Silent Hill 2: SH Retrospective
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- Опубликовано: 16 окт 2019
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Here we are, back in that foggy little town. After the success of Silent Hill, Konami was quick to get the boys back together for another trip down to survival horror town, but things were a bit different this time around. In this game, we would not be dealing with the aftermath of the first game. Instead we have a spin off story, dealing with new characters. Can this side story rival or beat the first game? Let's find out.
-Contents
01:34 Intro
02:25 Story
14:18 Gameplay
21:35 Presentation
29:16 Xbox Port
33:19 PC Enhanced Port
36:49 Prototype Build
38:32 All Ports Compared
40:15 Audio
41:54 Conclusion
42:47 SH2 Is Overrated? 
Игры
As weird as it sounds, Silent Hill 2 reminds me of much happier times and the soundtrack is something that never leaves my music folder.
SH2 is one of the bleakest games I've ever played! lol But I getcha mate, nostalgia hits us right in the feels :)
SH2 probably has the best SH ost. 3 and 1 have good individual tracks and atmos, but SH2 has the whole package and many songs I can just listen to walking around like, Alone in the Town.
@@nillynush4899 they all have their highlights. Even origins and 4 have some nice tracks. I think the best track in the series is actually waiting for you from silent hill 4.
@@nillynush4899 I adore each game's soundtrack especially SH2-5 so i'm kinda biased.
This. I have the soundtrack on CD, Vinyl, and my smartphone.
Just beat this for the first time yesterday. I'm fucking 29 now. I can't believe it took me this long to play this masterpiece.
Alex Eich Same. I just beat this game around the beginning of this year. It was like therapy honestly.
Alex Eich I just beat it today! One of the best games ever
Alex Eich yoooo, I was 7 in 2001. This game is engraved in my brain.
Better late than never i guess
I'm 39, gonna beat it this year
This game was a fav of mine but its taken on new meaning to me.I am a widower my self,its been nearly 10 years now.Its not a 1 to 1 comparison,i didn't do anything bad like James but then,there are elements i identify with.
When i play this game,i don't see monsters attacking James,i see his own thoughts and feelings,his inner demons tormenting him.
I know you dont like diving into the unconfirmed stuff but, i do.
The nurses and the those things Pyramid head is...."doing things with" in his intro,thats an obvious one,the sexual frustration.
My wife was in a coma for some time and over time,sexual frustration was an issue,it wasnt just frustration,but guilt.How could i be thinking about those things at a time like this? And yet,you can't control some aspects of yourself,your body wants what it wants so i resorted to "adult" websites,not surprising i suppose.
But the main thing for me is another area we all know,that is Pyramid head being his tormentor,but really its his guilt isn't it? ,its unending and undying,to me at least,at least till he faces the truth of his sins.
I didn't do anything like James of course but i do have my own guilt.Its likely survivor guilt in my case but it torments me everyday.
To understand me i will get into some detail.Though my wife was in a coma,she didn't start that way.She was ill from pneumonia,i was too.
We were coughing and keeping each other awake so,she was wheezy too but thinking only good intentions i kissed her and told her i was going to sleep on the sofa,for her sake so she could get some better sleep,it did also mean i could sleep better too though.
And so we slept,but when i woke up i went to check on her,her wheezing was severely bad,so i woke her and immediately went to hospital.
When we got there,they put her on a breathing machine.I had enough medical training to know her o2 levels were bad.Whilst waiting she noticed i looked concerned but i lied,i told her everything was fine,even though i knew she wasn't.I wanted to tell her the truth but feared it'd make her feel more scared.
The doctors were growing increasingly concerned so decided to put her into a artificial coma.Just as she was going under,she was really afraid.We were the type of couple that joked about anything,even dark things,so i said "Well,you've been moaning at me you haven't slept in for awhile,now you've got no excuse",to which she let out a laugh.She smiled then fell asleep.
I didn't know it at the time but that would be the last thing she'd ever hear me say.
I made that dumb joke,trying to ease her mind instead of saying the truly important things.It nags at me every day,even now.
She had more complications afterwards,4 heart attacks and unfortunately brain damage from oxygen deprivation (from the heart attacks).She did wake up,much longer after she should have,but she was basically non-responsive,her eyes were open,but there was no one there,she couldn't move,speak or even realize i was there.She was like that for some time.
Just when i thought i'd lost hope,the docs said she might recover if given some more years.We were going to be in it for the long haul.
So she was moved to a standard ward,i'd visit everyday.
It wasn't always easy,it wasnt just sexual frustration,that was a prob but it was a distant one,no,the big prob was that i was losing hope again.
Its shames me to say it but there was one day where i actually said "I dont know if i can go see her again" and i had said it to my own father who was going to take me there is his car.He looked stunned,then disgusted....but i think it eventually dawned on him that the years of seeing her like that had taken its toll,grinded me down.He gave me a pep talk and in the end i did go see her.
But it tormented me that i had said it,i know people probably understand why,but i still feel guilt over it.
But thats not the worst part.A few months later i was awoken during the night,the hospital had tried phoning me but the house phone had died.So they contacted my parents,who then had drove over at 3 am throwing rocks at the window and shouting.
We made our way there,i knew what they were going to say.I hoped i was wrong.But i wasn't.
She'd died,had a brain bleed during the night,a complication of the brain damage she'd received.
I was obviously devastated,given hope she might recover and instead she was dead.It was unimaginable pain,i'd lost her and now i was left with a child to raise,alone,who was still young enough to not understand what death really meant.I desperately wanted her to recover and yet she was gone.But there was a dark thing in my mind,It was a small part of me,but it was there,that felt relief.Relief that,if she'd been aware but locked in a unresponsive body,that her suffering had ended.
But its a terrible thing to think and feel.Again,people might understand why,but i still feel guilt.
I still feel the same,my own "inner demons" torment me even now.Sometimes i dream a bitter sweet dream,where we are both together,she's alive and perhaps we make love or are just doing what families do,playing with our child.
But then i wake up.
It hurts every time,but i also get to be happy for a little bit,at seeing her again,if only in a dream.
In a way,i look forward to those dreams.Which is ironic,because i suffer with insomnia (likely psychologically based guilt at being asleep when the hospital rang)
Like i said its not a 1 to 1 comparison but a lot of things James feels,thinks or might be inferred to think from his actual demons means the story resonates more for me than most stories do.No doubt i imprint much of my own issues on to him too but still,i think SH2 is so popular because people empathize with him.
Anyways,sorry this is so long,felt kinda good getting my feelings down on a page.I do still carry all this baggage but as i said,it was 10 years ago,so don't worry,i can carry the burden and my kid makes life worth living so i do have a light in my life.I thought i'd share all this to highlight that stories can take us to many places and i share mine with you so that you realize whats important in life.
There are no promised tomorrows,so tell your loved ones you love them,try and live a life with few regrets and finally,even if he is just a character in a story based game,do as James and I did,when you need to,face your inner demons.
Like I’m Trying so fucking hard to read your comments...but the commercials keep fucking scrolling me back up
Thanks for sharing, very deep.
I can definitely see how you relate to James, these complex feelings are something that are hardly discussed: the deeper, darker thoughts that lurk inside, how they affect the loved ones of the terminally ill, and the guilt that comes from them. SH2 was such a refreshing and realistic take on how some deal with the pain of seeing someone they love suffer and the darker, hidden parts of it. I'm glad you found some solace in the game, that must be a heavy burden to carry. I wish you and your kid the best :)
You expect us to believe that?
My thanks you all for reading my post and your kinds words.Considering the length of the post i did not think anyone would read it and i normally don't share things about myself so wasn't sure if anyone would listen and felt kinda embarrassed to post in here again.Once more, thank you.
As for the guy who wrote "you expect us to believe that" i'm not sure why you would doubt me, like i said that was a huge post, do you really expect i wrote these rather painful memories at such length for the fun of it? Believe what you will though.
It's pretty easy why SH2 became the lens through which every studio used to return to the franchise; it's the best game in the series. The Alessa/Cheryl story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. It has a timeline, it's a story you're told.
James' story isn't James' story. It's a universal story about guilt. Less people connected with a dark cult and a demon child than they did to someone feeling overwhelming guilt.
Agreed that the vagaries of 2 are what made it the gold standard of the series, although I will admit to being disappointed at the way that "1" is all but forgotten now, as I find its story equally disturbing and memorable, just in a different way--particularly the individual characters' stories, like Lisa. Also, while again I agree with what you said about 2, what is ultimately revealed about James and the past is still pretty wild and not 'common' or directly relatable, although it IS far less 'supernatural'
You're right... but there is a massive problem. You can't just catch lightning in a bottle by throwing money at it, but you can buy yourself a decent story... but because of SH2, instead of continuing a famous and influential series as best as they could, these developers keep trying again and again to fly into the sun and creating arthouse games that inevitably fall apart because games like that are either perfect or garbage. It killed what might have been the greatest horror franchise of all time
Mary didn't ask James to kill her, he made that entire decision himself, he was tired of seeing her suffer and he was tired of taking care of her
That was such a gnarly twist.
This comment immediately made me understand why pyramid head has a pyramid on his head
@@philsoro491 why?
@@DamienCloud Pretty obvious my dude
@@philsoro491 Because he's trying to get me involved in a pyramid Scheme?
I like to think of SH2 as the second to last in the timeline (SH4 being the last). The cult and their god are gone but the power is lingering, like a wound left to fester.
I think that makes sense.
40 minutes a long time to sit infront of YT? Hah! You can't even imagine how many hours I spend here usually.
YT is my cable thanks to content like this. Thanks again, Avalanche!
I feel the same way. Thank you AR.
*daily
You should check out the Black Pants Legion channel, especially the longer Tex Talks Battletech specials.
The two-part special about the fall of Star League and the Amaris Civil War is... Perfect. Both episodes together run over 3 hours in length.
I live here, no one can move me on because I am claiming squatters rights, this is my home.
If Konami was like Capcom, we'd probably have an excellent remakes of this and Silent Hill 1 by now. Or at the very least HD ports to current consoles and pc.
Oh, switch ports...
Excellent video as usual Avalanche.
Or we'd have Silent Hills... PT was scary as fuck and actually served to inspire Capcom's direction with RE7 and therefore built the engine that made remake2 so much more than REmake was.
Sad to know we may never see what they almost gave us
In a perfect world....
@Avalanche Reviews, Indeed, in a perfect world, Konami would respect the game franchises that made them famous. Not sacrifice them to the pachinko/gambling Gods.
Btw, can I send a friend request to your Steam account?
I asked here and on PSN as I don't have social media lol.
Yeah... if you ommit the years where James punches boulders, Heather wears a battlesuit and Pyramid Head turns into a T-Rex
@Goldman200, lol.
Do like the idea of a cross over between Silent Hill and Dino Crisis. 👍
11:14 in answer to your question, I disagree. SH2 was the first game I played in the series, and I had no prior knowledge of the events of SH1. When I found Maria sitting in the prison cell, I started to realise that she was probably not real, (not like Mary's secret twin sister messing with James' head; hey forgive me, I was 13 when I played this!). When James says, "it's hot as hell in here" to Angela in their last conversation, and she's says it's always like that for her, to me it signified that we were seeing her personal version of hell. I did not understand the true mechanism for the town, but I did understand that Silent Hill somehow projected the character's subconscious thoughts, like some Freudian/Jungian limbo, and that on occasion these manifestations (like Eddie's pizza, Angela's daddy monster) bled into each other. It did take a second play through for me to come to that conclusion, but it was extremely satisfying to interpret.
p.s. I really enjoy your channel and your content btw, it's nice to discuss these games again. Looking forward to your thoughts on silent hill the room (that title both frustrated and enthralled me)
There's definitely a chance that I am blinded by actually knowing the town's backstory, before playing this game. I guess since I understood it at the time, I couldn't imagine going through and missing out on all the little flavor text, that leads back to the town's origin and its spiritual power.
Glad you're digging the content! Cheers!
I had the same experience.
"It doesnt matter who I am, I'm here for you James. See? I'm real."
Yeah, I'm starting to see red flags here..
@@AvalancheReviews I think this is one of the cases where the story can entirely stand on its own, but having prior knowledge of the universe (in this case by playing SH1 first and then SH2) will make the whole experience that much richer. I say this as someone who played the first 3 games in the most asinine order possible - 2, 3, 1. And I've yet to play 4. Looking back, I wish I had played them in release order, but they were still great experiences in isolation.
Silent Hill 2 is pretty much a spin-off, sequel.
Post Team Silent Devs: "Silent Hill 2 is the most beloved entry in the series, we need to copy what that game did by having a twist at the end where the protagonist did something horrible and is being punished for it."
Me: "Silent Hill 2 is the most beloved entry in the series, they need to copy what that game did by going in a new and original direction with the core concept. Like what Silent Hill 4 did."
Exactly. That’s why I love The Room. I honestly think it’s the most frightening entry in the series. SH1 feels odd and forbidding, SH2 feels bleak and heartbreaking, SH3 feels chaotic and bizarre, but with SH4 it just feels corrupt and twisted, sick and twisted and rotting. The whole vibe of that game is mercilessly oppressive.
@@rm2kking Yes, 4 is one of the few games, if not the only one, that I found taxing and stressful to play. And I'm not saying that as a bad thing.
Mantosasto Yes exactly no it’s not a bad thing at all. I love that game.
I agree. SH4 just doesn't get enough love. That game was my first encounter with the series and it had such a profound effect on me. I haven't seen anything like it up until that point. The atmosphere got stuck in my head for days. On a different note, the game looks crazy good even by today's standards. I actually wanna grab a used PS2 just so I can play through the first 4 games.
I want to see what no motherfucker will ever be ballsy enough to do.. Make a direct sequel to Silent Hill 2, that also does something entirely different. I've longed for this for years but I know I won't ever see it.
That or, you know, Silent Hills.
In my restless dreams, I see that town. Silent Hill.
escape from silent hill? i love both but snake plissken and silent hill seem like a mismatch
You promised you’d take me there again someday...but you never did.
@@memestealer2561 I mean Plissken needs to rescue the president again lol
@@memestealer2561 I'm not sure Silent Hill could survive Snake tbh.
Easily one of the greatest games ever made... I never get tired of playing it again. Silent Hill 2 is art. I just love your videos
It is incredible. Glad you liked the video!
Hey Gattsu! Nice seeing you here...! Yes SH2 is very special to me, the best I have seen in this survival horror genre!!!
@@nav2Max_Light Heyyyy good to see you here too 😁🧡! Yeah Silent Hill 2 and Dead Space are the best to me. It's a shame that Silent Hill has been a dead franchise for years 😢.
“30-40 minutes is a long time to be sitting on RUclips...” heh heh heh...heh...ahem. 😬
Can we ban 😬
ViolentMelody_93 😢
like i dont binge watch all avalanche reviews back to back
@ViolentMelody_93 well... sometimes when i work i like to binge watch many of the avalanche reviews as background noise. i know them all very well and his voice is rather soothing, so watching th reviews pretty much relaxes me let me focus
Not if you're a starving Silent Hill fan that haven't had anything official related to it in a long long time. 💁♂️
Man that tech tv clip... i’m so old.
Yes
You’re also not a woman
@@harrydubois6619 what a random troll you are.
How can he have only 70k subs if The Sphere Hunter also watches. Channel needs more love
@@harrydubois6619 fuck off
When the doctor said Mary probably had "3 years" left, i think that gave James a sense of finality. When she was still alive 3 years later and was still in the same condition, i think that's what started his feelings of desperation. That finish line he imagined in his mind was being extended everyday.
That's a great interpretation!
For anyone thinking that Mary asked James to stop her suffering, just check the original unedited version of the video tape. They changed it only because it was too disturbing, but it made it *very* clear that it was a decision made only by James.
I mean, even if it was a mutual decision, you’d scream too if you were being suffocated. It’s not like that would be a pleasant way to go.
Your body will always try ro fight dying in the moment. Doesn't mean at all that she wasn't sick of suffering and didn't want it to end.
I love these retrospectives because despite having seen hundreds of reviews and analyses you still bring something fresh to the table, or at least it feels that way. I'm definetly looking forward to the other games :)
Very happy to hear that! Glad I'm doing something right with these videos.
Wheres my food sanji
@@AvalancheReviews
I think Maria and James belong together and deserved to survive also live with Laura. I enjoy the music sound track it helps tell about what awaits the characters.
also reveals what personality characters have. for example the music when Eddie Dombrowski and James first meet in the apartment building.
the music gives a hint that something is not good about Eddie but your not quite sure what that is right away. Laura is funny she seems bratty however Maria feels sorry for her. and wants to protect her from the monsters in this town. Lauras music is innocent sounding. then Angela's theme is eerie. James is mysterious as the town itself.
Maria's theme is cheerful the introduction music.
this is another thing I like to own the Silent Hill 2 soundtrack music themes I enjoy it eerie yet relaxing at the same time. like some twisted Alice in Wonderland horror world peaceful but dark.
there are areas I wanted to explore in the game of Silent Hill 2 in the hospital and the town.
exploring is fun for me and solving the puzzles. along with with fighting a lot of monsters.
Down Pour is another one the escaped prisoner Murphy has a chance to escape. get away from what he did in the past. we find out Murphy is not bad as he might appear to be. because after all he did try to save that officer.
Silent Hill 3 is much like the second game and Heather is like James Sunderland. going to explore and find out what is going on with the town. fight her way to the truth about things.
Silent Hill Home coming will have you question what exactly is going on with the soldier Alex Shepard.
he is trying to find a person named Josh and runs around.
but this game will leave you always guessing about it.
wondering about what is real and if everything is just a bad dream.
pick ups are nice even if some of them do not get used.
Silent Hill is the perfect vacation away from normal. say hi to the residence in this creepy town.
You should cover the non Team Silent games,if nothing else to highlight how the series fell from grace.
I'm pretty sure he plans to review all of them
@@sirencall11 well he did say he wasn't sure in this video,so im not entirely sure where you draw that assurance from.But lets hope so.
It's best to ignore them altogether. Unless you're planning on making fun of them. :U Sadly people will defend them. Don't know why but they will. :X
The real question is: why you think that he will not review the other ones? =)
Might as well review the movies too 🤗
I remember playing this for the first time and standing like 2 minutes when the intro cutscene ends because it looked so good that I didn't noticed the cutscene was over
I was playing this on PS2 for the first time in many years recently, and I was still amazed by how excellent it looks. It's one of the most beautiful games ever made. It also reminds us that games are still being made in which mirrors don't reflect correctly and buildings lack functional rooms such as bedrooms and bathrooms.
I'll try to explain why I think SH2 is beloved, even though its such a departure from the series. Even though it is probably the least scary game in the main 4 games, the story feels personal. People are attached to it, not the game itself IMO. Silent Hill 3 has a deeper lore with more creative visuals and context, but SH2 is appreciated for being like a "personal game" for some. It has a ton of "iconic" moments that sticks out to people (Heaven's Night, that PH art, the videotape, the letter, the opening sequence, Maria behing bars), and the guilt subtext helps with the "stickiness" a lot.
Me? I'm more of a SH4 boy myself.
Sh4 is cult classic
I completed sh 1-3 and loved every minute I spent on them, but I hated 4. It felt different and "unconnected", not only from previous games but unconnected as a story . I hope that makes sense.
It was the last SH i played or even wanted to play.
The CG cutscenes were just jaw dropping back then. When the game first came out, I absolutely had never seen anything that realistic looking before. I bought a PS2 because of that.
"I get that a half an hour is a long time to sit on RUclips"
Me, after my seventh hour:
*Am I a joke to you?*
That damn piano theme. I had it playing through my head the whole time I was making a short film inspired by SH.
It sooooooooo good.
"I get that 30 or 40 minutes is a long time to sit watching youtube."
Haha, yeah. That sure is a long time to spend watching...>.>...I'd never do that. And I certainly didn't watch Clement's 3 and a half hour review of Sonic 06 in one sitting.
HA! How can a person talk about that game for so long???????? I'm gonna have to look this up.
I came here to say this.
@@AvalancheReviews Clement's FF series reviews made me buy the first 6 games and every time I finish an FF I watch his video on that game. Highly recommend his stuff!
I don’t know if the Sonic review is magic or tragic.
GameExplain's feature film length deep dive into the Breath of the Wild trailer. Those were the heady days.
Whenever I stare at my original fat ps2 I feel compelled to boot up a new SH2 save.
Despite the fact that I revisit the game like every other month LMAO
The reason why Silent Hill 2 it became a classic is because eventually people began to see how unique, eerie, melancholic and authentic the game's atmosphere it really is, and took the time to enjoy its deeply thoughtful narrative and symbolism. To this day it’s by far one of, if not the most mature examination of grief, sexual trauma, suicide, and morality all combined. It’s an intelligent game that does not hold anyone’s hand and comes at the player with utmost confidence in itself. It’s fantastic stuff. The rest of the original 4 are great in their own right and have their own well written stories, but they don’t hold the same emotional weight to them. I think SH2’s maturity by comparison is something that a lot of people are drawn to. ☯️
I wasnt expecting any old characters to return. Just glad that this title stood on its own.
I always felt so terrible for Angela. The scene after you defeat Abstract Daddy always tugs at my heart strings. Great video as always! I hope to see your coverage of the third game (my favorite) sometimes soon!
It's my favorite too! If everything goes according to plan, that video will be out in 2 weeks.
Thank you so much Jared! Long videos like this are just the best to watch while drinking a hot cuppa in the morning.
God I love Silent Hill 2!
It's my favourite game of the whole franchise.
I've been following your work since your RE Retrospective and haven't regreted subscribing since. Keep up the good work brother!
I love SH2 but I still think SH3 is my favorite. I really like Heather as a protagonist and appreciated it as a sequel to the first.
same here. I also think SH3 really pumped up the horror to the absolute max. Like that game will always, ALWAYS, freak me out, and that will always feel awesome.
@@cloud-lbc the mirror room...the best moment ever
Damn that whole train-station segment at the start had me stumped for a while. The maps are useless, but finding those alternate world train platforms was scary shit.
Good game, nice to revisit some SH2 areas. Plus the monsters were crazy fucking spinning shit.
Fuck, I love(d) silent hill.
@Dmitry Terek Heather has an opinion for everything because she's a teenager whose identity had been falsely fed to her for years on end. She was constantly moving, and never fully understanding her situation. Add raging hormones and I'm (only slightly) surprised she held it together for the entire event.
My favorite is The Room, don't kill me please.
(or do, i wouldnt mind lol)
Yessss. I need more of these Retrospectives.
EDIT: SH3 when
I never thought about how when James shoots Pyramid Head in the apartments, that he only leaves because James "makes him" leave, cause it's him. Damn, I didn't catch that one when I was 17 apparently lol.
There's no Twin to this retrospective. It's already Perfect.
you cheeky lil bastard.
I see what you did there...)))
0:44 "what's left to cover?"
That's where SH3 comes in, and Origins, and Homecoming...
Stayed up late last night watching the first SH retrospective and now you bless me with a 45 minute one on my favorite of the series? You sir are a blessing
Ha! My timing is impeccable.
"...some incredibly annoying people on your side of the fence" haha that literally describes both sides of any hardcore fandom debate. Doesn't matter which fandom, or what's being debated; there will always be people who either take it too far or get subjective and objective mixed up lol.
As a diehard SH purist who still usually plays them on a CRT TV and PS2, I would say PC Enhanced is a perfectly fine way to play the first time, and I might even say it's better than native PS2. I have played it on PC many times and now that they fixed the fog, the only problem is the lack of soft shadows, which is comparatively negligible but is being worked on right now. The high res support, higher fps, and vaster options make it on the same level or maybe surpassing the original native for me
The biggest plus for PC is that you can easily use nice headphones while playing, which is such a huge boon to any Silent Hill that I CANNOT put it in to words. I highly, highly recommend that everyone use headphones for their first experience and if you are a longtime fan and have not done so, do it right now, it transforms the experience. There are so many intricacies to Yamaoka's transcendental sound design that only come through with noise cancelling headphones and the directional sound they provide, the soundwork is of course phenomenal without phones, but it takes on so many new layers with them.
16:00 there's an option to switch controls to normal instead of tank controls. Many people don't know that
He wouldn’t do it regardless of if he knew about it. He’s a weird “fixed perspective and tank controls only!!!” Type of person
Avalanche Reviews and your in depth retrospectives are by far my favorite content on RUclips. Thank you for all you do.
It's my pleasure. Glad you like em!
There's a indie game called Simulacrum which has a free demo and is a really good love letter to the Silent Hill series, especially SH2, it would be awesome if you took a look a it, I recommend it to everybody who loves SH, while Konami is killing the franchise with their pachinko themed machines, there are still fans out there with amazing projects.
Are you suggesting that those SH pachislot games aren't incredible?!??!?! HA! I'll definitely check it out. Free is an enticing price.
Avalanche Reviews Ive sent you the link via private message on Twitter, enjoy!
It’s not a spin off
One of my favorite survival horror games ever made to this day, thank you for this video❤️
I was trying to think of a video to put on to fall asleep to and your voice popped in my head as something soothing and by the grace of the gods you just uploaded this the other day!! THANK YOU SIR!!! I’ve seen dozens of silent hill Reviews and yet they never get old SH is just that fucking good
The end double pyramid head scene is still so incredible. James lines before the fight and the music was epic.
The design of some of the monsters isn’t really a mystery though. I had a strategy guide for the game (I used to collect them) that talked about things like why the nurses were designed so sexy in the bestiary page.
I remember being stuck in the Toilets at the start when I first played this, wondering where the hell do I go?
Most of my friends just sat there and stared at James in the Mirror thinking it wasn’t in game. Silent Hill 2 was basically the first game that showed us what the ps2 could do.
Love these reviews man keep it up!
Also, it’s so good to see I’m not the only one who misses and loves this amazing series.
Thank you man! You're definitely not the only one.
SH2 was my first SH game and my introduction into the lore. It 100% can stand on its own.
I appreciate that the mid-roll ad immediately following Angela’s breakdown over the frequent and brutal sexual assault at the hands of her father was one for a pump that automatically filled colored water-balloons complete with laughing children engaging in a water balloon fight.
Honestly I don't like the video, I respect that it's a personal retrospective but a lot of the things you say really irk me. While it might be nitpicky you at a stage say that without the shift to the other world some areas are less intresting, but most areas actually do have other world counterparts. The hospital changes when James falls and the hotel changes too when he descends in the elevator, while there are also seemingly gradual changes in other areas too, like the Woodside apartments where it almost unclear if it's the other world or not. The areas themselves are also really intresting and in my opinion way better than SH1 which I found areas like the outside of town and sewers boring in comparison.
I definitely can understand why you talked so long about how much people love SH2 to a point where it can't be criticised, even so there are so many people who love SH2 and it's for good reason, it feels as though your trying to discount how overloved it is so you yourself can seem different than the rest of the flock.
I think a lot of issue I have is that you come from a place of nostalgia from the first game while I played SH1 after so evidently were going to think differently and I can accept that. Props for trying to criticize it though, I still don't agree with a lot if it however.
An actual issue I have with your script is that I found at numerous points you'd point out how good or bad something is and shortly say almost the opposite, this really bothers me. SH2s environments less intresting without the other world, but later on the Woodside apartments are amazing. Other stuff like you talking about how you dislike people over analysing the monster design but later praising Ito for how every design has meaning. Also the mystery of silent hill gets taken away by over analysis really bothers me as by analysing you find so much relevant context such as all the Freudian and psychoanalytic interpretations of things. Even moreso if you look at SH1 that can be analysed almost more than 2. Alchemy, Jungian psychology and occultism are everywhere.
Thank you for taking your time to make videos on SH but I just don't think this was very good
Fair enough. I can totally understand where you're coming from.
I know you made this over a year ago, and I know I’m just a random guy on RUclips, but thank you for this.
I watch these retrospectives frequently in my spare time just to hear someone talking about something I care about so deeply. I can’t really talk to anyone in my personal life about these things because nobody I know has played most of these games.
You’re a legend and you deserve so much more attention.
Thank you so much for making such amazing and in depth video about one of the greatest games of all times. As a Silent Hill veteran, I really appreciated it. Keep up with the awesome videos!
Agreed. SH2 is similar to RE4 in that both games redefined their parent franchises and impacted every game that followed, for better and worse. This is the real tragedy of PT/Silent Hills. I think Kojima would have dragged the franchise out of its rut and given us something uniquely SH again. Alas, Konami just had to be Konami, and now we'll never know.
I'm surprised you didn't cover the HD collection in the ports.
He said at the end that it'll be for a future episode.
They are such a shitshow they deserve their own entry xD
i noticed this too. i figure he's waiting because the hd collection contains more than just SH2. i've always been curious about them.
Shhhhhh we don't talk about that one
Always nice seeing an hd collection video in 2019+, makes me appreciate my original copies even more
I've been watching the RE Retrospective since the 1.5 video and after watching the videos so far from this retro I can confidently say that you managed to translate the comfy feeling of playing this kinds of games into a video format, and that's why I'm gonna keep watching!
I’m watching this to just gain some perspective as I’ve never played the game but I’ve been on a recent tear of picking up PS2 games and I love watching videos to learn more about the games.
Anyways, what I wanted to say was THANK YOU so much for giving a timestamp to skip past spoilers! I know it’s been years so I have no excuse but I really do appreciate it.
Silent Hill 2: Director's Cut on the ps2 was the best version in my opinion lol
As much as I love SH2, I find the "fans" insufferable sometimes. Take the movie, it was fantastic until Pyramid Head showed up for no discernable reason other than "fan" service. Pyramid Head is a lot like Nemesis -- they only work when the occasion merits.
Me, personally, loved this game for the fact it was genuinely terrifying. The lack of the cult gave the town a more menacing presence and made it far more unknowable what exactly was going on and why. It also was the last time team silent was left completely alone creatively. The next game included the cukt because konami started putting restrictions in place and wanted the cult to return. Silent hill was going to be a place where bad things happen and 3 was going to be even darker. So for my first genuine fright in a game as well as a pure vision from team silent are why i love this one so very much.
I just finished watching the SH 1 retrospective and now on this one. So glad I stumbled upon these videos I’ve seen the team silent doc and many others and this is one of my favorites. You’re very pragmatic in your opinions and I appreciate that. It’s great to see someone that has a genuine love for the game make their way through it.
I like SH2 more over the others because of a simple reason: I hate all the cult stuff
It's boring, cliché and it's evil vs good. Although I like SH3 because that game managed to balance psychological horror with the more classic cult stuff.
Besides these two my fav game on the franchise is Shattered Memories. Great review btw, I get what you were saying at the end, there are some obnoxious SH2 fans out there but it's an amazing game nonetheless like you said.
Yeah, despite the potshots taken at Yahtzee in this video I have to agree that the cult stuff isn't implemented well. There was a fantastic opportunity to tackle the psychological impact religion can have, and I just never felt like the games took advantage of that (which, coming from someone with religious trauma, is kind of disappointing).
That being said: SH3 is my favorite, simply because it tackles a subject matter most media never touches that I really related to. Heather's Silent Hill and its monsters are all symbolic of the male gaze, intercourse and pregnancy through the lens of horror. It looks at all of these concepts as something threatening and terrifying, which resonated with me and was much closer to my personal experience growing into womanhood than anything else I'd seen concerning sex and pregnancy. It was the first time I ever saw something depict these things the way I actually felt about them: as an invasion.
The absolute same can be said of Resident Evil 4 which had a very thin connection to the main Resident Evil story/universe but they ended up making arguably the best one 😬😐
“James honey, did something happen to you? After we got separated in that long hallway? Are you confusing me with someone else?”
Definitely one of my top ten favorite games of all time. The story, the music, the visual can not be outmatched.
If you didn’t know the silent hill hd collection are just beta files of silent hill 2 and 3 and the developers of the collection just had to try and make the beta textures look better but they didn’t have enough time.
Patrick PFC well I think konami lost bits & pieces of the source code for both games & had to “rebuild” some of the games from scratch.
Daniel Posey ya you’re right.
Dmitry Terek I forgot they did that😆
That's Konami for you. Imagine if Capcom owned Silent Hill.
We'd at least get solid ports of the classic games.
Konami is pretty much the EA of Japan.
@@Gruntvc Silent Hill 2: Director's Cut Ultimate Horror Edition
I guess the early PC ports would have been abysmal judging by Capcom ports from the early-mid 2000s
Ah, I see ranty Jared is transitioning to video format as well, it's never enough to hear it live. Give us back our centered nonchalant ripped Jared!
It’s borderline criminal we haven’t had a true compilation including 2,3,4.
At least some Switch ports
Man...I need to find another copy of 4
Yesman Sam I recently picked up a well taken care of copy for the PS2 and my ps2 died lol
@@DeegoL9
You gotta hate it when fate is against you.
12:45 Read my mind on those post Team Silent games. Good work, Avalanche! You've outdone yourself yet again on the quality.
Silent Hill 2 has such a memorable soundtrack. It's so good! Fucking shame how the "HD collection" was handled.
Great retrospective! Brought back a ton of good memories.
@TheWhiteFang284 Not completely changed, more like they were tinkering with it where it wasn't needed.
My favorite Silent Hill. The world and atmosphere is unforgettable
Whenever I think of that game, I would cry. It remembers me of the good old times, when horror games were not only jumpscare after jumpscare after jumpscare.
I like the idea that he also runs into other people's manifestations too, like a sort of overlap. And that weird ending that he essentially takes a monster home?
Yeah, it kind of lent a little believability to the whole SH thing. Like the rules we learned in SH1 stayed consistent. Even when there are multiple people in the town, they all see each other's nightmares.
I love the noise filter it gives it such a great atmosphere.
You seriously wish the developers would've made SH2's story a continuation of the first? Really? The story wouldn't have been nearly as good or captivating. That's actually one of the biggest reasons this game is better than the other 2. I enjoyed this retrospective until you said that. 1 & 3's stories are good, but they pale in comparison.
Also, there are annoying fans in every fanbase. SH2 isn't overrated one bit. It's a masterpiece that deserves the praise, simple as that.
No, it definitely is. I love the game to death, and it’s my favorite entry in the series, but it’s undoubtedly overrated.
Silent Hill2 has had such a huge impact on me. There's just something about the music and the atmosphere and the stories of all these characters and their motives and sins that just hit me so hard. Especially Angela Orosco.. whenever I'm in her boss room or even just speaking with her my heart ALWAYS breaks. Her pain and demons that envelope her just take me out of my own mind and I feel her pain and how lost she is. That's why this is my favorite game let alone favorite SH game. This game is proof that video games can be just as impactful and depthual as any book or movie
Oh... and... Fuck Maria! Lol
Dude this was the first video i really was looking forward to since a long time! Thank you ma man ! Really
Does 45 minute Silent Hill 2 video.
Doesn't talk about the dog ending.
OK?
You didn't talk about the Alien ending in SH1 either bubby.
The best endings
I'm never the biggest fan of the joke endings, but the dog ending is still great.
@@Torthrodhel BARK BARK BARK.
G-G-Gee, E-E-Eee, A-A-A-A-Gee... A-A-A-A-G-G-G-G-C-C-C-B-C!
Legitimately playing this on ps now then I get a notification about this ! Spooky
This is by far my favorite game because it was the first I was old enough to understand the themes. This game just blew me away. I will agree with you though that this shouldn't be the gold standard, there are equally amazing games in the series that didn't follow this formula like Silent Hill 4. I feel Silent Hill 4 is one of the more underrated titles in the series.
I think the much better looking flashlight shadow and higher resolution is worth choosing PC version over other versions.
No mention of the HD collection? I feel like it’s worth mentioning just so people know NOT to check out that version.
I mentioned it. I'm going to cover it after I cover 2 and 3, so I don't spoil anything. Plus the HD collection deserves its own video.
Ugh sadly these days it's the only copy I own
Hence I don't really replay the game anymore lol
#FucKonami
You're straight up wrong about the static overlay. It's an integral part of the experience.
I completely agree. He mentions graphical fidelity/clarity/smoothness multiple times which, as important as they may be, are not as important as the artist atmosphere the developers were going for (static overlay being one of those things). Some of the most famous paintings lack the lifelike detail that a seasoned painter could pull off, but what makes them incredible is the mood and atmosphere in the presentation.
"yea man i don't like PS2's low-res noise static bc it takes away of the sensation" "yea man i hate the PC's very high-res, clean noise static because it's too opaque and takes away the immersion"
can't make up his mind, can he
I just completed this game today and I have to agree with the countless analysis videos that acknowledged that this is a masterpiece. It's weird that my strongest emotional response to the ending was relief when James and Laura escaped that foggy nightmare. I found myself able to fathom the idea that Angela deserved a whole lot better and how we could have saved her too. A bit unfortunate that nothing this Halloween is going to compete with the immersion I felt in that retched world. Well except Silent Hill 3...
I just moved to a new town across the country, I have almost no furniture yet. Just my Bed, PC and my PS1 hooked up to an old 6” CRT, it’s gloomy and storming outside. It’s Silent Hill time.
I still feel the first game had a better story overall. It’s a much deeper narrative. I just think 2’s story went with a more personal narrative and that is why many prefer it. I’d say 2 is the best SH overall, but 1 definitely had a much more complex and layered storyline.
Overall, great review! I just want to know which SH is your favorite and which one you feel had the best storyline?
The only SH game I ever beat. I really hope they bring the series to Ultimate so I can try and go through them. I also enjoyed the first movie, but didn't really like the sequel. Personally, Resident Evil is my favorite video game franchise of all time.
I can understand that. RE is fucking incredible!
We didn't know the town could transform thoughts into monsters after the first game. Once Harry and Cheryl are home safe, my assumption was that the curse was over. So when creatures appear its just as confusing and jarring the first time. It DOESN'T make sense, but that didn't stop any of us from pushing through.
It's called suspending your disbelief
Fell in love with this game because of the soundtrack while playing the game. Bought the vinyl 2 weeks back and have been absolutely loving mentally tormenting myself with this masterpiece of a soundtrack
SH4 and this game are the peak for me.
Surprised you didn't mention the Greatest Hits version of SH2, although I think it only brought the Restless Dreams content and the improved light come from Xbox.
Im actually suprised how many people don't know theres a wayy better version on the OG xbox. Same with fatal frame 2
I was surprised too. To clarify, if case Jared sees this, the ps2 version had two releases. The black label that was available at launch, and the red label (greatest hits). The red label version added some content that was introduced in the Xbox version, as well as updated the lighting. The discs and cases, on the outside, only have a difference in color. My recommendation is to pay attention to the color on the actual disc. If the PS2 logo on the disc is black, it's a black label version. Red logo, red label version. I can't personally think of another release of a game that is so subtly different, but updated content in this kind of way.
@@SacredNFG Virtua Fighter 4 comes to mind with it's 3 releases, Vanilla VF4, VF4 evolved, then the greatest hit's version that included a second disc with a psuedo remake of VF1 (with the whole roster of VF4 demade into VF1 style)
It was called "Director's Cut" in the UK, but basically the same. I had that one, after my original copy got stolen along with a bunch of other stuff. It was a hugely emotional time in my life and I just thought to myself, I need something to get me through this, and I thought about SH2, and I went out and purchased it, not expecting anything extra, but I'm so glad to get the extra content, it is so awesome and I wouldn't want to play it without it now.
DMCMaster don’t forget Devil May Cry 3! The red label had Vergil as a playable character. That’s all I know off the top of my head. If there’s more it’s worth investigating.
i enjoyed every part of this video. Actually I was thinking about talking about some silent hill 2 . This motived me to explore once again this second game ! Thank you !
I just came here to say thanks to you I got the game and finished it for the first time..
I got the Leave ending and..
it left me in tears.
Thanks for nudging me to play this, its now probably one of my favorite games I've ever played.
Hell yeah!! It's my pleasure!
@@AvalancheReviews ❤️ also worth mentioning you made me play FEAR too
man jared if SH 1,2 and 3 got an HD remake like R.E 1 and 2 did???? especially 3
The SH HD collection is the most incompetent Konami could put together and since they seem to treat their IPs like garbage nowadays, it won't happen until they have a major shake-up in management or another publisher buys their IPs.
@@fattiger6957 lol your right, i meant to say a complete remake and not an HD upscale with diff voices, and yea konami would have to get kojima back on their good side somehow
Before this comment comes off as condescending let me just say I think this is a great video and I gave it a like. But I roll my eyes whenever anyone says that Silent Hill 2 is a spin off. Silent Hill 2 is anything but a spin off. It is the direct sequel to the first Silent Hill game and is equally as important to the Silent Hill universe. Saying it's a "side story" (even though it's not) is understandable but using the terminology "spin off" is so pretentious.
Edit: technically not a "direct" sequel, but my point still stands.
What? You say it's a direct sequel but don't give your interpretation to backup that claim. I too love Silent Hill 2 but it is very much a spin-off. The main story is about Alessa, Harry, Dahlia, and the Cult. Silent Hill 2 focuses much more on the history of the town itself and why it was an ideal place for such a cult to thrive. It's also about characters that have nothing to do with the rebirth of Samuel or Alessa or anything related to the spiritual origins of the alternate versions of Silent Hill. If we're basing the definition of a sequel on it's ability to continue the story and reveal information and develop plot in a way that communicates what future awaited the characters and ideas of the original game then it's definitely not a sequel in the same way that a Silent Hill 3 is defined as a sequel. I don't believe that any stretch of the imagination would reasonably say those two games cover similar logistical story developments.
@@fredspofford all right, I googled the definition and it is technically not a "direct" sequel. But it is still a sequel, and in no way a spin off. Even developers of the game call it a sequel to the first game in interviews.
www.silenthillmemories.net/creators/interviews/2001.03.28_imamura_ign_en.htm
There’s nothing pretentious about using the term ‘spin-off’.
@@DeanH92 Agreed. I'm arguing purely in terms of conveying helpful information. If someone told me they loved Silent Hill 1 and was interested in whether or not a sequel existed I wouldn't direct them to Silent Hill 2. I'd say Silent Hill 3 is the sequel to SH 1 an that SH 2 is also an incredible SH game if they're interested in learning more about the lore.
@@DeanH92 The term "spin-off" itself isn't pretentious. But I think calling a mainline Silent Hill game a spin-off just because another mainline game directly follows the story of the first is pretentious.
I guess every Fire Emblem game is just a spin-off. Same for Final Fantasy.
Oh sweet Jesus yes. My body is ready for an in-depth Avalanche. Jared, you always deliver.
@11:15 Silent Hill 2 was my first game in the series and I didn’t question the nature of the town when I played it, so yeah, it made sense to me.
This was a great retrospective but son, you didn't say anything unique about silent hill 2 that anybody else whos covered it. The bit about hating 95% of your peers was cute but... Yknow, you're not the only person who can identify a good game or why its good.
He calls them out for doing exactly the same shit he does to. Have been watching a lot of his vids and it's amazing how much he talks out of his own arse, is also very wrong, and tries to act like his views are definitive.
Your voice sounds like that dude from the ship in Toonami.
Ikr. That space dude from toonami the plays the shows
YES LOL
Love you work Jared, been watching you cover the Silent Hill games and god knows I'm dying to play them and your reviews make me want to play them even more 👌
Thank you man!!!
Your videos have inspired me to pick up Silent Hill 2 and 3 for the first time. I always loved Resident Evil, but never tried this series until now.
So far I've just now reached the Hospital with Maria in Silent Hill 2 and I'm very impressed with the game. I really appreciate you getting me to appreciate something new