Floor 1: The Apartment

Chapter 1: Down Under - Floor 1: The Apartment

Welcome to the first floor of "Down Under," the introductory chapter for The Fans. This guide will walk you through clearing the apartment building, focusing on strategic approaches for each of the playable characters available in this chapter.

Chapter Overview: "Down Under" introduces players to the unique mechanics of The Fans, a group of vigilantes with distinct masks and abilities. This first floor, "The Apartment," serves as a tutorial for their individual playstyles and the core combat loop of Hotline Miami 2. Expect tight corridors, multiple rooms, and a mix of melee and armed enemies.

Character Selection & Loadouts for "The Apartment"

For "The Apartment," you'll have access to a choice of Masks, each offering a distinct playstyle. Understanding their strengths and weaknesses is crucial for success.

• Mark (The Bear): Starts with two SMGs. His unique ability allows him to dual-wield, firing both SMGs simultaneously. This provides immense firepower but consumes ammo rapidly. Mark is excellent for aggressive, close-quarters combat and clearing rooms quickly.
• Alex & Ash (The Swan Sisters): Play as a duo. Alex wields a chainsaw, capable of instant kills and cleaving through multiple enemies. Ash follows closely behind, providing cover fire with a pistol. This combo is powerful for both melee and ranged engagements, but requires careful positioning to protect Ash.
• Tony (The Tiger): Tony's mask prevents him from picking up weapons. Instead, he relies solely on his fists, which deliver lethal blows to any enemy. He can also perform a powerful charge attack that knocks down multiple foes. Tony is ideal for players who prefer a pure melee, high-risk, high-reward playstyle.
• Corey (The Zebra): Corey's unique ability is a combat roll, allowing him to dodge bullets and quickly reposition. He starts with a baseball bat. Corey is perfect for players who prefer a more evasive and tactical approach, using his roll to close distances or avoid incoming fire.

Walkthrough: Floor 1 - The Apartment

Regardless of your chosen character, the objective remains the same: clear all enemies on the floor. Pay close attention to enemy patrol patterns and use the environment to your advantage.

Initial Entry & First Room

You begin in a small hallway. Immediately to your left is the first room. Expect 1-2 unarmed enemies and potentially 1 armed enemy with a pistol.

• Mark: Burst into the room, dual-wielding to quickly eliminate threats. Prioritize the armed enemy.
• Alex & Ash: Alex should charge with the chainsaw, while Ash provides covering fire. Be mindful of Ash's position.
• Tony: Punch the unarmed enemies first, then use a charge attack or careful dodges to take down the armed foe.
• Corey: Roll into the room to avoid initial shots, then use your bat to dispatch enemies.

Strategy Tip: Use the door as a weapon. Opening it into an enemy will stun them, giving you a free hit or shot.

Corridor & Second Room

After clearing the first room, proceed down the corridor. There's often 1 patrolling unarmed enemy here. The second room, usually to your right, contains 2-3 enemies, typically a mix of unarmed and one with a melee weapon (e.g., pipe, baseball bat).

• Mark: Use single SMG shots for the patrolling enemy to conserve ammo. For the second room, another dual-wield burst can clear it quickly.
• Alex & Ash: Alex can easily cleave through the patrolling enemy. For the second room, use the chainsaw to cut down melee enemies while Ash handles any ranged threats.
• Tony: Your fists are effective against all these enemies. Use the charge attack if multiple enemies are grouped.
• Corey: Roll past the patrolling enemy if you want to save time, then engage. Use your bat effectively in the second room, rolling to avoid swings.

Common Pitfall: Don't rush blindly into the second room. Enemies with melee weapons can be surprisingly fast and dangerous in close quarters.

Kitchen & Dining Area

This area often connects the main living spaces. Expect 2-4 enemies, including at least one armed with a pistol or shotgun. There might also be a guard dog in this section.

• Mark: This is where your SMGs shine. Prioritize the shotgun enemy, then the pistol, and finally any melee or dogs.
• Alex & Ash: The chainsaw is excellent against dogs. Alex can engage the armed enemies while Ash provides suppressive fire.
• Tony: Dogs are instant kills with Tony's fists. For armed enemies, you'll need to be patient, baiting shots and then closing the distance for a lethal punch.
• Corey: Use your roll to dodge dog attacks and gunfire. Your bat can take down dogs and human enemies efficiently.

Strategy Tip: Shotgun enemies have a wide spread but a slow reload. Exploit their reload animation to move in for a kill. Dogs are fast but can be stunned by doors or quickly dispatched with most weapons.

Bedroom & Bathroom

These smaller, more confined rooms can be tricky. Expect 1-2 enemies per room, often one with a pistol in the bedroom, and potentially an unarmed enemy in the bathroom.

• Mark: Use the tight spaces to your advantage with SMGs, but be careful of friendly fire if dual-wielding in very small rooms.
• Alex & Ash: Alex's chainsaw is highly effective in confined spaces. Ash's pistol can cover the entrance while Alex clears.
• Tony: These rooms are perfect for Tony. Your fists are instant kills, and the small space means enemies have less room to maneuver.
• Corey: Roll into the room to avoid initial fire, then quickly dispatch the enemy. The bathroom can be a good place to corner an enemy.

Final Room / Exit Area

The last section usually involves a larger room or a cluster of rooms leading to the exit. Expect 3-5 enemies, often including at least one with a shotgun and one with a pistol, along with unarmed foes.

• Mark: This is your final push. Don't be afraid to use all your remaining ammo. Dual-wielding can clear this area rapidly.
• Alex & Ash: Coordinate your attacks. Alex should draw attention and engage melee/shotgunners, while Ash picks off pistol-wielders.
• Tony: This area will test your patience and timing. Use cover, bait shots, and strike decisively.
• Corey: Use your roll to navigate the chaos, picking off enemies one by one. If you find a gun, consider using it for the final push.

Once all enemies are eliminated, the "Floor Cleared" message will appear, and you can proceed to the next section of the chapter.

Enemy Types & Threat Assessment

Understanding the basic enemy types in "The Apartment" will help you prioritize targets:

General Tips for "The Apartment"

• Use Doors: Doors are your best friend. Open them to stun enemies, peek around corners, or create chokepoints.
• Listen for Sounds: Footsteps, gunshots, and dog barks provide crucial information about enemy positions.
• Observe Patrols: Before entering a new area, try to observe enemy patrol patterns to plan your attack.
• Weapon Management: If playing as Mark, Alex & Ash, or Corey, be mindful of ammo. Pick up new weapons from fallen enemies.
• Combo System: Maintain your combo by chaining kills quickly. This increases your score significantly.
• Don't Be Afraid to Restart: Hotline Miami 2 is about trial and error. If a plan goes south, hit 'R' and try a new approach.