Big fans of tinyBuild’s stealth horror sequel Hello Neighbor 2 can get three additional levels with the game’s DLC. The first bonus level is in a massive middle school, guarded by a menacing caretaker and his pack of dogs. You’ll have to figure out what that angry old man is hiding, and it’ll take a lot of puzzle-solving to get it done.
How to beat Back to School in Hello Neighbor 2
This school is one of the largest levels in the game. There are many rooms to explore, and a lot of actions you can take that won’t serve the overall mission. You are free to play around as long as you avoid the caretaker. The central quests require opening the path to the broken school clock, fixing it, and escaping through the school bus.
The first thing to do when you enter the school is to enter the center room. You’ll see a large chalkboard with the numbers five and two on it. The numbers correspond to a fence on the second floor, which hides the second stage of the school. The other two are hidden by a board that’s frozen shut. The main task for the next several puzzles is gathering boiling water to melt the ice.
Walk around the outside of the school to the dog park, where you’ll see a friendly dog with a key in his mouth. Approach the doghouses and grab a ball. Drop it in front of him and he’ll drop that key. You’ll use it right away. Head to the right from the dog park exit, where you’ll find a small enclave. Enter the door with the key, head down the stairs, and find the boiler.
Next to the boiler, you’ll find a red garbage bag. Toss it into the boiler. You’ll notice the gauge on the side increase. You need to bring the boiler into the red, and you accomplish that by putting four more red bags into the boiler.
Head back towards the dog park, you’ll see a hole in the ground to the right of the area. Climb the ladder down and pick up the bag. The next bag is in the aforementioned green room with the raven, just below the area you had to climb across via the solar system model. There’s one on a desk in the painting room. Finally, there’s one on the roof, which you can access by climbing the stairs to the top floor and climbing the wooden structure against the wall. Put all four bags into the boiler to increase the temperature.
After increasing that boiler temperature, you need to turn on the water and find something to gather it. The gear that turns on the water is hidden behind some boards in the first-floor bathroom. You’ll need a crowbar, which sits on a chair in the painting room. Pry off the boards and grab the wheel. It belongs in the room immediately to the left of the main entrance, on the red pipe with an obvious point. Water will begin flowing after you turn the wheel.
Next, head upstairs to the room with the Venus fly trap on the floor. You’ll find a glass vial on the desk next to the projector. With that, head to the room to the right of the staircase, where you’ll see a constant stream of boiling water. Set the vial down in the stream’s path and collect the water. Use that vial to melt the ice on the chalkboard. Slide it away to reveal the remaining two numbers, two and three. Head upstairs and enter 5223 into the fence’s padlock to enter.
After you open that fence, you’ll find that a padlock blocks the next area. The key requires a brief exchange. Head to the room with a telescope on the second floor and look into it to see the constellation of a crow. Light the bulbs on the matching crow on the wall to activate a spinning solar system near the ceiling. Use that model to cross to an otherwise hidden area.
Use that crank on the flagpole near the entrance. After activating it, you’ll receive a key. Head back upstairs, enter the locked fence, climb the bookshelves in the back, and use the key to enter the clock area. From there, you just have to climb as high as you can. Jump to every structure you see above you until you reach the top, then hit the button you find there. This will trigger a cutscene, leading to the next chapter.
After this cutscene, head back to the boiler room and find the key on the wall. It’s right across from the boiler. The key will unlock the secret room in the principal’s office. It’s across from the stairs on the first floor. Once you enter that secret door, you’ll press a button and slide down a long tunnel. You’ll land in a room with gears. Walk across them to find the largest central gear. You’ll notice four missing colorful gear, each of which will require its own puzzle.
You can find the red gear in the room with the massive drop. Fall to the bottom to find a room with two cardboard cops. Activate the button on the pillar in the center of the room, then look back at the cop to see the gear in his hand.
The blue gear is in the room with the red lockers. Follow them, then turn the corner into the classroom. Hop on the desks and shelves to grab it from the highest wall-mounted structure. It’s right beneath the colorful letters on the wall.
To get the green gear, enter the room with the pile of desks. Climb them to hit the button on the right-side wall. That’ll open up a hole in the left wall, full of black pipes. Climb over them to find the electrical box. Flip the switch and follow the new path that opens. You’ll find the green gear sitting on a pipe at the end of the path.
Finally, the yellow gear is in the mouth of the same friendly dog. To get him to trade it, you’ll need to go into the room with the cardboard school building. Enter and climb the structures on the back wall. At the top, you’ll find a doll holding a photograph. Approach the dog and trade the photo for the gear.
With all four gears in place, the clockwork gears will rotate. All you have to do now is complete the platforming challenge. Follow the path, climb the rotating gears, and reach the swinging grandfather clock door. From there, just jump from gear to gear to reach the ladder at the end of the path. The last thing you have to do is climb the ladder and escape through the school bus. After that, your Hello Neighbor 2 school trip is over.
If you’re looking for more tips and tricks to help you solve puzzles, check out Pro Game Guides Hello Neighbor 2 page, or check out our guide on Hello Neighbor 2 Bakery cash register puzzle guide – Day 2!
