Silent Hill 2 Thoughts and speculation

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Post by Pettytyrant101 Sat Jul 18, 2015 4:30 pm

If you have never played Silent Hill2 I strongly recommend you go off and do so now )just dnt get the remastered HD collection version  Mad ).

If you have not however you can still join in here- indeed joining in here even if you've never played it is the idea.
What will follow is Silent Hill2 told as story, stills form the game and the games cut scenes when they occur in the narrative.
The question to you is, what's it all about?

I will give first the three main theories about the game which sometimes cross over in ideas, to which you can agree, disagree, or add to or come up with your own interpretations as we go along. They don't count as spoilers either as they are theories, if the game gave definitive answers we wouldnt need the theories!

Theory 1- James is dead. Everything he sees and experiences is purgatory. Bits of this work, for me its only a partial theory however.
Theory 2- Everything James meets in silent Hill is a manifestation of the town drawing from James' own mind, therefore everything and everyone he meets is a reflection of some part of himself. I like this theory and certain aspects of it.
Theory 3- The monsters James meets are the town itself as theory 2, but the other human characters he meets are real and drawn to the town just as James is. This is my preferred theory. But I could be wrong.

Also amazing how beautiful this game still looks - my stills are from the HD patched version on the pc, but apart from putting it into HD its the same graphics and everything else as the original made in 2001- not many games from then would still hold up now, let alone after been upped to HD, usually that just makes all the textures a blocky blurry mess.

So without further ado lets begin the tale.

Chapter 1
Welcome to Silent Hill- lets go to the pub!

Meet James Sunderland. James is an ordinary bloke who lives an ordinary life. There is nothing special about him at all, he doesn't have super powers, he isn't an alien, or a secret agent. He is ordinary in every way.
Except one. Ordinary people don't get a letter like James does.....

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So James has a problem, or a mystery to solve- his three year dead wife has written him a letter asking him to meet her in their 'spacial place' in Silent Hill- which in its normal everyday state is a holiday resort next to a Lake. The obvious snags being here she is dead, and James, typical man that he is, has no idea where of all the places they spent time in Silent Hill is their 'special place'.
Now you will have missed it in the video because the quality is low, but as James is exiting the bathroom their are posters on the wall behind him-

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Even in HD they are hard to make out but they are for a nightclub in Silent Hill by the name of Heavens Night, and the woman on the posters bear an uncanny resemblance to the picture of Mary, his dead wife, which James carries in his wallet-

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This is either a coincidence, or a sign that from the very beginning the town is shaping itself around James.

Another thing to bear in mind about James is at no point is there anything physically preventing him form turning round, getting in his car and leaving.
Instead he opts to go on into town on foot and find their 'special place' and see if his wife is really waiting for him there. This is indicative of James state of mind, he doesn't seem to ever have even considered the possibility the whole thing is a nasty prank, he goes into Silent Hill of his own free will.

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What follows is a really long run, and I mean run. Down a long trail through the woods. The further you go, and the further downwards the path takes you the thicker the fog becomes, and weird noses rustle and move in the trees around you but out of sight.
The makers are on record as saying they extended this part of the game, even though it was risky, as all you do as a player is keep going- but that's the point, after a while you think  'no point turning back, I've come this far' so like James you find yourself just keeping going, on an down into the growing fog until eventually you come to an old iron gate leading into a Church and its graveyard on the outskirts of town-

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Where you meet Angela-

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There is an odd stiltedness to all the cut-scenes in Silent Hill 2, and some say this is just because they didn't hire professional actors but I don't agree here, they didn't hire professional actors deliberately, which is different. They have a staged quality to them, like the are playing out a scene to James, and this falls into theory number two- in which Angela is really just another part of James' subconscious which the town is manifesting. In theory 2 everything she does therefore is a play for and reflection of James.
However going on theory 3 it would be a case that Angela like James is real, she genuinely is there searching for her family. And its worth noting she expected to find them by reading grave stones indicating that she thinks they are dead.

Things we can say for certain she can see the fog and she is aware of 'monsters' in the town and feels it might be dangerous.
Another thing of note about Angela is that she is 19, but she often regresses in language to younger than that, but she looks much older and worn by life.
And one last thing, there is a moment where the camera pans down at a low angle bringing a gravestone into frame, on it if you look close enough can be seen the name 'James'- a coincidence? Or another indication James might be already dead?
Also, James can be a bit of a dick when talking to people, sharp, short, or blunt with them, and often he flares up for little reason and we the first hints of that about him in this conversation.

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So having decided to continue on there is another long section of running through the fog and down into town. By the time James reaches the edge of town the player feels a long way from anywhere and very isolated. A sense made stronger by the apparent desertion of the town, its just empty streets and fog.
But its not long before James stumbles upon this in the road-

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and hears a sound a bit like high heels tapping on the concrete road and catches a glimpse through the swirling mists of a figure-

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James calls after them but gets no rely, so follows into the fog, where he finds more blood trails-

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Undeterred he follows the trail down an alleyway and eventually out to a dirt trail leading to the underneath of a bridge, from which he can hear the static buzz of an off channel radio.



James proceeds to clumsily pummel the thing to death with his plank of wood with a nail in it, the combat controls are deliberately sluggish and slow to use, James is not a super being and he is not used to hitting anyone, it also makes the player feel very vulnerable.

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Having killed it James remarks that 'It's not human'. But what is it? Lets take a closer look-

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It is human in shape, but has the appearance of someone in a straight-jacket, only in this case the jacket is made of their own flesh- they are confined by their flesh and trapped by it. They have no facial features either. Their method of attack is to lean back and spit, or possibly ejaculate, a stream of dark fluid from their chests, and when they fall to the ground but are not yet dead they twitch in an extremely violent, death throes manner whilst emitting high pitched feminine screams. The scream when they are struck is also feminine.
They are also in odd ways sexualised, they have tight buns and no mistake, shapely legs and thighs and they are covered with a shiny lubricant of some sort.

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Now if either theory 2 or 3 applies here then these creatures are drawn form James own subconscious- the figures are clearly more female than male, is the confinement a sign of sexual repression? Or of sexual dominance and the confinement of a partner both physically and emotionally? Are the feminine screams when they are struck an indicator that James beat his wife? Or are they a childhood trauma of a family life where his own mother was beaten by his father?
At this stage we know to little of James to say fr sure if any of these could apply. But they are worth bearing in mind, in the end which if any of these might be accurate depends on how you come to view James himself. Suffice to say that this first encounter does indicate that there might be questions to answer about James if all this is drawn from his psyche.


Upon exiting the bridge James remember the radio he picks up and tries to tune it in, but all he gets is static, suddenly interpreted by almost unintelligible words, but the voice is clearly that of Mary-



Heading back into town James wisely, as he is under my control, decides upon passing an apparent pub to go in for some quick recovery-

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Unfortunately it turns out not to contain any drink, but instead to contain a map of the town on the bar counter with two places clearly marked on it, an alleyway, and an apartment block.
Oh and there is also this-

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So with a lack of drink to keep him there James decides to go see what the marked items on the map might mean and if it will help bring him any closer to finding Mary.

Any thoughts or speculations welcome!


Last edited by Pettytyrant101 on Mon Jul 20, 2015 3:26 am; edited 1 time in total

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Post by Mrs Figg Sat Jul 18, 2015 4:34 pm

I would rather tazer my bustle than watch that rubbish.
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Post by Pettytyrant101 Sat Jul 18, 2015 4:38 pm

Well thanks for that contribution Figg, glad now I spent the last hour or so putting it together for everyone.

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Post by azriel Sat Jul 18, 2015 4:40 pm

Hee hee, Im not really into games but, My daughter & son bloody love playing this Very Happy Nic goes on about "the Lickers" & the big guy with triangle head ? dragging a weapon, axe or something ? Me, I liked watching the film of Silent Hill Very Happy
( Nic is my daughter, shes also a dab hand at car racing games too !!! )

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Post by Pettytyrant101 Sat Jul 18, 2015 4:47 pm

I would say the game is far superior to the film- the film is just a horror and entertaining enough at that, the game is a psychological survival horror, its the difference between someone jumping out and shouting boo at you and the unnerving sensation something is in the dark waiting for you, and it is much more interesting and ambiguous for it.
If you stick about you can easily follow it as I am giving the story as it goes along with short clips from the game that advance the narrative in important ways.
So feel free to just chip in on anything about what is happening that you find interesting or curious. Playing the game is not a prerequisite I've tried to do it so anyone can easily follow along and comment.

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Post by azriel Sat Jul 18, 2015 4:56 pm

I always think the films are never as good as the games but for me, who doesnt game but rather watch, its enough for me. IL tag along & watch this thread tho Very Happy Id like to see Assassins Creed done as a film, I thought "Alone in the Dark" as a film version was a pile of shat !!

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Post by Pettytyrant101 Sat Jul 18, 2015 5:03 pm

A female perspective on this games narrative could be very informative.
Most of the theories and speculation tend to made by males, a new angle on it might prove refreshing and more insightful. Especially when we get to the main female character and how she might relate to James.

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Post by azriel Sat Jul 18, 2015 5:28 pm

You looking at me ? refreshing & insightful ? Well, there's the challenge ! Laughing double edged sword there matey ! Razz

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Post by Pettytyrant101 Sat Jul 18, 2015 5:33 pm

You are a woman Azriel- I'm just surprised therefore the sword has only two edges! Sofa

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Post by azriel Sat Jul 18, 2015 5:41 pm

OY !..............





Laughing

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Post by bungobaggins Sat Jul 18, 2015 8:15 pm

I always find that I have a hard time getting into video games. Guess I don't have the attention span for it.

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Post by Pettytyrant101 Sat Jul 18, 2015 8:29 pm

Well look on the bright side- you only need enough attention span for a post at a time.
Think of it like a play through, only without the play bit. And you never know, you might enjoy the story and guessing what's going on.

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Post by Mrs Figg Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:16 pm

the world is shit and depressing enough without voluntarily entering an alternate version. at least go to a fluffy bunnykins world full of rainbows and unicorns.
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Post by Pettytyrant101 Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:36 pm

They aren't as interesting. As Tolkien notes in TH good things dont take much words to talk about, and there is not much to say beyond they were good. Bad things and shit going wrong are where the story is at. Nod (Tolkien may not have used those exact words)

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Post by Mrs Figg Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:38 pm

I don't think he would have liked this though.
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Post by Pettytyrant101 Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:46 pm

Actually whilst the subject matter might not be to his catholic tastes he would approve strongly I feel that the meaning and the substance of it resides in the players mind and not enforced by the artists. Its above all other games the one most deserving of the title 'applicable' just as LOtR's is.

It does deal with very dark themes such as sexual repression and aggression (physical, psychological and sexual), abuse, both sexual and physical, as well as mortality, loss and grief and the psychological fall out that can result from these terrible things happening to a person, or even to the person carrying them out- so naturally the game is a dark game.

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Post by Pettytyrant101 Mon Jul 20, 2015 1:54 am

Ok more story.

First I thought it might be useful to provide a map.
This is Silent Hill. The two special places James is trying to get to in the hopes of finding his dead wife are Rosewater Park and the Lake View Hotel.

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James immediate aim therefore is to try the park first as it is closer. This is the part of town he is currently in-

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Unfortunately for James however the direct route to the Park is unavailable, the west side of town is cut off from the east side, and when Silent Hill gets cut off it doesn't mess about-

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Therefore James has to find another route to the north-west side of town to access the road to the Park.

Chapter Two
Who is trying to help? And where are they now?

When we left James he was in Neely's Bar, where he found a message - "There was a hole here but its gone now." and a map with two places of particular interest marked on it- the end of an alley marked with a question mark, and the Wood Side Apartments, which is circled in red.

Upon leaving the bar James notices an abandoned car across the street with a body next to it in a pool of blood, tire marks seem to indicate the body was run over-

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Although the body has the same non-facial features of the other monsters this one, unlike them is dressed. Dressed not dissimilarly to James one might say with jeans jacket and black shoes. Though James himself seems not to notice the similarity.

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Going further down the misty street in which the straight-jacketed monsters now roam James eventually comes upon a trailer at the roads end-

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Going in he finds a note-

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It reads "Meet me at Neely's"

It seems whoever left the map and possibly the message in the pub lived here. Could they be the same person as the body found in the road outside Neely's? Was leaving the marked map at the pub as far as they got before being killed? Who were they leaving the message for and who were they expecting to meet there? Did the writer of the note live permanently in this trailer, or were they a visitor to the town? Questions but few answers.

Going back outside James notes that he can go no further that way, the end of the street is barred off, but there is a door set into it but upon trying it James find it to be locked, an ominous message is scrawled on the wall next to the door-

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"The door that wakes in darkness, opening into nightmares."

Deciding to go check out the alleyway marked on the map James heads that way through the still foggy streets.
Along the way he finds a second body, again dressed in similar fashion to himself and the first body and with no facial features. And again he fails to notice any similarity to his own clothing.

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Pages of a notepad are strewn around the body, they read:

"I'm going to write everything I've learned so far. Maybe that will help you out somehow.  If you're reading this it probably means I am already dead."

The notes then go on to offer a variety of tips, noting that they creatures seem attracted to light and those who see using the medium of light, and that they are very sensitive to sound. They mentions a 'friend' who could not see the monsters, prompting the writer to wonder if they are hallucinating. It also mentions a Demon.
The second last page reads simply- "Run away."

The notes end on the final page:

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But who were the notes meant for? Who is the 'you' they are trying to help? Is this person connected to the meeting at Neely's with the person from the trailer? Or could this even be that person? Who was the friend who could not see the monsters?
With no answers to be found here James continues on to the alley and the spot marked on the map from the pub with a question mark.
Upon arriving in the vicinity James stumbles upon a third body slumped against a fence, in seemingly identical, or very, very similar attire to the other two and himself. WHich he again fails to register.

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Again the face has no distinguishable features. This body has an apartment key lying next to it which James takes. Is that body again related to the other two? Is this the friend who could not see the monsters? The person from the trailer who left the map in the bar? Did they put a question mark on the map because they were meeting somewhere here but did not know what for? And what or who killed them and why do they have the apartment key? Did they drop it when they were killed, or did the killer leave it there?

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Wasting no more time in the monster haunted streets James heads to Wood Side Apartments and using the key lets himself in.

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Finding the only other door on the bottom floor to be locked James has no option but to make his way up the poorly lit stairs to the first floor-

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And into the dark claustrophobic corridors of the apartment block-

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Cautiously making his way through the dim, narrow corridors James tries doors as he goes, only to find them either stuck fast or locked, save one.
Upon entering the apartment its hard not to notice there is a bright source of light within it-

Silent Hill 2 Thoughts and speculation 12_zpsiaiesicr

Entering into the room James sees that it is full of mannequins and parts strewn around, and one standing, a dress is upon it and pinned to it a small hand torch from which the light emits -

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Taking the torch and attaching it to his own jacket is met with a repulsive gurgling sound as one of the mannequins rises up from the floor limbs glistening and flailing-

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And promptly attacks James, thrashing at him with its leg limbs and screeching in a high pitched female cry-

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James soon beats it to a bloody pulp however -

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Having defeated the creature James takes a moment to reflect and to realise why the dress on the mannequin is so familiar, he has seen it before, it is Mary's and she is wearing it in the photograph he is carrying in his wallet-

Silent Hill 2 Thoughts and speculation M1_zps5fcmptpn

But what does it all mean? Stay tuned to not be enlightened very much at all.

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Post by Forest Shepherd Mon Jul 20, 2015 4:30 am

Thanks for going through the game like this Petty. Silent Hill is a classic, although I've never played it myself. I've seen similar walkthroughs (but with video accompaniment) of the game Dark Souls, but in that game they are primarily concerned with theories about the lore of the world and not so much the psychological underpinnings of the story and artwork.

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Post by Pettytyrant101 Mon Jul 20, 2015 5:34 am

Thanks Forest glad you are enjoying it. They are indeed classic games, and 2 is considered the best of the lot, and by many, myself included, and still to this the day, the finest example the genre has yet to offer.
I thought of doing a normal video walkthrough but with my hard drive issues and no space I just cant do the videos at the moment, but I can take screenshots.
And I find it allows time to appreciate the artwork, details and the direction and framing of shots with more leisure.


Summary time of the opening so far and some pertinent questions to be asked (I do have a personal theory which answers all of these!)-

How can someone who has been dead for three years write a letter?
Why does James never seem to even consider questioning the authenticity of it?
Who is Angela?
What happened to her family?
Why are there monsters roaming the streets and the apartment building?
Where is everyone from the town?
Why is it permanently foggy?
who lived in the trailer?
Who did they leave the note for saying to meet them at Neelys?
Who marked the map at Neelys?
Why is the location of the apartment key marked with a question mark?  
As the apartment is only of importance to James as the only route available to access the other side of town, why would it be of importance to anyone other than James?
Who was the map left in the bar for?
Did the same person leave the message on the window?
What does the message about the hole mean?
What does the message about darkness and nightmares next to the door mean?  
Who wrote the notes offering advice and warning of a demon?
WHo were the notes left to help?
Who was the friend the note writer speaks of who could not see the monsters?
Where are they now?
Whose was the body with the apartment key?
Why did they have it?
Why were they of importance to whoever marked the map?
Why do all three bodies in the town appear to be identical and dressed similarly to James?
Why do they have no faces?
Why does James not seem to notice they are dressed very like he is?
Who left the torch pinned to the dress?
Why is the dress the same as the one Mary is wearing in James' photograph of her taken in Silent Hill whilst on vacation there?

Also for handy reference, where the three bodies very like to James but without a face were found-

Across the street from Neelys Bar next to a car-  middle of town.

At the end of a dead end street across from Ridegview Medical Centre in the north-east of town. Surrounded by notes.

Propped against a fence at the northern end of an alley off Katz Street. With the Wood Side Apartment key.

I feel any theory worth its salt has to address all these issues with answers. (But don't worry its impossible to concoct any theory on what you've seen so far- just thought I'd highlight the sort of questions raised so far by the narrative).

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Post by Mrs Figg Mon Jul 20, 2015 11:17 am

this game sounds a lot like voluntary psychological abuse.  why go there? Neutral saying Tolkien would 'approve strongly' is utter nonsense. he would hate it, its against everything he stands for.
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Post by Pettytyrant101 Mon Jul 20, 2015 2:44 pm

How can you possibly know he would hate it when you are ignorant of the content of the game?

I already said I didn't think it would be to his taste- but it is applicable not allegorical- and we know Tolkien approves of that because he says so in the foreword to LotR's.
It also shares with LotR's central themes of death and mortality and both raise questions of moral and spiritual failure.

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Post by bungobaggins Mon Jul 20, 2015 2:47 pm

Who cares if Tolkien would have liked the game? That's like asking, "Would this be Jesus' favorite movie?!" and actually being concerned with the answer.

Like what you like! Not what you think other people (including dead people) would like!

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Post by Pettytyrant101 Mon Jul 20, 2015 2:54 pm

Who cares if Tolkien would have liked the game?- Bungo

Well I have to say the question did not occur me when I was deciding to put this thread up.
But it having been raised I don't think he would disapprove of the thematic content or the manner in which its done narratively- beyond that I don't think we can say much more.

Id rather living people on the forum enjoyed it myself. Shrugging

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Post by azriel Mon Jul 20, 2015 4:34 pm

My son made me smile. He said when the game opens & that guy is looking in the mirror, if you press left & right he will jiggle his head Smile There's other stuff that Adam does to make the characters do silly moves, dancing on one spot etc Smile

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Post by Pettytyrant101 Tue Jul 21, 2015 4:00 am

Chapter Three- Who lives in Wood Side Apartments and are they Real?

When we left James he was in the Wood Side Apartment building, having gone there simply to pass through it and access the street beyond where he can continue onto one of the 'special places' - the Rosewater Park- where he hopes to meet his wife, despite her being dead.
So far he has entered an apartment containing a mannequin wearing his dead wife's dress and acquired a flash-light- which handily lets him see in the dark corridors and rooms, but rather worryingly attracts the monsters to it. About which the straight-jacket variety have now been joined by the oddly sexual mannequin monsters with legs for arms and no heads.

Leaving the apartment and returning into the corridors James soon discovers that it might not be so easy to get to the other side of the building as he had initially hoped-

Silent Hill 2 Thoughts and speculation 1_zpsmo4bj04u

Turning aside into another nearby apartment whose door is unlocked James find it abandoned, containing a tv with an armchair before it, and in the back-room an old fashioned grandfather clock.
Scratch marks on the floor at the base of the clock indicate it can be moved, but when James tries to move it he finds it is stuck fast.

Silent Hill 2 Thoughts and speculation 2_zpsd6l0riso

Reluctantly putting aside the mystery of what might be behind the clock James leaves the room and tries his luck on the 3rd floor, only to find his way there is similarly barred. But he also notices a key lying on the floor just within reach-

Silent Hill 2 Thoughts and speculation 3_zpstbzeokjw

But as he stretches through the bars to retrieve it something unexpected happens-



But why is there a child running about Silent Hill? How has she survived when to James the place is roaming with monstrosities?
Having no other choice but to check out the rest of the building James first finds a room riddled with bullet holes and its floor covered with spent bullet casings and containing a loaded handgun, sitting in the centre of the room in a shopping cart (which could be seen as a satirical commentary on the commercialisation of weaponry in the US)-

Silent Hill 2 Thoughts and speculation 6_zpsfmqiv2xf

and then a room full of empty cages, the air is full of black moths which are attracted to the light of the torch and fly in a cloud around James. In the bedroom of the apartment he finds more live black moths and many dead colourful butterflies.

Silent Hill 2 Thoughts and speculation 6a_zpsxdcroijt

Moths are a symbol of death and butterflies that of rebirth and renewal.

With nowhere left to go, and all routes barred James returns to the second floor only to hear a horrendous female scream echoing down the corridor-

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Following the sound he finds himself back in the corridor which is barred, but this time he is not alone.
An ominous figure stands beyond the bars, radiating a red light.

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It is large, muscular and wears a butchers apron and its head is a large pyramid structure.
It does not seem to react to James, even as he approaches his side of the bars, but just remains, immovable and seemingly watching.
Ducking through the door into the apartment, the one he was in earlier containing the clock James discovers things have changed in the room.
The armchair before the tv is no longer empty, and the tv itself is switched on but displaying only static, blood runs down the screen.

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This is the most obvious example so far of a body being clearly that of James, even though once more James himself fails to register this, pondering instead who could do such a thing.

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Going through to the back-room James also finds he can now move the clock, revealing a hole knocked in the wall here to the apartment beyond- which will take James beyond the obstruction of the bars, but also to the side of the building the Pyramid Headed figure was on.

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However being on the other side of the bars allows James to make his way back up to third floor where he can now pick up the key kicked aside by the little girl-

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It is a key to the fire escape. But whilst on route there James finds another open door and entering is confronted with a twisted sight-



What is the Pyrmaid Headed monster? Is this the Demon the note writer spoke of? What was it doing to the mannequin monsters? Was it sexual? It certainly seemed abusive.
Shaken, James leaves the apartment and continues making for the fire escape, but is once again distracted, this time by the sound of someone throwing up coming from another apartment.
A quick glance around the new apartment reveals the disturbing sight of a mutilated body partially shoved into the fridge in the kitchen.

Silent Hill 2 Thoughts and speculation 21_zpso8nulaon

Cautiously James enters the bathroom-



Is Eddie like James another person 'called' to the town. He seems able to see monsters as James does. If so why is he here? And did Eddie have anything to do with the body in the kitchen which he claims he knows nothing about?
Or is Eddie like the monsters themselves just Silent Hill manifesting some aspect of James inner psyche?
Leaving Eddie to continue throwing up James makes his way to the fire escape.

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But upon unlocking the door he finds there is no fire escape, instead the neighbouring Blue Creek Apartments has been built almost right up against the outer wall, allowing James to easily step from one to the other-

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In this neighbouring block James comes upon an unlocked apartment, and entering in he sees signs that a child lives, or lived here. There are also two doors, one blue and barred, one stark white and open.

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He enters the open one -



Like Eddie the question arises of if Angela is real like James or a product of the town itself.
She seems skittish, and its clear James fears she may harm herself with the knife, and the blood on the blade may indicate she has already used it to self-harm.
She also regresses her speech at points again to a child like structuring, and she often blames herself as either being useless or worthless as well as seeming to accept she deserves her lot for being bad. She also doesn't seem to like people getting to close, or invading her personal space, and can react quite violently if anyone attempts to touch her.
As he is leaving James notices a torn family photograph left by Angela on the floor-

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Continuing on James discovers a staircase which should lead him out of the apartments and into the street on the right side of town to get to the Park.
Unfortunately however when he gets there he finds that the stairwell is flooded with filthy water and that the Pyramid Headed monster is waiting for him.
James stumbles upon the creature once more seemingly sexually abusing the mannequin monsters-

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before he turns on James who finds he cannot get out as the door has locked behind him.

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With no other choice James confronts Pyramid Head, drawing the gun he took from the apartments and firing repeatedly.

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The huge blade carried by the creature however, rather than being a real threat, seems to weigh the monster down and make him move painfully and slowly.

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James' bullets seem to have no effect, and the blade has slowed the monster so much it presents no real threat to James who can easily dodge the ponderous blade.
Seemingly realising the stalemate, or perhaps because the intent was not to harm James in the first place, the Pyramid Head turns and retreats down the flooded stairwell, exiting through the door below the water line and releasing the water.

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After regaining his composure, and with no other route available to him James follows only to find himself outside of the apartment block and once more in the fog bound streets of Silent Hill.

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Now he can reach one of his and Mary's 'Special Places' and see if she is really waiting for him there....

Silent Hill 2 Thoughts and speculation 37_zps5aluoros

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