Remembering Silent Hill 2

Silent Hill 2 stands as one of the greatest games of the survival horror genre and, apart from the Resident Evil series, there are very few titles that elevated said genre to terrifying heights. Unlike the Resident Evil series, however, Silent Hill 2 acts as a perfect example in the 'games as art' debate. It features an intensely mature narrative revolving around characters' psychological traumas manifesting physically throughout a town.

Much has been said about the iconic atmosphere of Silent Hill 2, and the town's shifting geography. How the fog thematically reinforces the idea that all the answers are just out of view while also hiding the technical limitations of the PS2. The real brilliance of Silent Hill 2 is the way the town reflects James Sunderland's personal torment through its geography and monstrous inhabitants.

The town of Silent Hill appears differently to each of the characters. Angela believes that she deserves to burn in hell so she sees fire everywhere. The geography changes as James gets closer and closer to the truth, reflecting his findings. Each character has a reason to be in town and none wish to leave until they find closure.

Just like Jame Sunderland you, the player, are compelled to continue onward. Unlike its survival horror contemporaries, Silent Hill 2 doesn't trap the protagonist in any physical way; James is free to get in his car and leave town at any time, just like you are free to turn off the game. But you don't, you keep going. Just like James. You just keep going until you arrive at one of the many possible endings.

The various endings are representative of the way the player has acted throughout the game; there are no binary decisions though. The way you play is a reflection on James' state of mind, just like the town itself. If you play through consistently on low health, charge headfirst into groups of enemies, or keep looking at a kitchen knife you're given... Well, no spoilers, but you can't probably guess it doesn't end well. The game even registers if you listen to key pieces of dialogue in full and if you've been protective over other characters; almost everything you do has an impact on the conclusion.

Silent Hill 2 leaves you reeling after each play-through, forcing the player to confront their own emotional reactions to the events that unfold. It isn't about escapism, Silent Hill 2 forces you to look inwards and deal with real psychological horrors, and that is far more terrifying that a couple of first person perspective jump scares.