Zero Punctuation: Silent Hill 2
- Thread starter Yahtzee Croshaw
- Start date
I only played Homecoming (which I got 1000GS out of) but it got kind of...old after awhile but I did watch Cloud's walkthrough videos on youtube though, looked like a fun game
It's kinda funny how his description of the town and the creatures inside such remind me less of my Silent Hill experiences and more Half Life 2. Hear me out
A majority of the time you are alone, the allies you find are generally faceless peons prone to death and the few actually human characters generally disappear within a few minutes.
I always jump back to the beach level as you are trying to break into the prison, besides the ant-lions and the Combine there are very few friendlies and non actually accompany you. Freeman is in a hostile environment with no interaction except to be shot at, attempts at eating him, and killing.
A majority of the time you are alone, the allies you find are generally faceless peons prone to death and the few actually human characters generally disappear within a few minutes.
I always jump back to the beach level as you are trying to break into the prison, besides the ant-lions and the Combine there are very few friendlies and non actually accompany you. Freeman is in a hostile environment with no interaction except to be shot at, attempts at eating him, and killing.
I'm confused why he even liked this game. He berates it for the terrible characters, the weak mechanics and camera work, the silly story, the dreaded voice acting, and yet loves it because -- it had the atmosphere of being alone? Of the characters being distant and inhuman?
I've played games like that before -- barely any people around, the people talk in flat, distant voices with no real facial animation. I always chaulked it up to a half-assed developer not taking the time to create a bunch of characters and create realistic facial animations (a la Oblivion).
The saying goes, "Even a stopped clock is right twice a day." The fact that the lifeless characters and empty world is somewhat appropriate for the game is lucky for Silent Hill, but I don't think we can congratulate them on making a good atmosphere. It really just means that their already-demonstrated lack of development happened to work out nicely for them in one aspect.
I've played games like that before -- barely any people around, the people talk in flat, distant voices with no real facial animation. I always chaulked it up to a half-assed developer not taking the time to create a bunch of characters and create realistic facial animations (a la Oblivion).
The saying goes, "Even a stopped clock is right twice a day." The fact that the lifeless characters and empty world is somewhat appropriate for the game is lucky for Silent Hill, but I don't think we can congratulate them on making a good atmosphere. It really just means that their already-demonstrated lack of development happened to work out nicely for them in one aspect.
I found this bias. Most of the time, Dick face is ripping games in peaces but nnnoooo not this time. He just pats SH2 on the head. By the way I played this peace of crap called a game and after the first 3 hours I took it to a wood chiper and therw it in.
I gave Silent Hill 2 a try on GameTap awhile back (probably the cheapest way to give it a spin, BTW). Indeed, the atmosphere was thick, and the monsters were pretty creepy -- and, as somebody who desensitized himself to System Shock 2 cyborg midwives, that's saying something.
However, I couldn't finish the game. It wasn't so much the fear factor (which prevented me from finishing the aforementioned SS 2 for years) so much as the strange Resident Evil-esque logic to the puzzles. It was good enough that I didn't want to ruin it with a walkthrough, but getting stuck was extremely easy to do. The solution may well involved pixel hunting or finding some barely visible corridor somewhere. Maybe this could be attributed to being part of the nightmarish quality of the game, but eventually my level of frustration exceeded my level of fear of the game, and now the game sits rather low on my priority list of things to savor.
So I'm thinking that a great deal of Yahtzee's love from the game comes from the fundamental fact that he's probably learned all the puzzles and is rarely ever stuck. The main glaring problem with the game thus slides neatly under his radar.
That said, any game that has (massive spoiler) a secret ending like this [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfUhWPKMtEc] definitely has merit.
However, I couldn't finish the game. It wasn't so much the fear factor (which prevented me from finishing the aforementioned SS 2 for years) so much as the strange Resident Evil-esque logic to the puzzles. It was good enough that I didn't want to ruin it with a walkthrough, but getting stuck was extremely easy to do. The solution may well involved pixel hunting or finding some barely visible corridor somewhere. Maybe this could be attributed to being part of the nightmarish quality of the game, but eventually my level of frustration exceeded my level of fear of the game, and now the game sits rather low on my priority list of things to savor.
So I'm thinking that a great deal of Yahtzee's love from the game comes from the fundamental fact that he's probably learned all the puzzles and is rarely ever stuck. The main glaring problem with the game thus slides neatly under his radar.
That said, any game that has (massive spoiler) a secret ending like this [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfUhWPKMtEc] definitely has merit.
haha i like how some people do a little review of his review. im pretty sure that complaining isnt going to get you anything other than a potential mocking on his next video.
Silent Hill 2 is the one and only game I have had to take breaks from, not because I was sleepdeprived, but because I was nervewracked.
I could not agree with Yahtzee's praise for the atmosfear enaugh. The only thing worse than the thundering, deafening "ambient" noise of Akira Yamaoka beating the hell out of an oildrum whenever _something_ was around the next corner (or right behind me) was the absolute silence, reducing the only noise to being Jaaaaames' echoing footsteps. Not to mention my own racing heartbeat while I was frantically limping for that elevator! (You know the one I'm talking about)
And the storyline really is enaugh for Freud to masturbate/write a thousand page thesis on.
Here's hoping the next Silent Hill will be atleast a fraction as unnerving as this one is.
I could not agree with Yahtzee's praise for the atmosfear enaugh. The only thing worse than the thundering, deafening "ambient" noise of Akira Yamaoka beating the hell out of an oildrum whenever _something_ was around the next corner (or right behind me) was the absolute silence, reducing the only noise to being Jaaaaames' echoing footsteps. Not to mention my own racing heartbeat while I was frantically limping for that elevator! (You know the one I'm talking about)
And the storyline really is enaugh for Freud to masturbate/write a thousand page thesis on.
Here's hoping the next Silent Hill will be atleast a fraction as unnerving as this one is.
You know... this review was really annoying for me... Why? because I really want to play the damn game but when I bought my copy for some reason my PC took a hissy fit and said "CANNOT READ SCRATCHES" and since then I cant find a copy... heads shall roll.
Wow, it's amazing that Yahtzee likes Silent Hill 2. It seems like he's eaten things with less to complain about for breakfast before.
For example, he refused to see the logic in characters dying at the end of the timer in Halo Wars, but is happy to follow the adventure game logic of silent hill 2.
And I'm sure he's criticised a many a combat system. I guess it's good that he's able to overlook flaws for a game he likes, but maybe not enough things that shine out to him would shine out to everyone, making this a slightly dubious recommendation.
For example, he refused to see the logic in characters dying at the end of the timer in Halo Wars, but is happy to follow the adventure game logic of silent hill 2.
And I'm sure he's criticised a many a combat system. I guess it's good that he's able to overlook flaws for a game he likes, but maybe not enough things that shine out to him would shine out to everyone, making this a slightly dubious recommendation.
It's cliched, but you honestly won't understand until you've played it. Silent Hill goes beyond the normal realm of gaming and into art, it's unbelievably well done. Everything is done for emotional effect. Take the long walk into Silent Hill, it's not done because it's fun or because they couldn't think of anything to add along the way; it gives you a sense that there is no turning back.ReverseEngineered said:
It wont be any of that action thing you get in the newer games or in the new Resident Evil games. You'll be walking around in the town and it will change to be scarier because they assume your mentality is changed, so it gets scarier the scarier it's supposed to be. You wont even have a gun to kill the monsters you'll meet.zauxz said:
If they can manage to pull it off right it will be a great game.
i had the first three Silent Hill games, all were stolen and now it'd cost $70+ US to replace them with used copies..
i enjoyed parts 2 and 3 immensely and wasted so many hours in Silent Hill. i liked how the crappy combat added to the dread of facing monsters, made you feel the need to run or hide. of course the extra weapons after beating the game usually took that away, i remember James screaming at monsters while waving the chainsaw over his head, he was no longer afraid.
i enjoyed parts 2 and 3 immensely and wasted so many hours in Silent Hill. i liked how the crappy combat added to the dread of facing monsters, made you feel the need to run or hide. of course the extra weapons after beating the game usually took that away, i remember James screaming at monsters while waving the chainsaw over his head, he was no longer afraid.
It's funny how games can unexpectly touch something emotional in you.
I bought Silent Hill 2 because I had enjoyed the first game so much. For some reason, the radio static freaked me out and I was pumped to play the second game.
I was not prepared.
The horrible twitching figures and their terrible gait. The nurses both turned me on and gave me horrible nightmares. The music and sound design actually made me put down the controller a few times.
The sirens.
Pyramid Head.
A main character who was conflicted and desperate to reconnect to a wife who he was sure was dead. And a slowly evolving story that begins to reveal the disturbing truth behind Jame's past and how he wife really died.
And the confusion about Maria; why did she look so much like your deceased wife? What was her role in all this.
I made a few mistakes and ended up with the Water ending.
Holy crap, that was still a great game!
As much as I enjoyed Shadow of the Collosus, Silent Hill 2 wrenched my gut and twisted my emotions.
Great review.
I bought Silent Hill 2 because I had enjoyed the first game so much. For some reason, the radio static freaked me out and I was pumped to play the second game.
I was not prepared.
The horrible twitching figures and their terrible gait. The nurses both turned me on and gave me horrible nightmares. The music and sound design actually made me put down the controller a few times.
The sirens.
Pyramid Head.
A main character who was conflicted and desperate to reconnect to a wife who he was sure was dead. And a slowly evolving story that begins to reveal the disturbing truth behind Jame's past and how he wife really died.
And the confusion about Maria; why did she look so much like your deceased wife? What was her role in all this.
I made a few mistakes and ended up with the Water ending.
Holy crap, that was still a great game!
As much as I enjoyed Shadow of the Collosus, Silent Hill 2 wrenched my gut and twisted my emotions.
Great review.