The town of Silent Hill is full of disturbing secrets, and so is James. However, it's entirely appropriate for the tone and themes of the game. The story of James Sunderland and his trip to Silent Hill is very dark and depressing. In that way, the game feels reminiscent of early Resident Evil titles. Searching for key items and using them in the proper place is a main gameplay element, and some puzzles will leave you scratching your head.
Instead, Silent Hill 2 focuses on presenting some interesting environmental puzzles. You'll stumble across a few melee weapons (and even a few firearms), but combat is rudimentary and tough. The monsters that lurk in the shadows are incredibly dangerous, and they will quickly tear you apart. It's easy to get lost, turned around, and that plays a big part in the survival aspect. The game doesn't hold your hand too much, so you'll spend a lot of time roaming the foggy streets of Silent Hill. The pacing is decidedly slow, as you lumber about the environment in search of clues. Although the game has no direct ties to the original game, Silent Hill 2 continues the trend set by the original game.
