Silent Hill 2
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By Eric Vlahos
| Published by: Konami | Developed by: Konami | ESRB: Rating: M for Mature |
| Platform: Playstation 2, PC, XBox | Release Date:September 25 2001 | Genre: Survival Horror |
June 18, 2009
The struggles of video games reaching the level of an artistic medium are often discussed with vigorous debate. Many argue that video games lack the strength and appeal of other art mediums such as movies, music or books. Enter Silent Hill 2, released by Konami in 2001. Combining breathtaking atmospheric immersion, miraculous story structure and unnerving terror, Silent Hill 2 subtly silences any naysayer that dares venture into the haunting silent streets.
You are James Sunderland, a man who mourns the death of his wife Mary whom tragically passed away from an unexplained disease. James receives a letter signed in his wife’s handwriting three years after her death, beckoning our protagonist to find her in the town of Silent Hill. Confused and distraught, James contemplates whether or not Mary is truly alive or if this is all a sick joke. Sure enough, he ventures into Silent Hill to seek the answers.
The storyline is by all means, phenomenal. The story is carefully woven through subtlety through game play rather than fully explained through cut scenes. Every feature from the town plays a part in James’ story. From the complex puzzles he solves to the atrocious creatures he encounters, every detail, in one way or another, relates to his predicament.
James will encounter other characters, each with troubles of their own. Every character is introduced through beautifully detailed CG cut scenes, and portrayed believably through perfectly chosen voice actors. Cliché super solider that litter the cast list of other video games will not be found here. Instead, everyone introduced is drawn out as everyday normal people that happen to find themselves in unordinary bizarre events. Each character has a certain secret that ingeniously integrates into our protagonist’s journey that won’t be spoiled here. It’s a disturbing tale of sin and punishment that must be experienced to be appreciated.
The gameplay mechanics of Silent Hill 2 are similar to the previous installment. The “tank control” setup similar to Capcom’s Resident Evil series is presented here. The clunky controls are intentional, and common in most eastern horror games. Some may voice displeasure over the sluggish and slowly responsive controls, however others will quickly discover that the control setup helps convey the horrific feel of the game while maneuvering through the claustrophobic environments among the malevolent monsters. Every control feature is customizable in the options and “secret” options menu.
James carries a plethora of melee weapons and ranged firearms that help him fend off the vicious fiends that hamper his journey. James will quickly hint the player by noticing intriguing items of interest within the vicinity by twisting and turning his head to pinpoint said item. Pressing X will help James observe and interact with the environment around him. Holding R2 and pressing X will attack, while holding square will allow James to run and flee, which is highly recommended while navigating through the large town streets in particular. Circle will toggle the front pocket flashlight on and off, which is useful for avoiding all enemies who are attracted to light. Last but not least, the handy dandy map menu is brought up through the triangle button.
The twisted, narrow, claustrophobic indoor environments and the large outdoor streets would be a true nightmare to navigate without the use of the helpful map feature. Broken and locked doors will be highlighted, as well key areas such as item locations, save points, and other points of interest. You’ll often find yourself terrified to venture beyond the next doorway, so bringing up the map during these moments of uncertainty will quickly ease your stress meter, and may also prevent you from possibly running around in circles.
The atmosphere is a mind-blowing work of art by its own merit. Combined with dark, foreboding, detailed visuals, a static noise filter, and iconic heavy fog that Silent Hill is known for, the atmosphere is both immersive and horrific. Simply put, Silent Hill 2 provides one of the most immersive game experiences I’ve ever encountered. The camera control setup plays a definitive role toward the atmosphere as well. The camera follows James closely from behind, and will at times transcend flawlessly into static fixed positions that hint crucial information without disrupting the controlling sense of direction or placing the player in immediate danger. For this astonishing feat, I say, “bravo Konami!” It doesn’t end there though. While locking on and aiming at enemies, the camera will subtly zoom in closer while the noise filter will unnervingly increase, providing heavy horrific tension during fights.
As if the sharp graphics, thick fog, static noise filter, and chilling camera angles weren’t enough icing on this blood stained cake, Team Silent outdoes themselves by providing unparalleled sound and music. Akira Yamaoka conducts the psychotic symphonies found in Silent Hill 2 with absolute flare! The music will invigorate the drums of your bones while strumming the tunes of your sanity. The sound intervenes perfectly too, as footsteps echo believably down dark hallways during the psychological silence. In fact, the silence is as important as the sound, as it will truly stimulate your senses. The radio from the first Silent Hill—which transmits eerie static warning the player of incoming demons—is back. The radio combined with the static noise filter makes a perfect haunting combination.
The environments range from abandoned apartments, hellish hospitals, and other nightmarish settings I dare not reveal. The alternate world, which transforms the environments into a hellish nightmare of blood, rust and decay, returns once more in all of its twisted glory. The monsters that accompany these backgrounds are frightening and well designed. One monster design consists of a pair of female legs with the torso sown to the torso of another pair of female legs. As frightening as these monsters are, and as intriguing as it is to see the background of these creatures integrated into the protagonist’s story, it’s a shame that only a small handful of creature types are encountered within the game, especially when compared to other titles in the Silent Hill series. Although Silent Hill 2 still contains great length from start to finish. There are four different difficulty settings and three different puzzle settings (including a fourth “secret puzzle setting). Five multiple endings (Actually six if you own the Xbox or PS2 greatest hits version) and several secret weapons are more than enough incentives to retake the nightmarish journey.
After enduring the frightening psychological adventure, overcoming the haunting atmosphere, and unlocking every multiple ending, I still find myself returning to the streets of Silent Hill 2 even after so many years of playing it. The story leaves me in awe, and unlike other video games, the subtlety of the story leaves much to be debated, discussed, and imagined. The story is interpreted differently from many viewpoints, and many mysteries remain unsolved and left to our imaginations. It’s a beautiful picture worth far more than just a thousand words. Buy this game. See for yourself why some things are truly better left in the dark.