Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams

"Such potential!"

Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams
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Creating a worthy survivor horror game is no simple feat. There are so many questions and dilemmas in balancing game play issues to consider. Truly, it's amazing the genre has been as successful as it has in recent history. In general, a good horror game must have the following three features:

1. Gripping atmosphere
2. Engaging storyline
3. Quality game play

Yes, there are more issues to consider. However, these three broad topics cover the most important elements. So how does ''Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams'' hold up on each of these categories? Let's examine each one in more detail.

ATMOSPHERE: 8/10
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In a word, ''impeccable.'' One of the major contributors of atmosphere in modern games is superb graphics. This game certainly has some very sharp visuals to show off. Upon first arriving in Silent Hill, James finds himself in a dense white fog. Mists swirl and rush past as James moves about. The player cannot see but a few feet in front of his face. The overall effect is both beautiful and mysterious -- and the game certainly takes advantage of the latter quality, using the fog to obfuscate the surroundings. In general, the player will find that visibility conditions are quite limited throughout the entire game. If James isn't caught in the fog, then he's usually in pitch darkness with only a pocket flashlight to illuminate his path. You can imagine the suspense this might cause in claustrophobic hallways.

Never underestimate the power of music and sound effects. No matter what the genre, it's usually the aural qualities of a game that tend to set the mood. I'd say that the cleverest use of sound in this videogame comes from a small portable radio that James finds at the beginning of the game. Each time a monster approaches, the radio begins to emit harsh static. This technique successfully creates tension, but at the cost of eventually becoming quite repetitive later on in the game. It is true that the general sound quality is quite good. However, the same sounds are used without variation, causing them to lose their effect. The music is nearly nonexistent except for a few key moments in the game. In general, I found this to be a good move. Music tends to highlight particularly dramatic moments. Since players tend to become acutely aware of every little sound emanating from their speakers, a little melody here and there can truly emphasize the emotions in the scene.

All of the monsters are rather horrifying. There are only a handful of different types, but they are all superbly crafted. Just their movements and gestures alone are enough to send chills up your spine.

I would be very surprised if the mood of Silent Hill didn't affect you. This is a game that strives for atmosphere instead of the more direct scare-tactics of a similar game that begins with an ''R'' and ends with ''esident Evil.'' In general it succeeds. I only wish that the game play was good enough to back it up.

GAMEPLAY: 5/10
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If only it hadn't been so repetitious! This is truly what kills the game. The environments are far too similar! Throughout the course of this very short game, you'll find yourself spending most of your time in two apartment buildings, a hospital, and a hotel. You can imagine that the scenery doesn't really change that much. Silent Hill 2 has no real variation in game play. Basically, you search every room for key items while killing a few beasts along the way. Then you solve a puzzle and move onto the next section of the story. Rinse. Repeat ad nauseum. You'll eventually find yourself becoming very tired of playing ''fetch the key.''

It pains me to write this because Silent Hill 2 got everything else just about spot on. It's almost as if the developers spent so much time considering storyline, background and atmosphere that they completely forgot about having fun and interesting game play.

STORYLINE: 9/10
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The story begins when James is just arriving in the town of Silent Hill. He traveled there because of a letter he received from his late wife beckoning for him to meet her there in their ''special place.''

I must say that I absolutely loved the mystery behind Silent Hill. The characters were all very fleshed out. Each had their own unique melancholy dynamic to contribute to the game. If it weren't for the storyline and my desire to solve the mystery, I most likely wouldn't have gone through with the game. Pretty graphics aren't everything ya know.

The most wonderful aspect of the storyline was that if you looked hard enough and carefully read each memo and monument -- each painting and tapestry -- you'd finally develop this amazing view of Silent Hill from past to present. By the end of the game everything comes together wonderfully and you really have an understanding of the town to some degree. Everything is explained if you look close enough. That's a very compelling proposition.

If you play through the game and don't fully understand what has happened, I strongly suggest you read a plot guide to the game -- you'll have a newfound appreciation for the creators of Silent Hill.

CONCLUSION
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I'm excited about the proposition of a Silent Hill 3. I'm not excited because Silent Hill 2 was very good. In actuality, I cannot recommend this game because it falls short on the game play side. The average gamer should be able to beat this title in about 6 or 7 hours. Sure, there are four endings but I doubt the majority of you are willing to replay the game. The lack of variation would make it a torturous affair. I'm excited about Silent Hill 3 because I have faith that the development team behind this game can fix what they've done wrong and create something truly amazing. With that said, this game is a lesson. The heart of any game is its game play. Storyline and graphics only serve as support. Granted, without their support most games would fail. However, without solid game play you have no foundation whatsoever.

The end result is a sad affair. The game has so much potential that it kills me to think of how good Silent Hill 2 could have been if it were a bit longer and was a bit more engaging. I look forward to seeing how this series evolves.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 01/02/02, Updated 01/02/02