is a 2001
survival horror game
Survival horror is a Video game genre, subgenre of Survival game, survival of the players as the game tries to frighten them with either horror graphics or scary ambience. Although combat can be part of the gameplay, the player is made to feel l ...
developed by
Team Silent
Team Silent was a development team within Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo (KCET), responsible for the first four games in the ''Silent Hill'' franchise by Konami released from 1999 to 2004. Later titles were developed by non-Japanese companie ...
, a group in
Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo
, is a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, it also produces and distributes trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, pachinko machines, slot machines, and arcade cabinets. Konami has casinos ...
, and published by
Konami
, is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company, video game and entertainment company headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo, it also produces and distributes trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, pachinko machin ...
. The game was released from September to November, originally for the
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
. The second installment in the ''
Silent Hill
is a horror anthology media franchise centered on a series of survival horror games created by Keiichiro Toyama and published by Konami. The first four video games in the series, ''Silent Hill'', '' Silent Hill 2'', ''Silent Hill 3'' and '' ...
'' series, ''Silent Hill 2'' centres on James Sunderland, a widower who journeys to the town of Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his dead wife informing him that she is waiting there for him. An extended version containing an extra bonus scenario, ''Born from a Wish'', and other additions was published for
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...
in December of the same year. In 2002, it was ported to
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
and re-released on PlayStation 2 as a ''Greatest Hits'' version, which includes all bonus content from the Xbox port. A
remaster
Remaster refers to changing the quality of the sound or of the image, or both, of previously created recordings, either audiophonic, cinematic, or videographic. The terms digital remastering and digitally remastered are also used.
Mastering
A ...
ed
high-definition version was released for the
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
and
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...
in 2012 as part of the ''
Silent Hill HD Collection
''Silent Hill HD Collection'' is a 2012 video game compilation of remastered video game ports of '' Silent Hill 2'' and ''Silent Hill 3'' developed by Hijinx Studios for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. ''Silent Hill 2'' centers on widow ...
''.
Work on ''Silent Hill 2'' began in June 1999, soon after ''
Silent Hill
is a horror anthology media franchise centered on a series of survival horror games created by Keiichiro Toyama and published by Konami. The first four video games in the series, ''Silent Hill'', '' Silent Hill 2'', ''Silent Hill 3'' and '' ...
'' had been completed. Its narrative was inspired by the Russian novel ''
Crime and Punishment
''Crime and Punishment'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Преступление и наказание, Prestupléniye i nakazániye, prʲɪstʊˈplʲenʲɪje ɪ nəkɐˈzanʲɪje) is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. ...
'' (1866) by
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (, ; rus, Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский, Fyódor Mikháylovich Dostoyévskiy, p=ˈfʲɵdər mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ dəstɐˈjefskʲɪj, a=ru-Dostoevsky.ogg, links=yes; 11 November 18219 ...
, and some of the influences on the game's artistic style include the work of film directors
Adrian Lyne
Adrian Lyne (born 4 March 1941) is an English film director, writer and producer. Having begun his career directing 1970s television commercials, Lyne made well-received short films which were entries in the London Film Festival. He started mak ...
(specifically ''
Jacob's Ladder
Jacob's Ladder ( he, סֻלָּם יַעֲקֹב ) is a ladder leading to heaven that was featured in a dream the biblical Patriarch Jacob had during his flight from his brother Esau in the Book of Genesis (chapter 28).
The significance of th ...
''),
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch (born January 20, 1946) is an American filmmaker, visual artist and actor. A recipient of an Academy Honorary Award in 2019, Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, and the César Award for Be ...
, among others, as well as painters like
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), also known as Lord Verulam, was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. Bacon led the advancement of both ...
and
Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Newell Wyeth ( ; July 12, 1917 – January 16, 2009) was an American visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century.
In his ...
; cultural references to history, films and literature can be found in the game. In contrast with the previous title, whose narrative concerned cult activity, ''Silent Hill 2'' focuses directly on the psychology of its characters.
''Silent Hill 2'' received critical acclaim. Within the month of its release in North America, Japan, and Europe, over one million copies were sold, with the greatest number of sales in North America. During release, it was widely praised for its
psychological horror
Psychological horror is a genre, subgenre of horror fiction, horror and psychological fiction with a particular focus on mental, emotional, and Mental state, psychological states to frighten, disturb, or unsettle its audience. The subgenre frequent ...
story, use of
metaphors
A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide (or obscure) clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are often compared with ...
,
symbol
A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different conc ...
ism, and
taboo
A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
topics, overall atmosphere, graphics, monster designs,
soundtrack
A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
and sound design. However, it received criticism for its controls and voice acting.
It is often considered to be one of the greatest horror games ever made and among the
greatest video games of all time
This is a list of video games that multiple reputable video game journalists or magazines have considered to be among the best of all time. The games listed here are included on at least six separate "best/greatest of all time" lists from differ ...
, as well as a key example of
video games as an art form
The concept of video games as a form of art is a commonly debated topic within the entertainment industry. Though video games have been afforded legal protection as creative works by the Supreme Court of the United States, the philosophical pr ...
. The game was followed by ''
Silent Hill 3
''Silent Hill 3'' is a 2003 survival horror game developed by Team Silent, a group in Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, and published by Konami. The game was released from May to August, originally for the PlayStation 2. The third installmen ...
'' in 2003. A
remake
A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...
was announced in October 2022.
Gameplay
The objective of ''Silent Hill 2'' is to guide the
player character
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...
, James Sunderland, through the monster-filled town of Silent Hill as he searches for his deceased wife. The game features a
third-person view
In 3D video games, a virtual camera system aims at controlling a camera or a set of cameras to display a view of a 3D virtual world. Camera systems are used in video games where their purpose is to show the action at the best possible angle; m ...
, with various camera angles.
The default control for ''Silent Hill 2'' has James moving in the direction that he is facing when the player tilts the analogue stick upwards.
''Silent Hill 2'' does not use a
heads-up display
A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD (), is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. The origin of the name stems from a pilot being able to view informa ...
; to check James' health, location, and items, the player must enter the pause-game menu to review his status.
Throughout the game, James collects
map
A map is a symbolic depiction emphasizing relationships between elements of some space, such as objects, regions, or themes.
Many maps are static, fixed to paper or some other durable medium, while others are dynamic or interactive. Although ...
s, which can only be read if there is sufficient light or when his flashlight is on.
He also updates relevant maps to reflect locked doors, clues, and obstructions,
and writes down the content of all documents for future reference.
Much of the gameplay consists of navigating the town and finding keys or other items to bypass doors or other obstructions, with less focus on killing enemies.
Occasionally, puzzles will be presented, often with riddles left for the player to interpret.
The difficulty levels of the enemies and the puzzles are determined independently by the player before starting the game.
James keeps a
radio
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...
with him, which alerts him to the presence of creatures by emitting static, allowing him to detect them even through the thick fog or darkness.
He also tilts his head in the direction of a nearby item or monster.
For combat, he finds three melee weapons and three firearms over the course of the game, with another two melee weapons unlocked during replays.
"
Health
Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...
" restoratives and ammunition can be found throughout the game.
Plot
Setting
While not focusing on the characters and plot threads of the
first ''Silent Hill'' game, ''Silent Hill 2'' takes place in the series' namesake town, located in
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
.
''Silent Hill 2'' is set in another area of the town,
and explores some of Silent Hill's
backstory
A backstory, background story, back-story, or background is a set of events invented for a plot, presented as preceding and leading up to that plot. It is a literary device of a narrative history all chronologically earlier than the narrative of p ...
.
The town draws upon the psyche of its visitors and ultimately forms alternative versions of itself, which differ depending on the character.
The concept behind the town was "a small, rural town in America"; to make the setting more realistic, some buildings and rooms lack furnishings.
''Letter from Silent Heaven''
James Sunderland (Guy Cihi) comes to Silent Hill after apparently receiving a letter from his wife Mary (Monica Taylor Horgan), who has been suffering from an illness and died three years before.
While exploring the town, he encounters Angela Orosco (
Donna Burke
Donna Burke is an Australian voice actress, singer, narrator and businesswoman. She is also known for her vocal work on songs produced for video game series such as ''Metal Gear'' and ''Final Fantasy''.
Biography
Burke graduated from Edith Cow ...
), a teenage runaway searching for her mother; Eddie Dombrowski (David Schaufele), another teenage runaway; and Laura (Jacquelyn Brekenridge), a bratty eight-year-old who befriended Mary and accuses James of not truly loving her.
While searching a local park, James also meets Maria (Horgan), a woman who strongly resembles Mary but has a much more assertive personality. Maria claims that she has never met or seen Mary, and because she is frightened by the monsters, James allows her to follow him. Arriving at a bowling alley, Eddie and Laura are found inside, but Laura runs off.
Following Laura to a hospital and searching for her there at Maria's insistence, James and Maria are ambushed by the monster
Pyramid Head
Pyramid Head, also known as , "Red Pyramid", is a character from the ''Silent Hill'' series, a survival horror video game series created by Japanese company Konami.
Introduced in the 2001 installment ''Silent Hill 2'', he is a type of monster ...
, and Maria is killed while James escapes.
Afterwards, James resolves to search the hotel that he and Mary stayed at during their vacation.
On the way, he finds Maria alive and unharmed in a locked room. She claims ignorance of their previous encounter and begins discussing elements of James' and Mary's past that only Mary would know. James sets off to find a way to free Maria but returns to find her dead again.
Later on, he rescues Angela from a monster, after which she reveals that her father sexually abused her, with a newspaper clipping implying that she killed him before coming to Silent Hill.
James also confronts Eddie, who admits to maiming a bully and killing a dog before fleeing to Silent Hill. When Eddie attacks him, James is forced to kill him in self-defence.
At the hotel, James locates a videotape which depicts him euthanising his dying wife by smothering her with a pillow. In another room, a final meeting with Angela sees her giving up on life, unable to cope with her trauma. She then walks into a fire and is never seen again.
Afterwards, James encounters two Pyramid Heads, along with Maria, who is killed another time. He comes to realize that Pyramid Head was created because he needed someone to punish him, and all the monsters are manifestations of his psyche. The envelope from Mary disappears and both Pyramid Heads commit suicide.
James heads to the hotel's rooftop, and depending on choices made by the player throughout the game, he encounters either a manifestation of Mary or Maria disguised as her.
''Silent Hill 2'' features six endings; Konami has kept their
canonicity
The adjective canonical is applied in many contexts to mean "according to the canon" the standard, rule or primary source that is accepted as authoritative for the body of knowledge or literature in that context. In mathematics, "canonical example ...
ambiguous.
In "Leave", James has one last meeting with Mary, reads her letter, and leaves the town with Laura. "In Water" sees James commit suicide by driving into Lake Toluca with Mary's body in the car. The "Maria" ending sees Mary as the woman on the rooftop, who has not forgiven James for killing her; after her defeat, James dismisses her as a hallucination and then leaves the town with an alive Maria, who briefly coughs, suggesting she will become sick just as Mary did, and the cycle will repeat. The other three endings are only available in replay games, including "Rebirth", in which James plans to resurrect Mary using arcane objects collected throughout the game, and two joke endings: "Dog", where James discovers that a dog has been controlling all the events of the game, and "UFO", where James is abducted by
extraterrestrials
Extraterrestrial life, colloquially referred to as alien life, is life that may occur outside Earth and which did not originate on Earth. No extraterrestrial life has yet been conclusively detected, although efforts are underway. Such life might ...
with the help of the first game's protagonist, Harry Mason.
''Born from a Wish''
''Born from a Wish'' is a side-story scenario in the
special editions and re-releases of the game in which the player takes control of Maria shortly before she and James meet at Silent Hill. After waking up in the town with a gun and contemplating suicide, she decides to try to find someone.
She eventually encounters a local mansion, where she hears the voice of its owner, Ernest Baldwin. Ernest refuses to let Maria into the room he is in and will only talk to her through its closed door. After Maria completes tasks for him, Ernest warns her about James, whom he describes as a "bad man". After Maria opens the door to Ernest's room and finds it empty, she leaves the mansion. At the conclusion of the scenario, Maria contemplates suicide once more, but ultimately resolves to find James. The side-story concludes with a voice-over of James encountering Maria in the park and her introducing herself to him, as it happens during the events of the main-story.
Themes and analysis
Some of the more apparent themes of the narrative are grief, guilt, and punishment. Other noticeable themes in ''Silent Hill 2'' are mental illness, lust, love and abuse,
including an exploration of how it
affects people.
A prominent focus of analysis is the symbolism of the monsters present in the game, which seem to be manifested from James' guilty consciousness. One major example of this manifestation of guilt is "Pyramid Head", a tall, masculine, faceless humanoid figure, whose head is concealed by a large pyramid-shaped helmet that is made of rusted iron. Pyramid Head also wields a large blade titled the "Great Knife" that it heaves across the floor in almost all player encounters. Its design not only serves to psychologically frighten the player, as the sharp edges of the triangular head were intentionally illustrated to "suggest the possibility of pain"
according to its creator
Masahiro Ito
Masahiro is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
*, Japanese councillor (''Rōjū'')
*, Japanese baseball player
*, Japanese footballer
*, Japanese ski jumper
*, Japanese artist
*, Japanese footballer
*, Japanese ...
, but it is also emblematic of many of the themes related to the narrative, as it represents the guilt that James experienced, the retribution he seeks for his actions, and the sexual frustration that he felt while his late wife, Mary, was terminally ill.
Development
Influences and design
Development of ''Silent Hill 2'' began in June 1999, directly after the completion of its predecessor.
The game was created by
Team Silent
Team Silent was a development team within Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo (KCET), responsible for the first four games in the ''Silent Hill'' franchise by Konami released from 1999 to 2004. Later titles were developed by non-Japanese companie ...
, a production group within
Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo
, is a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, it also produces and distributes trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, pachinko machines, slot machines, and arcade cabinets. Konami has casinos ...
.
The story was conceived by CGI director Takayoshi Sato, who based it on Russian author
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (, ; rus, Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский, Fyódor Mikháylovich Dostoyévskiy, p=ˈfʲɵdər mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ dəstɐˈjefskʲɪj, a=ru-Dostoevsky.ogg, links=yes; 11 November 18219 ...
's novel ''
Crime and Punishment
''Crime and Punishment'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Преступление и наказание, Prestupléniye i nakazániye, prʲɪstʊˈplʲenʲɪje ɪ nəkɐˈzanʲɪje) is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. ...
'' (1866), with individual members of the team collaborating on the actual scenario.
The main writing was done by
Hiroyuki Owaku
is a Horror fiction, horror anthology series, anthology media franchise centered on a series of survival horror, survival horror games created by Keiichiro Toyama and published by Konami. The first four video games in the series, ''Silent Hil ...
and Sato, who provided the dialogue for the female characters.
Around the time ''Silent Hill 2'' was in production, the average budget for video game production has been estimated to be around US$7–10 million by Sato.
The decision to produce a sequel to ''Silent Hill'' was partly a financial one, as it had been commercially successful, and partly a creative one, as the team had faced difficulties while working on the original game.
The team was given a small window to settle on a platform. As it was unable to gather information on the then-unannounced
GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
and
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...
consoles, they began production of the game for the
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
. Producer Akihiro Imamura stated that the decision was also influenced by "a wish from the business section that we move rapidly on the PS2. You know, it is currently the market focus".
Imamura read all comments about the original game and kept them in mind while working on ''Silent Hill 2''.
He estimated that a total of fifty people worked on the game: while the creative team from the first game remained, they had to bring in thirty people from Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo.
Developed at the same time,
the PlayStation 2 version of ''Silent Hill 2'' and its Xbox port debuted at the March 2001
Tokyo Game Show
, commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in September in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) and Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. The ...
to positive reactions.
''Silent Hill 2'' shared the same atmosphere of
psychological horror
Psychological horror is a genre, subgenre of horror fiction, horror and psychological fiction with a particular focus on mental, emotional, and Mental state, psychological states to frighten, disturb, or unsettle its audience. The subgenre frequent ...
as the first ''Silent Hill'' game.
As the developers already had a rough sense of the game's environment, they focused on its plot first, in contrast to the process used with the first game.
The PlayStation 2 hardware allowed the developers to create improved fog and shadow special effects. For example, as a monster approaches the player character, its shadow cast on the wall by the flashlight grows.
When dealing with the game's camera angles, the team struggled with a balance between those that stayed true to the creative vision and those that did not hamper gameplay.
Psychological elements, such as the gradual disappearance of Mary's letter and symbolic holes, were incorporated into the game.
The team wanted ''Silent Hill 2''s protagonist to "reflect
heevil", against which the protagonist of the first game battles.
For the game's artistic style, the team drew on a variety of influences: the work of film directors
David Cronenberg
David Paul Cronenberg (born March 15, 1943) is a Canadian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is one of the principal originators of what is commonly known as the body horror genre, with his films exploring visceral bodily transformation ...
,
David Fincher
David Andrew Leo Fincher (born August 28, 1962) is an American film director. His films, mostly psychological thrillers and biographical dramas, have received 40 nominations at the Academy Awards, including three for him as Best Director. Fin ...
,
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch (born January 20, 1946) is an American filmmaker, visual artist and actor. A recipient of an Academy Honorary Award in 2019, Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, and the César Award for Be ...
and
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
, along with films similar to the 1990
psychological thriller
Psychological thriller is a genre combining the thriller and psychological fiction genres. It is commonly used to describe literature or films that deal with psychological narratives in a thriller or thrilling setting.
In terms of context and co ...
/
horror film
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes.
Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...
''
Jacob's Ladder
Jacob's Ladder ( he, סֻלָּם יַעֲקֹב ) is a ladder leading to heaven that was featured in a dream the biblical Patriarch Jacob had during his flight from his brother Esau in the Book of Genesis (chapter 28).
The significance of th ...
'', and painters such as
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), also known as Lord Verulam, was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. Bacon led the advancement of both ...
,
Rembrandt
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (, ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), usually simply known as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker and draughtsman. An innovative and prolific master in three media, he is generally consid ...
and
Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Newell Wyeth ( ; July 12, 1917 – January 16, 2009) was an American visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century.
In his ...
.
Early in the project, they studied the 1996 video game ''
Tomb Raider
''Tomb Raider'', also known as ''Lara Croft: Tomb Raider'' from 2001 to 2008, is a media franchise that originated with an action-adventure video game series created by British gaming company Core Design. Formerly owned by Eidos Interactive, th ...
''s creation of
3D environments.
Other influences on the game included the 1992 survival horror video game ''
Alone in the Dark'',
the first ''Silent Hill'' game,
and
Japanese comics
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is used ...
by
Daijiro Morohoshi
is a Japanese manga artist.
He is well known for science fiction comics, allegorical comics and horror/mystery comics based on pseudohistory and folklore.
The indirect influence by Cthulhu Mythos also appears here and there in his works.
B ...
and
Junji Ito
is a Japanese horror manga artist. Some of his most notable works include ''Tomie'', a series chronicling an immortal girl who drives her stricken admirers to madness; ''Uzumaki'', a three-volume series about a town obsessed with spirals; and ...
. While working on the character designs, Sato and his team sketched human faces and various expressions.
To gain a better sense of the characters' facial structures, they drew the characters' profiles from various angles, before creating
wire-frame model
A wire-frame model, also wireframe model, is a visual representation of a three-dimensional (3D) physical object used in 3D computer graphics. It is created by specifying each edge of the physical object where two mathematically continuous ...
s, each consisting of six thousand
polygon
In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two toge ...
s; they then completed the model with
textures.
Data for the character animation was taken through
motion capture
Motion capture (sometimes referred as mo-cap or mocap, for short) is the process of recording the movement of objects or people. It is used in military, entertainment, sports, medical applications, and for validation of computer vision and robo ...
, and using
Softimage
Autodesk Softimage, or simply Softimage () was a 3D computer graphics application, for producing 3D computer graphics, 3D modeling, and computer animation. Now owned by Autodesk and formerly titled Softimage, XSI, the software has been predomi ...
, they animated the characters.
Masahiro Ito
Masahiro is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
*, Japanese councillor (''Rōjū'')
*, Japanese baseball player
*, Japanese footballer
*, Japanese ski jumper
*, Japanese artist
*, Japanese footballer
*, Japanese ...
designed the monsters in ''Silent Hill 2''; "soured flesh" was the concept behind their appearance.
The monsters were also to incorporate "an element of humanity".
For the most part, the monsters reflect the protagonist's subconscious. For example, the monster Pyramid Head was based on the executioners of the town's fictional history and is intended to be a punisher for James.
Two exceptions to this theme are the "Abstract Daddy", a reflection of Angela's subconscious and memories, and the "Creepers", which are also seen in the first game.
''Silent Hill 2'' also incorporates some references to real-life events. In the original scenario, the developers designed Maria and James with dual personalities: Maria's other personality was "Mary", a reference to
Mary Jane Kelly
Mary Jane Kelly ( – 9 November 1888), also known as Marie Jeanette Kelly, Fair Emma, Ginger, Dark Mary and Black Mary, is widely believed to have been the final victim of the notorious unidentified serial killer Jack the Ripper, who murdered ...
,
Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper was an unidentified serial killer active in and around the impoverished Whitechapel district of London, England, in the autumn of 1888. In both criminal case files and the contemporaneous journalistic accounts, the killer wa ...
's last victim, while James' was "Joseph", a reference to one of the
Jack the Ripper suspects
A series of murders that took place in the East End of London from August to November 1888 was blamed on an unidentified assailant who was nicknamed Jack the Ripper. Since that time, the identity of the killer or killers has been widely debated, ...
.
Eddie Dombrowski's name was taken from actor
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and singer. He rose to fame on the sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', for which he was a regular cast member from 1980 to 1984. Murphy has als ...
during the beginning phases of production when Eddie was originally designed with a pleasantly optimistic personality.
The name of Angela Orosco was derived from Angela Bennett, the name of the protagonist in the 1995 film ''
The Net'', and Laura's from the 1970 novel ''No Language But a Cry'' by Richard D'Ambrosio.
The developers satirized the perceived accessibility of firearms in the U.S. by allowing James to find a handgun in a
shopping cart
A shopping cart (American English), trolley (British English, Australian English), or buggy (Southern American English, Appalachian English), also known by a variety of other names, is a wheeled cart supplied by a shop or store, especially ...
. There are also indications that the layout of Silent Hill was based to a certain extent on the town of
San Bruno, California
San Bruno (Spanish for " St. Bruno") is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, incorporated in 1914. The population was 43,908 at the 2020 United States Census. The city is between South San Francisco and Millbrae, adjacent to S ...
.
Audio
Akira Yamaoka
is a Japanese composer and music producer. He is best known for composing music for several video games in the ''Silent Hill'' series by Konami, among other games. Yamaoka also worked as a producer on the series, as well as composing for the '' ...
composed the music for ''Silent Hill 2''.
At his home, Yamaoka took three days to write the music for "Theme of Laura", ''Silent Hill 2''s main theme, by combining "a sad melody" and "a strong beat", although he does not consider the melody to be the "most important" element of a musical piece.
He wanted the music to evoke emotions in the player.
''Silent Hill 2'' makes extensive use of
sound effect
A sound effect (or audio effect) is an artificially created or enhanced sound, or sound process used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media. Traditi ...
s ranging from screams to footsteps on broken glass.
In charge of the game's fifty sound effects, Yamaoka wanted to surprise the player with different sounds and create an unsettling environment.
He also incorporated occasional silence, commenting that "selecting moments of silence is another way of producing sound".
Konami
, is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company, video game and entertainment company headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo, it also produces and distributes trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, pachinko machin ...
published ''Silent Hill 2 Original Soundtracks'' in Japan on October 3, 2001. Eight tracks ("Theme of Laura", "Null Moon", "Love Psalm", "True", "Promise", "Fermata in Mistic Air", "Laura Plays the Piano" and "Overdose Delusion") appeared in the 2006
PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
release ''The Silent Hill Experience''. At the 2006
Play! A Video Game Symphony
PLAY! A Video Game Symphony was a concert series that featured music from video games performed by a live orchestra. The concerts from 2006 to 2010 were conducted by Arnie Roth. From 2010, Andy Brick took the position of principal conductor and m ...
concert in
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
, Yamaoka performed music from the series, including "Theme of Laura", with a full-size orchestra. In 2019, the soundtrack was re-released on
vinyl
Vinyl may refer to:
Chemistry
* Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer
* Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation
* Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry
* Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl m ...
by
Mondo, who previously gave the same treatment to the soundtrack of ''
Silent Hill
is a horror anthology media franchise centered on a series of survival horror games created by Keiichiro Toyama and published by Konami. The first four video games in the series, ''Silent Hill'', '' Silent Hill 2'', ''Silent Hill 3'' and '' ...
'' in 2016.
Release
''Silent Hill 2'' was first released for the PlayStation 2 in North America on September 24, 2001, in Japan on September 27 and in Europe on November 23.
The original European edition also included a second disc: a "
Making-of
In cinema, behind-the-scenes (BTS), also known as the making-of, the set, or on the set, is a type of documentary film that features the production of a film or television program. This is often referred to as the EPK (electronic press kit) vid ...
" DVD video featuring trailers, an artwork gallery and a documentary on the game's development.
An extended version of the game was published for Xbox in North America on December 20, 2001, Japan on February 22, 2002, and Europe on October 14.
Each region had different subtitles for the game: in Japan, ''Restless Dreams'' in North America and ''Inner Fears'' in Europe.
This edition contained the short bonus scenario ''
Born from a Wish'' and other minor enhancements. This revised version was ported back to the PlayStation 2 and subtitled ''Director's Cut'' in Europe, but was not subtitled in North America, and was simply released under the "
Greatest Hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
" banner.
Creature Labs ported this edition to
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
, which Konami released in December 2002.
Added features in the PC version include the ability to
quicksave
A saved game (also called a game save, savegame, savefile, save point, or simply save) is a piece of digitally stored information about the progress of a player in a video game.
From the earliest games in the 1970s onward, game platform hardw ...
and watch
trailers
Trailer may refer to: a
Transportation
* Trailer (vehicle), an unpowered vehicle pulled by a powered vehicle
** Bicycle trailer, a wheeled frame for hitching to a bicycle to tow cargo or passengers
** Full-trailer
** Semi-trailer
**Horse trailer ...
for ''Silent Hill 3''.
In 2006, Konami re-released ''Silent Hill 2'' with its indirect PS2 sequels, ''
Silent Hill 3
''Silent Hill 3'' is a 2003 survival horror game developed by Team Silent, a group in Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, and published by Konami. The game was released from May to August, originally for the PlayStation 2. The third installmen ...
'' and ''
Silent Hill 4: The Room'', in a bundle entitled ''The Silent Hill Collection'' in Europe and Japan. ''
Silent Hill HD Collection
''Silent Hill HD Collection'' is a 2012 video game compilation of remastered video game ports of '' Silent Hill 2'' and ''Silent Hill 3'' developed by Hijinx Studios for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. ''Silent Hill 2'' centers on widow ...
'', a compilation of
remaster
Remaster refers to changing the quality of the sound or of the image, or both, of previously created recordings, either audiophonic, cinematic, or videographic. The terms digital remastering and digitally remastered are also used.
Mastering
A ...
ed
high-definition editions of ''Silent Hill 2'' and ''3'', was released for the
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
and the
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...
on March 20, 2012.
It contains new
voice actor
Voice acting is the art of performing voice-overs to present a character or provide information to an audience. Performers are called voice actors/actresses, voice artists, dubbing artists, voice talent, voice-over artists, or voice-over talent ...
s for the characters of both games, along with the option in ''Silent Hill 2'' to listen to the original cast.
Reception and legacy
''Silent Hill 2'' sold over one million copies in the month of its release in North America, Japan and Europe, with the most units sold in North America.
Rating aggregation site
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
shows "generally favorable reviews", with an average rating of 89 out of 100 for the PS2 version
and 84 out of 100 for the Xbox version.
However, the PC port received "mixed or average reviews", with a Metascore of 70 out of 100.
''Silent Hill 2'' received praise from
video game journalists
Video game journalism is a branch of journalism concerned with the reporting and discussion of video games, typically based on a core "reveal–preview–review" cycle. With the prevalence and rise of independent media online, online publicati ...
at the time of its release and in retrospect. Andy Greenwald of ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' magazine praised it as a frightening but "restrained" game.
Jon Thompson of
AllGame
RhythmOne , previously known as Blinkx, and also known as RhythmOne Group, is an American digital advertising technology company that owns and operates the web properties AllMusic, AllMovie, and SideReel.
Blinkx was founded in 2004, went publ ...
stated: "''Silent Hill 2'' feels a bit rushed, and although it might not live up to the dizzying horror of the first game, it packs enough of its own punch to make it a worthy sequel."
''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
''s Doug Perry wrote: "It's frightening, deep, clever, and tries to improve the genre, if just a little, and in the end, that's all I really want in a survival horror game."
Joe Fielder of
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
concluded, "''Silent Hill 2'' is a much prettier, somewhat smarter but less a compelling game than the original."
In ''
Replay: The History of Video Games'' (2010), Tristian Donovan described ''Silent Hill 2'' as the "high point" of the series. In a retrospective article on the survival horror genre, ''IGN'' writer Jim Sterling praised the game's plot as "one of the finest examples of narrative construction in gaming to this day". In another retrospective article on survival horror, fellow ''IGN'' writer Travis Fahs credited the game as a factor in the "short-lived period of renewed interest in horror games". Online game critic for ''
The Escapist''
Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw
Benjamin Richard "Yahtzee" Croshaw (born 24 May 1983) is a British comedic writer, author, video game journalist, humorist, podcaster, and video game developer. He is best known for his video game review series ''Zero Punctuation'', which he pro ...
lists this game as among his top five favourite games of all time, praising it for its thick and unsettling atmosphere creating tension and fear for players. In his review of the game he commented, "Silent Hill 2 is the game I replay every now and again to remind myself that for all the shiny brown, quick-time event, RPG element space marines, gaming is still worth defending", and that "It's a fascinating voyage of pain and despair that leaves you emotionally drained and satisfied."
The graphics and atmosphere of ''Silent Hill 2'' were praised by reviewers, who highlighted the smooth transitions from computer-generated (CG) to in-game
cutscene
A cutscene or event scene (sometimes in-game cinematic or in-game movie) is a sequence in a video game that is not interactive, interrupting the gameplay. Such scenes are used to show conversations between characters, set the mood, reward the ...
s and the sense of claustrophobia caused by the fog.
On the other hand, Thompson felt that the grainy image effects and dense fog hid the details of the environment,
while Fielder wrote that the exterior environments "rarely push the PlayStation 2's graphical capabilities".
Character animation was considered realistic by reviewers,
though James' animation in the CG sometimes appeared "marionette"-like, according to Perry.
The voice acting garnered mixed responses from reviewers divided over whether it was well done with an improved script,
or hampered by the script.
Reviewers enjoyed the monster designs,
although some found the monsters less frightening due to the abundance of ammunition,
and being easily avoided.
Reviewers found the camera, though improved, still difficult when battling monsters which hung from the ceiling
—concerns echoed by reviewers of the PC version.
The soundtrack and sound effects were considered by reviewers to be effective in creating suspense,
though Thompson considered them sometimes "a bit forced and contrived".
The puzzles were generally seen as not overly challenging by reviewers,
though Thompson found them generally easy and
GameSpy
GameSpy was an American provider of online multiplayer and matchmaking middleware for video games founded in 1996 by Mark Surfas. After the release of a multiplayer server browser for the game, QSpy, Surfas licensed the software under the GameS ...
's David Hodgeson wrote that they were sometimes illogical.
Less well-received was the combat, criticized for its lack of challenge and easily defeated monsters and
bosses.
Jeff Lundrigan reviewed the PlayStation 2 version of the game for ''
Next Generation
Next Generation or Next-Generation may refer to:
Publications and literature
* ''Next Generation'' (magazine), video game magazine that was made by the now defunct Imagine Media publishing company
* Next Generation poets (2004), list of young ...
'', rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "it's not for the faint of heart, nor anyone looking for fast action, but those who enjoy a good shiver won't be disappointed".
Reactions to the Xbox port were also positive. Reviewers have written that the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions were mostly similar, except for the ''Born from a Wish'' side-scenario found in the Xbox version.
''
Eurogamer
''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson.
Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...
''s Kristan Reed called ''Born from a Wish'' "more like a demo than anything",
while Fielder described it as "a commendable extra".
Both felt that it could be completed in around an hour and did not add much to the game.
The PC port, in contrast, received mixed reactions. Allen Rausch of GameSpy considered the PC port overall to be "
fantastic translation of Konami's stylish and scary survival-horror game".
''IGN''s Ivan Sulic advised against playing the game with the keyboard, and rated the game "great".
Conversely, Ron Dulin, another reviewer for GameSpot, wrote: "Not even the game's foggy atmosphere is thick enough to hide ''Silent Hill 2''s problems".
''
Next Generation
Next Generation or Next-Generation may refer to:
Publications and literature
* ''Next Generation'' (magazine), video game magazine that was made by the now defunct Imagine Media publishing company
* Next Generation poets (2004), list of young ...
'' reviewed the
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...
version of the game, rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "exactly the same disturbing yet wildly enjoyable game as it was on PS2" and noted the sub-game called "Born From a Wish" saying "if you've already played this on PS2 there's no particular reason to pick it up again. On the other hand, if you haven't (and why haven't you?), then this added bonus would make the Xbox version the one to buy."
''Silent Hill 2'' is often considered to be
one of the best video games of all time. It ranked first on
X-Play
''Xplay'' (previously ''GameSpot TV'' and ''Extended Play'') is a TV program about video games. The program, known for its reviews and comedy skits, airs on '' G4'' in the United States and had aired on ''G4 Canada'' in Canada (and briefly on YT ...
's list of the scariest games of all time in 2006. In 2009, ''IGN'' listed it as one of the five best horror video games created after 2000, and one of the twelve greatest PlayStation 2 games of all time.
It ranked again in IGN's list of the top 100 PS2 games,
and again in 2018, on ''IGN''s list of the 100 greatest video games ever made. In a retrospective by ''
GamePro
Gamepro.com is an international multiplatform video game magazine media company that covers the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software in countries such as Germany and France. The publication, GamePro, was originally la ...
'', it was the 26th best game for the PS2. In 2008, ''
GamesRadar
''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', ''Edge'' and '' Computer ...
'' placed it on its list of the 15 best "video game stories" ever, describing it as "a punishing tale not easily matched". In 2009, ''
Wired News
''Wired'' (stylized as ''WIRED'') is a monthly American magazine, published in print and online editions, that focuses on how emerging technologies affect culture, the economy, and politics. Owned by Condé Nast, it is headquartered in San Fran ...
'' listed it as the 11th most influential game of the decade for its emphasis on psychological horror and exploration of taboo topics such as incest and domestic abuse, rather than gore. In 2012, a top video games of all-time list by
G4 television network ranked the game in 85th place. That same year, the game's narrative was ranked first on GamesRadar's list of The Best Videogame Stories Ever. ''
Game Informer
''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 w ...
'' named ''Silent Hill 2'' the best of the ''Silent Hill'' franchise and listed it as the second best horror game of all time in its October 2014 issue. and number eight on ''
GameTrailers
''GameTrailers'' (''GT'') was an American video gaming website created by Geoffrey R. Grotz and Brandon Jones in 2002. The website specialized in multimedia content, including trailers and gameplay footage of upcoming and recently released v ...
''s Top Ten Twos list of the best second franchise games in 2015.
Remake
A remake was announced on October 19, 2022 during the Silent Hill Transmission event. The remake will be developed by
Bloober Team
Bloober Team S.A. is a Polish video game developer based in Kraków. Founded in November 2008 by Peter Babieno and Peter Bielatowicz, the company is best known for developing ''Layers of Fear'' (2016), ''Observer'' (2017), ''Blair Witch'' (201 ...
with contributions by original ''Silent Hill 2'' artist
Masahiro Ito
Masahiro is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
*, Japanese councillor (''Rōjū'')
*, Japanese baseball player
*, Japanese footballer
*, Japanese ski jumper
*, Japanese artist
*, Japanese footballer
*, Japanese ...
and composer
Akira Yamaoka
is a Japanese composer and music producer. He is best known for composing music for several video games in the ''Silent Hill'' series by Konami, among other games. Yamaoka also worked as a producer on the series, as well as composing for the '' ...
. It will be released on
PlayStation 5
The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, it was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North Ame ...
and
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
.
Film adaptation
In October 2022, it was announced that the game would be adapted into a film titled ''Return to Silent Hill'', with
Christophe Gans
Christophe Gans (born 11 March 1960) is a French film director, producer, and screenwriter who specializes in horror and fantasy movies.
Life and career
Gans was born in Antibes, France. As a teenager, he spent a large portion of his time crea ...
set to direct.
Notes
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
2001 video games
Creature Labs games
Everyman
Fiction with unreliable narrators
Horror video games
Konami games
Video games about mental health
PlayStation 2 games
Psychological horror games
Silent Hill games
Single-player video games
Survival video games
Uxoricide in fiction
Patricide in fiction
Video games about amnesia
Video games scored by Akira Yamaoka
Video games set in Maine
Video games set in prison
Video games set in psychiatric hospitals
Video games with alternate endings
Windows games
Xbox games
Video games developed in Japan