground.

Creeper

Strategy:
The presence of a Creeper is always heard by a buzzing/cricket sound. The best strategy is often to just leave them alone or run past, but they can be a bother in narrow corridors. In this case, one or two quick Revolver shots will take care of them easily. Otherwise, you can also attempt to crunch them with Maria's heal by running over them with the right timing, although this can be difficult to achieve and get you bitten.

Mannequin

Strategy:
Mannequins are truly pathetic creatures that you can easily run past without fighting, but the Revolver will easily knock them down in two to three shots. And since they're very slow-to-react creatures, the Chinese Cleaver is also very helpful, allowing you to run up and whack them until they drop, without much fear in receiving an attack. Also feel free to whack the while running into them with the Cleaver, and always finish them off with a kick once down.