- CHECK the corners. It's guaranteed there will be an enemy hiding to get you.

- To parry the bullets, melee them right before they hit you.
(The fact someone asked me how to do this baffles me. As if there aren't enough games around with this mechanic, that if the game mentions such mechanic, how It works is kinda obvious. I can describe the fact I had to explain this by mentioning the description of an item in a game called "Gorky 17": "Bayonet: If you need to know what this is used for, you shouldn't be playing this game.")

- AIM FOR THE HEADS! (Golden rule of EVERY FPS, and this should be nº1)

- Don't be afraid of close combat. The melee weapon range is not that short, and be ready around corners.
And aim for the head or neck, guaranteed kill for most enemies. And also, learn to parry their shots, if you can.

- If you have max (3 by default) "soda cans" (health packs), and you see a machine, drink one and grab a new one from the machine.
(Better recover those missing 10%HP than waste an entire can in the fire)

- Have always AT LEAST 2 soda cans, you're gonna need those upgrades (1 for the dog and 1 for you just in case).

- Weapons don't auto-reload! Click "Reload" OR shoot again if you have an empty magazine/gun to reload.
(Can't stress how many times I died cause my shotgun had no shells inside, after clearing a room, just to open the door and rush without checking, just to get killed mid reload)

Something I noticed on separate playing sessions.

When at the start, the entity asks "Who do you want to kill?", It's pretty much a seed generator.
In separate instances, I typed the exact same thing, and the map is still the same, as well the enemy positions, maybe also the same type of enemies, but sometimes there are minor changes.

Like the seed I played when I noticed the feature, the first room is always empty, but at a different attempt, a single enemy showed up. The next attempt, It was gone again.

Get the "Zed Fitness" upgrade ASAP! If you are missing health at the start, as long you stay in the elevator the fire won't start, and spam that crouch button WHILE standing still. You must go all the way down and up to count (a full squat).
If you see "sweat drops" on the screen and hear grunting, It's working.

- Speaking of squating (Zed Fitness required). If you are fast enough and get to the door for the next area, look back and start spamming crouch, and get some health. As soon the fire starts getting close, run to the next area, kill, be quick, and repeat this step.
Master this, and your survival will multiply.
"But I barely get any health back." - Bruh, even if It's only 10%, do you prefer to not have It at all? The choice is obvious.

I encourage to upgrade the tier, in a few squats you can completely heal yourself, if you have the time.




- The "Big Heart" upgrade not only upgrades your max HP, but also HEALS you if you are wounded! (at the start of the next level in which you picked the upgrade, NOT every level)

- Honestly, there isn't a lot to say about levels 1, 2 and 3.

You got the weakest of all, Ghosts, they are really slow, and when they hit you, they vanish. Don't waste your ammo or melee weapon (unless you want to). Just exorcize them with a good kick or punch.

















Cultists (pistols). 3 shots or melee hits... or you know... go for the head!




















- (Level 2) Melee Guy (I forgot the name) They rush at you full speed, and just like for you, their melee range is also large. They only take 2 shot or melee hits, and you can grab and use their weapons for melee combat.
Did I mention shoot/melee their heads?

















- (Level 3) Shotgunners. They may look intimidating, BUT you can parry all the pellets at once, as if they are one single projectile, but don't be deceived, getting hit hurts way more than a bullet AND can push you back!
After shooting, they take a little longer pumping a new cartridge... into a double barrel.. (that's what their animation shows! What else could It be?) Anyway, their longer reload time is valuable to end them, take advantage of missed shots.




















- You got to level 4? Congratulations! See those doors? Start aiming at them when you get close, 1 enemy ALWAYS walks out of them.
NOTE: While you advance and encounter new enemies, those start appearing too and are randomised.



- (Level 4) Watch out for windows at some point, the crows are annoying and quick.
Just like the ghosts, they are really weak. 1 hit and theiy're dead.

















- Speaking of windows, in level 7, Monkeys start coming for you too. They are slighty faster than the crows but at least they don't fly. They take 2 melee hits or 1 shot is enough.
NOTE: When a monkey hits you, they don't stay in front of you. They get behind you! Don't let them overwhelm, trick and distract you.
















- (Level 5) Watch out for those hog pig demon things. They have uzi machine guns that can kill you quickly if you don't deal with them.
If you get the Uzi gun from them, DON'T always rely on It! They are better for crowds, and headshots are not always guaranteed.
















- (Level 6) The Shield enemies (they look like riot police), are perhaps the only exception where headshots don't work.
Aim for their BODY!















- Way ahead you will encounter landmines too, shoot them before you cross the room. The tight space arenas make them unavoidable even if you are 3 steps away.
You can also slide under them, avoid the explosion or take minor damage. (Absurd but awesome)

















- (Level 8) Spiders, they spit poison at you that can also slow you down for 1 second. Also, they may jump and walk around in the ceiling. You still can melee them, but It's harder. Shoot them instead.














- (Level 9) TNT/Explosive Goblin (or grelims, who care...). You can shoot them easily BUT from far away. Explosives and close proximity don't mix well.
You may see trouble, but a smart gamer sees an opportunity! Simply kick them into an enemy group, they die/explode upon landing on an enemy and takes out most of them.

















- (Level 10) Chainsaw guy, either run away through an electric trap (if possible) or shoot his head quickly. They tank a lot damage (somewhat), but give you lots of ammo. And no... you can't use their chainsaw.
Melee is too risky, their attack range is also large. Pistol even to the head takes a lot of ammo, and just like the uzi, the spread makes It unreliable.
Take out your shotgun and remember the Golden Rule: GO FOR THE HEAD!



















- (Level 7) Electric traps are your friends.
Avoid them if you rush an area and enemies will die on contact.

- In the no firearms mode, you can use enemy guns as melee weapons. There isn't no much difference, the damage and range is still the same.

- Whenever you can, get rid of your damaged melee weapon and get a new one if avaiable, before entering the next room.
The last thing you want and need is your weapon breaking in the middle of the fight.

- Avoid throwing your weapons, unless you trust your aim!
Once you throw a weapon, It's GONE. They won't bounce at the walls and stay on the floor, they vanish.

- Recommended upgrades:

• Zen Fitness (Constant crouching refills health slowly)
  
• Big Heart (Max HP increase and heals you completely at the start of the next level)
  
• Quality (Melee weapons last longer)
  
• Juggler (Increases the max number of soda cans you can carry)

- The Shield enemy (looks like a riot police). That guy is IMMUNE to melee damage, but NOT to kicks. Kick the guy into traps, windows, and if you get the angle and opportunity, into the fire.

UPDATE: I found out if you knock them out with a kick, you can melee them while they are down! They take 3 hits to kill, so kick them into a corner and spam that attack button.

(GET RID OF THEM HOWEVER AND AS SOON AS YOU CAN! They make level 6 and behiond a real pain to deal with)

















- The Chainsaw guy, AVOID THIS GUY AT ALL COSTS! He tanks a lot of damage, your weapon's duration gets all taken down, and you can't even kick him!
Take advantage of his slow speed and just run and gun your way across the room.
There was a moment I managed to kill one, by throwing 2 weapons. One at his head and another at his body, but I only did this out of desperation and I had a lot of weapons around me, try this at your own risk.



















- The Cultists (pistols) and Shotgunners are easy to avoid and deflect their shots. But the Pig Demons with their uzis are a risky gamble that can end your game quickly if you get overwhelmed.
Yes, you may deflect 1 bullet or luckily 2, but their bursts make them a high priority target. Use columns (if the room has) and curves to your advantage, and if you trust your aim and MAKE SURE you have a spare melee weapon nearby, throw your current weapon at them.

- In fact, BEFORE you throw your melee weapon in a desperate attempt at a ranged enemy, make sure you have a spare one nearby, from a dead guy or in the walls! ALWAYS!
(I died too many times cause I got cocky and threw my only weapon and missed)

Wanna play First-Person-View Hotline Miami? This is for you.
Just imagine you have a rubber chicken mask over your head and you are made of glass.

- Good Luck...

- Remember the RULE Nº1 OF EVERY FPS: GO! FOR! THE! HEAD!

- DON'T GET COCKY! 1 hit and you're gone! (read the title)

- Take quick peeks around corners and memorize their positions. But be quick! A single glance from them and they come for you, means they change their position.

- The ghosts. Weak but a constant problem. They might die in a single punch or when an enemy you sent flying hits them. The REAL problem is when they obscure your vision.
I died too many times, to enemies who were hiding behind them. By the time I kill a ghost, I get a bullet with my name on It from a cultist that was hiding right behind the ghost.

- Speaking of hiding, pay close attention at the distance. The brown cloaks of the cultists makes them almost invisible with the scenario, especially in dark far away corners and corridors and the crunchy graphics of the game only amplifies that.
Many times I opened a door to a long hallway, and in a corner a cultist was already running to me, for the last thing to see before I die was his mouth and eye.

- Parrying shots. Be good at It but I don't advise at all. At some point you will get a bullet one way or another. It's better to avoid them by side stepping.

- Do NOT "Rambo"! You may be a God by this point or at least good enough to go far, but rushing rooms is a quick ticket back to level 1... or your desktop.

- Keep your distance if possible, and snipe enemies with your pistol.

- If you get jumped around a corner, melee them quick! It's faster than aiming and shooting.
Remember, the melee range is generous in this game.

- Shoot the bombs, from far away! The last thing you need with these things is a melee enemy rushing you, triggering one and be caught in the blast area.
Mines are particulary amazing to clear a room's area. And please, for the love of your sanity, CAREFUL JUMPING over the mines on the walls! You can tell by my frustration what might have happened.

- If they are crowded, use your shotgun! A well aimed shot (or 2) can kill a group of 2 or 3 easily, OR if not, stagger them for a second so you get some cover around a corner.

- Don't rely on the uzi! The spread makes It harder to get headshots, and while you're killing someone "slowly", the other 2 enemies behind them already have their aim at you.

- Kick/punch the ghosts, again, don't waste your melee weapon in 1HP enemies (they die even if you kick an enemy at them!). Better use It for surprise corner attacks and deflecting bullets.

- Level 4 and foward, that's where the actual trouble starts. The crows coming out of any window at any moment. Imagine a speed-bump on a road. Now imagine that same speed-bump with landmines and an alert to a guided missile system.
My only advice is go slowly and watch out for every window... while trying to avoid everything else AND running away from the fire.
PS: DON'T forget the doors too!

- After FINALLY beating this mode, my platinum tip: GO SLOW! The fire is the least of the problems.

The upgrades I advice

- Juggler - There's no point in healing since you only have 1HP, but you will need those extra soda cans to try your luck in getting a better upgrade if the 2 choices don't fancy you.
PS: The "Dog" is an absolute piece of SH#T. Sometimes (if not 40% of the time), you get the same upgrades you don't want, but they just switch sides.

- Fast Fingers - Faster reload. Self-explanatory.
You will be panicking when they come for you around a corner and you're still reloading. And if you're in the middle of a shootout in an open space room with no covers. You can't dodge them forever.

- Large Mags - This upgrade works wonders with the shotgun. Like I said before, in a crowded room, those extra slugs ready to fire feel like an "auto-clear" button.

- Prosperity - You get more ammo from drops and guns.
You WILL need It!
When survival is the highest of priorities (specialy if you have 1HP), headshots most of the times become secondary. At some point in a room with too many enemies, you will perhaps start shooting their bodies instead of their heads. Mark my words.

- Self Hate - The lower your health, the higher your damage.
"But what is the point if I have ONLY 1HP, since THAT IS fully healed? There won't be any extra damage." I know, sounds like a waste of an upgrade, BUT I found out that with this upgrade, instead of killing with 3 body shots, It only takes 2 now!
It's all about conserving ammo too.

- Last Drink - If you get shot, you will consume 1 soda as a "revive".
WARNING: According to my experience, this is a 1 TIME USE ONLY! Once It's activated, It's gone, no extras when choosing an upgrade! So make It count!

- Big Heart - This upgrade on 1HP Mode is EXTREMELY RARE!
If you get It, consider yourself a lucky b@stard! You won't die in 1 hit, BUT there's still a chance 1 bullet might still kill you instantly. Get "Zed Fitness" with this and you quickly recover your entire health, IF you're lucky to survive one shot.

UPDATE: 24/2/25
FINALLY!!! I beat 1HP Mode. I recommend It only for masochists.

This is It for now. This game is an adrenaline rush that I missed a lot. :)

Screenshots taken from Alpha Beta Gamer's video.
Which helped me a lot in some strategies