1. The Start & Hidden Flashlight
Make sure this is actually the step you are on. If an item or prompt is missing, backtrack one room and check the inventory first.
Manage Stamina, Steam, and the Smiler Chase
Level 2 is much more linear than the previous levels, but it requires quick reflexes. For a visual reference to this route, see Level 2 Map.
1. The Start & Hidden Flashlight
You spawn in a long concrete tunnel with pipes lining the walls.
- Direction: There is only one way forward (follow the "STATION" arrows). The path behind you is a dead end.
- Free Flashlight: As you start running, look for a small grate or shelf on the right side early in the tunnel. There is often a Flashlight sitting there. Pick it up!
2. The Long Run (Stamina Management)
For the first half of the level, nothing chases you. However, you need to manage your stamina if you are sprinting.
- Pro Tip (Run-Jumping): While running (Shift), press Space to jump repeatedly. This "bunny hop" technique conserves stamina, allowing you to move faster for longer.
3. The Steam Hazard
As you progress, you will encounter a very dark section with pipes hissing loudly.
- Warning: Steam bursts kill you instantly.
- Strategy: Use your flashlight. Watch for the steam jets venting from the pipes. You can either crouch under them or sprint past them between bursts. Do not touch the white steam clouds.
4. The Smiler Chase (Infinite Stamina)
Once you pass the dark steam area, you will hear a screeching noise. A giant Smiler entity will spawn behind you and start chasing.
- New Mechanic: During this chase, the game gives you Infinite Stamina. Do not worry about resting—just hold Shift and RUN.
- No Run-Jumping Needed: Since you have infinite stamina now, just sprinting normally is safer and easier to control.
5. Finding the Exit
The chase is intense but straightforward. Keep running straight down the tunnel.
- The Escape: Look for a doorway/hole on the LEFT wall.
- Action: As soon as you see the opening on the left with a gate, turn in and run through. The gate will slam shut behind you, locking the Smiler out.
Ignore the Old Level Signs
You might see signs for "Level 4" or "Level 5" on the right side during your run.
- Ignore them: In the current version of the game, these paths are blocked or lead to death. The only valid path is forward to Level 3 (The Electrical Station).
Pipe Dreams Chase Checks
- Brightness helps: If the steam section is too dark, remember the trick from Level 1: turn your Gamma settings up. It makes spotting the steam jets much easier.
- Don't look back: During the Smiler chase, looking back slows you down and can cause you to crash into walls. Trust that it's behind you and focus on the path ahead.
- Listen to Audio: The hissing sound of steam is your best warning indicator before you even see it.
The Chase Is Won Before the Smiler Appears
On the first trip through Pipe Dreams, follow the route marked toward the Station and use the quiet stretch to settle your movement rhythm. Run-jumping helps preserve stamina, but clean steering matters more than maximum speed. Pick up the flashlight on the left before leaving the dark section and cross each steam burst only after it vents; taking damage here is what turns the scripted chase into a messy one.
- Start cue: once the character reacts and the Smiler is audible, stop checking behind you. The chase supplies the stamina you need, so hold the sprint and keep the next opening centred.
- Exit cue: the safe route is the open, gated break in the left wall near the end. Do not run past it expecting another door after the dead end.
- Multiplayer trigger: regroup before the last player crosses the chase threshold. A fast lead runner cannot rescue someone who was still looting when the trigger fired.
If the Group Becomes Stretched Out
Call only the next hazard and the final exit side. Extra directions arrive too late in the narrow tunnel and encourage the last player to look away from the route. If somebody goes down, finish the chase first; turning around places the whole group in the Smiler’s line.
Level 2 Walkthrough Video
Video chapters
Player route notes
Things we check before pushing ahead
We use this as the quick “don’t make the same mistake twice” checklist. If your room, spawn, or prompt does not match the video, stop and check the normal route first—patches and co-op timing can make an old shortcut look tempting when it simply will not work.
2. The Long Run (Stamina Management)
Look around slowly before guessing. Props can hide chairs, switches, notes, and pickups; a second camera angle is usually faster than brute force.
3. The Steam Hazard
Call out what was pressed, collected, or opened. It prevents the classic “we all thought somebody did it” reset.
4. The Smiler Chase (Infinite Stamina)
If a skip behaves inconsistently, leave it and take the intended route. A clean run beats getting stuck in geometry.
Multiplayer tips
On the long Pipe Dreams route, put the fastest player at the front and keep everyone close enough to see the turn. Once the chase starts, nobody doubles back for loot; call the exit side and run the same line.
Encounter file
Entities in this level
What each entity does on this route, and the move that keeps the encounter under control.
Smiler
How it appears here
A scripted Smiler chase begins after the dark steam route. The game provides infinite stamina for the sprint.
How to avoid it
Hold sprint, do not look back, keep the next hazard centered, and take the left gated opening at the final split.
