Released in the fall of 2001, Silent Hill 2 has for many become the landmark game in the series. Deftly mixing the puzzle solving and combat of the first game with upgraded visuals that made use of the Playstation 2's processing power, players will welcomed back to the town of Silent Hill, and experienced an entirely new level of fear. Assuming the role of James Sunderland, a guilt-stricken widower, gamers were charged with solving the mystery of what happened to James' wife Mary, and why the town has called other tortured individuals within its borders. So who's who in Silent Hill 2?

James Sunderland
The protagonist of Silent Hill 2, James Sunderland must face his own demons and come clean with the truth surrounding the death of Mary.

Maria
Maria is what Mary should have been. Where Mary was frail, disfigured due to disease, and ultimately a burden in James' eyes, Maria is the opposite. Maria is the sexualized doppelganger of a deceased woman. How did she come meet James, and why does she look so much like Mary?

Angela
A young and disturbed woman who is first met in a graveyard as she searches for her father and brother, Angela's story is similar to James. She has been brought to Silent Hill to atone for her actions, but will she survive the guilt that hunts her, or become another victim?

Laura
The character of Laura differs from the rest of the cast in that to her, there is nothing going on in Silent Hill. She is a young girl who spends much of her time harassing James during his journey. Little does James know that Laura knows more about him than she first lets on.

Eddie
Be careful who you laugh at, you may be end up taunting the wrong man. While Silent Hill creates monsters from James' guilt, Eddie has been killing his own demons, who just so happen to be human beings.

Pyramid Head
The popularity of the pyramid head creatures could not be predicted prior to the game's release. These grotesque men, who wield massive blades stalk James throughout Silent Hill and seem intent on his brutal demise. We learn that these men were once the executioners who took their job to a gleeful extreme committing a mass murder in Toluca Prison during the nineteenth century. If they are indeed executing the guilty, why is James in their sight?

Where is the detailed plot summary?
I know the statute of limitations on spoilers expires five years after a game is release and while it has been seven, I still will not ruin any more of the plot for those of you who have yet to play it. I suggest you head off to your local video game retailer and pick up a used copy for your PS2 or Xbox. For those of you who have played through the game I present you with a few of my own musings on Silent Hill 2.

SPOILERS

Guilt
The overriding theme throughout Silent Hill 2 is the levels of guilt felt by the characters. James is drawn to Silent Hill due to his guilt over the mercy killing of his wife, while Angela runs from the truth that she killed her abusive father. Eddie seems to suffer no outright guilt, but the mere fact that he is viewing the people he's killed as monsters seem to point to an unwillingness to accept the crimes he has committed. In the game, the power of guilt adds a new layer to the cursed town. While the first game saw the power of Silent Hill tied to the whims of a young girl, this version of the town acts of its own free will. Silent Hill is drawing people in as an attempt to punish those it finds guilty, the irony being that the town itself was created by the acts of the guilty. Is the town trying to atone for its own deeds through this twisted plan?

"Favorite" Part
In a scene reminiscent of David Lynch's Blue Velvet, James hides in a closet and witnesses a pyramid head creature savage sexual assault on another demon. Upon completing the game and learning of James' murder of Mary this scene takes on a whole new meaning. If we do believe that James' frustration with Mary was partly of a sexual nature (supported by the creation of Maria) and his decision to end his wife's (or perhaps his own) suffering viewing the violent sexual act take place in front of him could in fact be a look deep inside his own psyche. Much of this has interpretation relies on how the player views James, as a true protagonist, a tragic hero, or no better than any Eddie.

Favorite Silent Hill
Why is this arguably the best game in the series? From a purely game play perspective, each game seems to suffer from obtuse puzzles, clunky control, and imprecise combat all in the guise of putting players in the role of a real person. The answer lies in everything that I have written above. Silent Hill 2 is first and foremost a story, the method of delivery happens to be in a video game. Seven years after its release and people spend much more time discussing the characters, the plot, the theme, and less time talking about trying to find a key in a vent. I've spent more hours reading plot analyses than I have playing the actual game. This does not speak poorly of the game, but rather highly of the narrative. Silent Hill 2 is a story we will continue to tell, perhaps to caution others, but surely as a means to frighten those who have a few skeletons in their closet, and maybe a severed head.

Next Time...
Harry Mason escaped Silent Hill with a bouncing baby girl. Now she's all grown up and the town that gave her away wants her back. Stay tuned for Silent Hill 3 on Thursday. Stay out of the mall!