Reviews from

in the past


This is peak horror the atmosphere and horror created not only by the monsters, combat, darkness, fog, and puzzles but the accompanied soundtrack by akira yamaoka is unmatched by other horror games. This game has the most memorable plot of any game I've ever played and the side characters only feed into making it that much more interesting.

This game is such a classic. Playing it now, you can really see how it shaped so much of the horror genre. The dizzying environment design and bizarre, almost dream-like dialogue really are so unique to the title. It's great fun, and plays well even for a more modern audience.

I didn't enjoy the short DLC "Born From A Wish" nearly as much - not for its short length but rather because of its lack of intention and strange narrative implications. It feels like they kinda just made a DLC for Maria because she was a popular character.

My hot take is that the tank controls are Good Actually lol

Phenomenal game, more so than any other game I've played it has a wonderful sense of how to utilise fixed cameras not just to work within the conventions and limitations of the era it was released but to ramp up tension and horror aspects in extremely effective ways. Not to say other games don't do this but this game in particular does it so perfectly. Paired with a terrific and well-laid-out setting that further ramps this up, it's a large combination of elements that make this game stand the test of time.

Excellent puzzles that make you think and are satisfying to figure out. A wonderfully engaging story that transitions seamlessly into its more surreal elements. Of course, the design of Pyramid Head has been spoken about endlessly but his place in the game can not be overstated, he's used very sparingly which adds to the effectiveness of his scariness. Overall this game is a horror classic for a reason a fascinating and effective game it is a shame Tsuboyama never fully sat back in the director's chair again because this was so incredible.

It's hard to put into words what I experienced with this masterpiece. This isn't the first time that I've played Silent Hill 2, but it's the first time that I actually finished it.

I'm glad I did.

Ain't no point in delaying my verdict: this is one of the best games I've ever played! Silent Hill 2 isn't just a good survival horror, it's a deep psychological dive into the minds of disturbed characters, a masterclass in subjective imagery, a horrifying story to uncover and a stunning work of sound and music.

One thing that needs to be absolutely praised here is how this game uses sounds, noises, music and ambient songs to scare and soothe the experience. Not only every single noise, and even silent moments, is masterfully used in the right moment to put you in the mood that it wants you to feel, but it also packs a modest, immersive and beautiful soundtrack.

Thank you, Akira Yamaoka.

But sound design isn't Silent Hill 2's only key feature. The writing is interesting, level design is near flawless, pacing keeps you tense, the eerie voice acting fits the atmosphere, the dark graphics are nerve-racking and even the puzzles stand out.

Not to mention the story. In its own unique and subjective way of capturing your attention and desire to keep going, James Sunderland's melodic and frightening tale manages to tell one of gaming's deepest stories. It even manages to pay off with its 6 different endings.

The only bad aspect about Silent Hill 2 is that the gameplay is outdated. There's no running away from it. It may still hold up better than most survival horror games out there, but it's undeniably stiff and clunky. The camera sucks, tank controls are harsh, movement is too rigid, animations may feel a bit off during cutscenes and MY GOD the combat is bad. I know that the game's clunkiness adds up to its horror-factor, but the combat is just not fun.

The good thing though, maybe compesating to SH2's outdated mechanics, is that the experience is VERY scary. It messes with your eyes, ears, reflexes and perceptions. Even here, in 2021, this game is still one of the scariest and most intense games ever made, in my opinion. It not only does right by the genre, but by video game design as art.

If you somehow get your hands in this game, whether it's on a PS2, PC or even on the inferior HD remaster, you're in for a memorable experience. One for a lifetime. Especially if you're a survival horror fan.

Trust me. Take a trip to Silent Hill. You won't regret it.

this was beyond what i expected, jesus fucking christ. video games were invented and killed by this game.


they sure don't make them like this anymore

Born From a Wish como Log

This review contains spoilers

Silent Hill 2 is truly a masterpiece. The story is truly something special and messes up your psyche as you progress through the game, the plot twists of the game that are revealed towards the end are truly executed in a magnificent way that makes you feel empathy towards James despite his actions being wrong. The "In Water" ending I achieved really cemented how tragic the story of this game is, evoking many strong emotions. The atmosphere this title produces is eerie yet comforting at the same time, this is greatly complimented by the terrific soundtrack composed by Akria Yamaoka. The gameplay was amazing with my favourite part being the riddles as I found them fun to solve. Pyramid Head was a menacing presence throughout the game with it posing as James's personal tormentor for the actions he has committed which I found to be an amazing way to portray the guilt James had suppressed within him throughout the majority of the game. My favourite scene in the game was the final interaction between James & Angela on the staircase, something I believe was executed beautifully. Overall, Silent Hill 2 was an amazing experience that truly left me speechless after finishing.

This review contains spoilers

I'm really into cults. Probably a bad tagline for a dating profile or resume header, but the intrigue works well for delving into the twisted town of Silent Hill. It is truly fascinating how so many cults are able to rewire the human psyche into believing practical insanity in order to have them work against their own best interests, including the most basic fundamental human desire: survival. The survival of self is cast off in favor of the promise of ascension in service to something greater and a more complete understanding of the universe's framework. It's human nature to look for patterns, and cults claim to offer the key to the celestial cipher of existence. Unfortunately, this key only opens a path to self-destruction - the endless letters of code mistranslated and re-arranged to be subservient to only one person, the cult leader.

Enter Silent Hill with its cult of nightmares born from the torture of a young girl and her never-ending wounds. It's a classic horror-cult story with the cult members grasping at achieving something they don't quite understand, something cosmically unknown, at the cost of their own self-survival - nightmare monsters from other worlds aren't usually known for bringing about positive change, even for those that summon it.

I went into Silent Hill 2 not really knowing anything about it other than pop-culture stuff like Pyramid Head existing. The cover has a girl on it who also happens to be the first person we meet. Here we go again - I'm ready for the plot to take me to the inevitable conclusion that the cult is back at it again, torturing Angela in horrific ways in order to birth a new nightmare. Of course, we're supposed to be looking for Mary, our dead wife, but you don't understand - I am really smart and can see past this red herring main plot. I can't be tricked.

Hours go by, and while there have been some other things thrown in here to take me off the scent (namely Laura), my suspicions about this being Angela's nightmare grow even stronger as I find Pyramid Head sexually assaulting creatures that have no face or identity, but only legs and groin. When I see Angela again, she's about to commit suicide, and then I see she has torn her father out of a family portrait. Yeah, I knew exactly where all this was going. I am smart.

Despite meeting Maria, talking more with Laura, and getting other hints throughout the game, I wasn't ready to concede that this wasn't Angela's nightmare until I found the Blood-Soaked newspaper about her killing her father, followed by killing his nightmare form afterwards. It was a moment of revelation where things started to click and the wheels started to turn in my brain that maybe this was less about Angela and more about James. It was a brilliant subversion of the first game's mythology, and cemented Silent Hill 2 as one of the greatest successes as a sequel in my mind. I was deliberately played by my own expectations from the first game, and much like James dropping down further and further into Silent Hill's abyss, my thoughts went down a rabbit hole trying to recontextualize everything that I had seen before.

After finishing the game and learning the truth of everything, I understood that Silent Hill 2 is still a narrative about a cult - the cult of self. James disregards his own self-preservation and gives himself over in service to the search for indecipherable knowledge - understanding of his own subconscious processing of grief and guilt. He's both the leader and follower in this cult of one, sacrificing pieces of himself in order to ascend past his shattered self and either achieve peace by being able to leave Mary behind, or by making the ultimate sacrifice to find justice for her murder.

Everything in Silent Hill 2's presentation is built to reinforce this introspective deconstruction that James goes through, from denial to understanding, but the best example I can give is the original soundtrack. The most emotionally charged moments aren't met with a bombastic horror-driven score, but rather music that lends itself to delving inward and sitting with the weight of the events unfolding. The game often allows the music to play on loop after the actual scene has ended, signifying James trying to come to terms with everything going on. He sits in the moment, trying to process, and I am there with him - still listening to these haunting songs as I type out this review.

Perfect rating for the soundtrack alone

What can I say about Silent Hill 2? I’m not asking that due to how often Silent Hill 2 is talked about. Rather, I ask it because the game has left me utterly speechless. Somehow I avoided a majority of spoilers for Silent Hill 2, meaning I had gone into the game almost entirely blind. I already had a general feeling I would love the game. I played the original Silent Hill over a year ago at this point, and I absolutely loved the game. The environment, atmosphere, and music were all stunning. And I feel that Silent Hill 2 perfects it all, making an utter masterpiece.
Now, I played on the PC Abandonware version of Silent Hill 2, with upgrades from the enhanced edition patch (you have to use it anyway, since the patch allows the game to actually open). I was suggested to use the abandonware version as a friend of mine mentioned difficulty with emulating the PS2 version. I could’ve tried out the PS2 version, but hey, better safe than sorry. Now, I bring this up because I think it’d be important to know that the version of Silent Hill 2 I had will most likely not provide the same experience someone reading this may have.
Now onto Silent Hill 2 itself, I don’t really know what all I can speak of it. Particularly, I don’t want to go into the spoilers of Silent Hill 2, as I think it’s a game that’s worth experiencing. To be specific, I don’t want to say what the exact details of the story are, but it’s one worth experiencing. One thing I’d like to mention that’s only tangentially related to the story is the voice acting. The voice acting the characters have is absolutely wonderful! What I mean by that is that there’s something so unnatural about the line delivery that it makes everyone feel off. In most other games, this would be a bad thing, but for a game and setting like Silent Hill, it makes perfect sense. It’s a minor detail that adds to the overall unsettling nature of Silent Hill.
I Think what is ultimately my favorite aspect of Silent Hill 2 is is the atmosphere. The fog that surrounds you in Silent Hill 2 is perfect for the kind of atmosphere Silent Hill should have. The best way I kind describe the fog is “suffocating”. You’re surrounded by it, and you can barely see through it. Any possible threat will only be seen when it’s almost right next to you, leading to things seemingly jump out towards you. And when things aren’t foggy, they’re cast in a deep darkness. This darkness has a similar effect to the fog, but with the fact a small portion of it can be illuminated by a flashlight, it makes the dread even stronger. And when it comes to the actual graphics of the game, I absolutely love how grimy the game looks. Everything looks rusted and dirty, and that idea of being broken down really works, I feel. Much like the fog, I think another perfect aspect of Silent Hill 2’s atmosphere is the sound design and music that’s used. I absolutely love the droning ambience of the game, it’s as if there’s a sense of emptiness alongside some sort of dread. And to coincide with those drones, there’s also loud metallic clangs, scrapes, and bangs. It creates such a strong sense of tension, as if there’s a threat that’s far out of sight, especially if it occurs in places that it wouldn’t make sense for those sounds to occur. And the fact that the sound that signifies if enemies are close to you is static, it creates such a unique atmosphere that very few games can replicate.
I want to give a frame of reference here, for the next topic about the game I want to discuss. Particularly, the feelings of horror, and fear. While I love horror games, I find myself not often terrified by them. I get scared sometimes, but few games ever terrify me. I bring this up to express how terrifying Silent Hill 2 is. Even just hearing the game’s ambience was dreadful, but there were so many terrifying moments on top of it. I particularly remember an area early on in the game, where I was still getting used to things. I was running by an area I had already been to, after doing stuff somewhere else. And suddenly, a scream rang out from across the hallway, completely startling me. In that same general sequence, going to the end of the hallway, Pyramid Head appeared on the other side of a barred off wall, and all he did was stand there. I don’t know how better to describe it, but just seeing him stand there filled me with so much fear.
I also really adore the actual puzzles found in Silent Hill 2. One thing I hope for whenever I find games that feature complex puzzles is the need to write things down. I think it’s a compliment when a game requires me to journal hints to puzzles, and write down reminders to help solve future puzzles. I wont go into details about the puzzles I absolutely loved, but my favorite puzzle in the game was one with a riddle and three coins. I had to read the riddle over and over to figure it out, as it took me so long to understand what the riddle was trying to say. When I did figure it out, and solved the puzzle, I felt genuinely proud of myself, especially knowing I figured it out without a guide. Another similar puzzle also involved a riddle, and 6 people. Yet again, solving the riddle itself felt amazing to do.
I wanted to save him as a topic for last, as I felt he’s important to talk about. And by that, I’m referring to Pyramid Head. Pyramid Head is absolutely an amazing character not only by Silent Hill standards, but all of horror in general. In the realm of Silent Hill 2, Pyramid Head has a really narrative unique purpose that you’ll only ever find out by the end of the game. And once you realize why Pyramid Head exists, it makes his existence so much stronger. And outside of Silent Hill 2, it may be exaggerative to say, but I feel like Pyramid Head is comparable to that of famous horror slashers. Not only does Pyramid Head have a similar level of iconicity, but the presentation, threat, and overall execution of Pyramid Head feels so similar, and I love it. Pyramid Head is such a unique threat for any horror property, but he feels perfectly crafted for the world of Silent Hill 2.
The more I think and type about Silent Hill 2, the more I end up totally enamored by it. The atmosphere, terror, and just general flow of Silent Hill 2 is outstanding. And though I only glossed over it, the story is really something unique, that few games are able to replicate with the same level of quality. I only got one of the endings, since I felt like the ending I get is my ending. Though I can definitely see myself replaying the game to try and get the other endings at a later point. Aside from that though, I’m so glad I finally got to play Silent Hill 2, it’s an absolute must play. From what it sounds, the remake of Silent Hill 2 sounds like it’s going to be bad, so if you want to play Silent Hill 2, just play the original.

More Silent Hill 2, more peak.

Logando especificamente o Born From a Wish (zerei pela 1x)

Na teoria é inofensivo, mas eu aprecio a ambiguidade imaculada de toda interpretação do jogo base. Essa dlc é equivalente a um vídeo do pipocando explicando silent hill

Silent Hill 2 is a beautiful mix of being wonderfully dated, and immensely ahead of its time.

The controls of this game feel a bit janky, but it completely works to emphasize the horror, as it allows the sound design to stand alone as you struggle to see the incoming - something that's fueled by the genius of the radio. The gameplay loop is simple, but deeply addicting, as perhaps the best game of its type. The voice acting is occasionally, (okay, maybe more than occasionally), hilariously goofy, but it can't stop the story from being one of the most impactful ever put in a game. (The ending VA performance though!)

SH2 is just a series of incredibly cool moments, such as the first time your flashlight turns off, and a series of examples of genius game design, such as how it uses camera angles to make sure that you pretty much never miss a key object, while also never feeling like it holds your hand.

I don't really even love horror, but I do really love Silent Hill 2.

10/10
Game #15 of 2024, March 6th

This review contains spoilers

Il est excellent mais faut calmer Maria, ouvrez lui un compte Onlyfan sérieux

it's missing all the dance scenes

please cancel the remake you still have time

Jogaço da porra, trama muito pica, aquele toquezinho perfeito de terror pscológico, porem muito lento, mesmo assim uma perola do mundo dos jogos de terror.

Okay, Did not enjoy Silent Hill 2 that much, felt very empty to me. I felt like I was traveling through area's without any friction for the most part, just sliding on the world's smoothest material. I can't help but compare this to Resident Evil and I think for sure they do better at this in every way, but this provides a different vibe and a more Thinking Gamer's Story™.

I like the vibe, and of course I enjoy the soundtrack more than any RE game; but the story I also get almost nothing out of. I think I just want more time with these people as characters and this game is very short with a lot of Silent Gaming, so I just don't care. I think it makes up for that with the moments you do get being strong(?), thats why Angela is probably the best character, but like I can imagine if I got more moments.

Born From a Wish was cool, it was in a mansion so I got to think about Resident Evil! I liked the area probably the most out of all them. Very short and nothing besides that, but I liked that new area.

ALSO This game lets you fucking FULLY REMAP ALL BUTTONS ON CONSOLE. That shit blew my mind. It also has a baby mode where you dont die, thats awesome; so ahead of its time there.

Playthrough was done using the Silent Hill 2: Enhanced Edition mod pack for the game.

Silent Hill 2 is a touchstone in the survival horror genre, period. A game that in its short time does everything across the board pretty much perfectly, and a master class on how psychological horror, subtle storytelling and symbolism can go so well together to make the most immersively rich experience possible. And is overall a massive jump over its PSX predecessor.

While 1999's Silent Hill has way more focus on classic themes of the occult to tell its horror story, being quite literally the story of how the town of Silent Hill came to be and is showing of the many paranormal qualities of the town, and in that game Silent Hill was pretty much like a random nightmare world taking into account it wasn't the main protagonists' personified guilt and distress... But then came Silent Hill 2, a game that is so much more character-focused, leaving behind the occult topics to shower us with a vision of the town literally adjusted to our main protagonist, James Sunderland, some man who we don't quite know anything about, making you figure out yourself the story of recurrent characters such as Angela, Eddie or the mythical Pyramid Head, and when you realize that the reason this version of the accursed town is so different than the one Harry Mason would experience, it's when you realize why this game is so good at telling you the story of its characters, and it was all made super ahead of its time.

Leaving aside the story, because this is one of those games where you really have to go in blind or else you'll be spoiling yourself of one of the most immersive and suspenseful experiences in all of gaming the game pretty much lives to the standard that is Making The Second Game In Your Franchise Play So Much Better Than The First One™️, Silent Hill 2 offers some new stuff here and there without straying too much from its roots, and it basically plays like a smoother version of the first game. Allowing you to do stuff like running while attacking with any sort of light melee weapons or, exclusive to this version of the game, being able to get rid of those abhorrent tank controls from the get-go.
Nothing too big in that department, but when you look around and see how nice the environments look for a 2001 PS2 game and how the immersive and gloomy soundtrack masterfully crafted by Akira Yamaoka sets the mood for any situation (and is so good even to listen outside of the game), you truly do notice how much they did to capture a timelessly grim aesthetic that will probably never phase out considering the current state of the franchise.

Silent Hill 2 is a game i regret not have played any sooner, and while I can't say every single one of my expectations about this so highly regarded legendary title were met, I can still appreciate a work of art made with so much meaning and spirit behind it, and how it managed to be one of the most famously influential horror video games of all time. It also nearly made me cry, and that's wild considering I could probably count the times in my life where a piece of media was so moving that I could nearly feel myself tearing up in its last moments, a must play for absolutely everyone, even now considering the advancements of the refined, fan-made (and free!) Enhanced Edition mod for the PC version of it.

It's fascinating how a video game that you can beat under 10 hours has a better story and symbols than most of the video games you've ever played
Silent Hill 2 is a piece of art and an timeless masterpiece, An experience you will not experience in any other video game
A video game that anyone even if he has a slight interest in video games should experience

Que extraña película por alguna razón me hace caminar y resolver puzzles entre escenas también me caga la parte donde me toman a mi el espectador y me vuelven mas gordo y homicida.


There is beauty in the way you live and thrive despite it all...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qalGezr76o

I played through the original long ago and hardly remembered much of it and I have played Silent Hill 3 twice. After playing this again and having it fresh in my mind I can say this is by far the best in the series and definitely my favorite at this time. Being creeped out when I was so little watching my uncle play it to experiencing it now that I am 29 and still getting freaked out at times really is a testament to what kind of experience this game is capable of.

The masterpiece of a fearful and emotional entanglement this game brings in such a way is a torment filled dance you surely won't comprehend completely on your first playthrough. The best Horror games or games in general that that stay in your mind hours and days after it is over and keep you thinking are truly one of the best feelings in my opinion.

The deep details and creativity in the environments and psychological puzzles and inclusion of characters you will learn about in later installments of this series is a really interesting form of storytelling Team Silent has created at their prime and I deeply wish to this day they were still the wonderful team they were and not just remnants of the past.

Now I will definitely have to play some more of these again as they always grab ahold of me in the best way. I am kind of worried to how the remake will be, but I am hoping for the best although I don't see how you top the original especially with the experience it brings. If you have not played this game yet I cannot recommend this enough, definitely one of those play before you die type of games that solidifies itself in the genre of perfect horror games.

Pyramid Head belongs to this entry and the fact they use him in other installments feels so off especially now that I see the imagery and semblance he brings to James' judgement and conviction. Wish they would have just made a unique character that did the same thing for each protagonist's struggle.

rating for born from a wish

Very solid way to experience SH2. I would not recommend you play it via 360 backwards compatibility though. There are a lot of visual glitches that can be very distracting. On my last playthrough, Eddie's face didn't properly render in and he looked like the pillsbury doughboy for the entire second half of the game which made his scenes really funny.

Born from a wish is a good addition which develops one of the characters in an interesting way.

The only other differences that are worse than the original ps2 version or the enhanced edition are that the cutscenes are lower quality and run at a slower framerate and the lighting system is different (although its not noticeable if you haven't played the original).

It's still Silent Hill 2, so the game is still amazing. There really isn't a bad way to play this game besides the hd collection.

En cuanto a la expansión Born From a Wish, es interesante explorar ligeramente la perspectiva de María, pero no aporta nada de nada.