Silent Hill 2

[PeteJ]

That's one thing SH2 did more so than any other game (perhaps System Shock 2 comes close), it makes you think you've seen something when really there was nothing there.

Spooky stuff.

[Sidez]

"Did anyone else hear the whispering noise when you went into one of the apartments? That freaked me out big time!"

Yes but it doesn't always happen so when it does it makes it all the more disturbing.

If that freaks you out then just you wait til you get to the final area of SH. Pure evil.

[C']

I would agree with the opinion that Silent Hill 1&2 don't deserve to be compared to one another as they both create very different atmospheres and set goals, I enjoyed both immensely but in quite alternate ways. I thought the story for Silent Hill was ham-fisted and confusing, and the fact that there is a guide on the Internet explaining what the hell it was all about says enough for me, yet the game itself was raw, visceral and original.

Silent Hill 2 didn't go the same way; on the streets you were never in any real danger, unlike in SH where you were constantly assaulted by giant winged beasts and roving, rabid dogs, yet it was something that was very intentional IMO. Harry was full of blame and panic when he was searching for his daughter, a fistfull of emotions which the town took and transformed into a dystopian nightmare, he was his own worst enemy because he 'felt' so much.

James, on the other hand, exists in a state of emotional death, ever since his wife's demise he's been merely existing, not living, so the scattered, shambling abominations on the street seem well suited to his now painfully hollow world, it's as though they are all the town could find left in his psyche to turn against him. Pyramid Head was a sharper edge to this, but his scattered appearences and occasional murdering of the abominations would suggest that he was actually James's most optimistic element, twisted though that may seem, trying to make his existence alive again even in such a violent and disturbing fashion.

SH2 was a pot-boiler IMO, whereas the first game was pretty much unrelenting in its assaults, SH kept the pressure up until you felt as though things might snap whereas SH2 gradually increased mood and atmosphere, like a pan of water over a gas flame, until the final truth was realised for the player and their on-screen character.

I pondered and considered SH2 for at least a few weeks after completion, whereas I just saw SH1 as a very skilful, very accomplished 'Cronenbourg' production, frightening and chock full of weirdness but, arguably, requiring too much from the viewer to dot the i's and cross the t's. As PeteJ mentioned, the actual mechanics of the game play second fiddle to the sublime story, and as such are forgiveable as a result, puzzles and combat are almost an excuse for you to simply spend time in this eerie world with a 'purpose' for being there, a grounding of normality which keeps SH1 and 2 'just games'.

In case you hadn't guessed, after this lengthy diatribe, I love both games, but in very different ways, they aimed for alternate nerve centres and both hit their targets, to be of the opinion that they were both aiming for the same goal does neither us nor the Devs any favours, IMO.

wow, that has to be one of the most well thought out posts I've had the pleasure of reading on this forum. Your thoughts are both interesting and insightful and gave me an interesting perspective of the SH titles.

Personally, as I said earlier in the thread, I only completed SH2 the once. When I finished it I put a few hours aside for it so got a lot of the game's revelations in one go, and that night I simply couldn't get to sleep at all. Not because of the 'fear factor' but more that my brain would not stop trying to figure out, and interpret what I had just seen. Quite a powerful impact from a game, and something that has never happened before or since.

Also, my copy of the first game actually arrived this morning, so will give that a tryout tonight.

[Tom Salter]

Did anyone else notice that as you walked down that path that sometimes it would sound as if someone (or something) was following you?

Oh man, I thought that was just me! Very very subtle effect. What I liked about the game was that not one single effect was ever over-used, there was a plethora of methods employed to scare the crap out of you. I mean, was that effect ever used anywhere else in the game?

Lesser developers take note at what Konami achieved with this title.

[PeteJ]

Oh man, I thought that was just me! Very very subtle effect. What I liked about the game was that not one single effect was ever over-used, there was a plethora of methods employed to scare the crap out of you. I mean, was that effect ever used anywhere else in the game?

This is the exact reason to why Eternal Darkness failed (in a sense of being scary, rather than being a decent game), they simply overdid every decend idea in the game. For example, you hear a creapy noise coming from upstairs, but you don't flinch or react because you are always certain that the effect is playing due to the Insanity levels dropped below normal.

Another flaw in ED was displaying this bar so visably and making it such a key eliment in the game; when the bar dropped, the gamer was given a warning that something odd is about to happen. Worse still, the gamer will know that this effect will have no affect of their current situation.

It's no surprise that the only fright in the game was prescripted and only happend once in the entire game (bath).

[John Beaulieu]

the truth of the matter is that the vast majority of 'survival horror' games are basically action games with horror elements bolted on - Silent Hill 1 and 2 are both horror stories told by the medium of the console -- you could watch a Silent Hill movie or read a Silent Hill book and be equally as scared due to the superb use of the story, rather than read/watch etc similar titles banded into the survival horror genre and you would either laugh at the storyline or simply be bored whilst waiting for the subsequential horror plots to emerge periodically

Silent Hill 1 does drop into the usual 'survival horror' fare in places by throwing something out at you solely for the action sequences, whilst SH2 builds the anticipation levels gradually throughout the game, setting you on edge more and more so that when something does finally 'shock' you instead of just giving you an instant adrenal boost and becoming an action sequence it can push you even more into that 'unease' state of mind. a perfect example is the one already noted from the beginning of SH2 whilst during the graveyard walk -- you can hear something trailing you and you do expect something to jump out at you (thus imitating all the survival 'horror' games released upto that point) but nothing appears - thus you are set on edge from the initial phase which gets more and more worse the further you progress. play this on Xbox with a 5.1 sound system and you even more appreciate exactly what the developers have set out to achieve.

I would go so far as to say that SH2 isn't of the survival horror genre but is more of an Adventure Horror, since survival horror to me drums up impressions of looking for herbs/bullets/superior weaponage with occassional true 'horror' sections thrown in - SH1 is a mix of both genres, with some truly disturbing sections and in places having a gradual buildup of tension and another game which i consider to be in thie Adventure Horror genre is Fatal Frame (review coming soon when i find the remainder of my notes)

camps

[Geoff D]

You know, all this talk of SH2 is making me want to give it another go - might see if I can find a cheap copy somewhere...

[Sidez]

Actually camps, SH2 is 4.1 on Xbox :P

[John Beaulieu]

oooof

and there was me thinking the lack of sound from the centre speaker was a ploy by the developers

still though - sublative use-age of the surround speakers - it went from
to to to to to

scary business indeed

[Spatial]

It's no surprise that the only fright in the game was prescripted and only happend once in the entire game (bath).

You've just reminded me about that bit

I screamed out loud like a big girl's blouse

It took half an hour for my girlfriend to stop laughing at me

[Concept]

My personal favourite scary part was the gallows. I was genuinly scared to venture out into the open because I could hear the sound of something circling me whenever I did, although I couldnt see what. Thats the thing with SH2, its not always what the game does show you, its also what it does'nt, you are often left to imagine what something could have been. Did anyone else hear the whispering noise when you went into one of the apartments? That freaked me out big time!

I remember that. There was also another part when I heard some other whispering too. I think.

I also recall the gallows part. That part of Silent Hill 2 I did love because it recreated the constant panic and terror I often felt in the original. I had my headphones on with the volume cranked up in the dark early morning, and I just couldn't tell where the sound of the horses was coming from. For the first few seconds I honestly thought there was a beast that just kept missing me... Also, the size of the place was brillantly conveyed. Having been trapped and lost in numerous claustrophobic prison corridors, and then stumbling on that room.... Well it felt as though something was running around in the dark, taunting me. Consequently, that wide open space really accentuated a sense of vulnerability - A really, really uncomfortable feeling that appears to be the trademark of the series.

Another part I found really ****ed up was that monster on the second floor in one of the prison corridors. I could hear it stomping about and making some disturbing almost word-like (but not quite) noises. And it made me want like hell to get out of that corridor as fast as I possibly could.

Oh! Another part.... When the town descends into night and you go back to the bar and there's a message on the window. Well, this part is the only bit where the town directly speaks to James, and it chilled me to the bone.

I read one of the latest previews for Silent Hill 3 in C&VG yesterday, and it looks like it could be one of THE classics of this current generation.

If it can mix the best parts of both Silent Hill games and create a unique atmosphere all of it's own, it could be something very special indeed.

[marcus]

I agree Silent Hill 3 looks the part, but I was worried to see her using a machine gun in it to take out enemies, Im hoping that the well calculated pace of the previous two titles isnt changed in favour of a more action-orientated gameplay stance, memories of the change between Dino Crisis and Dino Crisis 2 spring to mind there.

Few people here have mentioned Pyramid Head, which for me ranks as one of the best game baddies of all. So menacing, and almost impenetrable, whilst also being a part of one of the best scenes in the game where it appears to "rape" that dummy-like thing. I wish that it was able to follow you through rooms, like how Nemisis did in Biohazard 3.

[Geoff D]

Does anyone know if the Jpn version has english subs/voice?

[Concept]

All versions of the Silent Hill series feature English voice acting.

[Geoff D]

All versions of the Silent Hill series feature English voice acting.

Cheers for that - any idea on the in game text?