Silent Hill 2 - Nitro Rad

Considered the best in the series, Silent Hill 2 claims victim a new protagonist, James Sunderland, as he goes to Silent Hill in search of his dead wife.
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[@ZerberusKnight]

"But that's impossible, a dead person can't send a letter; it's illegal!"

[@ClaraKerber]

"aaaand I was going to say a lot more of boring crap but I don't feel like it now WOOOH!!"

[@kuronoroux8864]

ClaraKerber "a shadow... An *EVIL* shadow.... LET'S CHECK IT OUT!" AND SO, HE DID!

[@Imufur]

someone else reuploaded it

[@axelfirekirby]

why dont i go into that creepy alley and take the key off the dead guy dressed as me?!

[@kisslordorochimaru]

That pesky dead mail always slipping through the postal service somehow lol

[@Sonicisbadazz]

You know, there's actually a lot of theories as to what's happening in this game pertaining to the characters, and though you may have heard some of them given this review is a couple years old, I thought you might be interested in reading them. One is that the enemies you see wandering around Silent Hill in this game are actually ordinary people that James is seeing as monsters. This explains why Eddie actually finds James a hypocrite in the boss fight with him. He doesn't see why James is condemning him for killing others when, from Eddie's point of view, that's exactly what James has been doing for the entire game. In fact, if what James is witnessing is mostly in his head, it even explains how someone like Laura gets around Silent Hill without any problems. She's not encountering monsters because her psyche is so much less sinister than James's. It even explains why she locks James in that room: she has no idea there are monsters in there trying to kill him. Second is that James's wife has only been dead for three days, which is when he pulled the plug on her. The frustration with his sex life--and by extension the presence of sexy nurses--is not a consequence of not having a wife for several years; it's a consequence of not being able to have sex WITH his wife for so long. But why then does he talk as though she's been dead a lot longer? Because in his mind, Mary died the day she became a cripple. She's been "dead" to him for years, which is why he's so depressed and hollowed out. He's been caring for a ghost for so long that he's exhausted and frustrated by it, which is part of the reason he kills her, and why he feels guilt for doing it. They're certainly dark ideas that paint James in a very negative light, but they're not exactly far-fetched, nor are they impossible to understand. James is a good person, but even good people can do horrible things when they're psychologically damaged.

[@crazychaze9910]

I disagree with the first statement, nothing in the game says that the monsters are actually real people, the reason why Eddie calls James a hypocrite is because James killed Mary, but doesn't know it at the time of fighting Eddie. This is evidenced by the fact that after killing Eddie, James says "I killed a human being", which actually subconsciously refers to Mary. At that point Eddie had only killed one man that we know of (the body next to him in the freezer). The second statement is on point though

[@lyndonfr]

@@crazychaze9910 FYI, the first monster you kill, if you go back to the same location later in the game, there will actually be police tape around the area you killed the "monster"

[@crazychaze9910]

@@lyndonfr I know, I made a video about it lol

[@hewhomainsness9189]

cool

[@ScourgeMonastik-oj1uo]

The nurses r fat tho....so how r they secy?

[@WhoTookMyMirr]

The pizza line is Guy Cihi's (James's voice actor) favorite too, according to him. He and Eddie's VA had way too much fun with that scene.

[@FFFRINGE]

you can actually beat the pyramid head boss battle by not shooting at him or hitting him at all. you just need to avoid his hits long enough for the siren to go off. the harder the difficulty though, the longer you'll have to wait for the siren. it kind of pains me to see people shooting so much at him when all they're doing is wasting ammo lol. good video though!!

[@WhirlingMusic]

FFFRINGE Thanks for the info. Next time I play it again, I will save the ammo. But I remember having around 70 by the time I first finished lmao.

[@Asaylum117]

It's called self defense. Any person with a common sense would try to kill a monster like Pyramid Head with a gun, if he had one, because the game cleverly hides the fact that Pyramid Head is somewhat immortal and isn't affected by bullets. It creates fear and tension. Plus, when people played the game for the 1st time, I bet a lot of them didn't figure that out, until they played the game like 100 times. :D

[@A.S.28]

you looked at walkthroughs for that lmao, what a scrub-shitter

[@Impalingthorn]

What if I told you, and yes I'm serious, that Pyramid Head is actually the "good guy" in this game. I know that might sound laughable, but consider it for a moment. Pyramid Head is a reflection of James's desire for self punishment, sure. Everyone knows that much. But it runs much, MUCH fucking deeper than that. Think about this: Mary is obviously another reflection of James's consciousness. Pyramid Head represents his longing for punishment, repressed demons and so on. Mary represents his denial of reality and his cherished memories. Except, this is Silent Hill we're talking about. These things aren't as black and white as they appear on surface level. In truth, Mary is James's vices trying to pull him back; prevent him from moving forward. Pyramid Head is James's guardian angel trying to GUIDE him to the hotel and steer him away from Mary, who ultimately wants him to continue denying what he'd done. Consider every encounter you have with him: -The first time you meet him, he is only passively looking at you. Due to draw distance, once could say that this is almost like looking into a mirror; James's repressed guilt manifesting but his desire to see this through making itself present. Or, in a sense, he is in that moment having doubts about Mary's existence and purpose. -The second time you meet him, he's raping the monster. To death in fact. What does this have in common with James? Well, Pyramid Head happens to represent his repressed sexual urges as well, but he happens to also be the ONLY other person in the game shown to kill the town's monsters. Pyramid Head in this scene is combining the two halves of James's mental state. Pyramid Head DOES NOT attack James in this scene and clearly isn't that bothered by the gunshots. Rather, he LEAVES A KEY BEHIND FOR JAMES which is vital for progression. (Here on the order of events is a bit out of place but follow with me) -James encounters Pyramid Head again at the stairwell, the first "bossfight" with him most call it. Note that Pyramid Head is slow, largely unthreatening and easily-y avoided. Pyramid Head, and the game devs, are effectively teaching the player AND James that he is an entity to be avoided. This is highlighted by the fact that you don't even have to fight him AT ALL. He runs away completely on his own regardless of what you do, which implies you were never a threat to him to begin with. It also happens that he goes in the exact direction you need to head in. Once again, GUIDING James. -Later, James meets Pyramid Head on a rooftop, at which point Pyramid Head knocks him off the roof. "But he hurts James here!" you might say. Not lethally though. In fact, he knocks James into a vital area he needs to be in to progress, one he once again could not previously reach. -Pyramid Head is met in a circular hallway. He has a set patrol path and is always in the same spot. He is basically set as a barrier and it happens that he only inhabits the LONGER stretch of the hallway, meaning you can completely avoid him by simply walking in the same direction he's walking in which JUST SO HAPPENS to land you where you need to be. You don't even have to encounter him here is you know the circle, and if you do, what do you do? Run in the opposite direction where you need to go, of course. -Pyramid Head is encountered again, except this time he chases you. Or, more accurately, he chases MARY (Remember, Mary is a NEGATIVE influence in this game) and ultimately kills her. But, like Pyramid Head, Mary will come back because they're both just two halves to James's mind. -Pyramid Head is met yet again as a duel entity, this time AFTER James has learned the truth. Pyramid Head kills Mary in front of him one last time, pounding in the reality of the situation and what James had done. In James's own words, he finally understands what is going on and no longer "needs" them. You fight Pyramid Head once more, but this time you can actually kill them. Except that's a lie. Pyramid Head(s) kills himself and is literally not seen again for the rest of the plot. He has served his purpose at this point and it is up to James and the player to finalize the results of James's experience. In the best ending, James accepts what he'd done and finds his own ways of coping with things. In the worst ending, James continues to deny reality, going with the fictitious but far more comforting half of his mind. Pyramid Head was the good guy. Pyramid Head only ever kept you on your path and WITHOUT HIM, you would not have been able to complete the journey at all.

[@baroquechevalier8516]

@@Impalingthorn also when PH throws James from the rooftop he makes a gesture with his hands which could be seen as "now you can continue"

[@Mooseshovel]

Random fact: in a tweet one of the devs said that marys corpse is in the trunk of the car you start at.

[@TheNecrovalley]

that's a rumor and nothing more.

[@Vladicarus]

ito said himself that he believes mary was actually in the back seat.

[@gamerboy218]

Guy Cihi, the voice of James also mentioned mary's body was also in the back seat, remarking how it was much more japanese, as her being in the trunk was a very american idea

[@TheAlmightyGoiter]

pics or it didn't happen

[@DieHardjagged]

Well , the Boundary Break series on KZbin already proved that she's neither in the backseat of the Car nor in the Trunk.

[@stiklius]

I agree with the fact that it's not as scary, however to me personally it gives off a different feeling - it gives a feeling of hopelessness, stress, anxiety and depresses the hell out of me. With how heavy this game is on your emotions is why it's probably my favorite. It's just uncomfortable to play, that's why it's so good.

[@stephenwik8811]

I found it terrifying to the point where I could only play 20 minutes at a time. But then, I played only at night, alone, and wearing headphones. The ambient sound accounts for probably 80% of the scary. But only if you can REALLY hear it clearly. ;P

[@stiklius]

Stephen Wik yep same here almost identically, it just made me feel more hopeless and super stressed out than terrified in the traditional sense - because of that unique impact is why it's so sick

[@stephenwik8811]

Yeah, one thing that was particularly impressive was that at some point I realized I'd just been going farther and farther down, unrelentingly deeper into the Earth for like an hour until I started to wonder if I was ever going to see the surface again. The sense of oppressive claustrophobia and dread was amazing. None of the other games achieved anything like that. Like you say, that sense of overwhelming hopelessness is pretty unique to SH2. I remember IGN or Gamespot gave it a ridiculously low score, like 2.5 or something and whined about how "nothing happens". It's true that after you've gone through it, if you look back, you didn't "do" a lot of things or fight a bunch of monsters, but that wasn't the point. The point was an unnerving psychological experience and probably the deepest story in videogame history. Unfortunately you could see SH3 was pretty much SH2 remade to please the critics because yeah, it had a larger variety of monsters, more combat and an incredibly boring standard videogame storyline about being "the chosen one", and would she choose good or evil, blahblahblah. I enjoyed it, but to me it'll never be one of the all-time classics the way SH2 is.

[@JazzTheOne]

@@stephenwik8811 When did you look for the IGN or Gamespot review? It seems they've given it a 9/10 and a 7.7 respectively.

[@vanishingstone1637]

The voice acting was done like this on purpose. This direction is especially true for Angela. She is supposed to convey a very disturbed girl.

[@valletas]

Not really Videogame voice acting in this generation was really bad They only started to invest on voice acting in the ps3,360,wii era

[@JazzTheOne]

Even if people say it's bad, I think we can all agree it adds that weirdness to the atmosphere.

[@PDIcomics]

Cyberdemon Mike SHE ACTED LIKE SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO-COMPLETELY FUCKED IN THE HEAD. HOW IS A PERFORMANCE DONE EXACTLY AS INTENDED BAD ACTING???

[@NCMETAL]

Even if it was, I feel it was a stupid decision. It sounds more like plain c-list voice work than it does disturbed or unhinged. It comes off as really underdeveloped.

[@moonkingdomify]

Fun fact. There was never a Japanese voiced version of any of the Silent Hill games. The voice in the dog ending Akira Yamaoka's own voice. Meaning that was added in last minute completely as a joke even unknown to Guy Chi, the person who did the role of James.

[@HoodoHoodlumsRevenge]

Wasn't Guy against the Dog Ending because he felt it was unfitting to the story? xD

[@moonkingdomify]

***** He was. That's why Akira had to do the voice.

[@HoodoHoodlumsRevenge]

Ditto, Master of Disguise Heh, now everything makes sense! :)

[@Vladicarus]

i know it's a year old. but i mean it makes sense that theres no japanese vocals in these games. They are in america and are clearly american people.

[@RottenPizza801]

Turns out Guy did the voice. He said so recently.

[@Drachenhannes]

This ... feels weird. I last played the game ten years ago. When i was around 20 just entered adulthood and followed the steps of that man who was somewhere around thirty. Replayed it a couple of weeks ago and didn't even consider James' age when i did. Now that you mentioned his age ... 29 i realised - James is younger than me now. Just slightly but still. Will I in another ten or fifteen years replay it and tink of James as "a young man" ? Silent Hill 2 is a very ... intimate experience. You get to know the characters on a very personal level. Their sins, trauma they suffered. Exploring this game first when i was a teen and now in my 30s realizing that the once older man i traveled through hell with is now around my age and will soon be quite a bit younger than me ... this feeling is incredibly odd.

[@Carcosahead]

Time is a bitch isn’t? 🙂

[@klumpos]

I've got to call you out on saying that the voice acting is bad or that the interactions with other people seems off, it was made that way intentionally. What James sees and what other characters see is almost certainly completely different judging by what they reveal as the game goes on. These aren't normal people he's encountering in this game. There's no standard sidekick type/love interest in this game like Cybil was in SH1.

[@Vladicarus]

it may be intentional, but people will still call it out. People still call Final Fantasy X terrible because the infamous laughing scene, despite it clearly being a fake and intentional laugh. It's just how it is.

[@Vladicarus]

mostly because the bad voice acting plays into something thats meant to make you uncomfortable, everyone in Silent hill 2 is SOMEHOW emotionally damaged. they're not meant to sound "Okay."

[@Maxtermax360]

Just Michael but i like the cutsenes & voice acting in SH 2, because it adds to the surreal atmosphere. There barely was a scene where i thought it felt out oft place.

[@MegamanXfan21xx]

Guy Cihi said that he only did a bit of acting in community college, so that explains his acting. Personally, I think that gave him the perfect amount of experience to sound convincing while still sounding like a normal person. Plus, he wasn't told it was a horror story. The HD collection replaced him with Troy Baker, who was more professional and likely knew exactly what he was working on, which made for an inferior act.

[@Criticcizm]

klumpos Everyone in this game, even Laura, has a mental illness, which might be why they are in Silent Hill. I think you can clearly see that they all have issues and is why I agree that they don't act exactly "normal".

[@SlyBeast]

Not as scary? WHAT? I was terrified in the apartment building. So tense. I just felt like at any moment, something was going to get me.

[@baroquechevalier8516]

The hotel was way scarier imo like those fucking sounds are really unsettling

[@hypnos3632]

Silent hill 1 is scary, silent hill 2 is tense and emotional. Silent hill 3 went back to being scary again. All 3 games are brilliant.

[@miwoj]

no game could ever scare me after i finished SH2, this game made me immune to fear.

[@Irraptured]

I'm currently doing my first replay of the game since it's been years, and the apartment wasn't too bad for me this time. You just really need to check your corners but other than that, the only really scary instances IMO are pyramid head standing behind the metal bars staring at you, and also the TV room with the dead James on the chair

[@robbiea5040]

Silent Hill 4 had the creepiest story with walter sulavin. Such a good bad guy.

[@skeletonsinscarves3965]

i dont know man this seems more of a depression game

[@hopelessent.1700]

skeletonsinscarves That's because it is. This is all a sad roller coaster from the start as the mystery of finding his dead wife is the reason as to why he got into the hell hole in the first place...

[@hummusprince]

it is

[@barkon34]

yea i remember playing this every night by my self for a week when i was in college and just feeling really depressed and alone the entire week. Even during the day time wen i was hanging out with my friends, this game can just have that kind of an affect on you.

[@spazmak666]

Is that an underneath reference? ;)

[@JoryStultz1234]

Sadness and trauma are staples in Japanese horror.

[@PeixeKing]

Good review overall, but saying that SH2 is some people's favorite because it's the easiest is a very shallow interpretation about why people really like the game. And, goes without saying, but "harder" doesn't always means better.

[@123darkelf]

PeixeKing ....trust me, playing the game on hard made me learn that like a slap to the face, mostly that pyramid head chase in the hospital....fu** that segment.

[@regularshowman3208]

@@123darkelf God if I can't relate. The chase in the hospital is one thing, too. At least all you have to do there is just fend him off long enough for Maria and you to get to that last part at the end of the hall. The part where you actually have to *kill* both Pyramid Heads at the very end of the game can go *fuck* itself.

[@plushy9849]

That was my reaction too. People love this game for the atmosphere and amazing story, it's nothing to do with how easy it is. It perlexes me when people complain about the combat in a game like this too; that's not the focus of the game. Threre are plenty of combat-centric games out there if that's what you're after. The combat this game does feature is the perfect amount to represent James' mental struggle - any more would divert attention away from the isolating atmosphere and the story development.

[@Asaylum117]

@@plushy9849 Also, if the game being too easy is a problem to some people, they can just turn the difficulty setting higher if they want to.

[@justinlafser916]

"How can you sit there and eat PIZZA?!" *Puts in my own response* "It's very simple." *Raises pizza slice* "Like this." *Begins to eat pizza*

[@tylerrichardson1569]

Best line ever lol

[@linushyper300]

Justin Lafser +1

[@masterzombie161]

Imagine your in a boss fight and you still got 5 more slices. The struggle man.

[@xavierjohnson-emmel5878]

That was cringe

[@ninetailfoxahri8642]

Justin Lafser I was expecting a Toby Maguire joke lol

[@YARGGG_GG]

I love your videos, but I'm not sure I can agree on everything. The post-hospital section where you return to the previous part of town serves as a breather after the tragic conclusion of the hospital, and the boat section is an effective tension builder - especially if you've read about the boat that met its end on that lake. The execution isn't perfect, of course, but I can't fault the game for trying to establish some quiet time.

[@hidamariinu4237]

I agree. The then new Silent Hill was built great and I walked through these streets for hours to check every nook and cranny. :3

[@probsessive_]

Jay Mike totally disagree

[@retrollennialdungeonz2451]

Jay Mike K

[@Odinsday]

+TheMike27 You cared enough to reply.

[@Odinsday]

+TheMike27 My point exactly. :)

[@Eebers]

You know, I'd have to disagree with the CG graphics. I think silent hill 2 has some of the best PS2 CG I've seen. Sure they don't really hold up today, but they were the best for the time. Great review though, and that nitpick is the only negative thing I have to say haha, can't wait for more.

[@npc_blob1609]

I think they look brilliant even today. The characters all have that "look" about them, when you see them, that you could mistake them for real humans. I think it's partly down to the lighting and shadow, particularly the scene with James in front of the mirror - the shadows that fall across his face really seem to match the skull structure like real life, and light passes through their skin realistically.

[@hopelessent.1700]

Kapanyo I agree. I felt that the CG does not hinder the game. I guess you can call it outdated, but I think it adds to the surreal elements. Want to see how well cutscenes were at this time? Watch Star Wars Starfighter PS2, it looks disgusting and can be seen as downright unwatchable...

[@npc_blob1609]

How so?

[@JazzTheOne]

@Cyberdemon Mike Why are you here arguing then?

[@Almar072]

Check Driv3r's cutscenes, I don't know any other games of that consoles generation the had pretty impressive graphics.

[@TindraSan]

dog ending is best ending

[@sonoda944]

TindraSan Omaeno shiwaza datanoka

[@icenukegangsta1020]

Tindra san N O P E

[@Paul-bi4wj]

Naaa UFO because of my boi Harry

[@rusPiglets]

Wasn't not-so-perfect line delivery intentional?

[@NitroRad]

I used to think that was just heresay, but i'm pretty sure it actually was intentional. People will argue that it makes the game scarier, because it enters the uncanny valley, but to me it just feels campy and adorable rather than unsettling. Maybe that's just me though. I think SIREN did uncanny valley better with the photographed faces textured onto the characters. I should probably put all of this in a video instead of a comment heh OOPS

[@rusPiglets]

Thanks for the response anyway, great SH marathon!

[@maboroshi1986]

apparently it was to an extent. the idea is that none of the characters seem "right" in some way. everything about them is off which does contribute to the atmosphere somewhat. there is a livestream with a couple of the actors (including the one for james) out there on youtube

[@djjamesporter4740]

You're wrong and you should feel bad for being wrong.

[@PeixeKing]

It is. The developers chose those specific actors and directed them the way they did for a purpose, and that`s made very clear in the making of.

[@THEGREATMAX]

"Wounds will heal but your mind will be scarred forever" - Silent Hill 2

[@johoonbark9091]

I think that Angela’s boss, “Abstract Daddy” is the same to Angela, as it is to James, the symbolism is just different. It could Angela’s abuse at the hands of her father, and the sexual issues for James.

[@shizachan8421]

Rather late, but I feel like the symbolism itself is actually similar as well, the meaning of it is just different for Angela and James. For Angela, it symbolizes the sexual abuse she suffers and represents her abuser. For James on the other hand it is more of a direct reflection of his own repressed sexuality and possibly aspects of his toxic masculinity, which is fully represented by the Figure of Pyramide Head.

[@CandyManSC]

@@shizachan8421 It could also mean “abstract daddy” for James in a more literal sense: Mary’s disease destroyed any hope they had for having kids.

[@terraformthesun2896]

Good review, but I respectfully disagree about the horror. I think in many ways, this is the scariest game in the series because of the subjects it tackles. That's why this game is labeled "psychological horror". It's real shit that gets under your skin. In stories like these, the monsters are people.

[@Maxtermax360]

Just Michael Maybe its because some people are numb to the psychological effects, only caring about the stuff that happens on screen, but thats OK, i would say sh1 is often more about tension, and sh2 is about giving some special kind of chills to the player.

[@soltanalosmi475]

One sentence can explain silent hill ... ahead of its time, an art of storytelling that we still haven't reached yet.

[@D.W.M.T.Y.A.W._CheckAbout_]

It’s also dead, thanks to Konami’s half hazardous use of its IPs

[@lordshemp3324]

Silent Hill 2 being so easy is a plus, really. Who plays SH for the combat? The combat sucks. Silent Hill 2 is not as outright scary as the other Team Silent games, but the atmosphere is easily the best(which is saying a lot considering the other Team Silent games have SUPERB atmosphere as well). Silent Hill was never bone-chillingly frightening. Its horror is more cerebral, psychological. Amnesia is much scarrier in the traditional sense, doesn't necessarily make for better horror.

[@Snyperwolf91]

Lordshemp For some parts i agree with you but i think that the combat isnt so bad . Yeah it has its flaws but its all about decisions if you want to preserve ammo and go much more into close quarter combat or for ranged combat because you are low on healing items or your badly hurt and haven't any healing items with you. Its clunky for sure but its about learning the combat and getting used to . Its the same with resident evil and even with its clunky combat it still holds up pretty good like silent hill. Even tank controls are in my opinion a good control scheme on itself and there are many games that support this scheme for many ps1 and ps2 games. Except in Hack'n slay games and other genres beside Horror.

[@nicolasriveros943]

Think it about like this: If you were a mentaly scared person who ran into some spooky town full of horrible hell like creatures, you will fight them as a Soldier? No! I know it isn't maybe intentional, but for me the "clunky" combat system really helps to the atmosphere. Sure, fight monsters is combersome, healing fells akward , but again, James is not a full trained soldier, is just a regular guy with real emotional problems that is facing his worst fears. That's not something you will feel "confortable" to. Besides, if you just want to avoid the monsters, you can do it. Is the perfect example of a "Ludonarrative Resonance".

[@hopelessent.1700]

Lordshemp I think haunting would be much more appropriate. Especially when it comes to the themes that it explores...

[@seb4512]

If the game is too easy play it on hard (recently played it and for the most part is the way the game should be played imo but certain sequences and especially certain bosses are nearly impossible without exploiting them)

[@IamOkita]

Lordshemp I gotta agree with you to the extent of the conveyance that the game provides. It’s not about being scary, it’s about the feeling of isolation facing the nightmare head on not knowing what lies ahead.

[@IronBoulder]

The area between the Prison and the Hotel is called the Labyrinth. Just in case you forgot. Also, the boat sequence is a bit more creepy if you read an article about the lake earlier in the game.

[@pippumax5881]

"It may seem like I did spoil a good chunk of the story like the bit where eddy dies" I laughed very very hard at this line xD

[@drfenderfunk]

I actually think Silent Hill 2 is the scariest of all of the Silent Hill games I've played (2, 3 and 4). Silent Hill 4 is almost comical at times because of some of the ridiculous looking monsters that make goofy noises. Silent Hill 3 relies too much on gore, which isn't too out of place because blood/menstruation is a big theme in that game, but I still don't like it when a horror game/movie tries to scare you with lots of blood, because it doesn't work for me. Silent Hill 2 doesn't rely on jumpscares or gore as much as the other two games or a lot of horror games/movies do to scare you. Instead, it is more psychologically disturbing. As the game progresses, you learn more and more how delusional and messed up James is. All of the few real people you run into are awkward, psychotic and/or suicidal/homicidal. *spoiler* James himself commits suicide in one of the endings, and even the happiest of all endings (Leave) still makes you feel slightly sad and uncertain of what James' future will look like. I also disagree with what you said about the atmosphere in Silent Hill 2. I find the atmosphere to be very creepy in every place you go. The scariest thing about SH2, which you didn't tap into, is the sound effects. There are so many sounds (the noises the monsters make, the music, the noises you hear in some of the buildings) that really get under my skin and make this game frightening to play late at night all by myself. One thing I think both 2 and 3 do really well is the monsters. The monsters in those games have more of a 'what the fuck is this supposed to be' feel to them than a 'I've seen this a million times' feel like the zombies, clowns and everything else you typically see in horror games/movies.

[@karinano1stan]

4 was like that in the hospital level, and the hospital level is REALLY small. 4 is probably the most disturbing in the series.

[@AarenYASS]

i love him saying "its not THAT scary and its a little too easy" Bruh every playthrough ive seen, people struggle with ammo and health, which increases the stakes and fear factor in the players. You're basically just too good and experienced lmao. -

[@nievesofficial]

No, it’s easy

[@skylardesmire9585]

@spindletea Oh woooow, you're soo good. Stfu

[@kylem.9525]

No, it’s definitely a pretty easy game, unless you’re playing on hard, and then it’s just complete bullshit.

[@internettraveler8666]

Normal difficulty is easy

[@cesaracosta362]

I just finished it and I agree that it is TOO easy. I ended with SO MANY health items and ammo. The puzzles were the only points that made me stop because is true that the enemies are way too slow and not so treatening as the first one

[@alexf7368]

Really enjoyed all of these SH reviews, man. Personally, i cannot agree with some of the criticism given about SH2 but we're all different people with different thoughts and likes/dislikes. Silent Hill 2 is my favourite game and its best attributes is not only the story, but the way it tells the story. Great job, once again.

[@jesseheisenberg8854]

Jesus that intro gave me a heart attack

[@puffythedestroyer8878]

according the general concencious(?) the the reason that silent hill 2 is so scary, is the lack of monsters compared to the other installments, giving a sense of loneliness and creeping despair as the player constantly expects something to jump out at them, but never does. (edit) (i see you mentioned this) second being just about all the symbolism, in both the town, levels, items, and monsters... and how subtle they all ar, and 3rd, the characters are often considered more human and believable in the scenario than other characters in other s.h. installments. (also the horrific music sounds preformed by akira torriama) while i share the same opinion... im stating what the general silent hill 2 thoughts are, even from other critics, such as yahtzee and others. so to say that people love it only due to its difficulty level may or may not be insulting. but all are entitled to opinions..... im sorry if i sem to be belittling you. no intent on that!

[@puffythedestroyer8878]

+Puffy the Destroyer in short: while i dearfully respect your opinion, i am in the same boat as the godlike yahtzee croshaw and everyone else as to why silent hill 2 is the difinitive emperor of horror games

[@williamproto6164]

Yeah I remember in the maze I was just strolling along not expecting enemies then BAM they throw Pyramid Head, the main baddie, right at you. No sound indications, no cutscene, he just popped up and tried stabbing me to death. I freaked out hardcore.

[@lupepedraza3404]

Man, it’s clear you hate this game, it there’s no need to be aggressive

[@TheCreedGames1]

I really need to replay this. I only beat the first Silent Hill, and played 2 for about 3 hours before I cut it off. idk why I stopped though. Also to anyone that forgot, the remake changes the font of the Silent Hill sign to comic sans.

[@Upsetkiller456]

Silent Hill 2 is still, to this day, the best story in gaming(in my eyes); The characters and their journeys with the atmosphere, shows what games can do that movies or books cannot.

[@willmistretta]

Interesting interpretation. I think it's very much open to debate whether the supernatural forces at work in Silent Hill care about teaching anyone a lesson or whether the town is acting as a psychic vampire of sorts, leeching off their guilt and pain. Angela and Eddie's outcomes could well have been the intended ones and James simply managed (in the better endings, anyway) to find the inner strength to foil the town's will and escape its clutches.

[@nocturneprividyenie2391]

The Theme of Laura is such a beautiful piece...

[@SuperKede]

Does anyone think it's odd the James just leaves his car door open lol

[@kisslordorochimaru]

Superkede Yes it was odd, it’s like he’s looking for someone to hijack his car and drive away with it lol

[@tryinglyon]

@@kisslordorochimaru well people say he had a body in the back of his car. Maybe he wanted somebody to get in trouble for his own work lol.

[@rawrdino7046]

I mean he does dig in a toilet

[@angelduh6941]

I know this is old as fuck, but... the reason is probably because james went to silent hill to kill himself, so... maybe there was no point in closing the door

[@Unfriggginbelievable]

@@angelduh6941 also late here but I think that’s a crazy detail, maybe he planned on dying or not needing his car again for some reason, that’s fucked!

[@hairy_cornflake]

The voice acting is supposed to be kinda weird, especially for Angela.

[@joeyeckley8012]

***** Exactly because something is off with her that we find out why she is socially awkard

[@thebird5921]

Hairy Cornflake *PIZZA*

[@drfenderfunk]

Also, I really like the part where you go back into town after the hospital. Seeing the town and cemetery at night is even creepier.

[@thatonezeldaguy250]

I didn't find the story of silent hill 1 to be messy, I loved it

[@billassburger6854]

well its not rly clear wither or not the abstract daddy looks any different to angela (if memory serves anyway) she was sexually abused right? and it does kinda look like a man on a bed hovering over something small so it would be fitting if she could see it like that

[@SteveIsMe1291]

These Silent Hill retrospectives/reviews are excellently written and edited. Good stuff. Subbed.

[@TWKReviewsOLD]

Excellent review. This is one of the better Silent Hill games for sure but 4 is my personal favorite for taking the most risks in terms of both gameplay and story.

[@NitroRad]

Dude, same. The Room made a lot of weird decisions, but what they did right, they did DAMN well.

[@TWKReviewsOLD]

NitroRad Oh yes, they did. There are some genuinely creepy moments in the game to be sure.

[@spitefulraven]

James is 29 looking like he's 39, must be the stress.

[@joelmontoya4872]

I also felt like the horror in this one worked on a deeper psychological level. I found it much scarier than the first, but everybody's different I guess

[@cyde79]

14:30 - the lyrics to that song should be "I killed my wife! My wife is dead!" Also, jumping into a hole and screaming "Mary?" is so funny

[@sumguy2747]

I remember my dad playing this he quit at the first pyramid head boss fight because he didn’t realize he was supposed to wait it out

[@TheIntimateAvenger]

Wait, James is only 29?! I played this as a kid and now James is younger than me. Damn.

[@Monicaser]

I'm glad to have stumbled across your channel. Stellar content, James.

[@JakeMasterss]

Just discovered your channel through this video. Incredible editing and brilliant narration. Awesome work my friend.

[@chibivampiregirl]

I love the weird voice acting! It makes everyone sound so disoriented and out-of-sorts. Maria's voice acting is REALLY good at key moments, so while I don't feel the VA work being weird was intentional, I pretend it's just a feature lol. Especially since the letter at the end of the game is such an emotional monologue.

[@warwulf1889]

You know what's funny. Characters from the Persona series could actually summon their Personas in Silent Hill, Considering it's essentially a cognitive world.

[@madmintentertainment6268]

im suprised you didnt mention the fact that if you willingly drop all of your ammo outside the pyramid head boss fight and enter the room. pyramid head impales himself and you dont have to fight him because by dropping the ammo james accepts his guilt and is ready to face the consequences

[@Walamonga1313]

I find it funny how SH2 fans always overreact when people don't praise EVERY DAMN ASPECT of 2 and dismiss the criticisms in a manner of "that's not important/necessary" but they love to point out the faults in 1 and 3.

[@AllHailToTypeSun]

Coff coff combat system coff.

[@AllHailToTypeSun]

@Shat7 I was responding to the op. I think the combat is too stiff. (I used mostly the plank/pipe). I don't actually like it.

[@KaoticReach1999]

Despite maybe projecting or just outright misunderstanding things, good video.

[@ocarinalover1214]

I'm glad I discovered this channel

[@ohmyitskatelyn260]

This my favorite Silent Hill 👏🏻 love this video. Thank you for this ☺️

[@Principalofthething889]

I'm here after Silent Hill 2 remake was announced!

[@videogamerka0009]

Silent Hill 2 best video game i have ever played.

[@memeguy2488]

I wonder how James is reacting to silent hill 2 remake.

[@laiban]

As old as this review is, after watching so many review, analyses, and interviews of this game, it's pretty clear how little a grasp of this game you had, at least at the time. I appreciate your style, efforts, and skills in editing. But I really don't feel you spent much time looking into this game passed the surface level.

[@laiban]

For example, the reason most fans like this game is because of how relatable it is. The ambiance. The nuance. The execution. Everything about this game falls into place in the best, saddest, unnerving ways. Not because it's easy or even exactly scary. It's because, unlike the other entries, it's much easier to be put in the shoes of the character. Few people are burn victims hellbent on revenge of an entire town, parents searching for lost children, or teenagers meant to birth god. But many people suffer from depression, loss, bullying, abuse, and not many games tackle these taboo subjects with as much care nor success as Silent Hill 2.

[@EZ-vm1up]

@@laiban Most of the problems he had with the game had to do with the gameplay, and not the story, which is pretty understandable when you think about it. The game can be far too easy sometimes, even on Hard mode.

[@Mike14264]

@@EZ-vm1up if James were to do a reanalysis on the Silent Hill games (like how he did with Ty's games when the remasters came out), I can see him giving way more emphasis on these areas, as he's grown to care for these parts as much as the technical parts of the game, like the gameplay.

[@LionmaneElsie08]

I agree. It’s got so much more going for it than this review shows. Shame really

[@traumachild1737]

How did Eddie even get pizza?

[@thelittleredhairedgirlfrom6527]

He could have made it himself

[@Pistolemaster]

Trauma Child He asked Pizza Hut

[@PlittHD]

Delivered in 45 mins or its free even if you are in Silent Hill

[@Unfriggginbelievable]

Dat boi manifested it in his own silent hill right? idk

[@TheSeelieCourtier]

Loved your reviews for this series, man! Made me subscribe JUST for that. One thing, though, and I know it's late and you've more than likely been told this now years later, but the first battle against Pyramid Head doesn't require you to actually fight him. Just survive. You can win the fight without firing a single shot. Which is nice, since you still need ammo. But it does take a LONG time for it to happen.

[@FaithenEb]

You people are probably rewatching this video after the remake trailer, right?

[@Gimageproductionz]

Man, where have u been.. Never heard of you till now.. Awesome videos.. I'm a now a fan.. Great work.. Love you take on the silent hill games..

[@Infinite_Archive]

I love KZbin's comment section, genuinely. You say one wrong thing and suddenly it's a Greek chorus.

[@14Trickyguy]

Silent Hill 2 is my favorite one because there is nothing about a religion in it, just James looking for his dead wife

[@tobiasmiracle6780]

Can't wait till the next one. Keep up the good work bro!

[@Yousuke-kun]

You are so good at reviewing games, love you!!!

[@mayamellissa]

I really like watching these because I can see the progression of these reviews and find myself missing the spoilers bits.

[@Sevr-ln7kk]

I would love to see an updated review on this after all the new things you've probably learned about the game over the last few years

[@kingofgoldfish]

162 likes, 0 dislikes. well darn This was a great video. The jokes, editing, and ESPECIALLY narration were great. I don't know why, but I feel like you explain things a lot better than most other "game reviewers" do. It sounds all logical and stuff. So just keep doing what you're doing, I guess. I subbed ;)

[@xanaxodgrindcorelover9191]

the forest intro music is absolutely incredible

[@radRadiolarian]

the reason why there's a lot of healing items is because how much you heal yoursemf affects the ending you get

[@PKSunset]

If there are reviews that need a redo, it’s totally the Silent Hill videos. I’d love yo see NitroRad’s current style of reviewing things with these games.

[@Jacob_G9]

I love how we can think of 100 different ways the story can be told and each one is accurate to some degree.

[@joshuasommer6548]

"How can you just sit there and eat pizza?"

[@michaelnelson5298]

You got a like and a subscribe, i can see all the effort your putting into these, and i really appriceated the the reviews of the TY trilogy, those games were my childhood. You my friend rule. Have a wonderful day

[@ZEPPELIN198]

The redubbed voice acting in the HD collection is an absolute sacrilege. The game should never be played that way

[@koiofokinawa]

I have literally never heard anyone say they like SH2 the most because it's easy. It's got the best story lol.

[@vinnythefish1]

Now that I think about it could those long walks to the second level(and boat ride) be a way of making you feel alone, you know because of the ambience of the town?

[@reed1645]

Your content is fantastic man. I'm really enjoying your videos on horror games, especially the silent hill series. I never played them growing up but the first two were pretty epic. I'm going to get stuck into 3 and 4 next and i'll probably give the American ones a shot as well.

[@hamburgereater]

Dude, I literally cannot play this game. Thought it's one of my favorite games ever, every time a monster appears, I just start freaking out really bad, I think it's bad for my health :c

[@narcissismincarnate9201]

You should play spec ops: the line. It makes killing things really easy.

[@cringeclown4087]

the way you pronounced car-

[@vincentmorales7103]

Love you nitro rad your vids are awesome

[@mmike855]

Keep up the work, man!

[@AyuniKiryuin]

Had to watch this since the remake has been announced

[@guilhermebraga9773]

Amazing songs really. They are so important to the sucess of this atmospheric game, it is a pitty we dont get original soundtracks that are that good and emotional anymore. Or perhaps i'm missing something these days, but those days were lot better for gaming

[@hallowseve5801]

To me, Silent Hill is more like a purgatory and if your character learn their lesson they will be able to leave and fix their problems. If they don't they either keep their problems or simply can't leave

[@mad_quack]

The very first time my friend and I played SH2, we took turns playing. She was navigating through the apartments and entered into the room where Eddie was puking. When she heard his audio of throwing up she freaked out and chucked the controller at me lmao Also SH2 is my favorite because of the atmosphere, the characters, the symbolism, and the story. I like how it’s separate from the main cult story

[@ManBearPig327]

Keep up the good work, looking forward to more videos to come

[@demcrazygamers4564]

Your reviews are amazing! Looking forward to see how silent hill 3 will be compared to the second one

[@Reneebenson]

One of my favorite silent hill games

[@Phe0niz]

It just occurred to me he sounds like Randal from Clerks

[@TheOrangex88]

You just got a new sub my man

[@hidamariinu4237]

You haven't mentioned anything about the Maria-section of the game in the "Director's Cut" and "Inner Fears" version of the game. Do you think it fits right in and is a nice addition to the game?

[@stephencompton7014]

Great video man i really enjoyed it. You got a sub from me, keep it up!

[@mysoundtomultiply]

james sunderland explains silent hill 2 to you

[@joerig96]

Silent Hill series (early) is one of the best video games soundtrack ever, really give 90s - early 2000s vibes

[@The_james_hell]

Great video Nitro Rad! I stumbled upon your channel due to a mutual love of StarTropics, so I have informed friends of your channel. I'll give a shout out for it soon on a group channel a few friends of mine have started. Keep up the good work!

[@mhmtakeyatime9000]

Great to watch this now after the remake trailer. :)

[@TheZombieCurryKid]

Yes! Great video!