Now THIS is how you make a survival horror game! True Score-9.5/10
The gameplay consists of James (or an extra character in an unlockable sub-game in the PC and Xbox versions) running around the eeriely foggy and messed up town of Silent Hill and a few of it's buildings (that have oddly placed puzzles just to block you from getting to that key or item that you use to go on a scavenger hunt to find where they go). But wait, this would seem pretty boring if there weren't some sort of walking obstacles trying poorly to prevent you from going to the next room or area, right? Oh, yeah, this game has some of the most weird and creepy monsters ever to appear in the name of survival horror (you'll honestly wonder how the creature designers ever sleep at night) that serve as target practice for your various weapons of semi-mass destruction, like a handgun, shotgun, steel pipe, or the almighty 2x4 plank of wood (yes, you whack monsters to death with it).
The puzzles of this game range from something a kid could probably solve with ease to something that makes you suffer from hair loss because you're ripping your hair out trying to solve that one f-ing puzzle to get that certain item to help James advance further (especially this one specific puzzle on the highest "Riddle" difficulty that involves inserting coins in a specific order. You wouldn't want me to spoil the solution and ruin the fun for you, now would ya?).
The only problem with the gameplay is that the combat gets a bit tedious and boring, but that's the only thing.
One thing that really stands out is the music and sounds. I mean, that Akira Yamaoka is a GENIUS when it comes to sound design. The music of Silent Hill 2 can range from the excellent "normal" songs that play in the various credits and intro movie to the fear-inducing ambient noises that occupy the "too quiet" hallways, but all in all, it's just some of the best in ANY game, not just horror titles.
The characters that James encounters are all very easily remembered and have their own unique back stories. There's Angela, the crazy woman (well, she's 18, but she does NOT look that young at all) James encounters in the cemetery and a few points throughout the game, Eddie, who appears to always show up near dead bodies even though he claims he "didn't do it", Laura, the little girl who claims to have been friends with Mary when she was hospitalized, and Maria, who not only has a name similar to Mary, but also looks like the *ahem* "pole dancing" doppelganger of Mary (hey, I'm trying to make this review as clean as possible).
Graphics wise, Silent Hill 2 is just amazing for it's time. The FMVs are fantastically detailed and look excellent (even by today's standards), and even the standard cutscenes and in-game graphics are quite eye pleasing. You can really see how much detail was put into certain places (which is more noticeable in the PC and Xbox ports), like the bathroom at the very beginning of the game and certain other locations are quite easy to appreciate the amount of detail put into the game. The developers even threw in a noise filter to add to the atmosphere, and it really works well (you can turn it off, but where's the fun in that?).
By replaying the game again and again, you can unlock more weapons for James to beat up baddies with and gain more endings to achieve, but besides that, you'll probably still replay the game a few times because it's such an enjoyable experience following James's journey through the living hell that is Silent Hill.
Like Mary's letter at the end of the game, this review has gone on far enough, and unlike Mary's 50 page letter, I'm giving you mercy by actually ending it here and giving my final scores. I hope my review has helped you decide if you want to try and buy this very excellent game, no matter what system you own, because it really is a game no survival horror fan should skip.
Gameplay-9/10
Sound-10/10
Graphics-10/10
Replay Value-9/10
Overall-9.5/10