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Silent Hill 2 follows the story of James Sunderland who has returned to Silent Hill in search of his late wife Mary Sunderland.
Silent Hill 2 is not a direct sequel to Silent Hill however it is once again set in the same town.
When James receives a letter from his dead wife Mary. It claims she is waiting for him in their 'special place' and so he ventures back to Silent Hill to find her.
In a video tape within the game we find out that Mary and James shared their honeymoon in the lakeside hotel which is right opposite Toluca Lake.
Just from the video tape alone it is evident that the town changes depending on the visitor. This is implied within the game and its clear from the video tape because James and Mary did not spend their honeymoon in a dark foggy town filled with monsters, It was a happy, bright normal town.
Throughout the game James meet various characters and creatures including the more famous Red Pyramid Thing or Pyramid Head as he is also known.
Silent Hill 2 has a key theme throughout and each monster is a manifestation of something to do with James, whether that be guilt, anger, pain etc.
Silent Hill 2 has been voted one of the best 25 games on the PS2 by IGN and is widely considered as the best Silent Hill game to date.
Release dates:
North America: 24th of September 2001
Japan: 27th September 2001
Europe: November 23rd 2001
An extended version of the game was released on the PS2 and Xbox. It has also been released on PC and was included in the Silent Hill Collector and the Silent Hill HD Collection.
Silent Hill 2 is not a direct sequel to Silent Hill however it is once again set in the same town.
When James receives a letter from his dead wife Mary. It claims she is waiting for him in their 'special place' and so he ventures back to Silent Hill to find her.
In a video tape within the game we find out that Mary and James shared their honeymoon in the lakeside hotel which is right opposite Toluca Lake.
Just from the video tape alone it is evident that the town changes depending on the visitor. This is implied within the game and its clear from the video tape because James and Mary did not spend their honeymoon in a dark foggy town filled with monsters, It was a happy, bright normal town.
Throughout the game James meet various characters and creatures including the more famous Red Pyramid Thing or Pyramid Head as he is also known.
Silent Hill 2 has a key theme throughout and each monster is a manifestation of something to do with James, whether that be guilt, anger, pain etc.
Silent Hill 2 has been voted one of the best 25 games on the PS2 by IGN and is widely considered as the best Silent Hill game to date.
Release dates:
North America: 24th of September 2001
Japan: 27th September 2001
Europe: November 23rd 2001
An extended version of the game was released on the PS2 and Xbox. It has also been released on PC and was included in the Silent Hill Collector and the Silent Hill HD Collection.
james sunderland
James Sunderland is the lead character in Silent Hill 2. He returns to find his late wife after he receives a letter from her claiming to be in Silent Hill waiting for him. James and Mary were extremely happy when they first met and he would often sit and listen to Mary play the piano. When Mary became ill she was forced to stay in hospital and because of this Mary grew angry and lashed out at those around her. James slowly visited Mary less as time went by and it wasn't until Mary was allowed to return home that she died.
Laura
Laura is a orphan child that James meets in Silent Hill. She was also a patient at the same hospital as Mary. During her time in the hospital she would often keep Mary company when James didn't show up. Mary Wanted to adopt Laura but as the illness was terminal and she was getting worse all the time this never happened. Laura appears to blame James for Mary's death even shouting at him "You never loved Mary anyway" when they first meet.
Angela orocso
Angela has a dark and tragic past and came to Silent Hill in search of her Mother.
While growing up Angela was physically, mentally and sexually abused by her father, Thomas. It is later revealed that she was also abused by her brother. Her mother was aware of the abuse but never tried to stop it and eventually she leaves Angela, Thomas and her brother. When Angela graduated high school she tried to run away but was found and returned back to her father. She then killed him and her brother and escaped to Silent Hill to find her mother. James meets Angela in various locations throughout Silent Hill. |
mary sunderland
Mary Sunderland is wife of James Sunderland and sadly died of a terminal illness. She spent the last 3 years of her life in hospital and was rarely visited by James. She spent a lot of her time with another patient called Laura. Before Mary's death she wrote a letter to Laura and James. This letter is what James receives and ultimately leads him back to Silent Hill.
Towards the end of Mary's illness she had lost hair and the colour in her skin. She was very weak and needed continuous care and attention. Eddie dombrowski
Eddie is a very troubled character who has come to Silent Hill to escape the police.
He is self conscious of his weight and lashes out easily. He admits to James that he shot and killed a dog and also crippled a football player by shooting him in the knee. Eddie and Laura are seen talking together in Pete's Bowl-O-Rama. It isn't until later on in the game that it become clear that Eddie has killed more than a dog. maria
Maria has a very strong likeness to Mary Sunderland. The only noticeable difference are Maria's clothes and attitude.
When James first meets Maria he thinks its Mary. She asks if she can stay with him due to all the monsters in town and he agrees. Throughout the game James is with Maria. At one point she is even killed by the Red Pyramid Thing. Only to be alive and well when James finds her in a cell later on in the game. Maria wants James to stay with her in Silent Hill and becomes angered when he focuses more on Mary than her. Right up until the very end of the game Maria tries to make James stay with her. |
Red Pyramid Thing/pYRAMID hEAD
Red pyramid thing is first seen by James standing behind bars. He does not react to James to begin with and is later gone when James returns to the same spot. Throughout the game Red Pyramid Thing makes an appearance. Not only does he kill Maria but he also pushes James from the roof of Brookhaven hospital. Red Pyramid Thing carries a large knife around with him.
Lying Figure
The lying figure has a body that appears to be wrapped up in itself. The lying figure spits out an acid like liquid from a split it its chest. Then can give out a large scratching like scream and can also move around when they have been knocked down.
The Lying Figure looks like its body has been wrapped in a straight jacket which gives them the nickname Straightjacket's Fresh Lips
The fresh Lips creature is a creature that is inside a box like frame. Is does not appear to have any real characteristics apart from a big pair of lips that hang below its body. The fresh lips attack their victim by strangling them with their lower legs. James encounters the Fresh Lips when Laura traps him inside a room. 3 of these appear to come down from the ceiling.
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bUBBLE hEAD NURSE
The Bubble head nurse's are very similar to those found in the first Silent Hill Game. They walk in an awkward manor and are usually carrying various weapons. James first meets the Bubble Head Nurses in the Brookhaven Hospital. They are very aggressive and will attack in groups even attacking each other.
Mannequin
The Mannequin appears to be a four legged mannequin like creature. It has no arms or head and where arms should be are another 2 legs.
It is first seen when James finds the flash light which is attached to a mannequin wearing Mary's clothes. As soon as James retrieves the Flash Light the mannequin comes to life. They attack by using their upper legs and can get around by walking or wriggling across the floor. Abstract Daddy
The Abstract Daddy is a creature that appears to be trapped inside a frame/door and is also nicknamed the doorman. The abstract daddy attacks by charging into its victim or by jumping onto and trying to suffocate its victim via its large mouth.
The abstract daddy is a symbol and Angela's father/brother and represent them leaning over her bed. The Abstract Daddy is first found with Angela, it then attacks James and becomes a sort of boss for you to kill. Further into the game James encounters smaller, weaker versions of the Abstract Daddy which are much easier to kill. It has the ability to terrify and move you in equal measure, it's a masterpiece, and proves definitively that videogames can be art" - Henrietta Darcy |
Mandarin:
The mandarin has large club like hands and a round 'face' which appears to only have a slit going directly down it. It attacks by using tentacle like feelers that come out of the end of its arms. James never encounters one directly however they do appear under the floor that James is walking over.
Creeper:
The creeper is a bug like creature that is found throughout Silent Hill. The creeper harms harry by directly attacking his lower body. Also found in the first Silent Hill Game.
The Prisoners:
The Prisoners are not seen in the game but only heard. James first encounters these in Toluca prison. They can be heard chanting some kind of ritual. Although James cannot see these creatures they can still be killed by being shot through prison bars.
Eddie Dombrowski BOSS:
As Eddie's sanity beings to crumble he eventually starts to see everything Jame's says a taunt. When James enters the Labyrinth which is a maze near Toluca Lake he finds Eddie. Eddie tries to shoot and Kill James and therefore James must try and kill Eddie or be killed himself.
Mary (Final Boss):
The final boss of the game depends on the way you treat Maria throughout the game. You will either encounter Mary or Maria at the end. Mary changes into a creature very similar to the Flesh lips however instead of having no facial features this one does. It would appear to look as if Mary is lying in a bed, her head being upside down and she screams. Tentacles appear from the ends of her hands and feet. She attacks by spitting out moths which attack James by eating his flesh, this therefore delays him and gives 'Mary' a chance to attack. She also hits with her cage and strangles James with her tentacles.
The mandarin has large club like hands and a round 'face' which appears to only have a slit going directly down it. It attacks by using tentacle like feelers that come out of the end of its arms. James never encounters one directly however they do appear under the floor that James is walking over.
Creeper:
The creeper is a bug like creature that is found throughout Silent Hill. The creeper harms harry by directly attacking his lower body. Also found in the first Silent Hill Game.
The Prisoners:
The Prisoners are not seen in the game but only heard. James first encounters these in Toluca prison. They can be heard chanting some kind of ritual. Although James cannot see these creatures they can still be killed by being shot through prison bars.
Eddie Dombrowski BOSS:
As Eddie's sanity beings to crumble he eventually starts to see everything Jame's says a taunt. When James enters the Labyrinth which is a maze near Toluca Lake he finds Eddie. Eddie tries to shoot and Kill James and therefore James must try and kill Eddie or be killed himself.
Mary (Final Boss):
The final boss of the game depends on the way you treat Maria throughout the game. You will either encounter Mary or Maria at the end. Mary changes into a creature very similar to the Flesh lips however instead of having no facial features this one does. It would appear to look as if Mary is lying in a bed, her head being upside down and she screams. Tentacles appear from the ends of her hands and feet. She attacks by spitting out moths which attack James by eating his flesh, this therefore delays him and gives 'Mary' a chance to attack. She also hits with her cage and strangles James with her tentacles.
This game is a work of Art and is an example of a truly dark videogame. With themes of Murder,Abuse and repressed memories, Silent Hill2 delivers horror in a unique way. And once you finish the game, it'll stay forever in your mind...like your darkest memory..." Keegan Nicolas
Silent Hill 2 has a total of 6 endings. Three of those endings can be given on the first play through. The other three can only be given on a replay or unlocking additional items. Just like in Silent Hill there is also a UFO ending (Special edition version only). However in Silent Hill 2 the player can also be given a comical Dog ending.
Leave Ending:
Maria tries to make James stay with her but he refuses. She transforms into the final boss. Upon defeat James leaves Silent Hill with Laura.
Water ending:
Maria tries to make James stay with her but he refuses. She transforms into the final boss. Upon defeat James drowns himself in Toluca Lake so he can be with Mary once again.
Rebirth Ending:
Maria tries to make James stay with her but he refuses. Upon defeat James uses various items he has found in an attempt to resurrect Mary and be with her once more.
Maria Ending:
Mary is the final boss. She argues with him for killing her and is then transformed. Upon her defeat James leaves town with Maria but just as the scene ends Maria starts coughing which suggests that Maria may be suffering from the same illness that Mary had.
The final two endings are a comical Dog and UFO ending.
Leave Ending:
Maria tries to make James stay with her but he refuses. She transforms into the final boss. Upon defeat James leaves Silent Hill with Laura.
Water ending:
Maria tries to make James stay with her but he refuses. She transforms into the final boss. Upon defeat James drowns himself in Toluca Lake so he can be with Mary once again.
Rebirth Ending:
Maria tries to make James stay with her but he refuses. Upon defeat James uses various items he has found in an attempt to resurrect Mary and be with her once more.
Maria Ending:
Mary is the final boss. She argues with him for killing her and is then transformed. Upon her defeat James leaves town with Maria but just as the scene ends Maria starts coughing which suggests that Maria may be suffering from the same illness that Mary had.
The final two endings are a comical Dog and UFO ending.
Born from a wish was a short prequel game to Silent Hill 2 and is set around the events before James comes to Silent Hill. The main character in Born From A Wish is Maria.
It beings with Maria waking up in Heaven's Night, a nightclub in Silent Hill. She wakes up scared and goes in search of another person. During her search she comes across the Baldwin Mansion and behind a locked door in the mansion she finds Ernest Baldwin. Throughout the game Maria never actually sees Ernest and her only contact with him is through a locked door.
After entrusting her in a task he warns her about a man who is coming to town called James Sunderland.
Born From A Wish was made available on the Special Edition of Silent Hill 2 titled Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams. It was also included in the Directors cut and the HD collection.
It beings with Maria waking up in Heaven's Night, a nightclub in Silent Hill. She wakes up scared and goes in search of another person. During her search she comes across the Baldwin Mansion and behind a locked door in the mansion she finds Ernest Baldwin. Throughout the game Maria never actually sees Ernest and her only contact with him is through a locked door.
After entrusting her in a task he warns her about a man who is coming to town called James Sunderland.
Born From A Wish was made available on the Special Edition of Silent Hill 2 titled Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams. It was also included in the Directors cut and the HD collection.
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The Silent Hill 2 soundtrack was once again only released in Japan and Europe. It contains a total of 30 tracks and is also once again composed by Akira Yamaoka.
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Making of Silent Hill 2 short film which is included in the European 2 disc version.
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To find out more about Silent Hill 2 why not check out these links:
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