Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams

"Provided you go into this game with the right mindset, it'll blow you away"

As you probably know, when you go to see a scary movie, the impact that the movie has on you depends largely on your mindset going in. I mean, if you go in intending to rip on every scene and make fun of every character upon their demise, then no, you won't be scared. What's this have to do with Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams? Well, if you go into this game casually, with the lights on in broad daylight, it won't do much for you. This is a game (and no, I'm not one of those nerds who just sit in a room all day analyzing aspects of video games) that was indended for the player to be in a certain mindset in order to get the most out of. It's not so much a game as it is an experience (most of the other positive reviews probably say the same thing, but it's true). That said, this game earns a 10 ONLY if you (the player) are willing to play it as it's supposed to be played: in the dark, totally engaged, volume up. No, you don't have to, but if you want to get the most out of it, well, I shouldn't have to say much more.

To say the least, this game scared me senseless (I'll go into why later in the review). I actually played it with 2 friends for the first time a few years back; we were just chillin' in a basement with the lights off and the volume turned wayyy up, and I'll be the first to say, this one flat-out creeped the crap out of me. It wasn't however, the 'Resident Evil' type fear - the fear of having a zombie suprise you - I mean sure, there is some of that (and boy do I ever love it), but this game penetrates the mind if given the opportunity. The story is so engrossing and the graphics and sound combine to form an atmosphere so familiar, yet so alien to our minds that it causes us to mentally strain to relate. You'll find yourself sitting there with this overhanging sense of dread of what's about to happen next (again, not like "what's going to jump out next"), but rather what completely original and bizzarre occurence will be shown/seen/etc. In my experience, the more I got into the game, the more scared I became of little things: doors creaking, footsteps, etc. I won't give ANYTHING away in terms of the 'bizzarre occurrences', as the shock value is truly something else. Again, go into this game with the mindset that I aforementioned, and I guarentee you: you will be scared.

Now for the review:

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Graphics: 9.5/10
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As stated earlier, the graphics in this game are an integral part of creating the atomosphere that so effectively manages to scare the player. Overhanging fog in the town (a trademark of the series' first installment) gives the game a very dark and foreboding sense right off the bat. Additionally, the game's first scene (James, the 'protagonist', has an odd monologue in a dirty, run-down bathroom), looks like something straight from a [good] horror movie. This captivated me and got me in the mood for the game within the first 30 seconds. Cutscenes look great; they greatly contribute to feel of the game. The only thing that kept me from giving this category a '10' is the in-game characters/monster models, as well as the slightly polygon-esque nature of a few random items. Do realize however, that this is a pretty old game, and there really isn't much room to complain. Lighting effects were nearly perfectly done. This game relies heavily on the use of darkness to create the mood; a flashlight is your sole source of light for a large majority of this game. This isn't distracting however, it greatly improves the element of suprise, and again, it gives great atmosphere. Like I said, the moster models are a bit rough, but it really doesn't take anything away from them. The monsters are so completely different than anything you've seen in a game (except maybe the first Silent Hill); there's shock value in merely seeing a new enemy for the first time. Finally, there's also this grainy lens filter, that gives everything a slightly 'blurry' look. Trust me, this just adds to the sense of darkness and fear. Everything about the graphics is pretty near flawless in terms of what Konami wanted to accomplish.

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Sound: 10+ / 10
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In terms of sound, one word: wow. It doesn't get any better than this. The sounds in this game in my opinion are the biggest reason for why it manages to scare like it does. Again, I'm not talking about BOO! kind of scared, I'm talking about a pervasive sense of darkness and dread that makes everything creepy. Every single sound is outstanding, from the normal (footstep), to the bizzarre (gutteral sounds made by some of the enemies). Additionally, you acquire a radio that sputters static when an enemy is near. While you'd think this might lessen the fright of suddenly encountering an enemy, I think it does the opposite. After a while, the sound of the radio itself is enough to scare you. When it starts going off, you'll find yourself frantically changing the camera angle, trying to find the monster. There's a quality to all the sound effects that I just can't quite put my finger on. The best way to describe it is "horror movie-esque". It's hard to explain, but the sounds all seem to just have this innate feeling of darkness. For example, the background noises when outside in the town are just plain creepy. It's this deep metallic grinding sound that just somehow sounds evil and foreboding. Footsteps, well, they still sound like regular footsteps, but they have this ominious, faintly echoing quality to them that separate them from footsteps in say, GTA. It's these slight nuances that separate this game from others; that give it that dark overpowering atmosphere, and in terms of sound, the creators scored big time.

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Music: 10/10
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This just goes along with the sound; the music is perfectly done. In most cases, the best music is actually the abscene of it. Much of the game is played in silence, the only sounds coming from characters/monsters and the environment. Most of the music plays during cutscenes, and much of it is actually upbeat guitar music. Somehow, the creators managed to make this kind of music work in this game. Because it's used so sparingly, it has much greater impact when it is used (and the timing for when it's used is impeccable). Once again, the music posesses an intangible quality that I can't quite enumerate in words, but it adds to the overall quality of the game as a horror-thriller.

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Story: 10/10
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The centerpiece and cornerstone of the game is it's story. James Sunderland, a middle-class everyman, has recently (3 years ago I believe) lost his wife Mary to a disease. He hasn't been able to get over her death, and simply mopes his way through life without purpose or direction. One day he receives a letter from his late wife:

"In my restless dreams, I see that town, Silent Hill. You promised you take me there again someday, but you never did. Anyway, I'm alone there now, in our special place, waiting for you..."

Odd, but James figures he has nothing to lose, and decides to travel to Silent Hill, and thus begins this masterpiece. While players who have played Silent Hill 1 won't be too suprised by the basic outline of the backstory, the story itself is very unique and engrossing. As the plot unfolts, twists occur, and much of the interpretation is left up to the player. There are many elements of the plot that aren't explicitly resolved, but it adds to the mystique of the game. No complaints in this department.

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Gameplay: 10/10
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I'll have to break this section up, as there's quite a few things to discuss.

Camera Angle: The camera is pretty interesting, and adds to the level of fear in this game. When in a hallway or on a street, it generally follows the character like a regular 3rd person game. When entering a room however, the camera is often in front or to the side of a character, adding to the element of suprise, and forcing a player to walk into areas in which he or she can't fully see at first. Trust me, this results in quite a few "HOLY ****" moments, and you've gotta love it. The camera is very similar to Resident Evil, but in the case of Silent Hill, it much more effectively adds to the game experience.

Controls: I generally liked the controls of this game quite a bit. On the control pad/joystick, forward always moves James in HIS forward direction, so combining this with odd camera angles does take a little getting used to. After a short time however, you'll quickly become accustomed to this system, and as you'll see, it's definitely the best fit for the game.

Combat: This goes hand in hand with controls; because combat generally isn't the focus of this game, combat is pretty basic. See an enemy, hold down the right trigger, and push 'A' to attack. Easy enough. Weapons are all pretty common items (wooden plank with nails through it, regular handgun/shotgun/hunting rifle/lightsaber <--just kidding), and this obviously adds to the game as a personal experience.

Overall gameplay: Coupled with the spectacular lighting and sound effects, the game just flat-out manages to scare. Everything comes together in a cohesive, creepy whole that succeeds in every way. I won't give anything away beyond this.

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Replayability: 10/10
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This game has multiple endings; it's meant to be replayed. Even if it didn't, you'd still want to.

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Buy or rent?
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Buy, definitely

OVERALL: This game is great. It's one of the few videogames that I own that I consider to be an experience. It's a trip into the human psyche, and simultaneously a trip into the unknown. It bends the mind, and forces you to think, all the while being stricken with fear. It's great. I can't say enough about it. Enjoy.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 08/16/07