EpsilonX
01-07-2011, 02:41 AM
Review #4: Silent Hill 2 (PS2) Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams (Xbox) (note: This review is based on the original PS2 version. The xbox and PS2 greatest hits versions have a bonus version that I have not played)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/95/Silent_Hill_2.jpg/250px-Silent_Hill_2.jpghttp://i.neoseeker.com/boxshots/R2FtZXMvWGJveC9BZHZlbnR1cmUvTXlzdGVyeQ==/silent_hill_2_restless_dreams_frontcover_large_hcQ 7H3sE8hklmXL.jpg
Pic found on Google.
Note: Links do NOT contain spoilers, and are safe to click :)
Note 2: I put on the Silent Hill 2 soundtrack before starting this, and then started to find pics to use in this review. I got freaked out and had to turn something else on.
Plot: 10/10
The game focuses around James Sunderland, an ordinary guy who receives a letter from his deceased love saying she's waiting for him in the town of Silent Hill. Lots of twists in the game, especially towards the end. The game has a lot of deeper meaning to it. I'm not going to go any more into the plot, because this is a game that you should go into knowing as little as possible plot-wise to get the most out of it.
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/screenshots/ps2/silenthill2/silenthill2_0530_790screen010.jpg
"Don't worry, I'm not crazy...at least, I don't think so"
Gameplay: 7.5/10
The gameplay is pretty similar to some of the older Resident Evil games. You're pretty much alone, though you bump into other people throughout. The game focuses more on survival than fighting and action. You start off with no weapons or equipment other than the letter i mentioned earlier and a picture of your dead wife. Eventually you acquire a flashlight, a piece of wood with a nail in it (much more effective against zombies than it sounds) and various guns and other blunt objects for hand to hand combat.
The gameplay focuses on exploring the town and various buildings in the town while searching for clues to the whereabouts of your wife and defending yourself from zombies. Like I said though, the focus of the game isn't the action, but rather the exploration and puzzle-solving. Throughout the game you'll find many puzzles that you need to solve in order to move on. The vast majority of the puzzles involve finding ways to open unlocked doors, such as finding keys, setting grandfather clocks to certain times, pulling levers, and other things. There are, however, some other puzzles, but most of them involve finding keys and ways to move on.
This isn't nearly as boring as it sounds however, since the atmosphere of the game is incredible. The town of Silent Hill is mostly deserted, except for a few characters and lots of zombies (and other monsters). There is a thick fog that blankets the town, and the inside areas are dark and run-down. You find a radio (http://tinyurl.com/3w395fe) early on that gives off white noise (http://tinyurl.com/3qgpvjp) whenever you get near an enemy. This both alerts you to an enemy's presence and lets you prepare for battle, but also provides a more psychological aspect. It makes for a frightening experience when you enter a pitch black room and hear the radio blasting static but being unable to see any monsters. The game also transforms into an alternate "hell" reality, which is even darker and more run down than the regular area, and contains many more zombies.
While the gameplay is fun, there are a few negatives. For starters, the controls are a little clunky. Since the game isn't meant for combat, the combat controls don't work particularly well. You'll often find yourself swinging at a zombie, and completely miss, giving the enemy a chance to strike back. Guns automatically point at the nearest zombie when you bring it out, so shooting isn't too hard, but there is no way to actually aim your gun. Thankfully, it doesn't miss often, unless you're shooting at a zombie on the other side of town. Movement is a little weird too. Pushing up on the analog stick makes you go forward, pushing down makes you go backwards, and left and right turn your character. The character controls like you're driving a tank, but it's not that bad once you get used to it. You do have the option to switch control style to a more tradition character going the direction you push the analog stick, but I associate survival horror with tank styled control now, and prefer that way. Another downside is the lack of replay value. Going through the areas a second time isn't nearly as tense as the first time, as by the end of the game you start to realize how the game actually works to scare you. However, these 2 things aren't big deals.
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/2001/ps2/silenthill2/silenthill2_0816_790screen019.jpg
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/2001/ps2/silenthill2/silenthill2_0816_790screen046.jpg
Graphics: 8/10
The graphics in the game are very good for a PS2 game, but the environments are very plain-looking. Lots of grays and other dull colors in the main parts of town, and shades of orange for the "hell" version. Most of the time you're exploring either very dark hallways or a very foggy town, so you can't see much. The characters have a bit more color and design, however. The enemies are typically all made up of the colors brown, tan, gray, and black, however the characters you meet throughout the game have a bit more diverse of a pallet. Overall, the graphics are very good, they're just a bit...plain. I can't give the game a bad score for that, because even though it is dated, the game looks great for what it is.
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/2001/ps2/silenthill2/silenthill2_0816_790screen066.jpg
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/2001/vgnews/071201/silenthill2/silenthill2_790screen016.jpg
Overall: 9/10
The game is fantastic for those interested in horror. However, if you're looking for an action-packed zombie killing game like the more recent horror games, look elsewhere. This game is a slow-paced psychological thriller, and if you're into that, this game is for you. If you're looking for a solid game regardless of genre, this game is also for you.
Recommendation: Play it with the lights out!
All images taken from gamespot, except for cover arts and "there was a hole here" which I found on google
Next review: An RPG.
http://theangrypixel.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/silent-hill/silent_hill_2-there_was_a_hole_here.jpg
There was a hole here...it's gone now
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/95/Silent_Hill_2.jpg/250px-Silent_Hill_2.jpghttp://i.neoseeker.com/boxshots/R2FtZXMvWGJveC9BZHZlbnR1cmUvTXlzdGVyeQ==/silent_hill_2_restless_dreams_frontcover_large_hcQ 7H3sE8hklmXL.jpg
Pic found on Google.
Note: Links do NOT contain spoilers, and are safe to click :)
Note 2: I put on the Silent Hill 2 soundtrack before starting this, and then started to find pics to use in this review. I got freaked out and had to turn something else on.
Plot: 10/10
The game focuses around James Sunderland, an ordinary guy who receives a letter from his deceased love saying she's waiting for him in the town of Silent Hill. Lots of twists in the game, especially towards the end. The game has a lot of deeper meaning to it. I'm not going to go any more into the plot, because this is a game that you should go into knowing as little as possible plot-wise to get the most out of it.
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/screenshots/ps2/silenthill2/silenthill2_0530_790screen010.jpg
"Don't worry, I'm not crazy...at least, I don't think so"
Gameplay: 7.5/10
The gameplay is pretty similar to some of the older Resident Evil games. You're pretty much alone, though you bump into other people throughout. The game focuses more on survival than fighting and action. You start off with no weapons or equipment other than the letter i mentioned earlier and a picture of your dead wife. Eventually you acquire a flashlight, a piece of wood with a nail in it (much more effective against zombies than it sounds) and various guns and other blunt objects for hand to hand combat.
The gameplay focuses on exploring the town and various buildings in the town while searching for clues to the whereabouts of your wife and defending yourself from zombies. Like I said though, the focus of the game isn't the action, but rather the exploration and puzzle-solving. Throughout the game you'll find many puzzles that you need to solve in order to move on. The vast majority of the puzzles involve finding ways to open unlocked doors, such as finding keys, setting grandfather clocks to certain times, pulling levers, and other things. There are, however, some other puzzles, but most of them involve finding keys and ways to move on.
This isn't nearly as boring as it sounds however, since the atmosphere of the game is incredible. The town of Silent Hill is mostly deserted, except for a few characters and lots of zombies (and other monsters). There is a thick fog that blankets the town, and the inside areas are dark and run-down. You find a radio (http://tinyurl.com/3w395fe) early on that gives off white noise (http://tinyurl.com/3qgpvjp) whenever you get near an enemy. This both alerts you to an enemy's presence and lets you prepare for battle, but also provides a more psychological aspect. It makes for a frightening experience when you enter a pitch black room and hear the radio blasting static but being unable to see any monsters. The game also transforms into an alternate "hell" reality, which is even darker and more run down than the regular area, and contains many more zombies.
While the gameplay is fun, there are a few negatives. For starters, the controls are a little clunky. Since the game isn't meant for combat, the combat controls don't work particularly well. You'll often find yourself swinging at a zombie, and completely miss, giving the enemy a chance to strike back. Guns automatically point at the nearest zombie when you bring it out, so shooting isn't too hard, but there is no way to actually aim your gun. Thankfully, it doesn't miss often, unless you're shooting at a zombie on the other side of town. Movement is a little weird too. Pushing up on the analog stick makes you go forward, pushing down makes you go backwards, and left and right turn your character. The character controls like you're driving a tank, but it's not that bad once you get used to it. You do have the option to switch control style to a more tradition character going the direction you push the analog stick, but I associate survival horror with tank styled control now, and prefer that way. Another downside is the lack of replay value. Going through the areas a second time isn't nearly as tense as the first time, as by the end of the game you start to realize how the game actually works to scare you. However, these 2 things aren't big deals.
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/2001/ps2/silenthill2/silenthill2_0816_790screen019.jpg
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/2001/ps2/silenthill2/silenthill2_0816_790screen046.jpg
Graphics: 8/10
The graphics in the game are very good for a PS2 game, but the environments are very plain-looking. Lots of grays and other dull colors in the main parts of town, and shades of orange for the "hell" version. Most of the time you're exploring either very dark hallways or a very foggy town, so you can't see much. The characters have a bit more color and design, however. The enemies are typically all made up of the colors brown, tan, gray, and black, however the characters you meet throughout the game have a bit more diverse of a pallet. Overall, the graphics are very good, they're just a bit...plain. I can't give the game a bad score for that, because even though it is dated, the game looks great for what it is.
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/2001/ps2/silenthill2/silenthill2_0816_790screen066.jpg
http://image.gamespotcdn.net/gamespot/images/2001/vgnews/071201/silenthill2/silenthill2_790screen016.jpg
Overall: 9/10
The game is fantastic for those interested in horror. However, if you're looking for an action-packed zombie killing game like the more recent horror games, look elsewhere. This game is a slow-paced psychological thriller, and if you're into that, this game is for you. If you're looking for a solid game regardless of genre, this game is also for you.
Recommendation: Play it with the lights out!
All images taken from gamespot, except for cover arts and "there was a hole here" which I found on google
Next review: An RPG.
http://theangrypixel.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/silent-hill/silent_hill_2-there_was_a_hole_here.jpg
There was a hole here...it's gone now