User Reviews (1 - 11 of 32)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Bad game

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 1 / 24
Date: March 04, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I thought this was a bad game and i'm glad that they don't stock it anymore!

that graphics were ok but bad gameplay and everything else.

maybe i'm just not cut out for this type of game...

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 1 / 12
Date: February 02, 2007
Author: Amazon User

i had to make sure i was reviewing the right silent hill because i can't believe how much people like this game. i did like the first silent hill on playstation, years ago. then i tried silent hill 3 for PC and the camera system was so awful i just couldn't stand it. so i gave this one a try and it's just... boring! you walk around, see some monsters, kill them.. blah.. shooting them isn't very fun. gee, if i want to kill monsters, why wouldn't i just go play doom 3? it's dark. it's scary. it uses guns in a far better manner. so that means the only reason to play silent hill is to learn the story? then why not just go read a good book or watch a movie? or maybe walking around a town is fun.. but hey, i can put on my sneakers and walk around town!

Lots of walking around in dense atmosphere

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: February 22, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I realize mine is not a popular opinion, but I think the Silent Hill series is the weakest of the more popular survival horror games. I love all the Fatal Frame games, and most of the Clocktower and Resident Evil games, but something about Silent Hill, to me, was a promise unkept. It was rich in atmosphere and very little else. Quite a bit of pounding these mutant creatures to a pulp with a plank too. Sure, there are clues and inventory and you need to work out a story, but it all seemed so secondary to the "chilly atmosphere" generated, which eventually wore off. In my opinion it lacks substance.

A snapshot of an unravelling mind...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: December 30, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Originally released in 2001, Konami's Silent Hill 2 was nothing anyone could have imagined.

The original Silent Hill, released for the Playstation in 1999, was a downright creepy tale of a man searching for his lost daughter. Throughout the game, players were confronted with situations which induced (or tried to induce) true fear within the human person playing. By many leaps and bounds, Konami managed to pull off true psychological horror over cheap thrills (ala the Resident Evil series). And so with the (somewhat minimal... the original didn't sell all that well) success of the original SH, Konami opted to release a sequel. But this is where all ties to the original end. And like I mentioned before, it was nothing anyone could have imagined.

Silent Hill 2 puts players in the footsteps of James Sunderland. Through some strange occurence, James receives a letter from his wife asking him to venture on over to their 'special place.' The town of Silent Hill. Fine, right? Trouble is, James's wife has been dead for three years. Kinda odd, huh? Nonetheless, James decides to go to Silent Hill to find Mary, his wife. So James goes to Silent Hill... and who should meet him but a woman who looks identical to his wife in every way, but yet is different. And her name is 'Maria.'

Cue creepiness.

And so throughout the game, James ventures through Silent Hill battling demons and discovering facts behind the death of his wife (and just how she managed to talk him into coming). James also meets up with a few supporting cast members who are downright creepy in all their own ways. All of the characters' stories finish up quite nicely, and you're not left with any questions or unresolved plot details.

Silent Hill 2 offers up a clear visual picture of what it is to slowly discover the truth to something, however dark that something may ultimately be.

All I have left to say is play this game. If only for the story. The graphics are nice, the controls are spot-on (and are even customizable), and the sounds (and music) will make you appreciate the game even more.

I bought SH2 the day it released back in 2001, and I have yet to regret that purchase. Play this game and prepare to be shocked.

And cue curtains.

The closest you'll come to a interactive piece of literature

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: September 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

"I'm here now...waiting for you...in that special place"

This is the main line of the letter that James recieves from his presumably dead wife. How can a dead person write a letter? James has to travel to Silent Hill to find out the truth. But he doesn't know what awaits him. He will have to face demons. And not just the town's...

This game is deep. Extremely deep. I've played all the Silent Hills and to this day, SH2 remains my favorite. The storyline is very emotional, and will disturb you very much, but by the end of the game, may uplift you, depending on the ending you get. The plotline is fantastic. It is filled with tons of symbolism, metaphors, and great meanings. There are tons of plot analysis on the interent that are over 10 pages long, just analyzing the psyche of these screwed up characters.

I love this game. Not only becuase it makes me scared, but because of its positive message. Too bad I can't reveal it to you.

Get the game!

Quieter, slower, shorter, but deeper than the first

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: January 09, 2006
Author: Amazon User

It doesn't hit you upside the head with a tackhammer like the first game, but draws you in quietly. Almost teases you with terror, if I can invent a crappy new phrase. Interaction with "friendly" NPCs is more emphasized than the first game, which slows down the pacing a bit but forces you to invest more emotionally in the events. I really applaud the designers' attempts to flesh out the story and deal with some rather mature (I mean "complex" mature, not "South Park" mature) themes, while at last attempting to explain some of the nearly inexplicable supernatural dynamics of the cursed town.

Play the "Greatest Hits" version of Silent Hill 2 if you're going on play it on the PS2, as it includes the "Born From a Wish" minigame. (The standard US Xbox and PC versions of SH2 also include the minigame). The bonus game is brilliant: playing out Maria's parallel story as a confused antagonist seems at first contradictory but eventually far more terrifying than anything in the main game. Realizing that you're playing not as a faceless evildoer but as a lost soul controlled by a greater evil force really strengthens the foundation under the entire series.

If only...as much effort were put into the gameplay as the story. The new true 3-D outdoor engine is nice, although it pushes the PS2 past its drawing limits. Collison detection is still clumsy, but forgiveable because of the slow footspeed of every enemy. Speaking of which, there are only about five relatively un-scary enemy types (zombie nurses are a repeat of SH1), and you see them all within the first third of the game. Too many of the environments are recycled from SH1, which in itself is not bad, but there is a real apathy in game design where same-old lock and key puzzles leave you feeling more like an apartment supe checking on his tenants than an adventure gamer. The apartment complex especially drags, and the hospital, being only more of the same, just didn't freak me out as it did in SH1.

The game nearly falls apart during the historical society building's Grand Sewage Expedition: NOT scary or disturbing, VERY frustrating and disorienting. I spent a good portion of my game time wandering pointlessly in this maze, eventually emerging and realizing it was a colossal waste of time, probably there to pad the "value". Fortunately, the hotel saves the experience.

So, I mean to say the overall experience is as good as the first; not as satisfying to play, more of a novel than a roller-coaster ride. Haven't played SH3, I've heard it's a rather short splatterfest which sounds like a sellout to me, so here's hoping the series doesn't run out of energy and turn into another endless RE or Tomb Raider cash tree.

***WARNING: Lock and Key puzzle rant***
Is anybody,...I mean, ISN'T EVERYBODY sick of stupid lock and key puzzles? Even an inventive series like SH can't imagine a better mechanic for story advancement than "go there, get that, put it in that lock"?!?!?! Evil supernatural forces that have wiped out an entire town (and can, at will, change the dimension in which I walk) have to rely on a bleeping combination lock on a desk drawer to stop me?!?! REALLY?!?!?!?! Isn't it about time that we move on to some grander schemes besides solving some asinine Japanglish riddle, or having to walk ten miles to recover four parts of a rusty key to open a frail wooden door I could easily demolish with the sledgehammer in my inventory?
I swear, nothing ruins the mood of a good horror/adventure game faster than an absurd and clearly arbitrary task. I can't be expected to buy into the terror of my predicament when the designer is telling me that even though my item bag clearly shows a welding torch, an uzi, a hydraulic jackhammer, and the Rare-Bonus-Item-Nuclear-Powered-Death-Ray, I CAN'T turn the knob on that water faucet until I traipse all over town looking for the magical Wrench of Doom. How 'bout some new ideas?

The Truth about Silent Hill 2...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: April 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I'll be honest straight up front as I am with all of my reviews, Silent Hill 2 is better than the original in every way. With that being said lets get on with the review at hand.

First off I am in no way slamming Silent Hill but there is no way it was better or could even hold up court next to Silent Hill 2. Graphics, music, ambience and gameplay all greatly improved. Of course this is because we went from PSX 1 to PSX 2 and that would of course leave room for a better game.

To make this quick, the reason I gave this title a rating of 4 is because it still held alot of which the first game ran dry on. I understand how sequels are supposed to make you remember the past yet embrace the future. I just didn't get as "Spooked" or "Disturbed" with some of the things that took place in this game.

Trust me I take nothing away from Pyramid Head... he and Nemesis will always stay in that dark area of my mind. As far as story goes, this game is far better not only does it make sense in the end but you understand what the directors are trying to get at. So I'd guess that pretty much means... buy the game... go on stop reading this and buy it. Use that Instant Click and buy... your wasting time and Mary needs your help! Ha Ha :)

Silent Hill was better

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: March 12, 2003
Author: Amazon User

There was a more detailed storyline with Silent Hill than with SH2. SH had more secrets, plus I got really annoyed with the whiney female characters in SH2. It also seemed to end quicker. Still, it was at least as scarey as SH, with the accustomed graphic gore and tense background sounds. Don't play it alone at night! I look forward to SH3....I hope the female lead has more "guts"!

Silent Hill 2 for PC is a good game.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: January 27, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Silent Hill is a leader amongst few others in the "Eeerie Games"
as it offers a lot of desolation and a feel of helplessness,which
is what some of us want,(maybe we're sick or something, I don't know).But still, there is a market for us. The graphics being very good, especially those of the characters themselves, recognition has to be given to Akira Yamaoka for the awesome music in these games. He is to me (being a musician myself) a leader, amongst few others again, in the videogame soundtrack business. He obviously knows all about desolation and helplessness. Now, about the game plot in SH2, I have to say that I am a little dissapointed with it as it is somewhat less scary than the first one. Then again, I usually am dissapointed about plots in videogames.
But I overlook it because I know that the game creators are not story writers nor are they movie directors,...they make games! Still, it isn't a bad one...just not a excellent one. The gameplay itself is identical to the first "Playstation" SH game. The challenge and various alternative routes towards success is well worth the play if not the purchase itself. I personally encountered setbacks only when it came to the "FMV's", as the sound always came long before the animation. Making the FMV's a real drag. Maybe it works best with a Pentium 4 as opposed to a 3, I really don't know. To those that the same problem occurs, after enduring the scene once ('cause you want to see it at least one time, right) if you have to replay the level, just press on "escape" when you initiate the FMV scene. This will spare you from the ordeal,...so to speak.

The silence is broken (possible spoilers!)

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: September 06, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Wow, this game was really creepy. IT was good, it was scary, it had really good graphics too. (Story) The main character James recieves a letter from his wife, telling him that she is waiting at silent hill in their special place. Sounds nice? Well... (deep breath) ITS NOT! His wife died three years ago. Even though James thinks that this is a prank, he goes anyway. He must see his wife. Along the way you will meet monsters that will have you crying for your momma. Take these 3 for instence.
1. A monster in a flesh looking straight jacket that covers his whole body, crawls on the ground, and sprays acid at you... through his gut.
2. A manniquin doll that has no head and attacks you with its upper legs. and the most disturbing feature, is the fact that the thing screams.
3. The creepiest of them all are the nurses... HOLY CRAP. They have no face. IT looks like bubble, hence thier name bubble headed nurses. They come at you pretty quickly and attack you with a steel pipe.

Of course these are not the only monsters in the game. they are others.
This game will scare you. This game will give you nightmares. This game rocks. This game is the sequel to one of the scariest games of all time. WOW! (I know that's what your thinking.) This whole game is gorgous. OH, I have not started about the lighting in the game. This game has the best lighting ever! IN one motion of James, the shadow of the... railing will change ever so slightly and cause for a 100% realistic feel. The ending I got did not tell you what had happened to silent hill but you could [...] find the answeres. Of course unless you beat the first one already. I know I gave it 4 stars and I made it sound like a perfect game, but it does have its flaws. The controls were pretty hard to get, but once you learn them, your good. One of the puzzles in the apartment had to do with soda cans, and it took me at least 2 hours of wandering to understand what to do. Like I'm gonna tell you and save you 2 hours, HA! This game does have multiple endings. I think 4. Do me a favor, buy this game.

Review Page: 1 2 3 4 Next 

Actions