Alex could not end his mother's suffering.

Guide Alex through the nightmarish Otherworld Penitentiary in Silent Hill: Townfall. Solve riddles, defeat Asphyxia, and find Elle in this walkthrough.

Alright, so you've just been thrown into the Otherworld version of the Penitentiary. Don't worry, it's pretty disorienting for everyone the first time. You'll start in Solitary Confinement. None of the doors here will open, and you'll see blood dripping from the ceiling – classic Silent Hill vibes. Just head back the way you came, out of the confinement area.

Before you do anything else, look for the !!SAVE POINT!! on the fence to your left. Save your game; it's always a good idea. Then, open the double doors and head into the big room ahead. A cutscene will play, and a pillar will rise from the center. Walk towards it, but here's a crucial tip: DO NOT reach inside when prompted. If you do, Alex will get hurt, and you'll have to mash a button to pull his hand back. Right after that, a Needler enemy will drop from the ceiling to attack you.

RIDDLE PUZZLE

Now, you've got a riddle puzzle. You need to read the three signs around the room to figure out the symbols for the dials on the pillar. Here are the riddles:

• Left Sign: I stand beside the holy man / The monarch fear my wrath / None may move the way I can / Ever the crooked path
• Middle Sign: The man who devised it / Does not want it / The man who brought it / Does not use it / The man who used it / Does not realize it
• Right Sign: What man loves more than life / Fears more than death or mortal strife / What poor men have, the rich acquire / And all contented men desire / What Misers spend and the Wastrels save / And each man carries to his grave

The solution to these riddles corresponds to symbols on the dials on the pillar. You'll need to examine each dial and rotate it using the left analog stick so the correct symbol appears at the top. The correct symbols are:

• Left Dial: Knight (horse head)
• Middle Dial: Coffin (with cross)
• Right Dial: Nothing (empty space)

Once all the dials are set correctly, you can reach inside the pillar from the front side on the east. This time, Alex will successfully kill the worm inside, triggering another cutscene. After that, head towards the hole in the middle of the room. You'll get a prompt to jump in – go ahead and do it. Another cutscene will play once Alex lands.

Shower Area (OW)

Objective Update: [ ] Find Elle.

You'll find yourself in the Shower Area with Deputy Wheeler. Both of you will be facing south. If you look to the east, you'll spot another !!SAVE POINT!! on the far wall. Definitely save your game here. Neither of the doors in this area will open, so you'll need to find a narrow opening on the southwest side of the wall and squeeze through.

Boiler Room (OW)

Open the door to the north and head up the staircase.

Outside Corridor (OW)

You'll be on a walkway with electrical cables on the floor. You can't turn the valve handle in the middle, so keep moving northwest. Step through the doorway at the end and go down the stairs. You'll hear human screams as you and Wheeler move east down the next corridor. Go through the doorway at the end.

A cutscene will play, and two Needlers will drop from the ceiling. You can distract them with a melee weapon while Wheeler takes care of them. After that, walk through the doorway on the east side and into the next corridor.

Continue east down this corridor. Step into the smaller corridor at the end, then go into the room on your left. Grab the --HEALTH DRINK-- from the shelf on the right and the --FIRST AID KIT-- from the shelf on the left. Make sure to save your game at the !!SAVE POINT!! here. Head back outside and turn the valve handle on the east door to open it. A cutscene will trigger in the next room.

Gas Chamber (OW)

Objective Update: [ ] Defeat Asphyxia

Boss - Asphyxia

Alright, get ready for a boss fight! Asphyxia has a pretty wild design. Like the previous boss, you'll need to learn its attack patterns to win. Dodging is going to be your best friend here.

• Three Hit Combo: Asphyxia swings its arms forward twice, followed by an uppercut. This usually happens early in the fight when you're close.
• Punch and Tail Whip: It shakes its back tail, swings an arm forward, then turns and whips its tail.
• Black Vomit: Spits up black liquid, then vomits a stream of it forward.
• Grab: Leans back slightly, then lunges forward to grab you.

You'll need to time your dodges carefully for each attack. For the three-hit combo, dodge each swing right before it lands. For the punch and tail whip, dodge the arm swing, and Alex will automatically dodge the tail too. When it spits the black liquid, quickly press the dodge button to roll backward – don't press a direction, or the dodge might not work. For the grab, keep tapping the dodge button while holding left or right. Alex should eventually jump out of the way. This one needs good timing, but sometimes just tapping dodge while holding a direction works.

A melee weapon is fine for attacking, but only do so after you've dodged an attack, especially its lunge. When you dodge the lunge, Alex will land behind Asphyxia, giving you a chance to hit its back tail and stun it. Dodging the lunge and getting behind it for a few hits is the key to beating this boss easily.