I thought there was an issue, since it only ever goes back to this ratio when I watch old RUclips videos,. When I realized it was intentional, ngl nice touch.
I like the idea the Laura is just a normal little girl who went to Silent Hill to follow Mary to her "quiet place" and since she didn't have any trauma/guilt, the town is normal and not full of monsters for her.
"Art should disturb the comfortable, and comfort the disturbed." Silent Hill 2 is one of those things I can point to and go, "Okay, that quote? Whoever said that, they were fuckin' talkin' about THIS."
I can't effectively put into words how reading this made me feel. It's one of those things that you internally KNOW deep in the fibers of your entire being, but it only really REALLY becomes a tangible concept that you're aware of consciously when someone points it out. It was very much a "Yeah that tracks," sort of experience I had as I read that.
"If that were true, then why do you look so sad?". Nothing speaks to my heart on such a personal level like Silent Hill 2. The true horror and sorrow of that game is how all of us are prone to experience the same complex emotions as James Sunderland. Sickness taking away a loved one at such a young age is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
I lost the first love of my life when we were oh so young and it is a particular type of agony that mere words will never be able to describe. I hope your heart has somewhat healed brother. Keep your head up alright
Love your doom mod videos and the panicked Spanglish therein, man! Sorry to read about your rough experience. I had to go through the same thing as a teenager.
That response and James's lines prior to that are some of my favorite parts of the Leave ending. Hearing James admit his failings as a caretaker in how much he came to hate his dying wife and how that resentment may have led to his murder of her (especially when he acknowledges how Mary didn't want to die despite how she wanted the pain to end). A neat detail is how different his admission here is from In Water where he only admits "some part of him hated her" instead of the full truth where he "hated her". This distinction leads to the main difference between the two endings; despite fully confessing to his resentment, she can tell there is still love there by her simple question to him and seeing how sad he was during his honest admission as compared to how she reacts to his partial admission in the In Water ending. 2 is such a timeless work of art that perfectly captures the complex emotions one may experience when dealing with a loved one dying too soon.
One of my favorite details about this game is the long hallway with the memory of Mary lamenting about her condition and telling James to leave her alone. The most interesting detail is that if you simply enter the hallway, walk to the other end, and immediately go through the door, you will not hear the part where she breaks down, wanting him to be there even though she was pushing him away. You have to stop and not progress if you want to see that element of the story. The developers made the hallway just long enough for the standard walking speed to get you through it in the exact amount of time to get one very negative image of Mary treating James poorly. It definitely creates a split in the audience's perception of Mary and of James. What a great game!
On survivor/caretaker issues: Its not just loved ones that are dying. Its also permanently crippled loved ones, mentally handicapped loved ones. No one cares how much you suffer because surely they are suffering more? And you yourself internalize this. You feel guilt and pain at wanting your own life back. For even entertaining the option that frees you. You think about how much of a mercy it would be for both of you for them to pass away and no longer suffer. And if youre a reasonable person you immediately feel like shit for thinking that. Its no win, and youre on your own. Because your not the one dying. Youre not the handicapped one. Suck it up. And it does things to you. Your mental state. Your self worth. Things youll never be comfortable approaching anyone about.
I think Gene's contribution to this video was my favorite part, because it made me think deeply about the relationship between my mother and my sister. I lost my mother to cancer when I was very young, and my sister was doing online schooling at the time for health reasons, so she was spending a lot of time with our mother. My sister has such different feelings toward our late mother than I do because she experienced all of the horrible aspects of being a caregiver, and she experienced that as a high school freshman. Our mom even once responded to my sister complaining about feeling sick from chronic illness by saying "I'm dying of cancer, Alyssa." The explanation that chemo causes roid rage put everything into context about how helpless both my mother and my sister felt during that time. I think I've gotten more empathy toward my sister from mentally placing her in James' shoes. This video was fantastic. Thank you.
"to choose his own death is the prisoners last taste of freedom" combined with the "in water" ending. I never made that connection in all these years before! Great analysis!
I cannot believe it took me this long to realize that the position of James dead cloned body in front of the static filled TV you encounter just after seeing Pyramid Head for the first time is staged similar to James's slumped position in the hotel after seeing the video tape. You always discover more in best made games.
@theshowdown9355 It is. They actually reference it in the remake where you can enter the hair cutting salon. There's a note with a pair of scissors on it saying something like "I keep hearing that scraping noise".
I love how Silent Hill is meant to be a resort town people go to on holiday, yet we only ever see the place as a twisted nightmare world that psychologically tortures everyone who shows up.
You perfectly analyzed so many details I'd never fully realized before. Especially all the references to James' fate being "In Water", and how the Rebirth ending is likely the start of his perpetual torment and Maria manifesting in his version of Silent Hill. It's clear how much this game means to you, as it does to so many of us. Amazing work Suzie!
The woman who voiced Major in GITS, as well as Mary/Maria in the SH2 HD collection, is named Mary Elizabeth McGlynn. All those female vocals from the SH3 OST onwards were performed by her after she was handpicked by Akira Yamaoka. As you have teased at the very end of the video!
Okay so I’m only 0:48 in and already I can tell this is quality that deserves to be watched not listened to in the background. So I’ll save this for later
SPOILERS: I have always interpreted Leave and In Water as the two "true" endings, and based on my times playing it as a kid and re-watching it as an adult I have always seen Leave as my cannon ending. It's wild I never considered that Mary's passing WASN'T 3 years in the past, and somehow your video made it that so crystal clear. The fact I'm STILL learning new things about this game, one of my all time favorites, is a testament to SH2 as a true piece of art.
Legend goes: They actually asked him to and he just flatly gave them the " i dont feel like it. I just want to be left alone: When they opened the recording room door he was gone
Right after the opening, " you've been here before" I looked at the scenery where you filmed this and realized, "holy shit?! I actually have been there before!" One of my favorite hikes when I lived there. Great video, as always!
I loved this game when it came out. Now, since my spouse passed away following a long painful illness where I was her caretaker, it hits waaaay differently.
Cute is not a word i expected! I always thought Born From a Wish felt more melancholic and "empty" compared to the main game, the sound design and the music help a lot in that regard, since Maria doesn't have a radio we hear an anxiety inducing music. Then there's the gun sound after talking to Ernest, the screams when Amy died, her ghost speaking to Maria, etc. The small details are also amazing, like the fact that there was only one bullet in the revolver at the start, hinting at Maria's intentions.
Lmao kind of surprised you went from shit talking Yamaoka's music on stream to praising it in this retrospective. That disrespect completely put me off from watching your channel for months. Glad you're taking the time to give him his flowers now at the very least.
@ I’m willing to give her the benefit of the doubt bc I love her videos, for a while she was my favorite creator on youtube. I just found that, as well as her other silent hill coverage prior to the retrospectives to be very off putting and lame
Never played the og sh2 but the remake came out during my divorce and although I didn’t kill my partner i definitely understand James guilt and an entire game based off confronting the truama of losing your partner has had an impact on me. This game left so much of an impression I decided to get a pyramid head tattoo. Thank you for your awesome video, suzi!!!
Play the OG trilogy, ASAP. They're easy to find for free, on PC. The demake does not compare to the original. It has all the modern AAA gaming cancers imaginable
The remake is a great first way of experiencing the game in my opinion however I'd still recommend playing the og when you get the chance alongside the other team silent games.
the intro in 4;3 , the color of the filter, the outfit referencing the y2k era, all details that realy raises the quality of this video. Im a art director for games and i have to say that details like this are usually what i look for in great artists to hire. really nice content and i appreciate your effort a lot.
Silent Hill 2 is my favorite game of all. It changed me. Like, seriously, if I made a timeline of my life as a person "Played Silent Hill 2" would be a big highlight of my early years. I will NEVER get tired of playing it or watching videos about it. Thanks for the gift, Susie! Merry Christmas!
Plot twist: The shiba is the dog Eddie killed out of rage for trapping everyone in Silent Hill, and that's why the dog ending in NG+ happens early in the game... In all seriousness, though, I kinda feel like the lack of a clear canon ending would be the most narratively cohesive interpretation, ironically. The constant use of nonlinear aspects in the story and the way different endings almost seem to have different versions of the same characters kinda feels like it would be tarnished in some way by giving it a final, definite true end. It feels like a game where you're supposed to find "your" ending and that's why playstyle completely changes what you get. Edit: Also, the whole "beating Pyramid Head by not attacking" schtick kinda seems like it really doesn't fit with the idea that punishment is ultimately necessary or "deserved".
Great video analysis. This game deserves a discussion this good. Love how these videos are uploaded in true 4:3 aspect. Can watch them on my old gaming monitor without any black bars.
That Mary dialogue in the hall has to be one of the most heart breaking things I've ever heard from a video game back in the day. The performance she gave was untouchable.
I apologize if this comes off as weird, but I've had countless online classess, audio books and consumed a ton of audio media that makes me fall asleeep and I can safely say you're such a good narrator and you handle your voice so well I watched the entire video twice and absolutely loved it, thank you so much for the amazing content. It's truly remarkable and enjoyable from beginning to end.
I just finished OG Silent Hill 2 about a week ago, replayed it today and got another ending. I’m already halfway through another playthrough and decided to take a break until tomorrow, awesome timing!
25:20 is the single best reaction to walking in on a monster. No gasp, no blurting out something like "What the fuck?" Or a scream, he just immediately tried to nope the hell out lmao
One of the best retrospectives of a game I’ve ever seen on this platform. Gene’s cameo and contribution was also well done and fitting. Keep up the amazing work!
I feel the like the loop theory works with the remake. As you occasionally come across locations directly from the OG Silent Hill 2, it's almost like the new town was built directly over the old town and you see remnants of the original popping through. They aren't separate realities, it's the same looping forever.
@@jamesquiggins They're not though, they make it really apparent with things like the photos spelling out "you've been here for two decades" that it's really blatantly canon.
When I was in high school, my grandmother came to stay with us in her final days. We were close when I was growing up, so the whole situation was understandably sad, but pleasant at first. As time went on, she started losing her mental facilities, due to her illness and a side effect of the medication she was taking to dull her pain. I'm in my thirties now, and I still remember that time as the worst in my life. In a matter of weeks I went from chatting with her in her room to basically hiding in mine while trying not to think about what she was going through while also wishing it would stop. It was hard on everyone on the house, especially my mom, but my grandmother stayed there in the house until the end. I helped turn her over about a week before she passed away, and the things my grandmother said still linger in the back of my mind all these years later. I was devastated when she died, but part of me was relieved that it was all over. I felt guilty for that relief for a long time because while her passing did mean her suffering was over, I can't deny that I wanted my life back too like James did. As the years went on, I still felt guilty. But in time, I realized I felt so much pain because I was letting the last few months of her life override everything that came before then. Yes, seeing her go through that was traumatic and I've never forgotten it, but the pain was so immense because I loved her. When I remembered her for who she was and not how she died, I think I began to truly move on. Regardless of what James' fate is, I find it tragic that he let Mary's illness destroy him. Even though he murdered her, I don't think she wanted his life to be ruined. That being said, he was wrong to kill her, but I think I understand how he felt: trapped and wanting the suffering to end. Oof, was not expecting to get this deep barely an hour into Christmas. I hope everyone has a wonderful day! Appreciate your loved ones, and spread good will!
The story of SH2 is so well known, but can we appreciate for a moment what a good mystery hook, "Man receives letter from his dead wife inviting him to a cursed town" is? I was twenty years old when I played this game for the first time and I was absolutely obsessed from moment one with solving this game's mysteries. One of the few games that I have 100%'ed. I saw every possible ending. And that hook is what started it all.
1:02:05 Huh, I instantly took that as "she died one week after she turned eight" given James wife died three years ago and the two knew each other AND had just mentioned Laura's 8th birthday in her dying letter, and since she was so young/innocent, she doesn't see the nightmares of silent hill. I mean, why else is she even there, unsupervised in a decaying/molding/hazardous town other than she had a bond with Marry and "went with her" since she died a week after Marry. We may see them "walking out of town" at the end, but we never see where they end up, maybe she went to heaven and James was released from hell
Excellent analysis, I don't generally seek out videos "explaining" the more thought provoking stories that I like but as a fan of your channel I couldn't let the SH2 video pass by. The whole water/drowning aesthetic to areas and the game, I hadn't noticed that before or thought too much about it beyond general rot and gross vibes. I liked the on-location filming! Thanks to Gene Park for his own words and perspective!
You did so wonderfully, Suzi. Silent Hill 2 may be one of my favorite works of art ever. I discovered it after my mom passed away when i was 15. It really became a way for me to slowly process my grief, but also warned me of the many lethal ways it can consume me. In a weird way, even tho I think In Water is the ending that makes the most sense to me, the game may have saved my life. I made it to live to be 32, significantly longer than I ever expected. Thank you for this video, Suzi
Such a huge amount of love put into this video. One of my all time favorite games. Also wow, it was today I learned about the detail of Mary's letter getting blanked out. Never thought to check it at that point. Great work as always, Suzi!
When I originally played the ps2 version I was still a kid and I got the leave ending. I remember feeling so scared of the monsters and the otherworldly feel of the atmosphere. Now that I am an adult I am even more scared knowing the true monster was inside all along. To me the biggest accomplishments of the game are how it evokes all of these sad and depressing feelings and how it brings so many philosophical questions, a game that makes you think about it so deep even after so many years has got to be a game well done.
You always go above and beyond for these videos and the result is always truly amazing, having Gene give us insight into Mary's perspective was such a good touch.
I've read somewhere that the corpse outside Baldwin mansion is Ernest himself when he tried getting the last object needed for the ritual to resurrect her daughter.
Why would his corpse be on the front entrance to the mansion, rather than the back which leads to the Wood Side Apartment where the White Chrism is located?
An amazing video, I hope to see you cover the remake in the future and contrast it with the original. And shoutout to my boy Gene, I knew it was him when you hinted to the fan of SH2.
I think Leave is the true ending and all the instances of water throughout the game is the town warning him what his fate will be if he doesn’t come to terms with what he did
I like the timeloop theory, especially in the remake. I think that 'Leave' is the end of the loop, fitting with Buddhist concepts of Samsara/Karma. James will relive Silent Hill over and over again, but it isn't an eternal punishment without end. It's possible to transcend the cycle of samsara
Leave ending is also the most plausible after James saw what became of Eddie (Maria Ending) and Angela (In Water Ending), for him to take the same decision as either of them. Leave represents his willingness not to fall in delusions like Eddie, while also not wanting to take the "easy way out" like Angela.
I finally got to play the remake of this game and honestly it hit a little too close to home for me. Minus the wife killing and horrible monsters My gf is very sick with Lupus among other things. I been with her for the last 3 years or so and lot of the things Mary says and does my gf would do Down to the “i wish i were dead” and the pushing her loved ones away but doesn’t actually mean it due to said pain. When i actually got into this game it was very much as if my life got turned into a game with some horror additions. I don’t want to kill my gf but she for sure wants to die And would prefer it as shes been dealing with this condition for well over a decade and has tried everything under the sun regarding medications and none have worked. I will say, though seeing her suffer like that does take a massive toll and only wish I could help her more
For some reason when I play the silent hill games I get a comfortable feeling. I don’t even feel scared it’s just a vibe ig. Like i remember playing the first game at 6AM and it was cloudy that day and cold and for some reason that day is a day I will always remember. Silent hill holds a special place in my heart
The invisible man is the scariest thing to me, the unknown. It’s so unsettling in a walking alone at night and you always feel like someone is right over your shoulder.
I heard the room angela is seen for the final time doesn't exist according to the map. I heard Mary's voice actress actually cried reading the lines for the full version of the letter at end of game
Your reviews of horror games are always a treat. SH2 was such a great game when it came out. Atmosphere was incredible, and the music really gave you a sense of tension.
I spend two months in the hospital for covid... one in a coma in a respirator, and other in in a hospital bed, attached to countless machines. My girlfriend was at my side all the time, she is now my wife. I never recover at full, my voice was damaged by the respirator, my body is full of scars. But the most important part is that her presence healed my soul, and we move on... there is no other way to go but forward.
I was one of those unfortunate kids growing up that never caught the orbit of Silent Hill 2. I could've experienced it, my mom was fine with me playing games like RE4 and Doom 3 and so on. But, at the time, Silent Hill was somewhat niche. No one ever talked about it and i never saw much other than in the occasional game informer. I did have the movie. And loved it. But even so, it just never crossed my mind to pick up a copy of SH2. So, i wound up not playing it until about a year after Homecoming came out. I got it for cheap on 360. It was fine, but i never got very far. Then i got my hands on the HD collection. I made it as far as the apartments and pyramid heads first appearance. But stopped because i just couldn't get into. Then, Downpour came along. I actually enjoyed it enough to beat it. So, i always longed to experience SH2 but it became so ungodly expensive it wasn't worth it. And on top of that, i just don't think i could get past the controls (id tried RE code Veronica and gave after five minutes). So imagine my surprise when the remake was revealed. Finally, i could experience the masterpiece story without paying an arm and a leg, and it'd have the modern controls i grew up with and accustomed to. I was worried it might cut or alter things like RE3 remake. Or dumb down the very complex story. (I still watched various RUclips videos on SH2s lore and story) But, luckily, it didn't change anything in a substantial way. So i finally got to experience SH2. And, as a 30 yr old that's a modern Resident Evil pro (everything from RE4 og to modern day. I have every platinum trophy), SH2 remake is quite literally the first game I've ever played that made me exhausted. This game is so fucking adept at creating isolation, tension, and desperation, that i was tired by the time it finished. And i think that speaks to how unabashedly powerful it's storytelling is. Because none of it would work without James' story. The sound design, level design, enemy design, gameplay design, it all works together to create, imo, a holy unique experience. For example, every single time i beat a resident evil game, i was instantly ready to jump back in. I haven't touched SH2 remake since i beat it on launch week. But that's not a bad thing. It's that the game got to me in such a profound way. It genuinely is a rollercoaster of every negative emotion, and it doesn't stop. It forces u into the face of itself. And so, SH2 is easily one of the absolute best survival horror games I've ever played. But i don't think i can revisit it again for some time.
First of all, both the HD Collection AND the recent DEmake suck ass. No ofs, no buts, they are TERRIBLE. If you have ANY kind of computer made since the Windows XP days, you could easily play the brilliant PC port + the ENHANCED EDITION mod, for FREE. Or just emulate the PS2 originals. But make no mistake: the notorious 2010 HD ports AND the 2024 clusterfuck of an UE5 de-make are NOT the SH2 people love and praise to this day. The latter especially is exactly the "RE4 style" cancer EVERYONE loathed back in the late 00s, with likes of the SH:HC and DP. Snoy just managed to normalize that crap with their annual movie games, ie TLOU... Last bith of fan rant: the Movie is god awful travesty. Forget everything about it, and play the SH1, ASAP.
@@GugureSux that's not u being a fan. That's u being a gatekeeper. I shared my experience with the franchise. And u mimicking Michael does life doesn't make u superior. It makes u insufferable.
@@Jokah_baybee didn't have a PC as a kid. Actually, I didn't have a PC capable of even running games until this year. But at some point, I plan to. I gotta learn how to emulate anyway for various games like fable 2 lol
@@GugureSuxpretty sure about everyone from re4 onwards loves the re4 style camera and gameplay. Which is probably why they still use it today. I personally prefer the older styles. it’s really not fair or accurate to say what you did.
I wish I could Re-experience this game for the first time again. Playing it that first time was one of the most incredible things, and no game really ever hit quite as hard after that
Thank you for the awesome retrospective of original SH2 and the heartfelt perspective from Gene at the end! early on, when watching/listening to the video while work working, i felt unnerved and creeped out by your delivery, like a ghost story I'm an audience to while someone was watching behind me. And then halfway toward the end, it felt more relaxed when the truth of the story started coming out and we were nearing the end of James' tale.
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my biggest mistake is making a comment in your videos and my comments doesn't get attention
Thanks for the video Suzi!
How are RE remakes
They pay you good?
Yeh it's true love between me and you 💝 silent hill2
“you look just like my wife Susan… i mean, you could be her twin!”
“my name is Suzie.”
“And i am not a woman”
@@yuriscynicism yes we get it you learned suzie is trans and feel the need to validate your beliefs by exposing this to everyone
No one actually cares
@@yuriscynicism no one cares about your beliefs
@@yuriscynicism snowflake
@@yuriscynicism Dr. Vibe Killer over here
Perfect video to watch while eating pizza 🍕
You!!!!!???? AGAIN WITH THE PIZZA
🍕🍕❓❓❓
what does that even mean
How can you just sit there?!
Literally threw one in the oven before clicking on the video
4:3 aspect ratio 🤌🏼
I thought there was an issue, since it only ever goes back to this ratio when I watch old RUclips videos,. When I realized it was intentional, ngl nice touch.
The spooky ratio. 😮
Love wasting a third of my screen...jk
Patrician ratio 🧐🎩
I'm glad we aren't stuck in the past lol. I don't miss my CRT lol
I like the idea the Laura is just a normal little girl who went to Silent Hill to follow Mary to her "quiet place" and since she didn't have any trauma/guilt, the town is normal and not full of monsters for her.
"Art should disturb the comfortable, and comfort the disturbed."
Silent Hill 2 is one of those things I can point to and go, "Okay, that quote? Whoever said that, they were fuckin' talkin' about THIS."
I can't effectively put into words how reading this made me feel. It's one of those things that you internally KNOW deep in the fibers of your entire being, but it only really REALLY becomes a tangible concept that you're aware of consciously when someone points it out. It was very much a "Yeah that tracks," sort of experience I had as I read that.
That quote gives "im 15 and this is deep" vibes lmao
@@ThwipThwipBoom it's a little more profund if you think it in terms of politics
this is one of my favorite quotes
--"Dr. César A. Cruz" apparently
@@ThwipThwipBoom do you just enjoy shit at all?
"If that were true, then why do you look so sad?". Nothing speaks to my heart on such a personal level like Silent Hill 2. The true horror and sorrow of that game is how all of us are prone to experience the same complex emotions as James Sunderland. Sickness taking away a loved one at such a young age is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
I lost the first love of my life when we were oh so young and it is a particular type of agony that mere words will never be able to describe. I hope your heart has somewhat healed brother. Keep your head up alright
Love your doom mod videos and the panicked Spanglish therein, man! Sorry to read about your rough experience. I had to go through the same thing as a teenager.
That response and James's lines prior to that are some of my favorite parts of the Leave ending.
Hearing James admit his failings as a caretaker in how much he came to hate his dying wife and how that resentment may have led to his murder of her (especially when he acknowledges how Mary didn't want to die despite how she wanted the pain to end).
A neat detail is how different his admission here is from In Water where he only admits "some part of him hated her" instead of the full truth where he "hated her".
This distinction leads to the main difference between the two endings; despite fully confessing to his resentment, she can tell there is still love there by her simple question to him and seeing how sad he was during his honest admission as compared to how she reacts to his partial admission in the In Water ending.
2 is such a timeless work of art that perfectly captures the complex emotions one may experience when dealing with a loved one dying too soon.
The 4:3 aspect ratio, the Maria outfit, and the 90s filter. Man this was incredible.
Facts
One of my favorite details about this game is the long hallway with the memory of Mary lamenting about her condition and telling James to leave her alone. The most interesting detail is that if you simply enter the hallway, walk to the other end, and immediately go through the door, you will not hear the part where she breaks down, wanting him to be there even though she was pushing him away. You have to stop and not progress if you want to see that element of the story.
The developers made the hallway just long enough for the standard walking speed to get you through it in the exact amount of time to get one very negative image of Mary treating James poorly. It definitely creates a split in the audience's perception of Mary and of James.
What a great game!
I love that we’re in the Suzi silent hill retrospective era
Considering a remake just came out, it makes perfect sense for Suzi to be making Silent Hill-related content.
Love it!
Me too can't wait for SH3
I've been waiting so long!!
On survivor/caretaker issues:
Its not just loved ones that are dying. Its also permanently crippled loved ones, mentally handicapped loved ones. No one cares how much you suffer because surely they are suffering more? And you yourself internalize this. You feel guilt and pain at wanting your own life back. For even entertaining the option that frees you. You think about how much of a mercy it would be for both of you for them to pass away and no longer suffer. And if youre a reasonable person you immediately feel like shit for thinking that.
Its no win, and youre on your own. Because your not the one dying. Youre not the handicapped one. Suck it up.
And it does things to you. Your mental state. Your self worth. Things youll never be comfortable approaching anyone about.
I feel this so hard. Thanks for making this comment, because I am too engulfed with shame and guilt to even say anything about it.
I think Gene's contribution to this video was my favorite part, because it made me think deeply about the relationship between my mother and my sister. I lost my mother to cancer when I was very young, and my sister was doing online schooling at the time for health reasons, so she was spending a lot of time with our mother.
My sister has such different feelings toward our late mother than I do because she experienced all of the horrible aspects of being a caregiver, and she experienced that as a high school freshman. Our mom even once responded to my sister complaining about feeling sick from chronic illness by saying "I'm dying of cancer, Alyssa."
The explanation that chemo causes roid rage put everything into context about how helpless both my mother and my sister felt during that time. I think I've gotten more empathy toward my sister from mentally placing her in James' shoes.
This video was fantastic. Thank you.
"to choose his own death is the prisoners last taste of freedom" combined with the "in water" ending. I never made that connection in all these years before! Great analysis!
Typical Suzi , just cosplaying next to a road in a Dutch Angle.
She's reporting live on location on the road leading to Silent Hill. It's not cosplaying, its hard hitting journalism.
@@arcturionblade1077 she's covered wars, y'know?
I cannot believe it took me this long to realize that the position of James dead cloned body in front of the static filled TV you encounter just after seeing Pyramid Head for the first time is staged similar to James's slumped position in the hotel after seeing the video tape. You always discover more in best made games.
I always thought it was interesting that the moment Angela gives you the knife, Pyramid Head carries the great knife.
The Great knife is actually one part of a pair of scissors!
o_o I legit never put that together! Oh wow, the timing and circumstances line up too well to be a coincidence or oversight by the writers. Good eye!
@theshowdown9355 It is. They actually reference it in the remake where you can enter the hair cutting salon. There's a note with a pair of scissors on it saying something like "I keep hearing that scraping noise".
I love how Silent Hill is meant to be a resort town people go to on holiday, yet we only ever see the place as a twisted nightmare world that psychologically tortures everyone who shows up.
Because the protags dont see the real world
i remember waiting for this video to drop like 4 years ago.... merry christmas suzi and thank you for the early christmas present ;A;
I freakin love how much the dialogue feels like something you'd find in Twin Peaks, one of those touches in the direction that speaks to my soul lol
Guys will literally buy an m65 field coat and look for their dead wife instead of going to therapy
THE 4:3 ASPECT RATIO??? Queen shit right here 🖤🖤
Hey Susie, have you seen my wife? I got a letter from her.
I think I saw her a while back, it was in this foggy town in the middle of nowhere.
I understand that reference.
Maybe that one Maria lady knows 🤔
Check your backseat
What? Anyways. Have you seen a little girl? Short, black hair, just turned seven years old
You perfectly analyzed so many details I'd never fully realized before. Especially all the references to James' fate being "In Water", and how the Rebirth ending is likely the start of his perpetual torment and Maria manifesting in his version of Silent Hill. It's clear how much this game means to you, as it does to so many of us. Amazing work Suzie!
Dude Suzie you knocked it out of the park with this one, you had so many insights that I never even thought of for this game, amazing
the 2000 vibe is strong with this one. masterpiece
Facts
The woman who voiced Major in GITS, as well as Mary/Maria in the SH2 HD collection, is named Mary Elizabeth McGlynn. All those female vocals from the SH3 OST onwards were performed by her after she was handpicked by Akira Yamaoka. As you have teased at the very end of the video!
Okay so I’m only 0:48 in and already I can tell this is quality that deserves to be watched not listened to in the background. So I’ll save this for later
SPOILERS:
I have always interpreted Leave and In Water as the two "true" endings, and based on my times playing it as a kid and re-watching it as an adult I have always seen Leave as my cannon ending. It's wild I never considered that Mary's passing WASN'T 3 years in the past, and somehow your video made it that so crystal clear. The fact I'm STILL learning new things about this game, one of my all time favorites, is a testament to SH2 as a true piece of art.
Jeez, look at that runtime.
Suzi wasn't making a RUclips video,
she was making a damn movie.
And glad we are for it. 😁
@@RuSosan hell yeah!
They had the voice of the "Resident Evil" and missed the opportunity to have him say "Silent Hill TWO." 🤭
Legend goes: They actually asked him to and he just flatly gave them the " i dont feel like it. I just want to be left alone:
When they opened the recording room door he was gone
Right after the opening, " you've been here before" I looked at the scenery where you filmed this and realized, "holy shit?! I actually have been there before!" One of my favorite hikes when I lived there.
Great video, as always!
I loved this game when it came out. Now, since my spouse passed away following a long painful illness where I was her caretaker, it hits waaaay differently.
The hospital squeal! I feel like the only OG fan that even acknowledges that specific noise!
Cute is not a word i expected! I always thought Born From a Wish felt more melancholic and "empty" compared to the main game, the sound design and the music help a lot in that regard, since Maria doesn't have a radio we hear an anxiety inducing music. Then there's the gun sound after talking to Ernest, the screams when Amy died, her ghost speaking to Maria, etc.
The small details are also amazing, like the fact that there was only one bullet in the revolver at the start, hinting at Maria's intentions.
Not just Maria's, but _Mary's_ as well... (if you're willing to delve that deep in interpretation).
Lmao kind of surprised you went from shit talking Yamaoka's music on stream to praising it in this retrospective. That disrespect completely put me off from watching your channel for months. Glad you're taking the time to give him his flowers now at the very least.
She says that was a joke that was taken out of context
@ I’m willing to give her the benefit of the doubt bc I love her videos, for a while she was my favorite creator on youtube. I just found that, as well as her other silent hill coverage prior to the retrospectives to be very off putting and lame
*Me after watching TheSphereHunter Silent Hill 2 Retrospective:* "Suzi, you made me happy".
Never played the og sh2 but the remake came out during my divorce and although I didn’t kill my partner i definitely understand James guilt and an entire game based off confronting the truama of losing your partner has had an impact on me. This game left so much of an impression I decided to get a pyramid head tattoo. Thank you for your awesome video, suzi!!!
Play the OG trilogy, ASAP.
They're easy to find for free, on PC.
The demake does not compare to the original. It has all the modern AAA gaming cancers imaginable
Play the original but dont pay attention to Gugure
@@GugureSuxrelax lmfao
The remake is a great first way of experiencing the game in my opinion however I'd still recommend playing the og when you get the chance alongside the other team silent games.
@@GugureSuxabsolute delusion
Every time James says “leave us both the hell alone”
I can’t help but to think of hearing as if one of the creators of South Park was voicing him
the intro in 4;3 , the color of the filter, the outfit referencing the y2k era, all details that realy raises the quality of this video. Im a art director for games and i have to say that details like this are usually what i look for in great artists to hire. really nice content and i appreciate your effort a lot.
Silent Hill 2 is my favorite game of all. It changed me. Like, seriously, if I made a timeline of my life as a person "Played Silent Hill 2" would be a big highlight of my early years. I will NEVER get tired of playing it or watching videos about it.
Thanks for the gift, Susie! Merry Christmas!
Plot twist: The shiba is the dog Eddie killed out of rage for trapping everyone in Silent Hill, and that's why the dog ending in NG+ happens early in the game...
In all seriousness, though, I kinda feel like the lack of a clear canon ending would be the most narratively cohesive interpretation, ironically. The constant use of nonlinear aspects in the story and the way different endings almost seem to have different versions of the same characters kinda feels like it would be tarnished in some way by giving it a final, definite true end. It feels like a game where you're supposed to find "your" ending and that's why playstyle completely changes what you get.
Edit: Also, the whole "beating Pyramid Head by not attacking" schtick kinda seems like it really doesn't fit with the idea that punishment is ultimately necessary or "deserved".
Great video analysis. This game deserves a discussion this good. Love how these videos are uploaded in true 4:3 aspect. Can watch them on my old gaming monitor without any black bars.
Silent Hill 2 trying not to be the most peak video game experience in all of existence challenge (impossible).
That Mary dialogue in the hall has to be one of the most heart breaking things I've ever heard from a video game back in the day. The performance she gave was untouchable.
As a girl named Robbie, hearing Suzi say "Hey Robbie! Did you ever find out who stole your data?" certainly caught my attention lol
I love how cinematic You make these videos. Keep up the great work!
I apologize if this comes off as weird, but I've had countless online classess, audio books and consumed a ton of audio media that makes me fall asleeep and I can safely say you're such a good narrator and you handle your voice so well I watched the entire video twice and absolutely loved it, thank you so much for the amazing content. It's truly remarkable and enjoyable from beginning to end.
Loving this series :)) I love the late night host vibes you're giving
I just finished OG Silent Hill 2 about a week ago, replayed it today and got another ending. I’m already halfway through another playthrough and decided to take a break until tomorrow, awesome timing!
What a treat just in time for Christmas. Thank you.
So after watching this and currently in a caretaker role…. This hit hard. Thank you. In my restless dreams, I see that town.
1:08:52
TWO MORE SOULS TO THE CALL
FOR ALL
IN SILENCE COMES
Omg love the Shape Forces the Mind ref at the end there. Great work Suzi.
25:20 is the single best reaction to walking in on a monster. No gasp, no blurting out something like "What the fuck?" Or a scream, he just immediately tried to nope the hell out lmao
The people driving by are wondering why Christina Aguilera is talking to a camera there.
One of the best retrospectives of a game I’ve ever seen on this platform. Gene’s cameo and contribution was also well done and fitting. Keep up the amazing work!
I feel the like the loop theory works with the remake. As you occasionally come across locations directly from the OG Silent Hill 2, it's almost like the new town was built directly over the old town and you see remnants of the original popping through. They aren't separate realities, it's the same looping forever.
They're just little easter egg nods to the original.
@@jamesquiggins They're not though, they make it really apparent with things like the photos spelling out "you've been here for two decades" that it's really blatantly canon.
When I was in high school, my grandmother came to stay with us in her final days. We were close when I was growing up, so the whole situation was understandably sad, but pleasant at first.
As time went on, she started losing her mental facilities, due to her illness and a side effect of the medication she was taking to dull her pain. I'm in my thirties now, and I still remember that time as the worst in my life. In a matter of weeks I went from chatting with her in her room to basically hiding in mine while trying not to think about what she was going through while also wishing it would stop.
It was hard on everyone on the house, especially my mom, but my grandmother stayed there in the house until the end. I helped turn her over about a week before she passed away, and the things my grandmother said still linger in the back of my mind all these years later.
I was devastated when she died, but part of me was relieved that it was all over. I felt guilty for that relief for a long time because while her passing did mean her suffering was over, I can't deny that I wanted my life back too like James did.
As the years went on, I still felt guilty. But in time, I realized I felt so much pain because I was letting the last few months of her life override everything that came before then. Yes, seeing her go through that was traumatic and I've never forgotten it, but the pain was so immense because I loved her. When I remembered her for who she was and not how she died, I think I began to truly move on.
Regardless of what James' fate is, I find it tragic that he let Mary's illness destroy him. Even though he murdered her, I don't think she wanted his life to be ruined. That being said, he was wrong to kill her, but I think I understand how he felt: trapped and wanting the suffering to end.
Oof, was not expecting to get this deep barely an hour into Christmas. I hope everyone has a wonderful day! Appreciate your loved ones, and spread good will!
The story of SH2 is so well known, but can we appreciate for a moment what a good mystery hook, "Man receives letter from his dead wife inviting him to a cursed town" is? I was twenty years old when I played this game for the first time and I was absolutely obsessed from moment one with solving this game's mysteries. One of the few games that I have 100%'ed. I saw every possible ending. And that hook is what started it all.
1:02:05
Huh, I instantly took that as "she died one week after she turned eight" given James wife died three years ago and the two knew each other AND had just mentioned Laura's 8th birthday in her dying letter, and since she was so young/innocent, she doesn't see the nightmares of silent hill. I mean, why else is she even there, unsupervised in a decaying/molding/hazardous town other than she had a bond with Marry and "went with her" since she died a week after Marry. We may see them "walking out of town" at the end, but we never see where they end up, maybe she went to heaven and James was released from hell
Excellent analysis, I don't generally seek out videos "explaining" the more thought provoking stories that I like but as a fan of your channel I couldn't let the SH2 video pass by. The whole water/drowning aesthetic to areas and the game, I hadn't noticed that before or thought too much about it beyond general rot and gross vibes. I liked the on-location filming!
Thanks to Gene Park for his own words and perspective!
You did so wonderfully, Suzi. Silent Hill 2 may be one of my favorite works of art ever. I discovered it after my mom passed away when i was 15. It really became a way for me to slowly process my grief, but also warned me of the many lethal ways it can consume me. In a weird way, even tho I think In Water is the ending that makes the most sense to me, the game may have saved my life. I made it to live to be 32, significantly longer than I ever expected. Thank you for this video, Suzi
I still listen to the SH2 soundtrack alot. Its so good
I listened to series OST possibly too much, having CD's and willing to spend some money on vinyl
Been waiting for this video for years, and I was not disappointed. Awesome job Suzi
Youve come so far in production value! While others have gone to poop
Such a huge amount of love put into this video. One of my all time favorite games. Also wow, it was today I learned about the detail of Mary's letter getting blanked out. Never thought to check it at that point. Great work as always, Suzi!
When I originally played the ps2 version I was still a kid and I got the leave ending. I remember feeling so scared of the monsters and the otherworldly feel of the atmosphere. Now that I am an adult I am even more scared knowing the true monster was inside all along. To me the biggest accomplishments of the game are how it evokes all of these sad and depressing feelings and how it brings so many philosophical questions, a game that makes you think about it so deep even after so many years has got to be a game well done.
You always go above and beyond for these videos and the result is always truly amazing, having Gene give us insight into Mary's perspective was such a good touch.
I've read somewhere that the corpse outside Baldwin mansion is Ernest himself when he tried getting the last object needed for the ritual to resurrect her daughter.
Why would his corpse be on the front entrance to the mansion, rather than the back which leads to the Wood Side Apartment where the White Chrism is located?
An amazing video, I hope to see you cover the remake in the future and contrast it with the original.
And shoutout to my boy Gene, I knew it was him when you hinted to the fan of SH2.
I think Leave is the true ending and all the instances of water throughout the game is the town warning him what his fate will be if he doesn’t come to terms with what he did
I like the timeloop theory, especially in the remake. I think that 'Leave' is the end of the loop, fitting with Buddhist concepts of Samsara/Karma. James will relive Silent Hill over and over again, but it isn't an eternal punishment without end. It's possible to transcend the cycle of samsara
Leave ending is also the most plausible after James saw what became of Eddie (Maria Ending) and Angela (In Water Ending), for him to take the same decision as either of them. Leave represents his willingness not to fall in delusions like Eddie, while also not wanting to take the "easy way out" like Angela.
@ YES!! I say this all the time as well!! In Water is totally redundant to the warning that is Angela’s story! You and I are twins 😍
Its leave, as this is is the ending in the OG book SH is based of
@@Langtw The timeloop can also be allegorical for players replaying the game which is a cool thought
Your videos are an antidote to boredom! Thanks for the cool content and Merry Christmas!🍻🤘
I finally got to play the remake of this game and honestly it hit a little too close to home for me. Minus the wife killing and horrible monsters
My gf is very sick with Lupus among other things. I been with her for the last 3 years or so and lot of the things Mary says and does my gf would do
Down to the “i wish i were dead” and the pushing her loved ones away but doesn’t actually mean it due to said pain. When i actually got into this game it was very much as if my life got turned into a game with some horror additions.
I don’t want to kill my gf but she for sure wants to die
And would prefer it as shes been dealing with this condition for well over a decade and has tried everything under the sun regarding medications and none have worked. I will say, though seeing her suffer like that does take a massive toll and only wish I could help her more
Gotta love game reviews that look like a documentary
Playing the remake after replaying the original and now this video? Sweet.
This video made working so close to Christmas actually enjoyable
Ahhh, new video about Silent Hill, what a LOVELY day!
I've never played Silent Hill 2, but now I will :D
Great video, thanks!
For some reason when I play the silent hill games I get a comfortable feeling. I don’t even feel scared it’s just a vibe ig. Like i remember playing the first game at 6AM and it was cloudy that day and cold and for some reason that day is a day I will always remember. Silent hill holds a special place in my heart
The invisible man is the scariest thing to me, the unknown. It’s so unsettling in a walking alone at night and you always feel like someone is right over your shoulder.
I heard the room angela is seen for the final time doesn't exist according to the map. I heard Mary's voice actress actually cried reading the lines for the full version of the letter at end of game
I love the use of ADR throughout the video to add that dreamlike effect. Perfect use of it!
Your reviews of horror games are always a treat.
SH2 was such a great game when it came out. Atmosphere was incredible, and the music really gave you a sense of tension.
Oh wow the best person ever is doing a retrospective on silent hill 2, thank you
Welcome back to the World of survival horror
I spend two months in the hospital for covid... one in a coma in a respirator, and other in in a hospital bed, attached to countless machines. My girlfriend was at my side all the time, she is now my wife. I never recover at full, my voice was damaged by the respirator, my body is full of scars. But the most important part is that her presence healed my soul, and we move on... there is no other way to go but forward.
I was one of those unfortunate kids growing up that never caught the orbit of Silent Hill 2.
I could've experienced it, my mom was fine with me playing games like RE4 and Doom 3 and so on.
But, at the time, Silent Hill was somewhat niche. No one ever talked about it and i never saw much other than in the occasional game informer. I did have the movie. And loved it. But even so, it just never crossed my mind to pick up a copy of SH2.
So, i wound up not playing it until about a year after Homecoming came out. I got it for cheap on 360. It was fine, but i never got very far.
Then i got my hands on the HD collection. I made it as far as the apartments and pyramid heads first appearance. But stopped because i just couldn't get into.
Then, Downpour came along. I actually enjoyed it enough to beat it.
So, i always longed to experience SH2 but it became so ungodly expensive it wasn't worth it. And on top of that, i just don't think i could get past the controls (id tried RE code Veronica and gave after five minutes).
So imagine my surprise when the remake was revealed.
Finally, i could experience the masterpiece story without paying an arm and a leg, and it'd have the modern controls i grew up with and accustomed to.
I was worried it might cut or alter things like RE3 remake. Or dumb down the very complex story. (I still watched various RUclips videos on SH2s lore and story)
But, luckily, it didn't change anything in a substantial way.
So i finally got to experience SH2.
And, as a 30 yr old that's a modern Resident Evil pro (everything from RE4 og to modern day. I have every platinum trophy), SH2 remake is quite literally the first game I've ever played that made me exhausted.
This game is so fucking adept at creating isolation, tension, and desperation, that i was tired by the time it finished.
And i think that speaks to how unabashedly powerful it's storytelling is. Because none of it would work without James' story.
The sound design, level design, enemy design, gameplay design, it all works together to create, imo, a holy unique experience.
For example, every single time i beat a resident evil game, i was instantly ready to jump back in.
I haven't touched SH2 remake since i beat it on launch week.
But that's not a bad thing. It's that the game got to me in such a profound way. It genuinely is a rollercoaster of every negative emotion, and it doesn't stop. It forces u into the face of itself.
And so, SH2 is easily one of the absolute best survival horror games I've ever played. But i don't think i can revisit it again for some time.
Why not just emulated the OG?
First of all, both the HD Collection AND the recent DEmake suck ass. No ofs, no buts, they are TERRIBLE.
If you have ANY kind of computer made since the Windows XP days, you could easily play the brilliant PC port + the ENHANCED EDITION mod, for FREE.
Or just emulate the PS2 originals.
But make no mistake: the notorious 2010 HD ports AND the 2024 clusterfuck of an UE5 de-make are NOT the SH2 people love and praise to this day. The latter especially is exactly the "RE4 style" cancer EVERYONE loathed back in the late 00s, with likes of the SH:HC and DP. Snoy just managed to normalize that crap with their annual movie games, ie TLOU...
Last bith of fan rant: the Movie is god awful travesty. Forget everything about it, and play the SH1, ASAP.
@@GugureSux that's not u being a fan. That's u being a gatekeeper.
I shared my experience with the franchise. And u mimicking Michael does life doesn't make u superior. It makes u insufferable.
@@Jokah_baybee didn't have a PC as a kid. Actually, I didn't have a PC capable of even running games until this year.
But at some point, I plan to. I gotta learn how to emulate anyway for various games like fable 2 lol
@@GugureSuxpretty sure about everyone from re4 onwards loves the re4 style camera and gameplay. Which is probably why they still use it today. I personally prefer the older styles. it’s really not fair or accurate to say what you did.
I absolutely adore how your accent comes out randomly, but only for a single word and is never addressed. I appreciate it so much.
I wish I could Re-experience this game for the first time again. Playing it that first time was one of the most incredible things, and no game really ever hit quite as hard after that
Thanks for another masterpiece of a video Suzie 🙇🏽
Awesome a new silent hill video from Suzi.....
Has anyone noticed there's no actual Hills in Silent Hill?
Next you're gonna tell me there's no raccoons in Raccoon City.
@jojotheswede8444 my god!
Ths entire town is built in a hill, it's just a VERY large hill.
The Observation Deck where James begins his journey to the town is literally located on a hill overlooking Toluca Lake.
Thank you for the awesome retrospective of original SH2 and the heartfelt perspective from Gene at the end!
early on, when watching/listening to the video while work working, i felt unnerved and creeped out by your delivery, like a ghost story I'm an audience to while someone was watching behind me. And then halfway toward the end, it felt more relaxed when the truth of the story started coming out and we were nearing the end of James' tale.
There used to be a sphere here, it’s gone now.
That hour long video felt like a 20 minutes, loved the pacing
Oh my gosh San Andreas review coming soon 1:39:00
Such a great video! That interview you did hit me harder than I was expecting it.
Shattered memories…
loved the video suzi!! been watching you for years now, always happy to see when you dropped :)
Have you ever wondered if being stuck in the TV is your personal Silent Hill?
The camera shot, lighting, and exposure all make for that perfect ethereal look out of the 90s. You've really outdone yourself on this one!
“Mary loved james up until her very last breath.” Unintentionally poor choice of words gene