Why Silent Hill 2 is still the most disturbing game ever made

Eurogamer:
"This week we learned that Hideo Kojima and Guillermo Del Toro are collaborating on a new game in the Silent Hill series. Despite both men having a reputation for attaching themselves to projects that either take years to materialise, if they happen at all, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this could be the best thing to happen to Silent Hill in over a decade. Why? Because both Kojima and Del Toro are into weird stuff."

[vishmarx]

has to do something with a monk with a pyramid on his head and a 6 foot meat cleaver violating a living mannequin ?

[nypifisel]

Silent Hill 2 is the most genius horror game ever made. The Pyramid head being a product of the main protagonists psyche to punish him is ingenious, as are the fact that the whole world of Silent Hill that he experience is cause of his own guilt, so it reflects on his own person. It's so well developed it could've been a fantastic novel.

[yewles1]

No, SH3 wins that recognition.

[Ezz2013]

Silent Hill 1 for me

[thereapersson]

Silent Hill 1 easily for sure. I loved me some SH2 back in the day, and the fact that SH3 was more like SH1 regarding continuity and atmosphere. But I'll never forget the first time I played the Silent Hill demo on Official Playstation Magazine's demo disc after reading about a game that, at the time, was still pretty obscure and an experiment for Konami. Resident Evil pretty much owned the entire genre for much of the 90's after everyone sort of forgot about PC horror games.

Silent Hill's psychological uncertainty and terror really brought... ahem... new life (pun intended) into the survival horror genre during a time when 32 bit gaming was at it's peak. I can easily say no other form of media up to that point had managed to affect me both on a visual level and also on an auditory level. The soundtrack, for example, remains an industrial masterpiece to this day.

[Knushwood Butt]

Those shadowy babies in the school really freak me out, especially that noise they make.

[Paprika]

But i think we can all agree, silent hill 1,2 and 3 are amongst the scariest, creepiest games ever. Also, perfectly balanced horrors with one of the greatest soundtracks... ever! Akira yamaoka ftw!

[amiga-man]

they were scary enough back on old technology imagine how real things are going to be on next gen, lets not even talk about the possibilities of VR

[Paprika]

Yeah, should be great. Although, the polished graphics now may take away from the originals grit and they didn't really become classics based on their looks, it needs the character and artistic tone done right not all out graphics IMO. If they can create the feeling of silent hill 3, my favorite, but with epic graphics... then it will be awesome!

[thereapersson]

It's why the PC versions of the games weren't as grossly charming. Somehow the lower console resolution made the games' visual effects more genuine and gritty.

[PLASTICA-MAN]

SH1-4 all of them are disturbing, but SH4 is the most disturbing one (in every aspect).

[Venoxn4g]

amazing games, I would add Fatal frame\Project zero 1-4 ..especially 2 and 4 (still yet to play 3rd)

[EmptySkyForm]

Yeah you're definitely right about that. How in the world did they lose that strength after part 4 is a real mystery.

Btw I just saw Paprika yesterday, it was amazing!

[700p]

That silent hill demo sure disturbed me.

[moegooner88]

I loved SH2, but my fav isThe Room, never understood why it got so much hate.

[blndrhyme]

Yeah, especially the floating lady ghost at the train station. Damn, scared the shit out of me.

[N4Flamers]

Geez I dont get it either. I loved the room. I loved the story and all the maternal references. I loved how it feels as though you're just a pawn and the killer is the main character. Also that first two headed baby bird scared the shit out of me.

[Knushwood Butt]

Probably because it's just half a game that you are forced to play through twice; the second time while dragging around an NPC with bad AI.

[zsquaresoff]

More than the visuals, it's eerie music that's gets to you.

That spooky sirens still haunts me.

[knifefight]

I'm here for you, James.

See? I'm real.

[shuuwai]

Remember the part where you stick your hand in the toilet for the key. *silent hill 2*

[CernaML]

The way it unlocks an easter egg for Silent Hill 3 was genius.

[VsAssassin]

SH1-3 are the best for me. I know only one should be called the best, but these three are so unique that it's a tripe tie.

On the side note: It's the psychological fear that makes a Silent Hill game what it is, which is why it doesn't really matter if the game is in 3rd person view. This is in response to the other n4g article tackling camera perspective for Silent Hills. As long as this game is psycholigically scary and affecting, then this Silent Hills will be a great game!

[Inception]

Imo, SH 1-4 are the most disturbing survival horror game i ever play. Only Siren, Fatal Frame, and (maybe) the upcoming Evil Within that can match it.

[scark92]

I played the all the Siren demos in my time, I agree xD That is a HD collection that I would love.

[Jurat]

Shattered Memories for me; the innovative control scheme added to the immersion, with the Wii controller acting as your torch and ingame cell phone – those voicemails being piped through the controller speaker still give me chills.

The utter silence throughout most of the game was almost dreamlike; the only sound you could hear was your own footfalls in the snow. And, as with the scariest nightmares, the fact that there was no combat only added to the sense of dread and helplessness when the horror kicked in and you had to run for your life.

[Venoxn4g]

Wii version was awesome, amazing ..some people who have a Wii U should try it as well :) and Fatal Frame 2 remake on Wii with Fatal Frame IV

[mogwaii]

Did you ever play the original?

[Jurat]

The original Silent Hill? Yes, but it’s been a long time and my memories of the experience have faded. I guess Shattered Memories just sticks out in my memory for the unique features I’ve outlined above.

I might revisit the original on the PS store at some point, but would also recommend any Wii(U) owners out there who haven’t played Shattered Memories to snag a copy from their nearest bargain bin.

[Hellsvacancy]

I'm totally ashamed to admit it but i've only ever finished SH1, I rented the SH-Collection fairly recently so I could finally play/finish the later games but got totally stuck playing SH2, I don't have the patience like I once did as a kid, I remember me and a friend spending 5 hours trying to figure out the piano puzzle in the original SH, I couldn't do that now that i'm a father, I don't get to game half as much as I used to

Obviously I could of looked online for a guide, but that's not how I roll

I'm tempted to go back to it and finish them

[Heisenburger]

I know it's really none of my business, but I would *like to share what I do on occasion to avoid that problem. I too have limited time in which to relax and play a game. I was always a bit of a purist. It took me a month to figure out the water temple in Ocarina of Time, when my stepbrother had the guide, I refused to use it.

Now? Now if I'm stuck and it goes past the point of fun, I'll google it on my phone. Video game time is much more precious now. If I allowed myself to get stuck like I did when I was a child, what would be the point? If I'm not having fun I'm doing it wrong.

So I would suggest giving SH2 another go. If you get stuck past the point of fun, look up the solution to that particular problem. You're a father, you've earned the right to enjoy a game fully.

*Edited for a typographical error.

[Hellsvacancy]

Thanks man, bubbled up

I WILL play them again, i've not bought a PS4 yet (waiting for some rpgs) so i'm basically mopping up on older PS3 games whilst I wait

[N4Flamers]

Good luck with the p.t. errr teaser. The final loop is so frustrating and annoying. It has all kinds of different solutions online with no one actually nailing down something concrete.

[Mr Tretton]

I'm not gonna lie, it took a friend back in the day to help me figure out the piano thing. I hated the game at the time because of that!

lol, you should look it up in a guide, you're depriving yourself of the rest of the game.

[mogwaii]

I love SH2 and 3 and 4 even but for me it began with SH1 and i cant forget how much that game changed my vison of video gaming forever, just brilliant! I even had to track down and buy the soundtrack back then and it wasnt easy. i am very glad to see the silent hill series will comeback in such capable hands, p.t proved they know their subject well. Disturbing!

[MasterCornholio]

Pyramid head for the win!!!!!!!

[edqe]

I find games like "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" much more disturbing - http://store.steampowered.c...

[strangeaeon]

I will always remember near the beginning of SH1, where it starts to grow darker and darker as the music grows in its pace, it created such a powerful sense of dread that I was mesmerized. Plus I believe all good horror has an element of sadness, which SH1 had in spades.And the main song, just perfect, I recall finding it on Napster and burning it to disk back in the day.

[Mr Tretton]

SH2 had more than 'horror', it had a deeper horror. Deep, depressing melancholy in a lonely purgatory.

I still call it my favorite of all time even though I haven't played it in years. I still have the PS2 copy, but I have the rom which I'll be playing in 1080p next time.

[shuuwai]

I just remembered the piano puzzle in silent hill one was very annoying if you didn't read the missing pages and clues left in the old school building. Lol