Konami - Silent Hill 2 Review

First, let me say anyone under the age of 17 should not be playing this game, period. My sound bite is a joke geared more for the gamers out there that will identify it as such. This is an adult game that has been stamped with an M rating and for good reason.

Silent Hill 2 does not follow the story of SH1- so you can relax if you never played the 1st one (which was on Playstation 1). 

 Players find themselves placed in the role of one James Sunderland, a lonely, depressed man who was once happily married. His former wife, Mary, died three years ago to a terrible disease and ever since, James hasn't been able to pull it together.

Then one day, James receives a letter, signed by his "dead" wife Mary, pleading for him to meet with her in the town of Silent Hill. It reads, "Silent Hill, our sanctuary of memories...I will be waiting for you there." Disturbed, perplexed, and intrigued, James lets his emotions decide against logic, and drives to their former place of memories, Silent Hill.

You play as the main character in the game (a lot like a movie) but Silent Hill is the real character of this adventure. Filled with thick fog, creepy monsters, and horrific visuals that will have you on the edge of your seat the whole time. Let me also point out that there may not be a better looking PS2 game than this, the graphics are so gorgeous!

There's something about this game that no-matter how scared you get, you'll want to find away to keep advancing the story, it's that well written and masterfully told. I can remember playing this game when it came out and was so into , and frighten by it, I had to shamefully call up my best friend to come over and play it with me. There's a reason this game is considered the best of the series, it's that scary.

I don't want to mislead the readers in saying I played this with a friend, indeed I did, but the game does not support 2 players. We took turns handing off the controller, and trying to put our heads together for the challenging puzzles, puzzles? Yes, quite a few of them, and they are fun!

The controls are very simple, and the learning curb is a small one. I believe there are a total of three different endings to the game based on your decisions you make in the game, so there is replay value here. After you have went through the story once, you will unlock a female character, and may play the game as her if you wish.

So, don't let this Halloween pass you by without going to your local video store and renting this title, and while your at it, pick up a copy of the movie Silent Hill and have a ball! Play the game, and kill the movie......thats one party I would love to come to!

Rated M for: blood/violence/language