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43 of 45 found the following review helpful:
 Immersive and unsettling...gotta love it.Jan 09, 2002
Most video games, especially those of the action/adventure genre, have you playing as some larger than life character. Some sort of secret-agent-ninja-commando-death-squad-special-forces-assassin type thing. Not Silent Hill 2. In this one, you are James Sunderland, an average person without special skills or training. And you know what? It's a really welcome change from the norm, and it really helps the atmosphere of the game to not have that kind of action-movie nonsense infiltrating what it supposed to be a horror experience. It begins with our protaganist inside a rest-stop on the outskirts of Silent Hill. He's contemplating the letter that he just received from Mary, his wife who he'd thought was dead for the past three years. He must venture into Silent Hill to get the answers behind that letter. Not a bad opening storyline, and games like this rely most heavily upon story. Actually, calling this one a "game" is perhaps a bit of a misnomer--it feels more like an interactive experience. You *experience* Silent Hill 2 more than play it. But, the gameplay aspect is there as well, in the form of monster battles and puzzles. One of the greatest things about this title is that it allows you to vary the difficulty of either of these aspects. You can set the puzzles from ultra-easy to ultra hard, and you can set the monster battles in the same way, or even set it so that you won't get attacked at all--just enjoy the atmosphere and storyline. You can really customize the game to your tastes this way. The atmosphere is great. I like to play it at night, or on a gloomy winter day, with all of the lights off. Just make sure that nobody can sneak up on you, or you'll likely have a heart attack! Games like this are actually perhaps scarier than a horror movie or novel; the interactive aspect making immersion more of a factor. This game actually isn't perfect. The interface is a bit clunky and, on normal setting, at least, the puzzles can be rather obscure. This can lead to puzzle-frustration, the Achille's heel of adventure games. You'll likely find yourself wandering around the same places over and over again, saying "what the hell?" when you have no idea what you're looking for or are supposed to do. But, when you finally do figure it out, it's a satisfying experience. Also, combat is pretty awkward, but, like I said, James Sunderland is just an average guy, so this makes some sense. With these minor flaws, my real score is about a 4.5, so it gets five stars by default. This game is available for both PS2 and Xbox. Either version is worth playing, but the Xbox version has slightly enhanced graphics and a side quest, which adds some game time and makes it the better version. Silent Hill 2 is highly recommended to anyone age seventeen or older.
21 of 22 found the following review helpful:
The best game I ever playedApr 29, 2002
Silent Hill is the BEST!!!! First of all you get sucked into the story, you want to find out what is going on.Why does this James dude want to find his wife when he knows his wife is dead? Is his wife really dead? Why did all the people in the town turn into monsters? Once you start picking up clues, keys, cracking up codes you hesitate to move on because you don't know what is waiting for you in the next corner or in the next room, everytime you hear the static from the monsters you get scared out of your wits because you don't know in what direction their coming from, everything is dark and foggy and there's something in your surroundings that tells you that evil is constantly watching your every move.
Don't listen to people who say this game is boring, they say its boring because they can't crack the riddles and move on. If you are good at solving puzzles and you're interested in mysteries then this is the game for you.
I didn't get around in playing the game more than once to see the different endings but my ending just blew me out of my seat. As I was going through the game I had an idea of what the ending was going to be like and when I got to the end my jaw dropped to the floor.
I caught a glimse of the PS2 version but to me the movements of the main character did not seem too lifelike, it was more like a puppet kind of movement. PLUS you can't play that chick character, whatever her name is, in the PS2 version WHICH WOULD ... because its pretty comforting having a little helper around when you're all alone, surrounded by monsters and psycho people.
My advice for people who are thinking of buying it: read everything you can get your hands on, if you have some objects but don't know how to use them then read the articles you picked up they might help you. If you get stuck somewhere and logic does not get you out of the situation then try some illogical things. DO NEVER EVER EVER cheat because it takes the fun away and it also takes away your sense of accomplishment when you finish it. If you have previous experience with role-playing games and know how puzzles work then you will definately have fun.
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
The most solid example of SH: Same mood and imagery, but greatest, most coherent story.Sep 01, 2005
By Miketheratguy
THE SHORT: Less gory and satanic than the first game, but with a great story- the most coherent and understandable in the series, and with a fantastic twist at the end. 5 possible endings, great atmosphere. Sometimes frustrating (but adjustable) puzzle difficulty but fairly easy fighting.
THE LONG: The original game was great- similar to Resident Evil but unique enough to stand on its own, the game was dark, disturbing and satanic. The problem was, the storyline was so ambitious that it got pretty sloppy and weird at the end, with some plot details (such as a drug cult) not as fleshed out as it should have been. This game fixes things by concentrating on the main character, whose journey to the same town of Silent Hill is brought on by a letter that he received from his wife. Though dead from a fatal illness, her very writing asks James to return to the town, the site of some bittersweet memories for them.
As James travels through town, he meets some strange people who all seem to be off in some way. One is remarkably passive/ aggressive, one is suicidal, one is a little girl who seems to know him, and one of them is a woman who looks just like his dead wife, which brings out some conflicting emotions in James. These characters come and go as the game goes on, and they occasionally do some odd things. But the beauty of the story is that, when all is said and done, the motivation for these characters makes absolute sense- once you realize what they mean to James and why they're in Silent Hill in the first place. Whereas the first game unravels with a lot of obscure mythological references to religious artifacts and demonic possession, this one is strengthened completely at its conclusion, a conclusion that makes us rethink the motives and actions of every character in the game.
This is true of the game's biggest, most dynamic character- Pyramid Head. An apparent humanoid with a strange, triangular shape of flesh or metal on (or in place of) its head, this character represents sheer malice to James. From the moment he discovers it in an abandoned apartment building to the time he discovers hints of its origins, Pyramid Head is one of, if not the most, creepy of the series' foes. He isn't all over you in the game but instead appears occasionally from the shadows, often when you least expect him, slowly but steadily approaching James as he tries to flee. And once you learn what little you can of him near the end, it adds to the finale more than any of the other characters. Pyramid Head has a purpose, and once it's revealed what that purpose is, that great ending starts to form and you realize how psychologically powerful this game is.
All this story would be moot if there wasn't a good presentation, which there definitely is. Like the original game, your character wanders around a misty, fog-enshrouded abandoned town where nothing feels right and glimpses of things skittering about are caught. The game starts slowly, intentionally- don't get too impatient when first running through the woods and into town, it's meant to be suspenseful and build the mood. And by the time you're an hour or so into the game, what a mood it is. This game contains what's surely one of the most unsettling locations in the series- at one important juncture you enter the town's historical society and descend several hundred feet into ground, only to find a morgue, bloody pits that go farther and farther down, and Silent Hill's long abandoned underground prison. This location alone sets some great mood, as you see scrawls of long-dead prisoners and hear things from unseen places (listen for the heavy footsteps of something that seems to be whispering "Hurt you").
The mood is also heightened by little glimpses of the town that you find. You read about a grisly child killing and hear about a mysterious shipwreck, and learn the fascinating story of why a swamp got its bloody name. Like the first game, things are never quite right- but once "the darkness" falls, things get more twisted and you're in a nightmare world. And this world seems tailor made to oppress James.
This is the first in the series to allow both free roaming controls as well as the remote-control car style used in the original game, and other things, such as the boxes of bullets and first aid kits, will be familiar to players of the first game. As will the radio that emits louder and louder white noise as you approach, and the trusty flashlight (which you'll definitely be using). So it's the same gameplay to those familiar with the series and other games like it. Puzzle difficulty is actually adjustable and quite easy on the simplest level, so this game won't have you running for a strategy guide. Unfortunately, combat is also somwehat simple. There are some neat boss fights but the rest of the game is more about exploring, not fighting (though there's a lot to fight should you choose). But this lean on exploration is appreciated since this game gives you the biggest glimpse into what Silent Hill is really like.
Lastly, there's the basic version of this game and then the updated one for several systems that contains a few new options as well as a new mini-quest revolving around the character of Maria. This is the one to get, as price-wise they're about the same, but don't expect much- the new quest is less than an hour long though it does add some interesting perspective to the game.
Long story short, it's the same Silent Hill that you may have liked in part one, and before things got increasingly less Silent Hill-ish with the next couple games. So play this game for the most definitive, moody Silent Hill in the series, and for the best, most understandable story as well- one of the best and most mature game stories in general. After all, Roger Avery, Oscar winning co-writer of Pulp Fiction, is doing the Silent Hill movie- and this one's his favorite too.
10 of 11 found the following review helpful:
XBox proves how great a game can be, this is a SCARY ONE!Feb 15, 2002
By forrie
The XBox Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams is an awesome game for several reasons. 1.) The graphics, playabilty & sound are awesome! NOTE: If you have Surround Sound and you play this in the dark I guarantee you will get a real thrill. 2.) The game allows you to choose difficulty levels from Easy to Hard. 3.) There are multiple endings so your game actions and paths taken effect your journey to the end. 4.) Puzzles are abundant, need to be solved to complete the unfolding storyline. (Learn as you go why you are here & what you are trying to accomplish). Summary: You are James Sunderland returning to Silent Hill three years after your wife died. Why? Because you received a letter recently from your dead wife asking you to meet her at your special place in Silent Hill!! Upon your arrival in Silent Hill there is a heavy eerie fog allowing you a very limited visibilty. The sounds are strange & provoking. Mysterious characters & undead are about. You mission is to unravel the mysteries of your dead wife Mary & you with all the mysteries of Silent Hill. This is a game which is a challenging problem solving adventure which at times can scare the dickens out of you. Beautifully done. Enjoy.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
The Darkest Game For Any PlatformMar 14, 2002
By Michaelangelo
Introduction
Frankly, I can careless for another Resident Evil game. The series has become quite *sigh* tiresome. The original Silent Hill was a fresh, clever, and well-produced introduction to the Survival Horror genre. The success of the first installment is evident by the amount of websites devoted to explain the game; I have even read master degree thesis material meticulously dissecting all aspect of SH. With Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams, Konami once again bring us back to relive the perpetual nightmare and marvel at the beauty of this phatasm. Graphics 9
The game is just depressingly beautiful. The artistry for creating the background, environment, and effects (lighting, water, reflection, textures) is perfect and effective. Character models are done extremely well. While the graphics cannot really show off the power of an XBox, I have nothing to complain about. Sound 9.5
Music is adequate. It stays true to the common theme of Silent Hill. Scores composed with minor keys will just make you depress. Now the sound effects are just damn creepy, and insanely stressful. I want to run out the house and scream after hours of constant tortune by those mind-disturbing scratches and indiscribable hellish crys and moans. Gameplay 7
Basically plays like any other Adventure or Survival Horror game, except with better control than the RE series. Hmm... the puzzles are OK, nothing really clever or spectacular; but I am too scared and engrossed that I overlook that aspect. Presentation 10
All I can say is you may leave Silent Hill, but Silent Hill never leave you! In my restless dreams, I DO dream of Silent Hill. Lasting Appeal 7
Unless I own the game and I have no other games to play, OR I am a die-hard SH cultist, I really doubt I am gonna replay the game. I do not want to endure those depressing and stressful experience again... after I have uncover the truth (the ending). However, it does have 4 different endings to try and you can train your skills on harder settings. Closing Comments
The Darkest and Most Depressing game for any platform ever! Overall, I give it a 9. If you are easily disturbed by horror graphics, SKIP this! If you are adventurous and curious, do yourself a favor and let Silent Hill imprison your soul for a while... you might escape from that place, feeling glad that you are... Alive.
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