Understanding How To Play Fear & Hunger 2: Termina

[Dunia]

Hello. I was gifted the game but I'm not sure how exactly one plays F&H2: Termina. Consider me a complete noob. Please be patient with me.

I am familiar with the rogue-like genre, at least, that is what I think this game is because some enemies and items are changing positions. Every time I die, I try new things and discover new places. Is that the only "progression" that I carry to the next run? Which options to choose from, how to interact, what items do, and how to move in the city? I've been reading everything I collected, trying to use all mechanics available, but It's still hard to grasp.

With a spoiler-free comment, how do I play this game, or at least understand it in a way that can make me explore the game in a "somewhat" correct way? Things feel a little janky sometimes but I'm liking this game. I think your comment could help people like me give this game a try for good. Thank you.

[anaphylactic god]

each time you save your game by sleeping time will move forward, you can sleep 3 times each day and after 9th game will be over.
you can also save using books of enlightment or by drawing sigil of god of fear and hunger on circles. I suggest you start on easy so each sigil will grant you whole three saves.
i wond bore you with pro strategies of how to play this game, for a first time it would be much easier if you assamble yourself a team: abela can be recruited day 1 morning right as you discent into bunker shaft, Levi can be found day 1 morning inside Prehavil's restaurant, marina can be found day 1 night in a locked room inside mayor;s mansion. You can also recruit other characters but those are probably the earliest ones.
after that you just crack heads of everyone you met and you are golden.

[LNC]

It's hard to hit heads in this game. First you need to damage the legs of the enemy. The easiest way is to hit directly to the body in most cases.

[Platty Gems]

I'd say one thing is to really use the few save opportunities you do have.

After you save, do risky stuff. Explore, try fighting whatever new enemy type you can find, ignore the generic containers to not waste time, try out whatever strategies you might think off on strong enemies nearby, and then prepare to die.

Then after you have clear plan what to do from this save spot, commit, limit risk and check out all the containers.

Also, remember about gun use in overworld. They can be really strong, and you can kill off some very tough encounters that would otherwise need tons of luck to not lose limbs to. At least when it comes to trenchgun and rifle, pistol seems to kinda suck.

[Leonardo Trapovich]

Get the unlimited saves mod in the guides - it will let you play without much annoyance

[Dunia]

Ok so, I don't think I was clear enough.

I'm a complete noob that did about 15 runs and didn't even find how to save the game. Please be patient with me again.

I was trying to play this game without many spoilers but to everyone searching this topic looking for help from a spoiler-free perspective, if you are reading this now, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS from the start of the game, how things work, and more.

If you found this topic and had the same trouble as me, beware. If you are one of the people that responded to me already or are willing to comment more on the topic, that should not sway you because it looks like there is way more spoiler above me already.

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SPOILERS OF MY RUNS
I WILL NOT USE THE NORMAL SPOILER BECAUSE IT WILL BE CUMBERSOME TO NAVIGATE THE PAGE
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I don't remember all the choices that I did at the beginning, but I'm playing as Marina, All-mer and I have Alchemist Book Vol 1 and 2. I've never gone above Mayor's Manor, or even the Manor itself because I never opened the gate above the man with the pig mask. I've never recruited anyone because I never encountered the option to do it.

Originally posted by anaphylactic god:

each time you save your game by sleeping time will move forward, you can sleep 3 times each day and after 9th game will be over.
you can also save using books of enlightment or by drawing sigil of god of fear and hunger on circles. I suggest you start on easy so each sigil will grant you whole three saves.
i wond bore you with pro strategies of how to play this game, for a first time it would be much easier if you assamble yourself a team: abela can be recruited day 1 morning right as you discent into bunker shaft, Levi can be found day 1 morning inside Prehavil's restaurant, marina can be found day 1 night in a locked room inside mayor;s mansion. You can also recruit other characters but those are probably the earliest ones.
after that you just crack heads of everyone you met and you are golden.

So, this is one of the things I'm having trouble with. On my adventures in 'Old Town', I've run into two beds and I tried sleeping on both, but every time, I was ambushed and forced to wake up. One was to the left, at the woodsman's house. The first time I had the chance to sleep there Samarie appeared, and the second, Woodsman himself. The second bed was on the right side of the 'Old Town', and a 'zombie' man attacked me right after I slept.

My game was never saved this way.

In a couple of runs, I got the chance to get one of the books referenced to be one of the gods of this universe. This book that refers to the god of fear and hunger was one of them. I did encounter about 4 circles on the ground but I tried drawing some of them using my chalk and nothing really seen to happen. From the way you are saying, they have different effects on the area, but again...

My game was never saved this way.

I will look for Books of Enlightenment in the future. I did start on Medium difficulty and I don't know how to recruit anyone for now. Looking forward to discovering.

Originally posted by LTF:

It's hard to hit heads in this game. First you need to damage the legs of the enemy. The easiest way is to hit directly to the body in most cases.

Yeah, the combat manual you encounter on the train at the start does an okay job of explaining how to attack but gives everything else for the player to discover. This is fine; I discovered that using items costs your turn and that cutting the arms and legs is not enough to stop anyone from attacking. The torso is a solid choice and I have more chances to hit the head if I rev up three times to spend more chances at once.

Originally posted by kugrond:

I'd say one thing is to really use the few save opportunities you do have.

After you save, do risky stuff. Explore, try fighting whatever new enemy type you can find, ignore the generic containers to not waste time, try out whatever strategies you might think off on strong enemies nearby, and then prepare to die.

Then after you have clear plan what to do from this save spot, commit, limit risk and check out all the containers.

Also, remember about gun use in overworld. They can be really strong, and you can kill off some very tough encounters that would otherwise need tons of luck to not lose limbs to. At least when it comes to trenchgun and rifle, pistol seems to kinda suck.

No joking, I'm trying everything differently every run. The second option at the train makes me skip most of the dialogue. Tried following Tanaka but he disappeared and I decided to do whatever I wanted. After getting down the well on another run, he appeared, but not for long. On one run I followed Karin, thinking that she will encounter the dude with a gun that I encountered on another run, but she just stayed there at the river. Later run I tried attacking her and ended up acquiring her gun. Sadly, I didn't try a lot of gunshots on the overworld, the ones I tried did nothing significant, or they didn't seem to do so, and I ended up just choosing to use them in battles.

I've gone to a lot of places in the Old Town overall and I'm liking exploring this limited area for me, but it's hard to run away, being helpless, weak, and alone.

Originally posted by Leonardo Trapovich:

Get the unlimited saves mod in the guides - it will let you play without much annoyance

Whenever I understand how to save, I'll think about it. I'm going insane, but not feeling the need for a cheat for now.

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Either way. Returning to the topic at hand, is there a way to explain how this game works without spoiling it? Rather, should I ask if there is a way to understand how this game works without spoiling myself? I was trying to make a topic where new people could search for help, but maybe I'm with the few that will need it.

Is there a systemic "progression" that I carry to the next run? Bonuses or something else? Maybe it's not rogue-like at all? Maybe the first game explains how the game works, should I play the first game before this one?

[peep]

If you feel like you're going insane just use the save mod. This game is incredible but the save system in both games are archaic and unfun. Anyone who thinks it adds to the gameplay is being gaslit into thinking its good design when it's not.

[Leonardo Trapovich]

The only safe place to sleep in south part of map would be the train - on the bench where the map was.
The mayor's mansion has a CHANCE(though a high one in my opinion) to have a book of enlightenment

[LNC]

My advice. Collect 16 Agility. Then the character will turn 2 times in combat. To do this without choosing a character's backstory, you need to draw a symbol of fear and hunger on face (Engrave skill) and find an amulet that increases agility.

As the evil spirit said in a dream, you only have 3 days. Every sleep in bed moves time forward. Outside of sleep, time stands still. In total, you can save about 9 times on the bed.

To save differently, you need to find a book or draw a sign of fear and hunger in a circle with a golden spiral, this will summon an altar that will save the game 1 time. There are 6 such circles in the game.

I would advise looking for a partner for the team. Together you can easily clear the entire old city and the forest.

[Widowmaker x Mercy]

just get a party of 4 or else youre screwed as a new player
game is a completely different game with 3-4 party members
if youre alone you do 1 turn of damage
if youre 4 members you do your damage x4 (plus their skills)
it's insane , so imo just head to the guide section and learn how to recruit them
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2900838367