Testamonial of Carla Izumi Bamford
It goes back to 2003, I had a chance to play the first title on Playstation. I saw SH2 in the store in 2001, but I didn't have PS so Ihad to give up. Anyway, alot of things has changed in my life and it wasn't in a good way. As soon as I had time, I was playing games for a bit of real-life escape. During the "game-hunt", I picked up this game in the store, I was already a huge fan of horror games, and just like the time I saw SH2 at the bookstore it looked like something I was looking for, so I decided to purchase my very first Silent Hill.
When (now the famous) "Silent Hill" song started at the beggining of the game, I was instantly dragged into it. Back then, I didn't have the internet, so I had to find my way. And OHMYGOD! It was so hard. I didn't know where I was, it was just all fog. And all of a sudden everything went dark and I was playing the game like everything was happening to ME not Harry. (Well, I was playing *as* Harry. ) So..uhh yeah my first play was horrible.
I saw my first ending, to be honest I didn't know what happened. Where's Cheryl? Why couldn't I even save Cybil, and Lisa? Why is this game so depressing? To find out, I had play more and a new question popped up, so had to play it again and again. I thought there was a way to save Cheryl but there wasn't, and it was so sad. Other thing I loved is how the story continues to 3, I think I was all smiling when I realized heather was a come back of Alessa and Cheryl, I was so happy to see her. And to know that she was able to live with her dad again, even if it was a short period of time. After 1 and 3 I got to play 2 and 4. And both were as excellent as the the first 2. 2 had a gorgeous atomosphere of its own, it was Silent Hill, but another kind. I think it was soft(but not weak), and alot more melacholic.
And the use of ambient music was incredibly fitting for the search of James's lost wife. (Its scary but romantic.) 4, was different from all the rest, I think it was a mixture of all together. But it turned out to be another unique story. I love the chaoticness of it, and the first usage of "ghosts". It was very surprising that, till 4, there were no specific ghosts. Well Alessa in 1 was probably, and 2's Maria too from her famous quote. "I don't look like a ghost, do I?" But officially I don't think they addressed them as ghosts. That said, not alot of things has been given an exact answer officially.
Let the players think, analyze. Thats another reason I love about it. Its not one-dimentional. Why Alessa caused Silent Hill turn into hell? It might be the god inside her. It might be her own power, It might be something else. But still they are no exact answer. And there might be more than just one answer. Its making the game full of potential(for any upcoming Silent Hill games), and its really exciting to come up with a new conclusion.
Even if all the games are bloody, scary and, sad, there was always one thing that these series had in common and that was "love". Harry wanted to save Cheryl because he loved his daughter. James killed his wife but he punished himself. Thats love, even if its twisted. Heather was fighting for her daddy and to fight against her cursed will, and in the end for her "Mother" Alessa too maybe. Walter was, on the inside, screaming out for maternal love. Ofcourse there are strong anger, pain, longing, and everything what humans have.
As a "phychological" horror, there must be at least one relationship or very strong emotion involving. And these relationships and emotions that the characters have, are definately the highlights of the game. I don't know any other game that left me with such thoughts. I simply want to say thank you to Konami, Silent team, and Akira Yamaoka for being part of this charismatic master piece. Akira Yamaoka, there would be no Silent Hill without him, his music is orgasmic.