Hey folks — just dropped into flooded 1920s Arkham and want to wrap this Lovecraft survival-horror sequel as quick as possible? Official word puts the main story around 12 hours. Reviews and early clears say you can knock it out in 7–8 hours (maybe under that) if you skip the optional cases, ignore most collectibles, and stick to the critical path. Here’s the no-nonsense table breakdown.
Core Speed Strategy
Priority
What to Do
Why It Saves Time
1
Play on easiest difficulty (or whatever feels comfortable)
Fewer deaths, less ammo/healing grind, faster combat
2
Skip every optional investigation/case
They never gate the story — pure side content that unlocks upgrades & safer routes you don’t need for a first clear
3
Use rooftop shortcuts & boat routes aggressively
Street wading is slow and full of ambushes. Rooftops (especially Hospital District) cut 6–8 min trips down to 1.5–2.5 min
4
Keep inventory light — only grab what’s needed for the next objective
Less backtracking to storage or safe rooms
5
Learn key puzzle solutions ahead of time
No sitting around staring at fuse boards, codes, or crank orders
Critical Path Highlights (No Spoilers Beyond Necessary)
Section / Boss
Fast Approach
Time-Saving Notes
Opening (Apartment → Library area)
Grab only the must-have items, solve the floodgate fuse board fast, push the library cranks in correct order
Demo runners already got this under 10 minutes on hardest difficulty
Early districts (Miskatonic, Redemption Church, etc.)
Stick to main watergates and story markers. Use fire escapes, scaffolding, and bell-tower jumps
Rooftop chains from Marlowe Hotel → Bleaker scaffolding → St. Mary’s bell tower are huge time savers
Shoggoth (first big boss)
Activate the three devices around the arena first — then dump ammo into the exposed eyes when they open
Don’t waste bullets on the body. Cycle the devices, shoot eyes, repeat
Mid-to-late game
Keep moving between linear-ish locations. Boat only when required
Game shifts to more constrained zones after the early semi-open city — less wandering
Final boss (Slither Prime)
Clear the small adds fast so they don’t pin you, keep circling, focus fire on the head
Stay mobile, heal only when necessary, pressure the boss nonstop
Quick Puzzle Codes & Order (Spoilers Ahead — Skip If You Want Zero Help)
Puzzle
Solution
Apartment 6 safe
1908
Church sluice gate
1672
Library restricted-section cranks
First crank → fight → second crank → first crank again
Other common codes / sequences
Check investigation notes or nearby documents — most are close by once you know where to look
Extra Tips That Shave Minutes
Tip
Details
Stamina management
Never jump a gap under ~60% stamina. Sprint + jump timing is key on rooftops
Combat
Shoot weak points, dodge instead of tanking, run past groups when possible
Safe rooms
Use them only when inventory is full or you’re low — every stop costs time
Exploration
Blue rooms on the map mean you’ve grabbed everything. For speed, leave red rooms alone
Expected total
Main story only: 7–10 hours for most players rushing. Sub-8 is realistic once you know the routes
That’s it, partner. Stick to the story markers, hop the roofs, skip the side cases, and you’ll be watching the credits before you know it. The game’s short and focused once you stop poking around every flooded alley — perfect for a quick clear.
Now get out there and finish the damn thing before the next high tide.
On blogandguide.com's Gaming Central, I drop no-BS guides: Loot breakdowns for the latest Diablo drops, and tier lists that'll save your squad. Esports junkie?
