Same SETTINGS as before: I change the GAME SETTINGS under the main title options to the following: Bullet Cam = no Then, when you start a new game, I change CONTROLLER SETTINGS to Turn Speed = Max, Motion Center = no
CHAPTER 5.1
Like other first sections, here we don't do much more than run, run, run. I use crouch jumping to shave off a little time as McClane enters each floor of the parking garage, but otherwise there isn't much to worry about until you reach the bottom floor of the garage. There you will need to crouch jump through a window, hit a switch, and then crouch jump backwards back through the window. In the courtyard, there's more of the same running (note that I screwed up my first shot at the lock on the door). There is another way through this section that I will describe at the end, but it's really, really hard to pull off and saves about three seconds at best. Once you're back inside and heading upstairs to save Thornberg, be sure that you don't accidentally shoot him after you bust through the window. He dies real easy :)
CHAPTER 5.2
Like chapter 4.2, this chapter sees us worry mostly with dialogue management. In fact, the only trick I use the entire section is just that, unless you count the backwards crouch jump I use exiting the room where Carl is held hostage. The first time you see me using dialogue management is after arriving at Lucy's and Von Laben's cell -- I trigger the first line of dialogue and then run down the hall to kill the enemy (if you don't kill him he'll just come after you during your conversation, so this trick saves no time). In the video you'll note that I do not fire at the bullet-proof glass until Lucy says the line about being optimistic, but this is an error on my part -- if you fire at the glass prior to this line (say, after she first begins dragging Von Laben away) John will skip a line of dialogue about firing at the glass being of no use. Regardless, Lucy will hit the glass with the chair and you are supposed to shoot in the general area at the moment she does. The way I do it is I aim for her head the moment she says she's going to hit the glass, then move the reticle slightly up and to the right.
After you've busted the glass, you'll have to talk to Lucy about some plot stuff. Eventually she'll give you a key to the jail cells on the next floor down. Now, regarding those jail cells, the devs have intended for you to speak to both Nitro and Herbert, one after the other, then wait for them to (very, very slowly) walk to their respective locations and complete a task. We're going to skip just a bit of that with a little bit of dialogue compression.
JAIL CELL DIALOGUE COMPRESSION So, as you'll recall from chapter 4.2, most dialogue in this game is attached to an NPC, and is consequently reset anytime you walk away from said NPC. However, by maintaining a very careful distance between the two NPCs here, I am able to speak to both of them at once during some lines of dialogue. The order should be evident from the above video, but I will hit the important points here:
- Talk to Herbert. 2. Once you've initiated Herbert's dialogue, you can immediately begin inching toward Nitro and get close enough to start HIS first line of dialogue. 3. Now, with Nitro, you won't be able to inch back to Herbert until Nitro begins his line that starts with "Oh, I know two other things, Holmes." 4. At that point, you simply finish the dialogue with Herbert, being sure to let him out of the cell before he finishes. 5. Now finish your conversation with Nitro, being sure to let him out too.
If done correctly, this saves about 45 seconds. But if you were looking to have a little celebratory run, this is not the time: after the scene in the basement jail, you have literally nothing to do for about two minutes while you wait for Nitro and Herbert to arrive at their destinations. If you happen to be marathoning in the game right now, go ahead and have a pee break.
CHAPTER 5.3
There isn't much strategy to this section -- your only goals are to claim the briefcase (located forward and to the left from your starting position when you emerge outside) and kill every enemy. My advice is that once you've acquired the briefcase, make a bee line for the back of the stage, killing what enemies you can on the way. These enemies will gradually move toward you, but the enemies at the back of the stage haven't been triggered yet, so you want to make sure you're heading in their direction at all times. It is of course best to shoot enemies as you come across them rather than wait; nevertheless, if you find yourself reloading, it's best to head for the back.
THINGS I HAVEN'T FOUND A USE FOR YET
MR. CAT On the second floor of the parking garage in 4.1, you'll find a cat (note that around the 20 second mark in the above video you hear a fairly loud mew from nearby. The cat is located between two of the cars on that floor). As far as I can tell, the cat is not intended to do anything -- if you leave it be, it continues mewing; if you shoot it or approach it, the cat runs away. However, one thing you CAN do with the cat is that you can use it as a spring board to get out of the level. If you make your way in front of the cat and position yourself so that the cat is directly facing you, you can then shoot the cat and jump on top of its head as it leaps up the fence. If done correctly you'll find yourself pushed up inside the wall and the ceiling. Aside from falling forever out of the level, I haven't found a use yet.
SLIGHTLY FASTER COURT YARD In the court yard of 4.1, instead of making your way up and around the circular walkway, you can actually leap up on the thin railing in front of the locked gate, then leap to the right lamp post block, then leap into the alcove near to the lamp post, and then use mash-jumping to get on top of the lights (I will finally discuss mash jumping in the next chapter). It's super, super hard, and even if you land it perfectly you only save about three seconds. But hey -- you want to speedrun, don't ya!
