akira yamaoka is without a doubt my favorite game composer. how he can switch from nine inch nails esc industrial pounding to angelo badalamenti style guitar riffing is nothing short of a stroke of genius. his influences are fairly obvious to someone like me yet he still manages to culminate them with his own style in such a palpable way. there’s no need for me to discuss this series’ sound design at this point in time — though how yamaoka was given full control as the sole sound designer still impresses me to this day. there’s not a single sound or noise that is misplaced or sways from its intentions. this alongside the visuals are what make silent hill 2 one of my favorite atmospheres in any game. corroded corridors soaked in dry blood, fencing coated in thick rust, sewers drenched and mossed… it’s all the small consolidating details that capture the realistic horror of silent hill. when james sticks his hand down a feces and rust infested toilet accompanied by bone-chilling sloshing sounds, there’s nothing more for me to do than contort my face at the sight attempting to imagine the grotty aroma that must’ve emitted. the density of the worn-out settings, crunchy sounds, constricting camera angles, and of course depictions of illness throughout, are what make the core of silent hill 2 so tangible to me, and i’m sure others could relate. you’ve probably heard this all before told in an exceedingly poetic manner than anything i could ever write up.