Since its inception nearly twenty years ago, "Silent Hill" has become a revolutionary and near-legendary entity in the world of horror. Its first four releases all amongst the most pure and psychologically impactful releases in modern day gaming, the franchise will forever hold a special place in the hearts of those of us who adore and appreciate pure, primal fear. Despite more recent entries in the franchise- now at the hands of various Western developers- having faltered and crumbled at times, that original quadrilogy of releases will always be admired as classics of the genre.
Perhaps the most popular of the ever-expanding media franchise is "Silent Hill 2", a game initially released fifteen years ago for Sony's smash-hit Playstation 2 console. And this is for very good reason. It is not only the definitive masterpiece of the "Silent Hill" saga, but also without doubt one of the finest games ever crafted. It oozes atmosphere at every step and turn. It draws gasps and tears with poignant and highly symbolic storytelling. It chills to the bone with expertly crafted scares on a near-constant basis. And it delivers one of the most emotionally complex and hard-hitting tales of its time, culminating in a beautiful and thoroughly engrossing experience unlike any other I've ever experienced. "Silent Hill 2" is simply perfection, and horror at its purest.
James Sunderland is a man lost. The death of his wife weighs heavily on his soul, leaving him feeling empty and hollow. However, one day he is startled by the arrival of a letter. A letter apparently written by his deceased wife, Mary, beckoning him to return to the town of Silent Hill- their "special place." Knowing that this letter cannot possible exist and questioning his own sanity in following its direction, James still chooses to return to the town where he had once spent time with his beloved wife. However, something is wrong. The town is near-abandoned, save for a handful of peculiar and equally haunted individuals. A thick fog covers the streets. And horrifying and twisted creates stalk the shadows, waiting to pounce at any moment. But James must go on... he must figure out if Mary is somehow still alive, and why he received the letter that called for him to come to such a Hellish realm...
At its core, the game is a shockingly deep and complicated analysis of concepts such as the impact of grief, the suppression of one's own demons and the ability to let go of what haunts us. Team Silent- creators of the first four games- wisely use the internal logic established by the original games to craft an ideal story-line to continue the franchise. Everything present in the game- from the design of the monsters, to the subtle set-dressings in the environments you explore, to even the most minor details in the way characters look and speak is deliberate and expertly planned. Everything here contributes to conveying the story of James and his emotional state as well as his past sins, and it's just absolutely marvelous. Those who are quick to pick up on symbolic imagery and double-meanings will have a field day analyzing every facet of the game, while others who are not used to such critical thinking will still be able to enjoy it for its atmospheric thrills and touching story development. It really is a game that is rewarding to players of all types, and everyone will get something out of the experience, which is quite the accomplishment for the developers.
Looking at the game from a more basic standpoint in terms of cosmetics and game-play, it still delivers the goods ten-fold thanks to incredible visuals and design and expert use of atmosphere. Despite its age, the timeless and wickedly subversive design-work done here holds up wonderfully, and the graphics are still very admirable even two console generations later. Character models are highly detailed and convey great emotion, which helps usher us into the story-line. Environment design is top-notch, especially as the town occasionally transforms into a twisted and maniacal version of itself. And the monsters... my god, the monsters. Some of the most terrifying visages of evil ever crafted. You'll find yourself looking over your shoulder constantly during playthroughs with the sense of paranoia that is created through the atmospheric design. Add to that a pitch-perfect musical score and sound design work from series veteran Akira Yamaoka, and you have just the perfect recipe for terror. Controls are also incredible and contributes to the fear-factor of the game. Some may not be a fan of the old-school survival-horror set-up which can make it hard to navigate maps and fight off the borderline-demonic foes tracking you at every step, but I find it lends a lot to the suspense and perfectly compliments that sense of all-encompassing chills.
The fact of the matter is that this is an invaluable and important piece of gaming history and is a perfect example of video games as art. It's a fulfilling and terrifying experience that will haunt you years after you first pick up the controller and even to this day, its impact and inspiration is still being felt on a near- constant level. If you've never tried it or are even the slightest bit interested in experiencing it, I cannot recommend it highly enough. It's frightening. It's emotional. It's a masterpiece, plain and simple. And it is one of the greatest games ever created.
"Silent Hill 2" easily earns a perfect 10.
Perhaps the most popular of the ever-expanding media franchise is "Silent Hill 2", a game initially released fifteen years ago for Sony's smash-hit Playstation 2 console. And this is for very good reason. It is not only the definitive masterpiece of the "Silent Hill" saga, but also without doubt one of the finest games ever crafted. It oozes atmosphere at every step and turn. It draws gasps and tears with poignant and highly symbolic storytelling. It chills to the bone with expertly crafted scares on a near-constant basis. And it delivers one of the most emotionally complex and hard-hitting tales of its time, culminating in a beautiful and thoroughly engrossing experience unlike any other I've ever experienced. "Silent Hill 2" is simply perfection, and horror at its purest.
James Sunderland is a man lost. The death of his wife weighs heavily on his soul, leaving him feeling empty and hollow. However, one day he is startled by the arrival of a letter. A letter apparently written by his deceased wife, Mary, beckoning him to return to the town of Silent Hill- their "special place." Knowing that this letter cannot possible exist and questioning his own sanity in following its direction, James still chooses to return to the town where he had once spent time with his beloved wife. However, something is wrong. The town is near-abandoned, save for a handful of peculiar and equally haunted individuals. A thick fog covers the streets. And horrifying and twisted creates stalk the shadows, waiting to pounce at any moment. But James must go on... he must figure out if Mary is somehow still alive, and why he received the letter that called for him to come to such a Hellish realm...
At its core, the game is a shockingly deep and complicated analysis of concepts such as the impact of grief, the suppression of one's own demons and the ability to let go of what haunts us. Team Silent- creators of the first four games- wisely use the internal logic established by the original games to craft an ideal story-line to continue the franchise. Everything present in the game- from the design of the monsters, to the subtle set-dressings in the environments you explore, to even the most minor details in the way characters look and speak is deliberate and expertly planned. Everything here contributes to conveying the story of James and his emotional state as well as his past sins, and it's just absolutely marvelous. Those who are quick to pick up on symbolic imagery and double-meanings will have a field day analyzing every facet of the game, while others who are not used to such critical thinking will still be able to enjoy it for its atmospheric thrills and touching story development. It really is a game that is rewarding to players of all types, and everyone will get something out of the experience, which is quite the accomplishment for the developers.
Looking at the game from a more basic standpoint in terms of cosmetics and game-play, it still delivers the goods ten-fold thanks to incredible visuals and design and expert use of atmosphere. Despite its age, the timeless and wickedly subversive design-work done here holds up wonderfully, and the graphics are still very admirable even two console generations later. Character models are highly detailed and convey great emotion, which helps usher us into the story-line. Environment design is top-notch, especially as the town occasionally transforms into a twisted and maniacal version of itself. And the monsters... my god, the monsters. Some of the most terrifying visages of evil ever crafted. You'll find yourself looking over your shoulder constantly during playthroughs with the sense of paranoia that is created through the atmospheric design. Add to that a pitch-perfect musical score and sound design work from series veteran Akira Yamaoka, and you have just the perfect recipe for terror. Controls are also incredible and contributes to the fear-factor of the game. Some may not be a fan of the old-school survival-horror set-up which can make it hard to navigate maps and fight off the borderline-demonic foes tracking you at every step, but I find it lends a lot to the suspense and perfectly compliments that sense of all-encompassing chills.
The fact of the matter is that this is an invaluable and important piece of gaming history and is a perfect example of video games as art. It's a fulfilling and terrifying experience that will haunt you years after you first pick up the controller and even to this day, its impact and inspiration is still being felt on a near- constant level. If you've never tried it or are even the slightest bit interested in experiencing it, I cannot recommend it highly enough. It's frightening. It's emotional. It's a masterpiece, plain and simple. And it is one of the greatest games ever created.
"Silent Hill 2" easily earns a perfect 10.