I don't cover a lot of video games on this beat, that's usually other folks' territory, but my granddaughter Jess has been playing Silent Hill Townfall and got stuck hunting for collectibles. So Aunt Elizabeth went digging, and now you get the benefit of my research. If you're chasing the Strange Postcards, Eurogamer has a full locations guide that walks you through every one of them.

The Strange Postcards are tucked into the game's episodes, and they're easy to walk right past if you're focused on the story. That's the classic collectible trap, isn't it? I remember scouring maps in old adventure games for one missing item, pencil graph paper beside the keyboard, the whole ritual. Games have changed enormously but that particular frustration is eternal.

The postcards don't shout for your attention. You'll need to examine your surroundings carefully, check objects you might otherwise ignore, and backtrack through areas after certain story moments open them up. If a room feels like it has nothing left to give, look again. That end table in the corner, the one you walked past three times? Yes, that one.

Collecting all of them matters to completionists because, as is tradition, the game rewards thoroughness. So if you're the type who needs every last item before the credits roll, the guide is worth bookmarking.

And a word of motherly advice from someone who has watched a lot of technology and entertainment come and go: don't let a collectible hunt ruin the mood of a horror game for you. Townfall is built on atmosphere, and sprinting through it with a checklist in hand is a bit like fast-forwarding through a scary movie to find the popcorn scenes. Grab the postcards on a second pass if the first one gets tense.

Jess finished her run last weekend, postcards and all, and pronounced it "creepy in a good way." From a teenager, that's practically a standing ovation. Happy hunting, and maybe leave a light on.