King of the Hill (Silent Hill 2 (PS2))

Member Name: tom1clare

Product:	Silent Hill 2 (PS2)
Date:	02/08/03 (121 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Looks fantastic, Scariest game on PS2, Extras, unlockables

Disadvantages: Linear, Not very original, Similar to the first game

Silent Hill had, and always will, divide peoples opinions like no other game. Many have described it as a truly shocking modern masterpiece, whilst others not only claimed it wasn't the least bit scary but criticised some of it's more innovative features - one being a radio that crackles with static when monsters are nearby.

Well in 2001 Silent Hill was back, radio and all. A survival-horror game from Konami, Silent Hill 2 (SH2) sees you taking the role of James Sunderland, who has travelled to Silent Hill after recieving a letter from his dead wife Mary (it must be genuine you see, because it's her handwriting!) telling him to go to their 'special place'.

On first inspection, Silent Hill 2 seems to borrow an unhealthy amount of game-mechanics from it's predeccesor - maps, inventory and controls all work near-on identically to before, although as these were among the stronger parts of the original, they can be overlooked. But for the first half hour or so you'd swear you were playing a remake of the PSOne classic with improved graphics; a lot of time is spent trundling through the foggy town being herded from points A to B as SH2 refuses to let you explore as you please and upon reaching the town, you'll notice several potential paths and roads have been blocked off either by massive chasms or the ridiculous 'obstruction' of police tape that James can't pass through. These seem a rather lazy way of leading the player forward in the game by effectively limiting the number of places they can go to next, and trying to explore the town can become very tiring as you'll find yourself constantly checking the map and making arduous detours through back alleys to get to your destination.

So it's an incredibly linear game. It's not particularly original either. So how does it ultimately deliver such an astounding, maginficent horror experience? It's very unusual for me to consider graphics
as the most crucial part in a games sucess, but without it's amazing looks Silent Hill 2 would be nothing.

You see, it's not just the fact that graphically it is of the highest standard, Konami have changed certain things that mean SH2 gives off an aura of extreme and constant fear. For instance, the flashlight on the original game would merely produce a set perimeter of light in front of the character, whilst with the extra power of the PS2 the developers have completely overhauled the lighting dynamics so that the shadowing is now completely beliveable - the amount of times I jumped out of my skin just because of seeing the warped shadow of a set of bars or a ledge cannot be understated - I was a nervous-wreck and this is without even mentioning the beasties you have to beware of. Also, the fog may have returned but it actually looks real this time as apposed to something put their to limit your field of vision.

It was in my estimation the best looking game in history on release, making all other PlayStation 2 games look thoroughly dated. The animation and general detail in the gaming environment are quite staggering - Konami have even had the confidence to move to-and-from full motion video footage and the in-game graphics engine during cut-scenes. The result is some truly atmospheric, remarkable confrontations between characters. Thankfully, the voice-acting for these has been greatly improved and because the movements were actually mapped from real actors, they are for the first time in games totally life-like.

As fans of the series will no doubt know, sound is a totally crucial part of the playing experience, and SH2 doesn't disappoint - great, spooky music is helped by the large selection of ominous sound-effects - both are surprisingly varied and guarenteed to put you on edge.

The action is basically a continuation from the first Silent Hill as it involves the usual shoot the baddie, explore the room, solve th
e puzzle shenanigans. To be fair though, what Silent Hill 2 does it manages to pull off convincingly and with a fair bit of style - a far cry from the distinctly tired and stale-feeling efforts of Resident Evil: Code Veronica X, which never felt as if it was putting the 128-bit console to any great use.

Gameplay-wise, the one main twist in the second Silent Hill's tail is the inclusion of the bluntly named Pyramid-Head character. This freakish creature carries around a massive sword that can kill James with one good blow, and it also appears indestructable. The thought of unpredictable appearances add even more to the players insecurity - you'll jump twice as often at every little shadow and sound. But with the extra fear comes a bit of mystery too, Pyramid Head rarely attacks you unless you are in his way, and his agenda often seems to be little more than to reach an exit. The standard enemies in the game are just as original if not as scary as Pyramid Head, none tend to have many human features and lurch around in a drunken, suitably disturbing kind of way.

Silent Hill 2 packs in an exceptional, complicated plot that will have you scratching your head right the way to the end. Each person you meet seems to have a common goal (finding a loved one) and some rather disturbing mood changes - becoming more violent, moody or even suicidal - and most messages given out are totally bizarre. Interstingly, you get to learn a lot more about the character you play as, James, and discover he hasn't had the most innocent of pasts himself - you must uncover what he, and the others, are doing in Silent Hill. All is slowly revealed over time and if you pay close attention to the plot, you should appreciate the subtle clues and hints (mainly in the form of newspaper clippings) delivered as you progress.

The locations aren't terribly ambitious - the hospital idea was used in original game, as was the whole explore-the-town thing. But once a
gain everywhere has been immaculately designed and superbly-realised. Wisely, Konami have kept the 'alternate' realms of the original - these are basically totally warped versions of a particular place you may have already visited. For example, you get to explore the 'normal' (no such thing as normal here) hospital first - it is dark and dingy but generally speaking a realistic interpretation, whilst the 'alternate' hospital has rusted, blood-smeared walls and fans, grates and grills in place of the floors and even hanging bodies from the ceilings. It would also takes things hinted at in ordinary Silent Hill a step further... Because of the cramped corridors, small rooms and general lack of space, everywhere seems to create a strong sense of claustophobia.

In terms of size, it's about on level terms with most other games in the horror genre. Taking between 6 and 9 hours first time (trust me, it feels a lot longer!) Silent Hill 2 once again has a plethora of difficulty settings to conquer and different endings to find - each unlocked by doing certain sections of the adventure in a particular way. New weapons are once again unveiled after you finish the game and so all in all Silent Hill 2 should keep you playing for a good while if it grabs you.

Many sights in Silent Hill 2 are particularly graphic and are likely to cause nightmare's to all that witness the mentally-draining horror action. I advise that kids below the age of about ten should not play this due to the chilling content.

Overall then whilst in gameplay terms Silent Hill 2 is hardly a giant leap into the next-generation, it's new-found technical advancements in the graphics department mean that it can scare the player even more than the original game. You'll need plenty of nerve to play right through this but ultimately it proves to be a rewarding, enjoyable and top-flight horror game. For £20 with extras, you shouldn't miss out on it.

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