I want to get this out of the way, but I find Silent Hill 2 to be a somewhat overrated game (this isn't a bad thing btw). With that out of the way, I found SH2 to be quite an enjoyable game. In some aspects, I found it to be better than the first Silent Hill. However, on the other hand, I don't think that's its better than SH1. But overall, my outlook on SH2 is quite positive and I will go deeper into my thoughts with the game. (btw i played the PC version via the Enhanced Edition. I did not use quick save.)
SH2 has a very good story and one that I can find relatable. Seeing the town of Silent Hill through the lens of James's guilt is quite interesting and watching this mysterious ordeal unfold for him is great. I was very invested to see where James's psyche was at various points in the game. Seeing the environments, additions of monsters or even his interactions with people like Angela showcases where his state of mind currently is. I felt a bit disturbed and intrigued by the imagery and actions as well. There's a lot to analyze with what the meaning of X thing(s) means to the overall narrative. I really like this aspect of SH2 and it's definitely the reason why the game is remembered so fondly. A vast improvement in terms of psychological horror.
Now if we were to look outside SH2's outstanding story. We're left with its very easy gameplay. I played on normal, and the game was rather easy. At no point in the game did I ever feel the need of having to take a slow approach like in SH1. Being littered with a ton of items took some of the horror away for me personally. But you can honestly vouch the same for SH1, so what's the difference? Well, more on that later. Moving on, I think the some of the puzzles were interesting. The music box, coins and grandfather clock puzzles come to mind. The best puzzle, imo, is easily freeing the innocent man. The logic behind the puzzle is setup so well and having to carefully read the poem for an answer was done well. It reminded me a bit of the Piano puzzle from SH1. The last thing I want to mention before moving on is the camera. The camera in this game is not that good. I don't like that it can get stuck on walls when trying to get a better LOS. Plus, trying to get the camera behind James (when it can) at times can prove to be quite finicky. It's the only annoying that I have with SH2, but it doesn't completely drag the experience down.
(Forgot to mention controls, they're not bad)
Remember how I said SH2 didn't scare me because of easy difficulty? Well, let's talk about that. SH2's audio and environments are not stronger than 1's. SH1 legitimately made me nervous throughout the entire game solely based on its metal sound and aesthetic. SH2 somewhat drove away from that approach by taking a more atmospheric or cinematic approach to its audio and design. This isn't a bad thing because what we hear and see is nice, but that fear is toned down if we were to compare it to the first game. I will note that I felt a little unease at some points during my playthrough of SH2, but that unease wasn't frequent. Now what about that difficulty part? Well, I think the best way to put it is that being loaded with a bunch of items subdues the fear of having to limit yourself in terms of using ammo or health items. Reminds me a lot of Resident Evil in a way. But even so, why do I give SH1 the pass even if the game can be easy? Well, it backtracks back to the game's audio and environmental design. I just find it a whole lot stronger (+ scarier) than what's present in SH2. Even if I were to take the difficulty aspect away, I'd still find SH1 to be more mentally draining than 2 in terms of having to explore areas. Honestly, I think SH2 being easy was probably done on purpose. Maybe what I'm saying here is objectively stupid, but my thoughts led to this.
I will say though that the most scary thing about Silent Hill 2 is the game's story and imagery.
So after all this writing, jotting my thoughts down. Do I think Silent Hill 2 is a good game? Yes, absolutely. But is it better than the first game? In my opinion, no. SH2's story triumphs over 1's story in almost every possible way. James's journey is just more interesting than whatever the Cult has going on. I will remember and cherish SH2 for its story, themes and imagery. But based on my experience and personal preferences, I find SH1 to be the better overall game. Just my opinion btw.
Now onto Silent Hill 3 and see what that game brings to the table.
SH2 has a very good story and one that I can find relatable. Seeing the town of Silent Hill through the lens of James's guilt is quite interesting and watching this mysterious ordeal unfold for him is great. I was very invested to see where James's psyche was at various points in the game. Seeing the environments, additions of monsters or even his interactions with people like Angela showcases where his state of mind currently is. I felt a bit disturbed and intrigued by the imagery and actions as well. There's a lot to analyze with what the meaning of X thing(s) means to the overall narrative. I really like this aspect of SH2 and it's definitely the reason why the game is remembered so fondly. A vast improvement in terms of psychological horror.
Now if we were to look outside SH2's outstanding story. We're left with its very easy gameplay. I played on normal, and the game was rather easy. At no point in the game did I ever feel the need of having to take a slow approach like in SH1. Being littered with a ton of items took some of the horror away for me personally. But you can honestly vouch the same for SH1, so what's the difference? Well, more on that later. Moving on, I think the some of the puzzles were interesting. The music box, coins and grandfather clock puzzles come to mind. The best puzzle, imo, is easily freeing the innocent man. The logic behind the puzzle is setup so well and having to carefully read the poem for an answer was done well. It reminded me a bit of the Piano puzzle from SH1. The last thing I want to mention before moving on is the camera. The camera in this game is not that good. I don't like that it can get stuck on walls when trying to get a better LOS. Plus, trying to get the camera behind James (when it can) at times can prove to be quite finicky. It's the only annoying that I have with SH2, but it doesn't completely drag the experience down.
(Forgot to mention controls, they're not bad)
Remember how I said SH2 didn't scare me because of easy difficulty? Well, let's talk about that. SH2's audio and environments are not stronger than 1's. SH1 legitimately made me nervous throughout the entire game solely based on its metal sound and aesthetic. SH2 somewhat drove away from that approach by taking a more atmospheric or cinematic approach to its audio and design. This isn't a bad thing because what we hear and see is nice, but that fear is toned down if we were to compare it to the first game. I will note that I felt a little unease at some points during my playthrough of SH2, but that unease wasn't frequent. Now what about that difficulty part? Well, I think the best way to put it is that being loaded with a bunch of items subdues the fear of having to limit yourself in terms of using ammo or health items. Reminds me a lot of Resident Evil in a way. But even so, why do I give SH1 the pass even if the game can be easy? Well, it backtracks back to the game's audio and environmental design. I just find it a whole lot stronger (+ scarier) than what's present in SH2. Even if I were to take the difficulty aspect away, I'd still find SH1 to be more mentally draining than 2 in terms of having to explore areas. Honestly, I think SH2 being easy was probably done on purpose. Maybe what I'm saying here is objectively stupid, but my thoughts led to this.
I will say though that the most scary thing about Silent Hill 2 is the game's story and imagery.
So after all this writing, jotting my thoughts down. Do I think Silent Hill 2 is a good game? Yes, absolutely. But is it better than the first game? In my opinion, no. SH2's story triumphs over 1's story in almost every possible way. James's journey is just more interesting than whatever the Cult has going on. I will remember and cherish SH2 for its story, themes and imagery. But based on my experience and personal preferences, I find SH1 to be the better overall game. Just my opinion btw.
Now onto Silent Hill 3 and see what that game brings to the table.