New blood (literally) to the series.
The first game wasa great one, for PSOne, with great graphics, a good story and spetacular presentation. The expectation on SH2 was very huge, so we must discuss if it lives up to the hopes of gamers.
The graphics are all one could expect from a first-generation game of PS2: the real-time city is foggier, scarier and a lot bigger and more detailed. The sound will make you S*** your pants, too, since screams and groams will eventually come from nowhere with the only goal to scare you. And they will do, they surely will.
But in SH2 90% of the fun will come from the storyline, the technical aspects being only a mean to deliver the great screenplay. As James Sunderland you will explore the creepy city of Silent Hill searching for answers to the misterious letter you received from your 3-year dead wife. The game will keep you guessing what's going on as you are introduced to other troubled characters, also summoned to the gloomy city with nebulous goals.
*SPOILERS!*
The story unfolds to prove how much insanity can be scary and how the human beings are the worst monster anyone can design. Don't be fooled: James (nor anybody in this game) is innocent. This is a great deal, since the games shows how a regular person can lose the touch with reality and become a monster. No, in reality we don't have corrupt farmaceutical facilities like Umbrella, but we have lots of mentally ill people who can get nuts anytime. Wich one is scarier?
*END OF SPOILERS*
Well, the game hasn't changed that much about gameplay: since the first game was already totally made with real-time graphics, gamers will get used to how things work soon. If you are new to this, well, if you ever polayed Tomb Raider or RE: Code Veronica, SH2 won't be too hard to master. But, if it's your first time to game like this, don't panic and used the first stages to get used to the controls.
If played with headphones in the dark, this game can be a great source of nightmares: the design and messages it delivers have much to do with visceral and basic instincts that can make people get crazy. An advice: if you have weak feelings, don't take this game seriously. Really, it is made to look great as an horror movie and the content is very, very twisted.
In short: it lives to the expectations and makes anyone who liked the first game to like this sequel. Horror fans (if you watched Saw and Saw II and liked, you are the gamer for SH2) will be pleased with such a great story.
An adult game, definitely.