Over the past week, I have been playing a lot of Green Hell and because the game is out today on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, I wanted to share some tips for new survivors. I’m still in the process of writing my review for the game, but I have finished the game (with both endings) and these are what I learned as I survived the punishing jungles of Green Hell.
The Weapon Trifecta | There are several weapons and tools you can craft in Green Hell but in my opinion, there are three that are must-haves; the axe, the spear, and the bow. Speaking from personal experience, I made it through the entire game with just those items. And, they are all equipment that you can make for yourself pretty early on. Here is how you craft each:
- Axe = Stick (x1) + Small Stone (x2) + Rope (x1)
- Spear = Stone Blade (x1) + Long Stick (x1) + Rope (x1)
- Bow = Long Stick (x1) + Rope (x1)
There are numerous different upgraded versions of these weapons, like the tribal spear or fire bow, but with these three base tools, you can pretty much tackle any threat the game throws at you. And, in the opening hours, when everything seems to be out to kill you, they will be valuable.
Do Not Run | You might be tempted by the slow walking speed to run around everywhere in the game, I know that I sure did, but running around makes the game so much harder for you. This is mainly due to the fact that when running you are more likely to randomly encounter a threat, such as a spider or a snake, and not have enough time to react and avoid getting bitten.
Dash | Speaking of avoiding threats, there’s a dash button. This is something that I don’t remember seeing in the tutorial and discovered accidentally while playing and it made the second half of my playthrough a lot better. While traversing the jungle, pressing the X button (on PlayStation) while moving your left analog stick left, right, or back, will let you dash in that direction. If you play with headphones, you can really take advantage of this feature by automatically dashing away from the sound of a rattling snake or a buzzing wasp.
Stock Up on Coconuts | You might not assume so because they’re seen just laying around on the forest floor, but coconuts are one of the most versatile items in the game. For one, you can find them laying around and all you need to do is hit them once to get rid of the outer layer. You can drink the milk, combine the coconut with rope to craft a coconut bidon to hold water, cut it open and eat or cook and eat the flesh, and even use the two coconut bowls to collect water when it rains or make soup near a fire.
Make More Soups | With that perfect segway, let’s talk about soups. Given that you already have food for the go, making soups is always the best option. All you need to make soup is a fire, a bowl (a coconut or a tortoise shell being the two options), water, and a food item. Once your fire has started, place a bowl in one of the cooking spots. Pour some water into it and give it a few seconds to boil. Then add in the food item of your choice. My choice is always meat but you can use a wide assortment of items to make a soup. From mushrooms and armadillo to maggots and larva. Why are soups so much better? Well, they are much quicker to make so they’re great if you’re in a hurry and need to consume something fast. On top of that, they are very nutritious. The only real downside to soups is that, as far as I know, you can’t take them with you, you have to consume them on the spot.
Save Often | If you’re like me, the save system will bring you great grief in Green Hell. I would oftentimes be less panicked about a dangerous encounter than the thought of how far back I would have to go if I died because of it. Due to this, I would highly recommend you take the time to build a shelter for yourself frequently. A simple hut shelter is easy to build, and once ready you can sleep and save there.
- Hut Shelter = Long Stick (x3) + Stick (x8) + Rope (x1) + Palm Leaf (x13)
There are also random save spots spread throughout the map. They either appear as calendars or as part of a pre-built shelter at a camp. Building save spots might be tedious but let me assure you that it is not as tedious as having replay a chunk of gameplay because you didn’t save.
With this knowledge, you are ready to survive in the brutal forests of Green Hell. If we missed any tips or tricks that you think should be on this list, let us know with a comment below. More Green Hell content is on the way including a guide on how to get the best ending for the game. My full review will be out later this week and this weekend we will be playing Green Hell live on our Twitch so be sure to come and watch. Remember to save as much as you can, consult your notebook frequently, inspect your body constantly, and, most importantly, enjoy your time in Green Hell.
