The strangest and most interesting thing about Silent Hill 2 is that like the town itself does with the people in its world, the game draws almost everyone who played it back at some point.
Played the hd version for the first time last week. Took me 8 hours to finish over the course of a week. I pretty much agree that this is one of the best horror games ive ever played. Pretty Funny how older i become How much more psychological stuff disturbs me over straight up gore like resident evil 2 remake
Evan Parra FX , The problem as I see it, no company is willing to spend on fine art anymore. When you look at what the largest grossing films for example in the last 20 years, they all are similar to a Michael Bay production. It doesn’t require much thought process to understand what is going on, and they feel the need to explain everything they put on the screen. It is much easier to write a film, book, & movie with distractions like explosions, and other things. It takes much more effort to read, understand source material, show character development, and create something new rather than derivative. From a business perspective it is much safer to use an existing property, than to try to develop a new one. On top of that, if you put up millions (or billions) of dollars you need a return on on investment, most investors expect at least a 20% return on investment. Silent Hill is a niche category, like Shadow of the Colossus. They are brilliant, artfully told stories, that mainstream gamers (multiplayer gamers) just seem to be not interested anymore. Or, it is much easier to develop a multiplayer game verses a game with a compelling narrative structure. Let’s face it, do we really want a Silent Hill game with micro transactions?
What I got out of the elevator puzzle is that James wasn't just divesting himself of his "burdens", but was also stripping himself of all the personal effects that protect him. His radio, his guns, his melee weapons, his healing items. Even Angela's knife, which held the promise of a kind of escape, if James would only take it. _Everything_ that protects him must be removed. A figurative stripping of his layers of emotional and psychological insulation, leaving him symbolically naked. Then we have the light bulb puzzle. James can't get through a locked door while it remains in darkness. So he must fetch a light bulb - which, incidentally, was sealed away in a can - in order to see. He must be willing to shine the buried light of truth onto the darkness of deceit, in order to progress.
Excellent job! I also want to point out that the end stairs are based on Dante's Divine Comedy, where he descends to hell and later climbs to purgatory. In the Toluca prison, James descends to his own hell, where he faces sort of punishment for his crime, but only in the hotel, and after unveiling the truth and defeating Piramid Head(x2), can James ascend to his final trial (purgatory) where depending of his actions through out the game can finally reach heaven (leave and in water endings), get trapped in a endless crime & punishment cycle (Maria) or give up himself to the dark practices of the cult (rebirth)... hell he can even get abducted by aliens or found out the evil mastermind of a dog. Greetings to you muse, great channel. By the way sorry for my english, it isn't my firts language.
I had similar thoughts - to me, the beginning of the game with the long walk through the woods and the dogs barking seems like entering hell - like Dante getting lost in the woods - but I didn't tie it together in this video since it relates to a separate part of the game. But I definitely think you're onto something there. Thanks for watching, I'm glad you enjoyed it! :D
Silent Hill 2 will forever be with me. I finished it 2 months ago for the first time and there’s not a day that goes by that I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s touched every fibre of my being. Thank you for your in depth analysis.
I want to point out that Venus is not just the goddess of love, but she is most associated with sexual love specifically. I think that that distinction in the name of the bar better represents the theme of James' sexual frustrations throughout the game.
The fog-world hotel is the most beautiful environment in the Silent Hill universe, and I found the scene in the restaurant in which James finds Laura playing the piano and then reads Mary's letter to be the most emotional scene. "I'm far away now. In a quiet, beautiful place."
I don’t think Angela was in the hotel. I’m pretty sure it worked like Nowhere did on the first game(where some rooms return Harry to Midwich) the door warped him to wherever Angela was. Because when you leave that burning room and go back through the door, you’re now in the stairwell and that room has vanished.
I always found that version of the Little Mermaid... calming somehow. It's like the best you can hope for when you can't get a true happy ending, and I like that you connect it to James' fate. I love these videos, btw.
Silent Hill 2 is the greatest horror game ever made, there is so much to examine in this game and in true silent hill fashion it will only pull you in deeper the closer you look. I urge everyone to encourage others to play this game and experience the depths of masterful story telling and symbolism silent hill has to offer.
For Angela’s scene I thought that since the hotel burned down in the past that it symbolized how Angela is stuck in the past and can’t move forward with her life
I thought I'd correct you about Easter. The word Easter may very come from Germany, along with the secularized tradition of the eggs, but the Christian feast day itself isn't pagan in origin. The original name for the holiday (still used in most of the world, outside of the West) is Pascha, meaning Passover. edit: (btw, I live for your Silent Hill videos! 😍)
Yeah, I'd add that Ostara's a neopagan holiday, and it's not in honor of a goddess named Ostara but just.. The Goddess or whatever aspect you worship. Seen this error around a lot, and it sounds similar to the story about Halloween being a pagan festival for the God Samhain (a mistake several evangelical Christian friends I have made), when it was that Samhain is what neopagans call the festival. I'd bet these mistakes come from the same source.
amazing work. great video as always. Please do lore & symbolism for Evil Within & DMC series! Also, I would love to see you opinion about Death Stranding, especially this game filled with many IRL history, mythos, & sciences. Possibly even a ruse for "Silent Hills" game depending on some fan theories.
Its an interesting twist complex tbh that the hotel we see BEFORE watching the video is the ALTERNATE Silent Hill and after watching....it is ebbing away as realisation has been met and accepted....
Well done video. This has got to be one of the saddest and most emotionally afflicting videos I've seen in a while, namely due to that devastatingly tragic music playing throughout.
Im inclined to think that he didn´t reach the hotel as one of his first places to investigate the town because of a matter of James own course. I´m might be overthinking it but he even comment about the hotel right after he meets Maria.
Good video. I would like to add that, Easter was indeed actually rooted from some spring fertility ritual symbolized by a bunny and an egg. However, it's been sadly intertwined by the Roman Catholic church with the Resurrection Sunday on which day Jesus was raised back to life to make their religion more enticing to non-Christians. As a result, the true Christian belief at the time was compromised by human intervention for mass appeal. As a Christian myself (not a Catholic), the name Easter Sunday may forever share the same space where Resurrection Sunday is, but as long as I celebrate it how it should be celebrated--that is to remember Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, His resurrection, and His promise of eternal life--I'm all good. God bless you, gamingmuse!
I just love the Silent Hill Games and your great work for analyzing it. I got so much background details and information that is really awesome. I would be really nice if you do this to the Game of Fatal Frame it would be awesome :D
I found a video of unused monsters from the first Silent Hill game found by dataminers that you might find interesting. ua-cam.com/video/Lywca3S74vw/v-deo.html If you don't trust my link, it's on a small channel called Giromancy that has a lot of interesting cut and beta Silent Hill content, as well as a free demo for an early in development fan recreation of Alchemila Hospital where you explore in the first person. I think they did a really good job with making it look polished when exploring in 3D without a fixed camera angle while still keeping the graphics in the same style as the original. I don't know if they're still working on it or not, but I think it's also worth checking out fan passion projects, they're much better than the crap Konami thinks we want in a Silent Hill game.
ua-cam.com/video/eO-PJH8VNfs/v-deo.html This is the video of the fan recreation of Alchemila Hospital that I was talking about with the retro graphics. The link to download it is in the description of their video.
This game is nearly 20 years old, but I'm still amazed by its brilliance to this day. Nothing has topped it since.
The strangest and most interesting thing about Silent Hill 2 is that like the town itself does with the people in its world, the game draws almost everyone who played it back at some point.
Played the hd version for the first time last week. Took me 8 hours to finish over the course of a week.
I pretty much agree that this is one of the best horror games ive ever played.
Pretty Funny
how older i become
How much more psychological stuff disturbs me over straight up gore like resident evil 2 remake
Evan Parra FX ,
The problem as I see it, no company is willing to spend on fine art anymore. When you look at what the largest grossing films for example in the last 20 years, they all are similar to a Michael Bay production. It doesn’t require much thought process to understand what is going on, and they feel the need to explain everything they put on the screen. It is much easier to write a film, book, & movie with distractions like explosions, and other things. It takes much more effort to read, understand source material, show character development, and create something new rather than derivative. From a business perspective it is much safer to use an existing property, than to try to develop a new one. On top of that, if you put up millions (or billions) of dollars you need a return on on investment, most investors expect at least a 20% return on investment. Silent Hill is a niche category, like Shadow of the Colossus. They are brilliant, artfully told stories, that mainstream gamers (multiplayer gamers) just seem to be not interested anymore. Or, it is much easier to develop a multiplayer game verses a game with a compelling narrative structure. Let’s face it, do we really want a Silent Hill game with micro transactions?
010les if you have access to a playstation 2 and a ps2 copy of the game; that would be the best way to experience it.
And yet, konami never learned that if they leave talented devs alone they will produce timeless classics.
Silent Hill 2 really is a masterpiece and it's your videos that help people to see that
What I got out of the elevator puzzle is that James wasn't just divesting himself of his "burdens", but was also stripping himself of all the personal effects that protect him. His radio, his guns, his melee weapons, his healing items. Even Angela's knife, which held the promise of a kind of escape, if James would only take it. _Everything_ that protects him must be removed. A figurative stripping of his layers of emotional and psychological insulation, leaving him symbolically naked.
Then we have the light bulb puzzle. James can't get through a locked door while it remains in darkness. So he must fetch a light bulb - which, incidentally, was sealed away in a can - in order to see. He must be willing to shine the buried light of truth onto the darkness of deceit, in order to progress.
The second bit with the door and the lightbulb is a bit far-fetched
@@user-jn1wm3tb8v I wouldn't say it's far-fetched at all. Light and darkness are a straightforward recurring theme throughout the game.
Hotels are very common places for people to commit suicide. I think that's why Angela was there.
you think she committed suicide after meeting James on the stairs?
@@shinozakilio It's confirmed she set herself ablaze after leaving the stairs
Excellent job! I also want to point out that the end stairs are based on Dante's Divine Comedy, where he descends to hell and later climbs to purgatory. In the Toluca prison, James descends to his own hell, where he faces sort of punishment for his crime, but only in the hotel, and after unveiling the truth and defeating Piramid Head(x2), can James ascend to his final trial (purgatory) where depending of his actions through out the game can finally reach heaven (leave and in water endings), get trapped in a endless crime & punishment cycle (Maria) or give up himself to the dark practices of the cult (rebirth)... hell he can even get abducted by aliens or found out the evil mastermind of a dog. Greetings to you muse, great channel.
By the way sorry for my english, it isn't my firts language.
I had similar thoughts - to me, the beginning of the game with the long walk through the woods and the dogs barking seems like entering hell - like Dante getting lost in the woods - but I didn't tie it together in this video since it relates to a separate part of the game. But I definitely think you're onto something there. Thanks for watching, I'm glad you enjoyed it! :D
The only one he doesn't ascend those stairs in is the dog ending. So... Miri = devil? :P
@@thegamingmuse where in America are you from
Silent Hill 2 will forever be with me. I finished it 2 months ago for the first time and there’s not a day that goes by that I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s touched every fibre of my being. Thank you for your in depth analysis.
I want to point out that Venus is not just the goddess of love, but she is most associated with sexual love specifically. I think that that distinction in the name of the bar better represents the theme of James' sexual frustrations throughout the game.
The fog-world hotel is the most beautiful environment in the Silent Hill universe, and I found the scene in the restaurant in which James finds Laura playing the piano and then reads Mary's letter to be the most emotional scene. "I'm far away now. In a quiet, beautiful place."
Its actually the Otherworld version of the hotel.
"the first and easiest to find is the little mermaid"
me: *cries in went inside instantly and spent hours looking for it*
Lol me too
lol yes
I don’t think Angela was in the hotel. I’m pretty sure it worked like Nowhere did on the first game(where some rooms return Harry to Midwich) the door warped him to wherever Angela was. Because when you leave that burning room and go back through the door, you’re now in the stairwell and that room has vanished.
exactly
I always found that version of the Little Mermaid... calming somehow. It's like the best you can hope for when you can't get a true happy ending, and I like that you connect it to James' fate.
I love these videos, btw.
Damn that was so good!!!! So much detail that I always failed to missed!!! Thanks so much!!!!
Silent Hill 2 is the greatest horror game ever made, there is so much to examine in this game and in true silent hill fashion it will only pull you in deeper the closer you look.
I urge everyone to encourage others to play this game and experience the depths of masterful story telling and symbolism silent hill has to offer.
I could literally listen to you talk about Silent Hill all day! I actually can't wait til you have enough videos for me to do just that lol.
One more masterpiece of Muse, i've always wanted to know about these 2 eggs, after this video i FINALLY know, Thank you MUSE, you are awesome!
I really love your symbolism-videos, especially the ones about Silent Hill.
I've never commenting on any of your vids, but this is as good a time as any. That was a fucking masterpiece!
I saw Silent Hill Symbolism, I simply like and watch. 😊
For Angela’s scene I thought that since the hotel burned down in the past that it symbolized how Angela is stuck in the past and can’t move forward with her life
I literally never even thought about those two eggs before. Holy shit.
It is also theorized that the eggs represent Mary and Maria, the rust the old wife and the ruby the new doppelganger.
@@del5582 I always thought they stood for Mary and Eddie, James' two human kills- the rust egg is old blood, and the scarlet is fresh blood.
It seems unreal how much symbolism is in this game. Thank you for the video!
I thought I'd correct you about Easter. The word Easter may very come from Germany, along with the secularized tradition of the eggs, but the Christian feast day itself isn't pagan in origin. The original name for the holiday (still used in most of the world, outside of the West) is Pascha, meaning Passover.
edit: (btw, I live for your Silent Hill videos! 😍)
Yeah, I'd add that Ostara's a neopagan holiday, and it's not in honor of a goddess named Ostara but just.. The Goddess or whatever aspect you worship. Seen this error around a lot, and it sounds similar to the story about Halloween being a pagan festival for the God Samhain (a mistake several evangelical Christian friends I have made), when it was that Samhain is what neopagans call the festival. I'd bet these mistakes come from the same source.
@Ric Perry Might wanna polish your tinfoil hat there, bub.
This was wonderful Muse! The lakeview hotel was always one of my favorite places in SH2
you deserve more subscribers
amazing work. great video as always.
Please do lore & symbolism for Evil Within & DMC series!
Also, I would love to see you opinion about Death Stranding, especially this game filled with many IRL history, mythos, & sciences. Possibly even a ruse for "Silent Hills" game depending on some fan theories.
Damn how does this channel not have more subs? This content is a gold mine for silent Hill lovers!
I love these videos. So much symbolism that I did not realise.
I remember the thinner puzzle but nothing of the others. Strange what you forget and remember...
The Woman with the red shoes had a name, Karen. And she was in fact a little girl.
I remember playing SH2 back in 2001. I never forgot nor get bored of it. Just need to get a copy of the PC port.
keep it up!muse love your silent hill symbolism,please make it more silent hill vids
Its an interesting twist complex tbh that the hotel we see BEFORE watching the video is the ALTERNATE Silent Hill and after watching....it is ebbing away as realisation has been met and accepted....
Well done video. This has got to be one of the saddest and most emotionally afflicting videos I've seen in a while, namely due to that devastatingly tragic music playing throughout.
Beautyful video as always
Another amazing video
Love your series !!
Im inclined to think that he didn´t reach the hotel as one of his first places to investigate the town because of a matter of James own course. I´m might be overthinking it but he even comment about the hotel right after he meets Maria.
Great new intro!
i know this is an old series and an old game, but could you make a symbolism video on pyramid head, and how he's a figure of judgement and punishment?
Great content 🥰
I always felt the choice of the final area was unique and not a obvious one just like SH1 location nowhere
Omg you need to review the rule of rose!!!
I love your videos !! R so amazing!
Thank you Muse
Nice work as always! If you could post the names of the background songs it would be cool, I'm a fan of this genre
Good video. I would like to add that, Easter was indeed actually rooted from some spring fertility ritual symbolized by a bunny and an egg. However, it's been sadly intertwined by the Roman Catholic church with the Resurrection Sunday on which day Jesus was raised back to life to make their religion more enticing to non-Christians. As a result, the true Christian belief at the time was compromised by human intervention for mass appeal.
As a Christian myself (not a Catholic), the name Easter Sunday may forever share the same space where Resurrection Sunday is, but as long as I celebrate it how it should be celebrated--that is to remember Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, His resurrection, and His promise of eternal life--I'm all good. God bless you, gamingmuse!
I love your videos.
I'm learning full english whit this channel
are you planning on anymore Silent HIll 3 or 1 videos?
P.S Loving your vids! Good job!
Just one thing, Venus isn't the goddess of love, but the goddess of beauty and desire.
Awesome channel =).
"The Lakeview Hotel is not a magic place" I know what you meant in context but at the same time...
What is the song at the beginning? What exact video was it? (Some songs have tons of different versions.)
The song. It calms me.
Hey, a bit late but I think it's the instrumental version of Theme of Laura. It plays in full during Angela's final scene.
Excellent
Great video what is your favourite silent hill game
I just love the Silent Hill Games and your great work for analyzing it. I got so much background details and information that is really awesome.
I would be really nice if you do this to the Game of Fatal Frame it would be awesome :D
outro vídeo maravilhoso
Song at the end of the video??
Ashes of Bitterness from Broken Notes Productions
thegamingmuse thank you for telling me ^-^ keep up the good work
i was the 1k like
I found a video of unused monsters from the first Silent Hill game found by dataminers that you might find interesting.
ua-cam.com/video/Lywca3S74vw/v-deo.html
If you don't trust my link, it's on a small channel called Giromancy that has a lot of interesting cut and beta Silent Hill content, as well as a free demo for an early in development fan recreation of Alchemila Hospital where you explore in the first person. I think they did a really good job with making it look polished when exploring in 3D without a fixed camera angle while still keeping the graphics in the same style as the original.
I don't know if they're still working on it or not, but I think it's also worth checking out fan passion projects, they're much better than the crap Konami thinks we want in a Silent Hill game.
ua-cam.com/video/eO-PJH8VNfs/v-deo.html This is the video of the fan recreation of Alchemila Hospital that I was talking about with the retro graphics. The link to download it is in the description of their video.