31st January 2009, 10:49 PM
Just wanted to post again to give this game more love: it's the sole reason I bought a PS2. Sure, there are plenty of other games on PS2 that interest me (such as Silent Hill 3 and 4 ;) but games outside the SH series as well), and I'll get them eventually, but this is the one that kept the purchase of a PS2 on my goal list for a long time, once I could get one at a reasonable price. I'm still flabbergasted that new consoles are over 100 bucks, so I got one used for 70. I guess it's because Sony still releases games on it as the PS3 doesn't seem to be faring so well.
I was actually a little disappointed my first time through, but after beating the game and discussing it a little with my buddy (we must have spent at least an hour total on the subject), I think it overall it comes close enough to my expectations. I guess I was expecting one of the best gaming experiences of my life (more from a story perspective, obviously), and I was a little disappointed by the supporting characters. Aside from Angela, they all seem a bit one-dimensional. Ooh, Eddie's a murderer because people called him fat! But eh, I think James' story is enough to carry the game. I guess I was just so pumped from hearing such great things about the game for such a long time. The video game clerk from which I bought it told me it was the best of the series, and that 3rd and 4th iterations were mere shadows of the 2nd.
I was a little annoyed by the gameplay with Maria following you around and was glad that it not only lasted long, but ended in a significant way. Maria dying was a lot like Mary dying all over again, and you really feel sorry for James and the guilt and failure that he feels when he can't protect her.
I got the In Water ending because I looked at the picture and letter enough times, and also looked at the knife enough too. Very interesting way of giving the player different endings. It's dumb, but I'm proud that I got the ending that I did, because it's confirmation that I cared about a reunion between James and his wife. Overall, very satisfying in terms of plot and ending.
I was actually a little disappointed my first time through, but after beating the game and discussing it a little with my buddy (we must have spent at least an hour total on the subject), I think it overall it comes close enough to my expectations. I guess I was expecting one of the best gaming experiences of my life (more from a story perspective, obviously), and I was a little disappointed by the supporting characters. Aside from Angela, they all seem a bit one-dimensional. Ooh, Eddie's a murderer because people called him fat! But eh, I think James' story is enough to carry the game. I guess I was just so pumped from hearing such great things about the game for such a long time. The video game clerk from which I bought it told me it was the best of the series, and that 3rd and 4th iterations were mere shadows of the 2nd.
I was a little annoyed by the gameplay with Maria following you around and was glad that it not only lasted long, but ended in a significant way. Maria dying was a lot like Mary dying all over again, and you really feel sorry for James and the guilt and failure that he feels when he can't protect her.
I got the In Water ending because I looked at the picture and letter enough times, and also looked at the knife enough too. Very interesting way of giving the player different endings. It's dumb, but I'm proud that I got the ending that I did, because it's confirmation that I cared about a reunion between James and his wife. Overall, very satisfying in terms of plot and ending.