This article contains spoilers for Silent Hill 2.
On top of an iconic, chilling atmosphere and writing which created landmark complex characters, Silent Hill 2‘s set of disturbing yet instantly recognizable monsters has played a key role in the game’s prestige withstanding the test of time. Following what the first title accomplished in establishing the series’ creepy setting and the psychological implications of its creature designs, its largely disconnected sequel elevated its enemies with ideas that remained ubiquitous within the IP for over 20 years after. Now that last year’s Silent Hill 2 remake has brought this experience back into the mainstream, updated takes on its lineup of monsters has only served to further emphasize the significance of these nightmarish entities in terms of what they represent to the cast.
After the explicitly terrifying creatures of the first SH acted as aspects of Alessa Gillespie’s supernatural pain, the monsters of Silent Hill 2 lean more heavily into their status as unsettling manifestations of general mental turmoil. This change in approach led to the boss encounter with Eddie Dombrowski, a human NPC firmly separated from the trailblazing likes of Pyramid Head. This title’s contributions to survival horror enemies range from genre-defining to relatively underdeveloped, with later takes on these creatures ranging from improvements to derivative copies. When it comes to the context of SH2 alone, however, its set of monsters can mostly be considered a peak of the overall franchise.
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S-Tier Monsters in Silent Hill 2
The Paragons of Survival Horror
- Pyramid Head
- Bubble Head Nurse
When even the most casual of fans think of Silent Hill, it’s likely that two creature designs are the first to come to mind. The Bubble Head Nurse of Silent Hill 2, an icon of the discomforting blend of suggestive and grotesque imagery the series is known for, was an iteration on the parasitized Puppet Nurse of the first game that has since far eclipsed its popularity. While nurses have become a common inclusion in most releases that have followed, the absurd exaggeration they embody in SH2 makes this version the blueprint for those later takes.
Pyramid Head, originally known as Red Pyramid Thing, on the other hand, has taken up the status of the most prolific Silent Hill antagonist in its history. While subsequent games and even films have tried to apply this dark reflection of James Sunderland to their own stories, it has never worked quite as well as in its first appearance. With the Nurse representing James’ sense of helplessness as his wife slowly died in a hospital, and Pyramid Head being a powerful depiction of the need for self-punishment, it’s understandable that they’ve been imitated so frequently in attempts to rekindle the merits of the game’s complex scenario.
A-Tier Monsters in Silent Hill 2
Distinct and Memorable Obstacles in James’ Journey
- Lying Figure
- Mary/Maria
- Flesh Lips
Enemies that lean further into the body horror of SH2, such as the Lying Figure, could be considered just as core to the title’s identity as its more explicitly known mascots. The first enemy fought by James Sunderland in Silent Hill 2 plays the vital role of setting the tone for the experience to come as an ambiguous creature of writhing flesh while also foreshadowing the game’s eventual twist.
The twisted version of Mary, as the final boss of Silent Hill 2 and last potential depiction of the Maria entity in gameplay, acts as an emotionally charged payoff to the mystery that leads up to her reveal. While she may not have the same status as Pyramid Head, the new phase added to her fight in the remake has made the confrontation with her even more appropriately distressing.
The Flesh Lips boss also deserves a nod, as its heavy reliance on a dark atmosphere for its arena doesn’t detract from its mind-boggling, repulsive design and what that represents for the protagonist’s mental state. As direct commentaries on the decay James experienced in his relationship with his wife, the motif of being caged or restricted makes these enemies especially disorienting, and therefore compelling to process.
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B-Tier Monsters in Silent Hill 2
Still Unsettling, but Less Iconic
While it could be seen as just as much of an icon as the Lying Figure, the legs-based Mannequin relies more on its ties to the unfolding narrative than the base terror of its appearance. The lack of a complete upper body in favor of two sets of legs may evoke an uncanny feeling as the player tracks their erratic movements, but even with the addition of the wall-crawling Spider Mannequin in the Silent Hill 2 remake, they don’t hold the same inherent humanoid terror of their contemporaries.
The Abstract Daddy, while an undeniable masterpiece of representing complex trauma in character design, has always been tied to the environment of its arena in conveying that concept. While the decision to expand its presence in the remake has given it a more substantial role, the flesh-like room which it was originally limited to amounted to the most compelling depiction of Angela Orosco’s unfathomable pain in Silent Hill 2. As more direct takes on how darker emotions around desire are projected by the town, these creatures can be controversial due to the sensitivity required in analyzing their deeper significance.
C-Tier Monsters in Silent Hill 2
Tertiarily Disturbing Foes
When it comes to a game filled with nightmarish takes on corrupted human forms, the prospect of giant cockroaches starts to feel far less intimidating than they logically should. Although an encounter with a Creeper would be extremely distressful in reality, the town of Silent Hill 2 sees them reduced to a far less threatening sight by comparison.
The Mandarin, while a unique and frightening presence as it stabs at the player from below grates, is arguably a precursor to a stronger iteration on the design that later emerged with a more cohesive role. The Closer of Silent Hill 3, sometimes considered the “flagship” monster of that title, feels like a recycling of the same model which was used to surprisingly excellent effect. While they’ve been further differentiated by their representation in the remake, the Mandarin’s bloated defensive capabilities make the potential of a return to SH3 feel like a more satisfying prospect.
Survival Horror
Horror
Adventure
Action
- Released
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October 8, 2024
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence