Silent Hill 2

noodler

I never played any of these, and keep hearing that 2 is the best so I may try and pick t up. Initial searchs show I should get one on Ebay.

Is it the best one? How long is it etc

Any other thoughts? Spoiler-Free I guess

Call Me Jimmy

I've only finished the first one which was class but it's just such a scary ordeal I doubt I'll be playing any other ones.

rizzla

Silent Hill 2 is amazing a defining moment in interactive stroytelling.

i_am_dogboy

If you're interested in the story it might be worty playing through all the first 3 games in order, the 4th is(I think at least) a pretty good game with some major problems, but I don't recall it being related to the others directly in terms of the story.

The first game is a bit dated, but still playable if you're dedicated, the second and third are both awesome. Fantastic in terms of storytelling, the characters are pretty cool too. The music is amazing. It's one of my own favourite game series.

Retr0gamer

Silent Hill 2 is an absolute masterpiece. It's one of the very, very few games that can stand up to the best in the other entertainment media in terms of intelligent story telling. It's not perfect, some puzzles might require a walkthrough since they can be very obscure but it's well worth it just for the atmosphere and unique storytelling. The other silent hill games are good but storywise they are much like any other survival horror except a whole lot scarier. Silent Hill 2 is a far more cerebral experience. I'm trying not to be pretentious here but it's a pretentious game

noodler

Retro has an opinion on every question I ask! We have number upstairs, my bro is a big fan, ill get 2 then

Retr0gamer

I'm stalking you :cool:

Rhyme

Worth it's weight in gold in terms of scares, pure skin-itching uncomfortable fear, chilling atmosphere, involving story etc.

The soundtrack in the game alone is worth the price.

CCCP^

Silent Hill 1 was very ambitious for a Ps1 game, it might not have had the best graphics, but as for the experience of the gameplay - outstanding. There wasn't anything like it until then. Silent Hill 2 has the graphics, it looks alot better than its predecessor. The sense of foreboding, of dread is thick and juicy in this game. It's probably the best in the series. Buy it or....wait....something wrong with my radio...godamn radio...

....OH JESUS WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!?!.........*Sounds of grunting, struggling, chair knocked over, gunshots, blood curdling scream, panting....unnatural growl...then silence*

ghouldaddy07

dose the movie share any plot simalaritys to the first two games?

WEST

How does Silent Hill 2 compare to SH4? I played the SH4 and never ended up finishing it. Just looking for a good horror game.

Just finished the two Pennumbra game by Frictional games and thought they were excellent so I'm going through a horror game buzz!

conzy

Too scary tbh

Retr0gamer

ghouldaddy07 wrote: »

dose the movie share any plot simalaritys to the first two games?

The film is extremely poor compared to the frist two games. It kind of follows a similar storyline to the first game and rips a lot of the enemies off from the second (which are totally out of place in the film when their symbolism is taken into account).

Silent Hill 2 is a completely different beast though and doesn't really fit in with the other games in the series other than having the same tone and feel. It's pretty much an arthouse videogame, it's extremely well written and intelligent. It's well worth reading up about the game after you finish it, there's a lot of symbolism in it and many of the characters backstories are only really hinted at in the game, you really need to be studying it very carefully to get the full picture. Also I got the worst ending when I played it 'in water'. I don't think I've been affected by a game ending like that ever, very harrowing stuff. The whole game is basically the journey into the mind of somebody who has been driven crazy by guilt.

How does Silent Hill 2 compare to SH4? I played the SH4 and never ended up finishing it. Just looking for a good horror game.

Silent Hill 4 is the black sheep of the family. It originally wasn't a Silent Hill game but got shoehorned into the franchise late in development. It's not bad but compared to the rest of the series, especially SH2, it's way inferior.

elekid

I watched my brother play through the whole of Silent Hill 2 and it was almost like watching a movie for me. Very few games tell stories as affecting and memorable as this. I can't comment on the gameplay but would definitely recommend it you want a good story. It also scared the hell out of me and I wasn't even playing it!

Retr0gamer

It also had the best use of vibrating controllers ever.

Sticking your hand into the hole in the wall, scared the absolute **** out of me.

evad_lhorg

I have them all and havnt gotten anywhere far in them becuase Im a wimp. It is really hard to play 1 because the graphics are just complete rubbis but 2 looks great and I think three looks brilliant.

Rhyme

Retr0gamer wrote: »

It also had the best use of vibrating controllers ever.

Sticking your hand into the hole in the wall, scared the absolute **** out of me.

Not so much for the vibration but

fishing in the toilet

made my stomach turn a little.

tread_softly

the music is indeed awesome, that promise reprise is one of my favourites; it was used in the movie also.

wasn't it in three that had

that horrible room with the mirror? if you stood in it too long all this blood-like substance started frothing everywhere and the door locked? then your mirror image stopped moving and you died?! that bit gave me nightmares.

silent hill games are brilliant but not to be played at 2am on your own

CiDeRmAn

This game nearly made me soil myself, awesome stuff, great ending, or should that be endings, I think mine made some sense anyway.
The 3rd and 4th ones didn't nearly have the same effect, hoping the soon to be PS3 edition will be great.

Rhyme

tread_softly wrote: »

wasn't it in three that had

that horrible room with the mirror? if you stood in it too long all this blood-like substance started frothing everywhere and the door locked? then your mirror image stopped moving and you died?! that bit gave me nightmares.

Enjoy your nightmares: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkYtflr1KsM

CCCP^

Rhyme wrote: »

Enjoy your nightmares: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkYtflr1KsM

F*cked up!

TheWitch06

Rhyme wrote: »

Enjoy your nightmares: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkYtflr1KsM

So good.

wayne040576

I've had silent hill 2 and 3 on my shelf for a few years now and had been meaning to play them for ages. I finally got around to playing 2 a few weeks back. I suspect I may have left it too late. As scary and atmospheric as the game is, the controls are just too bloody annoying after playing some more up to date games. I keep trying to move the camera with the right stick.

Usually I have to revert back to using the d pad for movement resident evil style because the analog stick is too clumsy. I suspect I'd have the same trouble if I went back to the older RE games.
I didn't get very far into the game before stopping (first apartment building).

I have to try finishing it off some time though.

WEST

wayne040576 wrote: »

I've had silent hill 2 and 3 on my shelf for a few years now and had been meaning to play them for ages. I finally got around to playing 2 a few weeks back. I suspect I may have left it too late. As scary and atmospheric as the game is, the controls are just too bloody annoying after playing some more up to date games. I keep trying to move the camera with the right stick.

Usually I have to revert back to using the d pad for movement resident evil style because the analog stick is too clumsy. I suspect I'd have the same trouble if I went back to the older RE games.
I didn't get very far into the game before stopping (first apartment building).

I have to try finishing it off some time though.

I must agree, on the PC the control system is a royal pain and most of the time the camera does not auto adjust. I'm at the apartment building now and becasue of the camera it very difficult to search the rooms. Understandable the graphics are crap by todays standards, the textures look very blurry.

However I'm not going to let the above stop me playing. The game is all about the atmosphere and I want to get involved in the story rahter than worry about the graphics. Bring on a few good scares.. hopefully!!!

Call Me Jimmy

evad_lhorg wrote: »

I have them all and havnt gotten anywhere far in them becuase Im a wimp. It is really hard to play 1 because the graphics are just complete rubbis but 2 looks great and I think three looks brilliant.

Tip: Play it on a ps1 emulator on PC and ye can drive up antialising and make it look about 5 times better. That's what I did and it was great.

EDIT: I used ps1 controller because I have the ps controller usb connector thing.

Gizzle

SH2 is a stellar example of engrossing storyline in a game, so much so that I'd liken the experience to getting stuck into a great book. It also birthed the greatest game character/device I've ever come across, the Pyramid Head.

Oh, and as creepy as SH3 was

I found the princess transformation to be hilarious. Up there with the Dog ending for random hilarity!

CCCP^

I played Silent Hill 2 last night for awhile, and made it as far as the asylum or hospital or whatever it is. The freakiest bit so far is when you enter into the locker rooms, really tight, narrow spaces. You move forward and the angle changes and there's Maria - just ****ing standing there, like some white devil, expressionless and watching you. That really freaked me out for some reason.

noodler

Jesus man, spoilers ffs. I did say "spoiler-free"

CCCP^

noodler wrote: »

Jesus man, spoilers ffs. I did say "spoiler-free"

That's not a spoiler. It happens everytime you enter a room or corridor, you met this woman way before that point anyway, it's just odd because she's always right beside you, just staring.

CiDeRmAn

I jumped upon getting the torch in SH2.

The odd thing is, I'm a nurse in a large victorian psychiatric hospital on the coast and some scenes in 2 were a little too close to the bone, it at least made me keep every light on I could find, just so's there's no dark shadowy corners, you know, just in case....

Rhyme

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

I jumped upon getting the torch in SH2.

The problem with that part is that before you take the torch from the stationary mannequin, you can walk behind it and see the mannequin that is going to jump up and f*ck your sh*t up the second you obtain the torch. It's not often that a game will let you see your aggressor before they become an enemy. Pity you can't bludgeon the mannequin before it pops up *shudders*

Jumpy

The character from Silent Hill 2 is pretty much a dead ringer for Sean Bean. Hes looking for his wife (they explain this as the first part of the story before you even move, so its not a spoiler). I wonder if they intend to make a Silent Hill 2 movie with him as the main character instead of the useless guy.


Screenshot from game beginning in the public toilet mirror.

noodler

Hey. Im about to buy it. Only place I can find it cheap is ebay. Playtrade prices are 20e up

Is there a difference between the original and the platinum versions? Any preference?

tman

noodler wrote: »

Is there a difference between the original and the platinum versions? Any preference?

Different box, same game I would imagine...

I have 2 on the pc but never got around to playing it... Might try to find a PS2 or Xbox version instead (would much rather veg out on the couch with this kind of game)

Erm... What's the difference between the 2 xbox versions? (restless dreams and inner fears)
I'm guessing inner fears is the pal version, but only restless dreams is listed on the backwards compatibility list...

noodler

Oh well from the little research I have done, it appears to be a 2-disc version in a prettier box for the original!

The platinum is also called the Director's cut. Tis why Im asking.

No worries, someone will answer soon.

Trying to get it for next to nothing. Stupid ebay auctions.

Retr0gamer

I'm not entirely sure but the platinum version might have the extra maria bits that were in the xbox and PC versions.

CCCP^

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I'm not entirely sure but the platinum version might have the extra maria bits that were in the xbox and PC versions.

Yeah, there's a short game with Maria. If I were to get a copy of the game now, it would be the Director's Cut (which has this) or the Platinum (also with the Maria scenario) it's just a little extra bit, but it's cool, and adds a little more to the story. Although you may end up as confused as you were before. Or disturbed.

Also, just remebered. The difference between the Director's Cut and the Platinum - DC has a cooler box with some artwork inside it. That's all.

noodler

Just finished this so prepare for MASSIVE SPOLIERZ.....












Wow. Another game that seriously picks up pace in the last third. For me it was a bit so so until you got out of the Hospital but really picks up (the first time) when Maria gets killed. I hate to see it but Retro completely ruined the twist for me somewhere (can't remember if it was this thread) when he said something like 'a great game showing a a guilty man's descent into madness'.

Im not entriely sure what Angela did wrong tho, like what drew her to da Hill? That piano piece that plays in the Lobby after PH kills Maria the first time is eery. What else?.....Oh yeah at the end Mary keeps going on about being sorry for what SHE did to James. Was she just talking in terms of being sick and taking up all his time or was their something I missed?

Very good game. Bit short, controls and combat are fiddly and the bosses are too easy (on normal anyway). But very well done.

humanji

You can use the spoiler tags to block out your spoilers (if you go to advanced edit of your post, you'll see the little black box with spoiler written in it, beside the youtube icon. Or you can use [html]

[/html]).


There's a few different endings to get so you don't have to worry about it being short, you can go back and do it again differently to get the others.

Now, it's a while since I played the games, but I think

Angela was molested by her father and ended up killing him. Silent Hill somehow draws people to it and kind of gives them a chance for redemption. I'm not sure if they need a connection to the town in the first place. Angela was given the chance to find peace, but what had happened to her in the past and what she had done had driven her pretty much insane and so she was locked in a cycle and trapped in the town, most likely never to escape.

As for Mary, I think she is appologising for being such a burden to James. I can't remember if it's stated, or implied, that James couldn't take it anymore and had killed Mary, under the strain. That's why he was brought to Silent Hill, to find some sort of closure.

noodler

Spoiler

Yeah it was quite exlplicit when you watch the videotape in fairness!

What are the names of the other endings?

Retr0gamer

Did think saying that would have given away the twist in the story sorry

You can find all the other endings on youtube. In Water is my favourite and I think most fans take that one as the true ending since it fits in with the game a whole lot more. Be sureto check out the secret dog ending it's hilarious especially the song that plays over the credits.

I think Mary apologising was her way of telling james that despite killing her she still loved him

It's really nnot a game that excels in gameplay but the plot is just wonderful and multilayered and the atmosphere the game creates is very creepy and depressing.

noodler

So theres Leave, which I got.
In water, Rebirth and the Dog one. Is that right?

Ill check em out now.

humanji

noodler wrote: »

Spoiler

Yeah it was quite exlplicit when you watch the videotape in fairness!

What are the names of the other endings?

lol, I don't even remember that. I must go back and play it one of these days.

There's six endings, I think. 4 serious and 2 joke endings. There's one where

you go off with Maria instead of Mary

and I'm not sure if I'm just getting it mixed up with the first one, but isn't there a UFO ending too?

noodler

No your right, Im looking throught the proper ones now. They seem exactly the same as each other bar a minute of different footage in each one. Wiki SH2 and they say (along with Retro) that the In Water one is probly the rigt one cos it is apparently mentioned in SH4 that James and Mary never came ack from their trip. I have SH1 upsatirs, regret not having the pateince to paly through that first!

noodler

Can't fint he dog ending in english. Does it exist?

Crazy ****.
Woof WooWoof, WOoof, woof, woof wooof woff, wuff wuff wuf wuf wuff

Retr0gamer

SH2 is separate from the rest of the games in the series. SH1 and SH3 tie in together and SH4 tries to tie them together but is really a separate game as well (it was originally in development as a different series). SH1 and 3 have stories that are more typical of survival horror games with silent hill having something to do with ancient indian burial sites or something like that. SH2 is far better since the story is far more abstract, concerning itself with the characters rather than what silent hill is.

As for the Dog ending, youaren't missing much. James just walks in and says in the cheesiest way possible 'so it was you all along!'.

If anyone is looking for the 'videotape' on youtube there's an uncut version on youtube. It was cut in the original release but I think was introduced in subsequent ones. I'm almost sure my reviewer copy has it uncut as well.

The added soundeffects make it obvious just what happened

noodler

I know I played it more recently and I was kind of expecting the twist but I dunno how anyone missed it!

To be honest, I just watched the uncut version and the screams are a bit much for a person who is sposed to be that sick, they don't sound very muffled and sound more like she was hacked to death or something! Still chilling tho!

Also, how is James not in prison? Surely it would have been found she died of asphyxiation? Probably being a bit too harsh there tho!

humanji

I think it's one of those things you're not supposed to question.

Then again, with regards Silent Hill 4

it says that James and Mary never left Silent Hill. So it seemslikely he killed her and himself and the game is set in a kind of purgatory, or maybe it's a hullucination during his dying moments.

vic19

It really is a great game, a bit scary though

humanji

Tell me about it. I remember playing it when I was in college. Me and my flat mate were literally playing it from behind the sofa. Granted we were pissed off our heads at the time, but it added to the effect!