I've just installed this game and it looks pretty spooky. It also looks very complicated. Do you think a novice game player can handle it? nu2gaming

The game play itself is simple, but it IS based on H.P. Lovecraft, so it is in the horror genre. There are some genuinely creepy moments in the game, to be honest, and it's not for the faint of heart for that reason.

There are some action sequences that people found difficult. If you haven't played many action games you might want to get a couple under your belt before trying this one. It's worth playing, though.

I am a somewhat ( ) experienced action/adventure gamer. I am still playing it now. And I think its probably the hardest game I ever played. I am doing a lot better since I have weapons. I am no good at all at stealth and there has been lots of difficult situations in the game that depend on it to get you through to the next save point. Id definitely recommend something a lot easier for your first try at an A/A game.

Hi guys/gals; Well I'm going to give this a try. I've gone thru the morgue, activated some kind of machine that tortures a guy, taken the green crystal. What is that big machine in the middle of the room? If it is the time gate how do I put the crystal in it? nu2gaming

If you are in the room that you can circle around a large area on the floor (not the morgue--further on), there shoud be a place to the right as you enter the room. It looks like a triangular holder.

Pokey; I think that's where I am. There is something in the middle of the floor that Jack thinks is some kind of power supply? I have picked up the green crystal (it's in inventory) I just don't know how to get it out of inventory and insert it in machine. nu2gaming

Open your inventory with the "I" key. Click on the item you want to use. If you are standing in the right location to use the item it will take it.

I detect the sprit of a true Dark Sider! We'll be around if you need help.

Thanks for the support. What am I getting myself into? I'm wandering around Innsmouth and keep getting caught by cop in alley of First National. I'm sure I'll get by him sooner or later.

EDIT: I've made it into the store twice. I've gotten the liquor and wooden handle but I can't find the trap door near the register. That **** cop keeps getting me. Where is the trap door? nu2gaming

Check the floor behind the bar or counter.

Thanks JohnBoy; I did, but I don't see any trap door. I'll go check again.

EDIT: I found the trap door. Not by the register but behind the side counter. I need the wooden handle to open it. I have the handle in inventory but when I click on it nothing happens. What am I doing wrong? nu2gaming

I had trouble with that trapdoor too. Finally got it to open and then I fell down the opening. Make sure you are crouched and try from a slightly different direction maybe. It is finicky.

Maybe you're not in the right spot - all I had to do was click on the handle after I opened the inventory.

Thanks a million. I did finally manage to get it open and did indeed fall down the opening (just ahead of the cop). I've now left the Waite house and talked to Rebecca. I think I'll quit while I'm ahead and try to get some sleep. goodnight all. nu2gaming

Good morning everyone; I'm having a terrible time with those guys in the hotel. I can barely make it to the third room before they get me. Why is my character moving so slowly? nu2gaming

Youre at the part that almost had me quit the game. I asked myself the same question as to why he moves so slowly. I guess its caused by the damage hes taken. I had to use god mode to practice this section. And when I learned what to do and where to go, I did it on my own. And it still wasnt easy.

Hi JohnBoy; God mode? Are there cheats for this game? If so where do I find them? nu2gaming

http://callofcthulhu.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2992

un-oh. I don't know what happened. One minute I'm trying to escape my hotel room and the next minute I'm in an alley at a save/star spot with some guy (a couple of stories up) talking to me about sewers? I must have missed something. Should I go back to a prior save or move on? The w/t talks about ammo and medical boxes I should have gotten "a lot of items here you can save for later". How did I suddenly wind up in this alley? nu2gaming

Not certain, unless god mode does that. Looks like you skipped a whole lot of game, though.

But there is a trick to getting out of the hotel room. It is this:

The trick is not to get panicky. Keep moving forward, and never look back -- never -- except to bolt a door. It helps to turn the sound off here because it is making YOU panicky as well as Jack. You must try to go through the sequence a few times so you know where everything is in the sequence of hotel rooms. You do have time to do the sequence, but you have to always go directly to the next thing you have to do - no stopping, no turning around except to bolt doors, and no panicking!

Save your game immediately before going upstairs with the creep behind the hotel reception desk.

When you get to your room, go into the room next door and bolt the door that leads from that room into the hallway. In the same room -- see that Bookshelf/chest beside the door? That's what you must push aside to get into the next room. You can't do anything with it yet.

Go back into your room, and bolt your door. Go to bed.

Just before the movie of the fishmen breaksing into your room stops, you should be pushing on the walk key so that Jack gets out of his bed AS SOON as you have control of him, even if he is dizzy. You can skip the movie by using the backspace key if you get tired of watching it.

When you get out of bed, walk through the door into the next room, turn around and bolt it. Walk straight to the bookshelf and push it away from the wall to reveal the door. Open it, go through, and bolt it, and so on. Your aim is always to block every door so that the fishmen have to break it down, giving you a few more seconds.

Just remember to always bolt every door you can, and if you can't there will be something you can push in front of it. In the room with the window, push the bookshelf away from the window, open it, and jump through. You have to jump over the alley to the next place, which is a door to the left. Always look up when you jump, so you don't fall.

The fishmen keep following you until you get to the next save spot, so always keep moving ahead.

Thanks hagatha; I think I should go back to the hotel room because right now I'm in an alley? By a truck with some hanging meat, two guys at the bottom of the hill and nowhere to go. I must have skipped a lot of stuff. nu2gaming

Did you activate god mode? I had nothing like that happen to me.

Yeah JohnBoy I guess I did. I downloaded some patches. Right now I'm on a loading dock with some hanging pig carcasses. A truck is backed up to the loading dock. There are two guys at the bottom of the hill and I don't know where to go. The w/t says something about waiting behind some boxes next to a stationery enemy. I'm lost. The only boxes I see are next the the loading dock beside the truck. What do I do now? nu2gaming

Did you get a window with things to check. If so did you check god mode? Let me know exactly where you are at. Check the save youre at and tell me the location. Also have you taken a truck ride to the docks? If you did I dont understand how you got there before other things that take place.

JohnBoy; The save says "collapsed building". There is a dead guy laying on one of those eye/star marks on the floor. Some guy had been talking to me about a sewer (he's gone now) there are some sacks of something in the room, one open door and one door that will not open. If I go thru the open door I wind up in an alley down the hill from a meat packing place, I guess, there is a truck backed up to the loading dock and down the hill there are two men (one with a flashlight who keeps walking in and out of the picture and one who just stands there). If I move they see me and start shooting. Is there some other place I'm supposed to go? No, I have not taken a truck ride. I tried the truck door but it said I can't open it. This is making me long for the giant troll in Dreamfall. nu2gaming

You need to get the truck rolling and then jump in. Take a good look around the truck. I tried to get it going for quite a while before I noticed the problem. Of course you will miss the warehouse part of the game.

I could not jump into the truck. It would not let me. So I just ran behind it.

Pokey; Where is this warehouse I was supposed to go to? I jumped out the window of the hotel and wound up in the collapsed building. Does installing the god-mode screw the game up? (Oh, by the way, I just found the wedge under the truck tire. I'm now trying to jump in the back before it takes off down the hill) nu2gaming

The warehouse comes right after the escape from the hotel. You end up on the roof and go into the warehouse and then down the alley to where you ended up. Things can happen when you use cheats. Was it godmode or maybe it skipped a level? You have time to remove the wedge and then run up on the platform and jump in the truck.

God mode does not screw the game up. Did you even activate it? Did you check the god mode box? If you did not you dont even have the god mode activated. The patch does not default to god mode. You have to activate it by checking the box.

Pokey and JohnBoy: Yes I checked god mode. I think I have figured out what I'm doing wrong. I think when I try to jump from the hotel to the other bldg. I don't make it and wind up at street level. (I have never landed on the other building). Does that sound reasonable? I'm just going to go back to the hotel save and try to start from there. It seems I have really confused you guys. I'm sorry. nu2gaming

Yes, if you don't make the jump you will fall into the alley.

In order to make the jump you must look slighty up, or Jack will fall. All jumps need to be done this way. Jack is also afraid of heights, so looking down over any kind of drop is usually not a good option unless you have no choice.

Don't be sorry. This is a really hard segment for so early in the game. It took all of us completely by surprise!

But you actually made it through the hardest part of the sequence. The rest is a little less intimidating, although those fishmen keep coming after you.

Thanks for all your encouragement. Yes, that is indeed what is happening. I miss the jump and end up in the alley. This apparently takes some skill I haven't yet developed. Oh well. Practice, practice, practice.

EDIT: AAARG!!! I've had it. I'm never going to make that jump. I'm so tired of those fishmen. Goodnight. nu2gaming

Jump and look up as you get to the edge. You'll make it eventually.

EDIT: AAARG!!! I've had it. I'm never going to make that jump. I'm so tired of those fishmen. Goodnight. nu2gaming.

I know the feeling very well.

Hi; Has this happened to anyone else? Twice (in the hotel) before the escape attempt, the screen says "saving game", but when I get killed or miss the jump and wind up in the alley I have to start back at my last save (before following Gilman upstairs to my room). nu2gaming

You should be starting in bed, waking up to the goons breaking down your door. Are you clicking on "continue"? Backspace will bypass a lot of the videos.

WOW!!! I finally made it into the warehouse and to the star/save point. Now all I have to do is get past these guys and find that open window. nu2gaming

Congrats. It should be easier now--mostly sneaking. I found that if I observed their movement, I could run crouched from the office right through the warehouse. Keep your distance and watch them.

Pokey; Now you have me worried again. What office? I'm at the save/star and can't seem to get out of that corner. I sure haven't seen an office. I'm on the verge of just trying to barge my way past them to get out of this corner. No matter how long I wait crouched, in stealth, they are always there the minute I move. nu2gaming

There is a short piece before the office. Try moving from one group of boxes to the next. I got spotted about halfway and made a run for the window. After you try it a few times, you can do it without getting hurt too bad. I usually used crouched without stealth.

ok. I'm totally stumped again. I'm on the floor of the warehouse. Should I be up on the catwalk? I can see a door up there but I don't find any way to get to it. I'm not seeing a guy with a flashlight, just two guys who keep repeating "Don't let him get away! Shoot him!" Ive tried jumping up on some boxes below a window but nothing is happening. Don't you just press the "space bar" to jump? I spent two days getting from the hotel room to this warehouse. I looks like it may take me that long to get out. nu2gaming

Yes, you need to be on the catwalk. Climb up some boxes and then follow the catwalk to a window at the side of the warehouse. Jump is the spacebar.

Pokey you're a doll! ok. I've gotten as far as the sewer. (didn't accomplish anything in the warehouse except finally getting out). I'm in the sewer. I've done the switches on the pipes, turned the crank, did the switches on the pipes again and turned the crank again. I'm not finding the floodgate. Is it in the room with the crank or back in the sewer? Where? nu2gaming

The floodgate it in the vat. The crank for the floodgate is right beside the vat. Once you've flushed the vat with water, you turn the floodgate crank one more time to empty it, dash up that ladder, down into the vat, and skedaddle through before it closes again.

Thank you hagatha. I've climbed up that ladder a couple of times but didn't manage to go any further.
nu2gaming

How many seconds do you have to get to that flood gate? As soon as I climb the ladder I can hear it closing. Am I having fun yet? nu2gaming

You have to get right up that ladder and down into the vat as soon as you can. I found that jumping down into the vat and then crouching while moving forward did the trick. The gate always started to come down before I got to it so I got injured going through.

Good morning; ok. I'll just keep trying. Speaking of injuries, I got a message when I started up the stairs of the sewer about suturing wounds. I clicked on the picture of Jack and different parts of his body and clicked on the sutures but I just get a clunking sound. Am I doing it wrong? nu2gaming

I usually just heal all by hitting H. If you wait a bit, the needed sutures turn to wounds that need bandages and you probably have more of them. It sounds like maybe you didn't really need sutures and it was part of a tutorial. You can see the wounds on Jack's body if he needs treatment.

Thanks Pokey; I hit "H" guite often when things get hairy. Maybe that's why I don't see wounds when I remember to check.

EDIT: I've had it!!! I'm going as crazy as Jack. There is no way I'm ever going to get up that ladder before that **** gate closes. I'm going to read a nice murder mystery for a while. nu2gaming

I didn't have any trouble with that gate. Are you hitting the switch beside the tank, climbing the ladder and then hitting crouched just as you reach the gate?

Pokey; I'm turning the switches on the pipes, going thru two doors, turning the crank going back to the pipes, turning the swithces going back to the crank then climbing the ladder. I never make it to the top of the ladder before the gate closes. I think I need a mental health break.

I have a new question. If you don't get to the gate (in the sewer) before it closes can you just turn the crank again or do you have to go back out to the pipes and start from there? nu2gaming

You dont get wounds if you are using god mode.

Just turn the crank beside the vat. It should be the last thing you do and if you miss the gate, just go back and turn the crank again.

Once I got the cranking in proper order I had no trouble getting into the vent.

Pokey and JohnBoy I'm in awe. Ok, I'll just keep cranking and climbing. I have managed to get to the top in time to see the gate coming down, just not fast enough to jump and make it thru. nu2gaming

Something is not right. You should be able to make it in just a couple tries. I missed the first time because I did not crouch in time, but had no trouble after that.

Pokey; I've decided this is a coordination problem. Sometimes I have trouble lining up with the ladder. Then when I do make it up the ladder and jump, before I can locate the gate I hear it closing. This, for me, is going to mean endless attempts. I'm going to do this if it kills me!!! nu2gaming

Hey, try jumping instead of climbing the ladder. I believe thats what I did.

Thanks JohnBoy, I'll try that. Climbing is not working for me. nu2gaming

JohnBoy I'm thinking of naming you in my will!!! I despaired of ever getting past that point. nu2gaming

You guys may be very happy to learn that I am in the church. Right now I'm laying low and taking a breather. nu2gaming

Hooray!! The church is a nice sanctuary for a while.

I'm up the stairs from the vault and Jack is having some serious sanity problems. There is a big hole in the floor. Am I supposed to jump over it? Every time I try I wind up back in the vault. nu2gaming

The one in the hall at the top of the stairs? Yes. There are a few jumps in that area. You are moving right along.

Pokey; Here's where I am: I've made the first jump (up the stairs from the vault) and gone thru a couple of doors. I'm on a landing, I can see the guys downstairs, there are two planks to my left (they both break) there is a space in front of me with a patch of floor ahead, if I jump on it it breaks. Have I missed a turn? Am I supposed to go up to another floor? (I'm not finding one.) Or just keep jumping until I find something that doesn't break. They love it when my butt winds up back downstairs with them. Thank god I saved in the vault. nu2gaming

I was glad to have that vault save too. Hard to remember the jumps and beams. Seems like when you get across the room, you climb up and then walk a beam upwards and out. Keep looking, you'll find it soon.

where you go out onto the area over the fishmen, you have to jump (look up) at the piece of planking in the middle, and as soon as you jump to it keep moving over to the safe side. Then you need to crouch and get to the next level up.

Morning hagatha; I've gotten pretty good at making the two jumps on the 2nd floor, but from there I keep falling thru. If I hear that jerk say, "serach the area, spread out", one more time I'm going to scream. I've gotten to the point of dreaming mayhem on him.

EDIT: It just occured to me to shut the sound off and I don't have to listen to him. I must be the world's worst beam walker.

UPDATE: Right now my downfall literally and figuratively is the jump to the broken flight of stairs. nu2gaming

So have you made it up to the top level of the bank, and is the jump you're trying to make over a gap to a flight of stairs? Again, the trick is to look slightly up. It took me a lot of tries to get it right.

I turned off the sound in the game any time I was starting to feel a bit stressed, which usually conincided exactly with Jack getting all loopy.

On the official forum a lot of people were saying that turning down the resolution a bit seemed to help with Jack's movement speed. You might try that that.

Take heart. Soon you'll be able to get some revenge on the Fishmen.

Yeah hagatha, sometimes I can make it to that top floor, to that gap to a broken flight of stairs but I have never successfully made that jump. I do look up, maybe not far enough? I have made the trip from the vault so many times I feel like I've worn out the floor. I wish there was a save (maybe after walking the beams). I am truly disheartened to know that there are more jumps ahead.

EDIT: I've just had the strangest thing happen twice. I've climbed the stairs (from the vault) and made that first jump, gone on and made the second jump and then when I try to jump up to the fallen beam I suddenly find myself outside on top of a skylight. Jack suffering sever vertigo and can't seem to move. I just return to vault and start over. nu2gaming

Hooray!!! I'm in the water tower. I found a save/star point.

EDIT: I may have happydanced too soon. When I jumped to the ladder on the water tower and climbed up I'm on a catwalk around the outside. There are openings on two sides with a board going across the middle. (That's where I found the save/star). But, I've been all the way around the outside and across the middle. I'm not finding any way up or down. Was I supposed to end up on top of the water tower? nu2gaming

hagatha; Please see my edit just before your last post. I think I may have to go back to the vault. Please say it ain't so nu2gaming

There should be a balcony that you can jump to. You have a save, so look for the most likely solution and give it a try.

You need to get into the nearby building and move around from there.

Good morning; I think I've hit some sort of glitch. I've been thru the bldgs, across the water tower and met Mackey. When I go thru the window I get a screen that talks about a jailbreak and then the screen goes blank. If I move the mouse it sort of shakes the screen but that's it. (Out the window I land on the ground by a ladder). Is there something wrong? Do I need I patch? What? nu2gaming

There is no patch. There is a load screen at this point. Have you tried hitting esc and then continue? Or restarting the game and continue or restarting the computer and continue?

Pokey; I have tried escape and reload but not esc and continue and not restarting the computer. I'll try those. nu2gaming

Naah guys somethings wrong. I've even cleaned the disks, uninstalled and reinstalled the game and I still get that greenish/black screen with no picture no sound. Has anyone else had this happen? Any suggestions? Maybe I'm not supposed to jump out of that window. But I get the intro to Jail Break and and entry in Jack's journal then...blank. nu2gaming

Try posting down in glitches nu2gaming and see if one of those on the ball folks can figure it out..sounds like a glitch in your cd; no one else has mentioned this happening to them


Ingie

I had that problem in the area of the generator room. I was able to go into it but all I could see was green. So I avoided it and just hoped that I did'nt need anything in there. Thats where I am now. I have not played since I experienced that green screen.

Hi JohnBoy; My problem was some adjustments my son had to make on my computer to get Dreamfall to play.
He undid those adjustments and now I am able to continue. Right now I am at the top of the ladder waiting to follow the inbred cop into the alley. nu2gaming

Hi; I'm in the precinct. I have the whistle, the shotgun, ammo, a colt, Capt. Marsh's diary and the keys but I can't get Brian to come out of the cell. He keeps saying he's not going anywhere until he knows he can trust me. Also there is something "high-lighted" in the crazy guy's cell am I supposed to get it? nu2gaming

Don't you have a photograph in your inventory?

Aha. Now you have firepower. Payback time. Did you pick up the crowbar outside? It's a very handy thing.

Pokey; Oh, the photograph. Hadn't thought of that.
Yes hagatha, I got the crowbar. And popcorneater, since mine is a systems administrator, he comes in very handy. Sometimes though he gets a little frustated at my total tech phobia. nu2gaming

OK. I've got Brian out, I've been to the garage (no Mackey), back to the precinct, fed the dead rat to the crazy guy got the paper from his cell, pushed the wardrobe aside to reveal the safe and Jack refuses to open it. He keeps saying "not right now", "maybe later" etc...what have I missed? Oh! By the way, I'm having a ball finally blowing these guy to pieces. nu2dancing

You have to have the combination to open it. You need to open and read something maybe?

Mackey should have been in the garage when you entered it from the sewers. Did Brian tell you to get the brooch?

I am definitely missing something. I went back to the water tower and started from there. I have the crowbar and all the stuff from the jail. I released Brian and went to the garage (thru the sewer) picking up the dead rat. Brian just seems to stay at the end of the alley behind the garage. Hasn't said anything about a broach. And I haven't seen Mackey though I've been in the garage and gotten the ammo and med kit and some kind of green box under the stairs. The door to garage will not stay open and Jack says he will have to lead Brian thru the sewer I've been through that and still Brian stays at the end of the alley. I don't know what to do now. nu2gaming

You have to lead Brian through the sewer. I don't know why he won't follow you. Did you talk to him? I had him at the save point for a while and then he followed me. The Call of Cthulhu board is closed temporarily or you could maybe get help there. Maybe they are going to fix the search function--or maybe down for good.

Pokey; I finally got Brian to follow me. I have him in the garage working on the truck. I've talked to Mackey and gotten the broach. Yay!!!!

EDIT: I'm in the cannery. I have the tommy gun and all the stuff from the cannery. At the window to the save/star I looked in my inventory and didn't see the crowbar so I used the shotgun and shot out the window. Got the save now I'm in the icehouse looking for the keys. I climbed up the ice shoot and got the green box (that's the second one, by the way, what are they)? But have not located the keys. nu2gaming

Next to the room with the ice, there is a pile of boxes. You can crawl inside the space there and get to the storage room.

Thanks Pokey; I'll try that. nu2gaming

No good Pokey; I've crouched and crawled under boxes tried jumping on boxes (I do get to one point where it looks like I need to crawl under some more boxes but Jack won't move there). I can see a ladder I can see what looks like doors but no matter what I do I can't get there. nu2gaming

There is a bit of a ledge in the path through the boxes that is hard to climb up on.

Pokey; I don't have the vaguest idea how I got into the room to get the keys, but I did. Unfortunately Ruth died before I could get to her. And Brian died in a truck crash. I have now been taken over by Herbert Hoover and am in the refinery. (Would you believe that?) I think I will leave Jack there happily blowing creatures to bits, while I get some shut eye. nu2gaming

One thing about the refinery - make sure you search the office area before you go forward. You will not be able to get back in there after a while. Behind the door is a gun you definitely want -- trust me! Too bad about Ruth. But they were doomed anyway.

Good Morning; Been at this for a couple of hours. Not making a lot of progress. Did get weapons, ammo, etc. Repaired generator and am looking for save point which is supposed to be in ore processing can't find it. Did get to bucket control and pushed button. This is where I'm stuck. Do you jump in a bucket here or somewhere else? I keep falling down one level which seems to lead nowhere. I always wind up reloading and repeating up to this point. nu2gaming

You get on the bucket very near a save point, which is back just past where you got the belt to repair the generator. I had trouble getting on the bucket. Just keep trying. You jump off the bucket right after it passes the bucket control.

Pokey; I'm getting on the bucket pretty well. I'm having a lot of trouble trying to get off. I keep winding up down below and having to reload. nu2gaming

OK. Is there some certain place in the bucket you need to stand? I've gotten as close to center of the edge and as close to the edge as I can. No matter what I wind up in the dam----room down below. I can not tell you how many times I've made this trip. nu2gaming

I think you are supposed to be in the room below. Isn't there a ladder to climb up? When the bucket stops just past the bucket control, jump to the pile of boxes below.

Hi Pokey; Nah. I was missing the jump and winding up way down a total dead end. I finally jumped toward the right instead of head on and I made it. I am now at the point of the conveyor belt. (Been down it a couple of times. How nasty. nu2gaming

OK. I keep falling in the meat grinder. Is it really possible to jump to that broken catwalk before you get turned into hamburger? nu2gaming

Yes, you can. I fell into it once before I knew to jump, but had no problem after that and I jumped many times.

Pokey; I've jumped many times. I either miss the catwalk altogether or the **** thing collapses and dumps me in the grinder. nu2gaming

The catwalk does collapse when you jump on it but you should be able to crawl off of it.

The catwalk collapses, but once you jump you need to immediately move over to the right side as far into the corner of the platform as you can. That part of the platform doesn't collapse (although it tilts), and then you can just jump down once the rumbling stops.

Am I supposed to jump on the long part of the catwalk on the right or the short part on the left? nu2gaming

I'm at the point where you have to save Hoover. I have failed to kill Marsh numerous times. Do you have to kill him here or can you get him later? Do you have to have the rifle to kill him? I've tried the tommy gun and the shotgun. He walks away from both. I don't have the rifle. If I need it can I go back somewhere and find it? nu2gaming

You can't go back and get the rifle. I didn't have it either. You do get a chance to pick one up later. I used a revolver or the other handgun to get him and it took several tries. You only hit him enough for him to run out. I found it easier if I moved to the middle of the walkway.

Oh. I've hit him every time. I thought you had to kill him. So it's ok for him to run after you hit him? nu2gaming

If he left the area, you just need to rescue Hoover. Before that, he would always kill you when you climbed the ladder.

stay away from electrolysis!!! I'm not finding the vat control panel, unless it's the one in the room with the monstrosity. nu2gaming

It's in the room with the shoggoth. Down the stairs, but it is tricky getting past him. If you activate the right spot, there is a dialogue that helps you.

Yes, the Infamous Vat Control Panel. To get to it you have to go down the stairs to the right of the Tentacled One! Not a nice thought, I know....

If you're having trouble with this, here's how to avoid the brute, more or less:

When you regain control of Jack, run into the room to the right and crouch behind the crates. As soon as Jack says he should get going, stand up and walk to the stairs on the right and go down. Never mind, I know it's freaky, but if you don't stop for even a second you will get to the end of the catwalk. Go down the ladder. DOn't stop -- move to the end of the lower walkway and up the ladder at tyhe end. Keep going until you get to the end of that catwalk and then crouch in the very right hand corner. The Tentacled One will not reach you there and you can regain sanity and heal. If you've just kept moving you should get to this point with no damage at all.

The Vat Control Panel is there, and it is very hard to activate it without getting badly injured. You have to move forward towards the panel but not close enough for the tentacle to reach you, and then when the tentacle withdraws rush to the front of the panel and hit the button. It's not that easy, and in the end I had to settle for Jack being "almost dead" and used up a lot of medical supplies. But once you've done this bit the rest of this section is not so hard.

hagatha; as usual you are my saving angel. I can't tell you how many times I've returned to a previous save spot because I didn't know how to get past him. I was told that once you get past him/it you were supposed to run across the catwalk to a save spot. I'm not finding it. I've been to the office and gotten the fuse but when a come out of the office guess who is blocking the way? Am I taking too long to get the fuse? I'm not finding another exit from the office so this has to be it. nu2gaming

No, you've gone the right way.

But after you get to the office and pick up the fuse, you go back down the stairs and there's a tentacle blocking the way again. The Tentacled One has found Jack! I guess it peered in the window of the office and decided Jack had gone far enough.

One you go back down the stairs from the office, to get past it you have to walk along the wall to the crates that are sittiing there, jump over them, turn around and jump back. Stay close to the wall!

The tentacle will have moved over BRIEFLY so ASAP get yourself back along the catwalks to the the ladder and back up to the original spot where you first met the Giant Calamari. Watch out for sneak attacks. When you get back to the top, that's where you need to use the fuse. After that you should be able to get to the next save spot.