"In my restless dreams I see that town..."Silent Hill 2 takes place in the series' namesake town, located in the northeastern United States. Silent Hill 2 is set in another area of the town, and explores some of Silent Hill's backstory. The town draws upon the psyche of its visitors and ultimately forms alternative versions of the town, which differ depending on the character. James Sunderland comes to Silent Hill after apparently receiving a letter from his wife Mary, who died of an illness three years before. While exploring the town, he encounters Angela Orosco, a teenage runaway searching for her mother; Eddie Dombrowski, another teenage runaway; and Laura, an eight-year-old who befriended Mary and accuses James of not truly loving her. James searches a local park, where he meets Maria, who strongly resembles Mary but has a much more aggressive personality. Maria claims that she has never met or seen Mary, and because she is frightened by the monsters, James allows her to follow him.
The objective of Silent Hill 2 is to guide player character, James Sunderland, through the monster-filled town of Silent Hill as he searches for his deceased wife. The game features a third-person view, with various camera angles. The default control for Silent Hill 2 has James moving in the direction that he is facing when the player tilts the analog stick upwards. Silent Hill 2 does not use a heads-up display; to check James' health, location, and items, the player must enter the pause-game menu to review his status. Throughout the game, James collects maps, which can only be read if there is sufficient light or when his flashlight is on. He also updates relevant maps to reflect locked doors, clues, and obstructions, and writes down the content of all documents for future reference. Much of the gameplay consists of navigating the town and finding keys or other items to bypass doors or other obstructions, with less focus on killing enemies. Occasionally puzzles will be presented, often with riddles left for the player to interpret.
Born from a Wish is an additional story scenario in which the player takes control of Maria. It was included in special editions and re-releases of the base game.
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