5.4.2015

The 2nd game is what I was after when I purchased this. Silent Hill really sets the bar for intelligent gameplay. The 3rd one was great but I felt it was too sharp on the scare factor. I didn't feel I had time to absorb the atmosphere like I could in the 2nd game. you play James, an ordinary guy that is looking for Mary. You see he got a letter from her and it said that she was waiting for him in their “Special Place” in Silent Hill. Problem is, she has been dead for 3 years. But hey, let’s go find her anyway, she means a lot to James. At the start and throughout the game James is surrounded by either fog or darkness, making you very uneasy about what you can hear but can’t see.It’s also very claustrophobic. It might sound strange but you really do feel like you are right in that nightmare with James and want him to make it out. You care about him and you want him to be ok. he is such a pathetic guy I really felt sorry for him.When you have to fight enemies or bosses you sometimes end up in a small room or thin corridor so you can’t really run very far or run around them. It takes time to turn around and run so fighting bosses in particular is bloody terrifying even on easy mode. The thing is they could be behind any of those gazillion doors, just because it looks normal does not mean you are going to be safe and because of this, going through any door always causes you to tense up. Many will be locked and you will find yourself relieved when they are, then one of them opens/loads and you close your eyes, thinking “Oh God”. You feel so tense, anticipating the worst case scenario with your finger hovering over the attack buttons. Even when you are ready and you see the creature coming towards you it is still shocking because the creatures are so unnatural and disturbing, backed up with a nerve shredding soundtrack.T junction corridors and right angle corners are scary – you can’t see what is around the corner until you are practically on top of it because the camera takes its time following James around. Though you can hear something shuffling around, you really have to be all the way around to see what it is. It’s funny when you find yourself moving your actual head way over to the right or the left in a desperate attempt to see what is there but of course you cant. Some of the corridors seem to stretch off into the abyss which I found quite unsettling. Your radio is going bonkers and you can a shape emerging, twitching its way towards you.You will come across random sounds during the game that will have your hairs standing on edge (I love the open prison court yard). Thing is you will hear them but won’t know why they are there or what will happen. You hear footsteps and demonic voices and think there is a new creature coming for you. There are many tricks done with sound to send the players nerves into a tizzy. Some of them are thrown in specifically just to freak you out. It’s very clever and I would recommend checking out the official sound track to all 3 games, they are amazing, beautiful as well as frightening.The silence – Some parts you will walk through a door and be greeted by total silent and it is far scarier than the soundtrack. Some parts I walked into (the apartment building is the first place I think) and was frozen stiff, terrified to move because it was so quiet. I was like “something is going to jump on me if I move”. Brilliant and very effective. Sometimes you think it’s quiet and then you start to hear something in the distance. Whoever came up with this is just so cruel. The lack of sound really plays with your head and imagination.Pyramid Head! Exclusive to the 2nd game –when you run into him, which I have done literally in the labyrinth, you will know true fear. I personally freak out if I hear the scraping sound of his “great knife” the way he drags it around, I always end up yelling extremely loud obscenities at the TV and the controller is airborne. Once you hear that noise you will never forget it. Ha yes he is that scary, probably because he can’t die like you can OH and he can kill you with one downward swipe of this weapon. So if you hear metal scraping the floor, get ready to run like an Olympian in the opposite direction or suffer going back to the loading menu. Good times!There are many other characters and story you will encounter and they are very all messed up with their own messed up stories. Some stories and events I honestly found were downright upsetting, making their character very memorable.TANK CONTROLS!!! I am a gamer that is always used to moving the character with one stick and moving the camera with the other (DMC or the last of us ect). In silent hill you use the left stick alone, ugh yuck controls (similar to the original Res games too) so before you can even move you have to "turn" James in that direction and then move forward. The controls in this game are deliberately awkward as hell. As annoying as they are they really add tension and made you nervous because they take away your control over the situation you are in. it’s very difficult to run away in any sort of graceful manner. James stops and starts a lot and there are many objects in the way to make it even harder to run (keep running into things) which is very frustrating when you are trying to run away from enemies so you are always apprehensive about meeting creatures.The lack of the 1st game is quite regrettable because it’s the one that got the whole ball rolling and easily is the scariest out of all 3. They are all quite scary but the 1st really gets under your skin. Anyone who has travelled around “nowhere” the very first time has to admit how much they s*£t themselves. That historical dark alley scene at the beginning is so freaky and is easily one of the freakiest parts of my memory and YouTube will back me up on this. It really would have been nice to play it and actually finish for the first time now that I am older and better able to mentally handle it.Turn out the lights, put the headphones on and really get into the story. Both games will scare you no matter who you are, they are designed to scare people and scare them A LOT. I am a big fan of the original first 3 Res evil games too but that is a different experience. The scares in Res are sharp, quick and temporary, which is a lot of fun and at least it gives you a moment to calm down.Silent hill doesn’t. When playing silent hill you really should be ready to be VERY nervous ALL the time. Its crazy fun to play but I honestly had to take time away from it because it took so much out of me I was kind of exhausted after 2 full days of play. Not only are you really scared but you find yourself being really emotional too. You really empathise with some of these characters it’s really tragic what happens to some of them, one of them in particular.Perhaps someday there will be a team of people that will pull off a game that is on the same standard. it has been 15 years and nothing is even close to as clever as these 1st 3 titles. I am beginning to lose faith. COME ON GUYS!! the formula is right there. I would advise future game developers to STUDY this game.

10.7.2012

There are enough reviews on here listing the problems with the HD port (represnting the fun rating) so instead I'll focus on the games themselves as opposed to the technical issues; which do unfortunately affect the gameplay experience.Silent Hill 2 redefined what horror video games were, prior to it's release Resident Evil sat firmly atop the pile, while fun they were rarely scary, more akin with a homage to cheesy horror films complete with hammy dialouge than an actual frightening experience.Silent Hill 2 changed all that, there's a reason more than a decade on its still looked back on with such adoration, held as the gold standard.Indeed the six sequels since have never been able to recapture what made Silent Hill 2 so great.So what is it that makes Silent Hill 2 great? Simply it's the story. You take on the role of James Sunderland who receives a letter from his previously terminally ill, now deceased wife Mary asking him to return to their special place of Silent Hill where she's waiting for him, upon arrival James begins scouring the town but finds it overrun with monsters.While it sounds like a fairly run of the mill horror scenario it's not, evoking cinematic ques from the likes of David Lynch's darker works or Adrian Lyne's Jacob's ladder, it's an incredibly atmospheric tale that will completely suck you into the oppressive world, loaded with dark, sexual and nihilistic imagery that will leave a lasting impression. Certain scenes in particular as you watch one of the characters walk away from you up a burning staircase as they become slowly enveloped remain haunting even now.James meets a selected range of characters including Maria, a doppelganger for his wife albeit a more flirtatious and sexual one, Eddie a overweight seemingly twitchy young man, Angela a young woman whose emotionally unstable and Laura a small girl who seems oblivious to the horrible goings on around her. All these characters will play into the larger canvas of the story in various ways as they all confront their own demons. There is also of course the series icon Pyramid head who appears repeatedly throughout the game to torment you, ingrained into the franchise DNA following his appearance here. All the characters human or otherwise directly relate to James in ways you can only fully appreciate upon finishing the game.Games with great or even good plots, you can effectively count using the fingers on one hand, Silent Hill 2 will always be at the top for me, a psychological tale which deals issues of sexual abuse, bereavement, mental illness, and suicide to name a few, adult issues. How many games can you say that about? As you play you piece together the past of some of Silent Hill's main institutions, like the hospital, you can see positions were abused long before things went bad.The tale leads to a harrowing gut punch of a conclusion, one that will not leave you accentuated by a powerful score as amidst the ruins of the Lakeview Hotel you learn Mary's final fate. Depending on how you play the final motivations and fate of your character change dramatically, giving way to multiple playthroughs, leaving you with either a poignant or oppressive ending.Simply put Silent Hill 2's contribution to the genre cannot be overstated, by todays standards the controls are clunky the camera angles occasionally awkward and the combat hit and miss (though deliberately so), if the rebooted Resident evils are the type of 'horror' you want then Silent hill's probably not for you, but if you appreciate slow burning, psychological and engaging horror and have never played the game before, I implore you to give it a go.Silent Hill 3 the second game in the package serves as a direct sequel to the PS one original Silent Hill game, so if you're picking it up for the first time while you can dive straight in some of the story may be somewhat lost on you.Silent hill 3 is an enjoyable yarn but it trades out a lot of the deeper storytelling for a more conventional horror plot of cults and evil deity's akin to The Wicker Man and the monster designs are a bit more literal than the prior instalment. It still retains the oppressive atmosphere of the Silent hill 2 and memorable moments; a particular room in the hospital will no doubt bring back a few memories for older players.Ultimately Silent Hill 2 is the main draw of this package Silent hill 3 is an added bonus together marking the glory days for the franchise which would soon be shopped between different developers and never again reach the quality here. Annoying technical issues aside if you have never played these games you owe it to yourself to give it a go, nothing else can compare.

1.4.2012

I had read a lot of very negative reviews about this collection in the weeks prior to its release so I was a little sceptical about buying it but I didn't want to miss out on replaying two of my favourite games ever so I went ahead and got it anyway. Well I've completed both games now and I'm very happy to report that these frame-rate, freezes and lip synch issues in the UK release are minimal, if at all. There's no patch but you do have to install the game on first load up (which only takes 5 or 6 minutes) but then that's it - you're ready to experience these survival horror masterpieces in all their HD glory.With that out of the way I'll try to begin to put into words how incredible these games actually are.Silent Hill 2 is without a doubt the best game in the entire series.The emotion in this game is probably the most unsettling I have experienced in a game ever. James Sunderland receives a letter from his long dead wife and returns to their "special place" Silent Hill to find her, meeting other distressed and deeply saddened characters in similar circumstances along the way. The themes in this game are so dark and disturbing that even now - 10 years since I first played this game - I still find it difficult to not feel some kind of grief towards these characters. The gameplay is a little clumsy in comparison to today's standards, but in a way this adds to its realism as James is not a muscle-clad soldier with combat experience, he is a just regular guy looking for answers, doing anything he can to find them.The scares are both quick jumps and highly psychological, the music and sound effects play a large part of this, much like the original. The monsters are very twisted and hellish, in fact the first encounter with Pyramid Head is one of the most disturbing experiences in gaming ever (the rumours of this cut-scene being edited is false, by the way) that will stay with you forever.My only small complaint about this HD update is that everything looks a little bit too clean. This may be because the fog has been pushed back slightly so you can clearly see everything immediately around you, so the pavements where you'd expect there to be dirty ash and trash looks as if it has been blasted with a power hose. Like I said though - this is a very minor minor issue that won't ruin anything really.Next is Silent Hill 3. This is another haunting tale that is probably the second best in the entire series. Unlike Silent Hill 2 where you are dropped straight into the story, this one takes a while to get going before you begin to really get into it. There's a few too many seemingly random puzzles and objectives to begin with but once you've been playing for an hour or so then you're really in for a rewarding and equally disturbing experience as the previous game.This one is a direct sequel to the first game, focussing on a teenager named Heather who is drawn to Silent Hill's alternate reality. The story isn't quite as strong as the first two games but is still one of the better ones in the series. The gameplay and controls are improved here which will make it easier for players new to these games than Silent Hill 2.The trophies for both games will be very difficult to get the Platinums on, but with multiple playthroughs to get all the different endings will be worth your while and gives you a lot of value for your money.Overall I am extremely happy with this collection and think that Konami did a great job with the UK release. I just hope now that they re-release some of the other titles in the series such as Shattered Memories, Origins and The Room.***EDIT - I played this game on a Slim 320GB PS3 console, not sure if this makes a difference or not, but I assure you I had no problems with glitches when playing this game. I know it's causing a lot of annoyance for some (just see the comments below!) but what have I got to gain by lying to you?***

4.8.2012

Any fan of Silent Hill already knows about the issues plagueing this collection's launch. However, these issues have now been dealt with for the most part, leaving a game that does justice to two of the most intruiging horror releases ever.Silent Hill 2 has been regarded as one of the best video game releases of all time since it's debut back in 2001. It's graphics were revolutionary, it's story was one of the first to feature such a psychological twist and it's soundtrack was both haunting and disturbing.So over a decade old, this game still looks damn good, and it's plain to see that textures have been upgraded and sharpened. However some exteriors look very dodgy, with blocky textures and rough shadows.This really doesn't ditract much from the experience. What is an issue, is the rendering (or lack of) the pre rendered cut scenes - they really don't look as gorgeous as they once did and it can be jarring to have a sudden switch between in engine graphics to the movie sequences. Character models look great from a distance, better than before even.Gameplay wise, the controls are relatively basic, but can be awkward - this hasn't changed since the game's release, and really helps make the game so atmospheric. Modern gamers probably wont like the control scheme, but there are options to change it slightly.In terms of audio, games don't get much better than Silent Hill 2. Theme of Laura and Promise are two iconic tracks to the franchise, and fit so perfectly with the games suppressive, moody but exhilirating ambience.Silent Hill 3 is another cult classic. It takes all the successful parts of it's predecessor and combines them with a more vibrant character, Heather. The story is very suspensful, and paced a little faster than Silent Hill 2, however not quite as memorable.Firstly, this game is graphically superb considering its age. It even gives some current-gen games a run for thier money. Bar the odd close up, this game looks smooth, sharp and runs with only a few minor frame rate issues. Sometimes it's hard to remember you're playing a 10 year old game!Gameplay is almost exact to Silent Hill 2, but slightly more action orientated, with faster enemies and an emphasis on melee combat. It actually makes the game a lot more tense than its counterpart. The design of the game is perhaps less metaphoric and more literal, again hightening the intensity.Another fantastic soundtrack, and the first in the series to feature lyrics in the main theme, You're Not There. There are some very haunting moments as well, and the music is very diverse.Since the success of the recent patch that fixed the main issues with this re-release, this is one of the most played games on my shelf. Silent Hill looks and plays better than ever, and is a testement to the horror game franchise. I just wish they would go back to this formula, the series has suffered over the years.If you loved the originals, its the right time to re-experience them in thier HD glory. If you're new to Silent Hill then keep an open mind and enjoy these very atmospheric, disturbing games. Gems like these don't come around very often.

3.4.2012

I had been looking forward to picking up this collection since the day it was announced and now, after several delays, it is finally here and I am thoroughly enjoying it.Being a HD collection the game is incredibly sharp and the majority of the textures have been redrawn to a much higher standard of detail. Both games seem to run at 60FPS, though SH2 noticably drops when exploring outside locations, but not to an unplayable standard as some people would have you believe.-The reduced fog hasent detracted from the experience at all, nor have I seen enemies/items just 'pop' up like some claim.-Controls and button response in both games are identical in every way to the PS2 versions,

28.12.2015

Brilliant.I got the HD Collection version for the PS3 in 2015, despite the warnings of various bugs and flaws. From beginning to end of SH2 I didn't experience any issues at all. The graphics were good and the game play was smooth, so it looks like they've ironed out any of the previous problems.I can't compare this to the original PS2 version as I never played it, however I can say that this version is incredibly enjoyable and well worth playing if you missed out on the 2001 release. I would have been in my early 20s when it first came out, but for whatever reason I never had the opportunity to play it.For me, it's a masterpiece of storytelling. It's not necessarily the most difficult game in terms of enemies or puzzles,

21.7.2012

I bought this game a couple of days ago for ps3 ( im playing it on a brand new slim 160gb model). I am a hardcore SH fan (well games 1 to 4 anyways) and SH2 is by far the best, i have been reading all of your guys reviews and others before buying so when i did start playing i was aware and did keep an eye out for them, and to be honest apart from it not looking as "good" as the original ive had no issues that can be counted as terribly annoying( i know what people are going to say "oh she is lying, blah bla blah)ive had no frame rate problems animation glitches etc, all ive noticed so far is lack of water texture but it doesnt really botherme.

30.3.2012

There is very little reason to dwell on the content of these two games as it has been done far more eloquently elsewhere. Instead I'll concentrate on the differences between the versions and the main concern many fans had; the glitches that plagued the US version. I'm delighted to say these have been eradicated all without the need of a patch; there is no frame-rate lag or sound drops/sync issues. There is a fixed option to hard install the game and this may have been the fix although not having tried the US version cannot verify this. The game includes the SH2 bonus 'Born of a Wish' sub-plot which wasn't included on the initial release of the PS2 original. This,

13.10.2012

I have bought the HD collection recently as I am a big Silent Hil fan. I have read all about the problems some people are having with the games. On starting up Silent Hill two I noticed how much more detailed the graphics are than I remember them although I was getting the slow-down other people have mentioned on the outdoor scenes, however since installing the patch this has fixed the problem completely for me. Silent Hill 2 is one of the greatest games of all time in my opinion and is genuinely scary, it's got terrific sound in it and looks superb in HD on my 42" TV. I do like the new voices too, I know some people have critised them but they give you the option of using the old ones so I don't see what all the fuss is about.

20.6.2013

Alot of reviews complaining about graphics here but ignoring the 'fog issues' which don't seem to happen on my version I'm quite enjoying playing the games and given I was in my early teens when the second one originally came out playing through again while actually understanding all the visual imagery used etc is giving me a fresh outlook on the game's story. The hd graphics are better than alot of people seem to be saying but again these are old PS2 games at heart with a bit of gloss.The controls for both games haven't changed from the originals but they are basically a 'survival horror' style setup so given that the gaming industry doesn't cater to that market anymore some younger people

24.1.2017

At first I was put off by reviews, but in the end curiosity got the better of me.And actually... It's not THAT bad. The much-famed "Comic Sans Sign" isn't actually that noticeable in a general playthrough. Obviously the original sign looked much better. But, after 4 years of not having played the game, playing it again on the PS3 was a much more fun experience than I expected it to be. Probably because my expectations were so low, the game actually turned out to be unexpectedly.. FineIf you're a die-hard Silent Hill fan that is going to play the original Silent Hill 2 & 3 immediately to this just so you can compare, then you will likely find many inferior elements. However,

5.1.2013

Having enjoyed two best friends on the you tube a lot last year i decided to pic up a ps3 to play the games id missed by being an xbox fan-boy. and among the many fine games i have enjoyed (heavy rain,katamari,tourismo etc.) I especially wanted to enjoy some survival horror. Where would you start if not silent hill.So i have played these games completely fresh i never had a chance to wander these streets before. As such all the complaints that these are poor or lazy ports with flaws mean nothing to me.These games are brilliant the graphics are perfect the sound and voices are just as disturbing and believable as you would wish. I enjoyed (?) them as you should at night with some good earphones on.

23.5.2013

If you have Never played Silent Hill 2 or 3, and are over the age of 25, you have nothing to lose here and two genuinely true classic survival horrors to discover. The reason I say 25 is just a guide due to the different mechanics used here compared to what I class as 'modern' games. The controls and camera are old school, which adds an abundence of atmosphere but will frustrate the younger crowd. If you played these back in the day, you honestly have nothing to worry about here unless you are a die hard fanatic verging on OCD. The last patch for the PS3 fixed the major issues and the two games play like a dream. If you're not sure, wait for a price drop, if you're tempted,

16.8.2015

2 of the best games ever made, let alone Survival Horror games.Both games still have a ton of fear factor / replayabilty to them, still have the same feel as the golden age of survival horror when they came out.if you're going for all andings and bonuses you'll be looking at around 8 playthroughs each you're probably looking at well over 40 hours entertainment.and if you count the creeps that stay with you long after you've finished playing you're looking at a whole lot of bang for your buck!the vibes, the monsters, the lines, the music, it's all still there, and it's still great.

2.4.2012

I got this item through the post last week and was surprised to see that the old voices and new voices were included on Silent Hill 2,I did not know this.The game plays the same as on the Ps2 and looks great having a upgrade onto the Ps3.I had no trouble in loading in the game and was playing it as soon as I set up the Ps3 and preferred options.The game includes the Maria story which was good too.I have not yet played SH3 but played it years ago.I would say this,for the money and if you liked the games in the first place,go and order it now!!!

Silent Hill: HD Collection (PS3) - Reviews

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