TheSilent Hill 2remake introduces the redesign of horror-evoking enemies that players first encountered with the original release back in 2001. Theremake doesn’t only expand the gameand improve the chilling atmosphere, but it also improves its iconic monsters that reflect the inner turmoil of protagonist James Sunderland.
Warning: the following article contains spoilers forSilent Hill 2, as well as references to sexual abuse.
Found in areas like Brookhaven Hospital and the Lakeview Hotel - as well as just the streets of Silent Hill -challenging enemies are littered throughout the entire game. The enemies inSilent Hillare designed to elicit discomfort with unique attack patterns,traumatic sound design, and gruesome esthetics, ensuring that both new and veteran players are met with a bone-chilling experience.
10Eddie Dombrowski Is A Very Human Threat
Very Unlike Other Enemies In Silent Hill 2
Eddie Dombrowski doesn’t seem like a threat during the first few encounters with him inSilent Hill 2. Thefirst time James meets Eddie, it’s suggested that Eddie is responsible for the dead body James finds in the apartment room alongside him, but Eddie’s other red flags are a little less obvious. He’s clearly a damaged character, forever scarred by those who’ve bullied him over the years, butit isn’t until the player tackles him head-on in a boss fight that Eddie become truly scary.
New Silent Hill 2 Players, Don’t Be Fooled By Pyramid Head
The Silent Hill 2 remake will inevitably bring new fans to the series, inevitably causing more confusion about Pyramid Head’s role as a series mascot.
WhileSilent Hill 2is perhaps remembered best for its terrifying monsters, the inclusion of Eddie as a boss fight reminds the player that people can be just as scary as monsters. Fighting Eddie is a challenge, and despite the fact he’s able to take a lot of bullets before being defeated, it’s harrowing to remember thatSilent Hill 2’s horror isn’t just in creepy designs, but inthe reminder that anyone is capable of terrible things.
9The Lying Figure Is An Abomination
It Haunts Players' Every Step
The Lying Figure is the first enemy that the player has to face inSilent Hill 2. This enemy is a human-like figure bound in a straight jacket made from its own flesh. It’s a graphic enemy to face as it makes lunging and jerking movements towards the player. Representing suffocation and confinement,this enemy will be a constant nightmare throughout the entire game. The armless figure will emit gurgling noises that will disturb even the most seasoned players.
While relatively weak when on their own, encountering multiple at the same time will quickly become overwhelming and tense, often forcing players into tight spaces. Being trapped inSilent Hillwiththese monsters will make turning every corner uncomfortable.
8The Mannequin Is Grotesque Horror In Motion
It Goes From Stillness To Speed
The Mannequin isa grotesque and twisted creatureconsisting of two pairs of legs sewn together. When the player first lays their eyes on this enemy, it seems motionless, blending in with its surroundings. However, once approached by James, they spring into threatening action. Their stillness becomes even more unsettling once the player knows the power and speed of their kicking and lunging.
The chilling terror of the Mannequin lies within its ability to swarm in groups and disorientate players. The Mannequin gets even scarier once the player reaches Toluca Prison.Here they will run across walls and ceilings, and scurry on all fours, like large horror-injected spiders. Facing this enemy is goosebump-inducing, and will keep players on their toes inSilent Hill.
A Nurse That Wields A Weapon
As the player progresses through Brookhaven Hospital, they are met with a nightmarish encounter: the Bubble Head Nurse. This enemy is one of the most iconic inSilent Hill 2, as well as one of the most terrifying. Wearing a blood-covered nurses' uniform,the Bubble Head Nurse represents James’s repressed sexuality and medical trauma.Wielding steel pipes, they gingerly and relentlessly hunt for James as he goes through dark corridors.
What makes the Bubble Head Nurses so terrifying, other than their disturbing appearance, is their jerky and unpredictable movements. Disorientating the player psychologically and physically,this enemy amplifies the sense of claustrophobic dreadand raises constant tension. Every encounter is laced with fear, on top of having to deal with their high health and counter-attacks.
6The Otherworld Lying Figure Is A Nightmarish Monster
A Sinister Creature That Lurks In The Shadows Of The Otherworld
The Otherworld version of the Lying Figuretakes the already-disgusting design of the original and takes it further. In the Otherworld, the environment becomes a more dilapidated, bloody, and metallic one, and the creatures that inhabit it are the same way. The Lying Figure adopts a darker and more gothic design, with a blackened hue. They also are seen wearing heeled boots, with spikes, that add to the danger of these roaming monsters.
The Scariest Section Of Silent Hill 2 Became Even More Horrifying In The Remake
The recreation of Silent Hill 2’s scariest section in the remake has made it the most terrifying to experience, both physically and psychologically.
In this realm that mixes reality and unreality, the Lying Figure takes on a more guttural, gargling sound and more aggressive and sporadic movements than the original. Players are forced to be vigilant, as the creatures will now be lethal even in death thanks to a poison spray they’ll emit once defeated. In the shadows of the Otherworld,the Lying Figure is a distorted and unpredictable creature, making for a much scarier challenge.
5The Mandarin Is An Eerie Ambusher
It Will Grab Players From Below
The Manderin is one of the more unique enemies inSilent Hill 2, lurking and swinging beneath metal-grated flooring and striking James from below. They shoot and attack with their tentacles that sprout from the lip-like openings in their arms.The Manderin inSilent Hillrepresents the feelings of anguish and helplessness, which the player is unforgivingly subject to.
What makes the Manderin so scary is its ability to attack from a position of safety, forcing the player into a sense of vulnerability. There is also a mini-boss fight with the Manderin on the third floor of the Lakeview Hotel. Bursting through the wall,players are jump-scared by this disfigured monster and attacked ruthlessly. It has shrieking and lunging attacks too, that set players on edge as they are navigating the fight.
4The Flesh Lips Are Incredibly Gross
A Disturbing Fusion Of Flesh And Metal
The Flesh Lips is a disturbing boss that players encounter inSilent Hill 2. The terrifying mass of flesh and meat is suspended from the ceiling in a rusted metal cage. Human-like limbs stick out from the top and bottom, with smacking lips hanging on its lower half.This creature releases skin-crawling animalistic groansfrom these lips, which makes for one of the most psychologically disturbing feelings for players.
The Flesh Lips design represents the feeling of confinement, with its twisted metal frame and jutting limbs. The combination of flesh and metal sets a gruesome and sinister atmosphere for an unsettled player to deal with. In between, swinging towards James with its gray legs and lips,Flesh Lips can jump backthrough the ceiling and emerge from an unexpected angle that catches players off guard.
They Are A Symbol Of Psychological Terror
In the dark, nightmarish corridors of Brookhaven Hospital in the Otherworld, the Bubble Head Nurse is a more twisted and menacing version of its original. Wielding a sharp knife instead of a steel pipe, and donning more grotesque skin and outfit,the Otherworld Bubble Head Nurse will strike fear in players who walk through the hospital.
The Otherworld Bubble Head Nurse combines brutal combat, unpredictable movements, and a scarred appearance to force players into nauseating tight spaces and haunting encounters. Being swarmed by multiple of these enemies is a common occurrence, filling players with dread as they pass through the area. It’s best to keep a firearm ready, as headshots from a distance are the best tactic to face these enemies.The corrupted humanoid shape of these monsters gives players the uncanny valley sensation, making them some of the most disturbing inSilent Hill 2.
2The Abstract Daddy Is A Manifestation Of Fear
They’re The Reflection Of Inner Trauma
The Abstract Daddy is a perfect example of howSilent Hill 2combines physical and psychological fear to leave longstanding images in the player’s mind. The creature’s form is based on a human body fused to a bed frame, covered in human skin.The enemy carries an intense sense of weightas it breaks through walls, jumps on top of James, and stumbles through corridors.
Silent Hill 2 Remake Confirms One Of The Game’s Biggest Fan Theories
This one Silent Hill 2 remake detail confirms something that fans have been speculating about for a long time, and players will probably miss it.
The creature has a deep gurgling sound designthat evokes dread and repulsion for the player as they attempt to stay away. The enemy embodies Angela’s traumatic past, specifically referencing her sexually abusive family, making theAbstract Daddy a haunting enemy to face. James’s encounter with this figure tests the player’s survival skills and forces them to confront the trauma and helplessness ofSilent Hill 2.
The Most Iconic Enemy Is The Epitome Of Horror
Pyramid Head,officially known as the Red Pyramid Thing, is the most iconic and terrifying enemy that James has to face inSilent Hill 2. Its signature red pyramid-shaped helmet adds to his towering presence and imposing figure. With themes of punishment and guilt,Pyramid Head strikes the most fear of all enemies throughout the players' journey inSilent Hill.
The executionerstalks James throughout the whole game, and wields a blood-covered Great Knife that it uses to swing and swipe at the player. It’s the embodiment of James Sunderland’s inner torment, and injects a consistent sense of impending doom with its ominous silence and methodical movements. Pyramid Head serves as a haunting reminder of the psychological horror thatSilent Hill 2installs in its players, making it the scariest enemy in the game.
