Konami is following in Capcom’s footsteps by remaking the most popular entry in their beloved survival horror series, and hey, I’m not complaining. Silent Hill 2 is considered a landmark entry in the genre for a good reason.
In anticipation of the Silent Hill 2 remake due later this year, here are five big moments from the original game we can’t wait to see come to life in the shiny new remake. Of course, do be warned that this article contains major spoilers for the story, so look away if you’re new to the game and want to go in fresh.
Pyramid Head’s First Appearance
Pyramid Head is basically the mascot of the Silent Hill franchise at this point, but we shouldn’t forget that he made his debut in Silent Hill 2 as a manifestation of James’ guilt and remorse. And his first appearance in the game is absolutely terrifying.
Picture this: James is hiding in a closet, peering through the little gaps in the door, and what does he see? This large man-like figure with a rusty pyramid helmet on his head, having his way with two mannequin monsters. He leaves, dragging his sword behind him. Not only is that a horrific visual to have burned into your memory, the sound design is also top-notch here. The squelches and metallic scrapes all add to the game’s eerie atmosphere, and you know at that point, Pyramid Head is not someone you want to run into, ever.
The Descent From the Historical Society
Speaking of excellent sound design, I’d be remiss not to mention the unforgettable transitional walk from the Historical Society to Toluca Prison. Up to this point, things in Silent Hill 2 seem relatively normal, or at the very least, predictable. It’s a scary town infested with monsters. Sure. Been there, done that.
But the Historical Society is where Silent Hill 2 really kicks things up a notch.
The Historical Society itself is creepy, but nothing you haven’t seen before. As you progress through the area, however, you start finding holes that you need to jump into in order to keep going. This happens multiple times, and before you finally get to Toluca Prison, you must make a long descent down a seemingly endless flight of stairs to reach your destination.
It’s a bit on the nose now perhaps, but this is the first time Silent Hill 2 goes hard with the whole “descent into hell and madness” symbolism, and it works. Couple that with all the awful ambient noises that surround James as he’s doing this, and you’ve got one of the most iconic moments in the game.
“For Me, It’s Always Like This”
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In a gut punch of a reveal, James comes face to face with Angela one last time as you approach the final act of Silent Hill 2. You learn more about her tragic past, her abusive family, and her suicidal ideations. As Angela leaves and goes up the stairs of Lakeview Hotel, James remarks that the room has suddenly gotten very hot.
All of a sudden, the entire room is in flames. Angela turns around and asks, “You see it too? For me, it’s always like this.” She then disappears into the flames, presumably looking for another way to kill herself because she believes that’s her only way out.
It’s one of the most painful scenes to watch in Silent Hill 2 for multiple reasons: Angela’s story alone is both maddening and upsetting, and the fact that she still sees no other option aside from suicide is incredibly tragic. The twist revealed here is that everyone in Silent Hill experiences a different version of the town as well. Whereas James has always seen it as a moody, gloomy town, Angela’s version is always burning.
The Revelation in the Hotel
Silent Hill 2 is great at dropping subtle hints throughout the story, but if you haven’t been picking up what the game’s putting down, then you’re in for a real surprise at Lakeview Hotel.
When James finally makes it to the hotel room where he and Mary used to stay, he finds a VCR where he can insert a videotape he found in the hotel’s office. The video is appropriately staticky, but the first half is shot from James’s perspective as he’s filming his time with Mary in the town. The second half is much more sinister, as we see James smother Mary with a pillow.
When the tape ends, we see James sitting in a chair in silence as he tries to come to terms with what he’s done. As it turns out, this whole time James has just been suppressing his guilt and even tricked himself into believing that Mary just died of her illness. However, his guilt got the best of him, manifesting itself as a letter from Mary telling him she’s still alive and he should come to Silent Hill to find her.
Mary’s Final Words
Leave is the ending that most players will get just playing through Silent Hill 2 normally, and in my view, this is the canon ending. In this ending, the final scene shows James leaving the town with Laura as we get a final monologue from Mary in a letter that she wrote to him.
As you might expect, the contents of the letter are sad as hell, and the voice actress absolutely nails the emotional distress Mary goes through in her delivery. The letter is largely Mary’s confession: she tells James she loves him, she hates herself, and that she can see how tough it is on him to have to see her like this and to care for her even though she’s dying. She says she’s afraid that James’ feelings for her are changing, that she disgusts him, and that he might even start to hate her.
Mary’s feelings are spilled out all over the letter, as she wants him to be happy but also hopes that he won’t forget her. She tells him that she was happy with him.
Thematically, the Leave ending just makes sense. As Mary’s reading, we see James and Laura leave, the implication being that James has finally come to terms with what he did and faced up to his own guilt and accepted it, even managing to actually forgive himself in the process. Leave is also the most optimistic ending, as it leaves (ha) players with the hope that maybe James really can be saved after all. That his story doesn’t need to end in pain and tragedy too.
This scene is hard carried by Mary’s letter and the gravitas of everything that you’ve learned up to this point, and it serves as the perfect closer to an incredible game.
The Silent Hill 2 Remake will be released on October 8.
Published: Sep 10, 2024 09:30 am