The Survival Horror moments we won't forget. (Major Spoiler Alert)

Horror games are not just for scares...

The best moments in gaming are in the Survival Horror genre thanks to classics such as Resident Evil, Project Zero and of course Silent Hill.

The reason why Silent Hill deserves an honorable mention is because the developers are not all about the scares. Silent Hill not only scares us but makes us think and even feel for the characters involved in the storyline.

Here I'm going to pay homage to the best moments in Survival Horror. Some are scary, some are heart warming and some are just plain creepy.


10. Haunting Ground - Daniella goes crazy
What's going on?
Fiona Belli is trapped in an old castle somewhere in Europe. She doesn't know how she got there but it's clear that the people who live in the castle have taken a fancy for her.
First, a great beast named Debilitas keeps chasing after her whilst she attempts to find her way out of confinement and then an anonymous guy tells her his plans to get her pregnant.
At this point Debilitas doesn't see her as a beautiful doll any more and he's moved on. Now, the maid, Daniella is getting too fond of her.



Why is it memorable?
Just as we were getting used to being able to walk places without being chased this happens. This scene marks the start of our cat and mouse chase with Daniella. She's more crazy than Debilitas and seems to be more violent (at least Debilitas had good intentions). This is when the player realises that things aren't going to get any easier.


9. Silent Hill 3 - Who is this?
What's going on?
Heather has gone to the Hospital to find Leonard Wolf as advised by Father Vincent. At this point she has spoken to Leonard over the phone and it seems that he is also against his Daughters actions. She has also been finding messages left by a deranged man named Stanley Coleman. After following Leonard's directions to where he is, Heather finds herself in the 'Alternate Hospital'. In entering a locker room, a pay phone is ringing inside one of the lockers. Heather answers it.



Why is it memorable?
OK, it's not scary nor is it an emotional scene. It does however do the job in confusing the player more so than they already are.
We don't instantly recognise the voice but he knows who Heather is. We only know of four guys so it's either Douglas and it isn't him, Vincent, Leonard or Stanley but the caller says he is neither. In fact he says that Leonard is a murderer and that Stanley is dead - but who left us those notes?
Another reason this scene is memorable is because of the birthday theme going on there. First he wishes Heather a happy 31st birthday and when she argues that it's not her birthday, he corrects her by saying it IS her 24th birthday. Heather is 17 years old though so he's confused us even more.


8. Silent Hill 4 - Cynthia's Death
What's going on?
Henry Townshend woke several days ago to find himself trapped inside his apartment. Doors and windows are locked BUT there is a hole in his bathroom wall. Going through the hole he finds himself in a subway but he's not alone, a woman is also there.
This is Cynthia and she's a little on the frisky side but she's friendly enough. Her confidence quickly disappears and fear begins to kick in. Henry loses her but she speaks to him over the tannoy, "Quickly, He's coming" she says. Unfortunately, Henry doesn't get to her in time.



Why is it memorable?
You expected Cynthia to be around for a long time, maybe even a sidekick to Henry so to find her brutally murdered was a shock.
From the start Cynthia shows herself to be cocky and confident and makes like nothing could brake her. In this scene however, she is in perfect fear at the prospect of dying - She thought she was dreaming but this is very much real. The chemistry between Henry and Cynthia was there from the start and it seems like they've known each other for years.
'Room of Angel' by Akira Yamaoka, playing in the background, adds to the atmosphere as well. Other characters Henry meets will die later on but none of their deaths will have the same effect as Cynthia's.


7. Project Zero IV - Sae introduces Kusabi
What's going on?
Mio and Mayu are on holiday when they find themselves lost in a local forest. They arrive at a deserted village which is covered in fog and with nowhere to go they go to the village.
At this point in the game Mayu has gone walkabout and Mio is trying to find her. Clues have lead Mio to the Kurosawa house and whilst investigating the area she comes across the Great Hall.



Why is it memorable?
Project Zero is known for its crazy ladies and no one is crazier than Sae Kurosawa. The laugh alone makes this the most memorable scene of the whole series. This particular scene introduced us to the Kusabi which even now is considered one of the most scariest ghosts to grace the game.
Another thing to note is that the Kusabi hangs around when you get back control of Mio and the Camera Obscura is powerless against it. You really are moving target when the Kusabi is around.


6. Silent Hill 3 - The Death of Harry Mason
What's going on?
Heather Mason, out heroine, has found herself in a weird situation. Whilst at the mall to pick something up for her dad, she meets a PI named Douglas Cartland and a religious freak named Claudia. Whilst trying to escape these two strangers, Heather finds herself in hell - a world full of monsters. On her way home she's almost killed by a giant worm, a subway train and meets another whack job called Vincent.
Finally on returning home, she finds Harry, her father dead on his chair.



Why is it memorable?
If you played the original Silent Hill you'll know Harry quite well. He was the main protagonist of the game and boy, did he go through a lot. To see that Harry has been brutally murdered will make even the toughest fellas emotional at the thought.
If you hadn't played Silent Hill (I hadn't at the time) you see Heather's tough exterior fade away and get the true sense that the two were close.
The player starts to warm to Heather after this because from now on, she's not as smug as she was at the start.


5. Silent Hill 2 - Infamous Prison Scene
What's going on?
James Sunderland has come to Silent Hill to find his wife Mary after receiving a letter from her. His wife has been dead for two years so this is obviously odd enough. Even more odd is the fact that James has met a woman named Maria who is the spitting image of her. She went missing in hospital and was killed by Pyramid Head later on, or so we thought.
Whilst making his way through a labyrinth under an old local prison, he comes across Maria alive and well.



Why is it memorable?
It's memorable because it makes the player even more confused. How does Maria know about the video tape in the hotel? Is Mary alive or what? What the hell is going on here.
It's also where Maria/Mary makes finally makes sexual advances towards James and in agreeing to make his way to her, it seems James has accepted the request. Also, in a time when voice acting wasn't a main priority, the acting in this scene is pretty amazing.


4. Silent Hill 4 - Trailer/Opening Scene
What's going on?
Nothing has happened yet. If you wait long enough at the start screen this scene will appear. It was also a trailer for the game before release.



Why is it memorable?
This is one of the scenes I was most freaked out by and it's also why this game is still my favourite Survival Horror of all time.
What this scene does primarily is get the player excited about what they're about to play - it really gets the adrenaline running. In between the songs 'Room of Angel' and 'Resting Comfortably', the best sound effects EVER take precedence. I remember being getting so excited after seeing this, especially at the monster at the end of the film. Unfortunately the screams were taken out of the game for some silly reason. There is no doubt that this opening trailer sets the atmosphere of Silent Hill perfectly.


3. Silent Hill - Lisa's Death
What's going on?
Harry Mason is in Silent Hill looking for his missing daughter Cheryl and during his search for her he meets Lisa Garland, a nurse at Alchemilla Hospital. We only ever see her in one room within the hospital, never anywhere else until we see her in an area referred to as 'Nowhere'.
In this scene she has realised that she is no longer real and is "just like them" but she still needs someone to care for her. When Harry pushes her away this happens...



Why is it memorable?
Throughout the game, Lisa is shown to be very vulnerable and helpless. She also very likable so to find out that she's actually dead is quite upsetting. After this scene, if you go back into the room, Lisa is gone but her diary is there. Reading about her traumatic experiences makes this scene more upsetting.


2. Silent Hill 2 - Pyramid Head Rape
What's going on?
James has found himself in an apartment complex in Silent Hill where he has come to search for his late wife. Whilst investigating the area he enters a room but someone is already in there doing dirty things.



Why is it memorable?
For one it's the first time we properly see Pyramid Head and the things he's capable of. It's one of those, to quote Henry Townshend "what the hell" moments. It makes you dread having to see him again which you know you will. I remember being quite scared that the Monster's he was raping were going to attack me when I left the closet. Luckily they didn't but this scene is one of the best in the series.


1. Forbidden Siren 2 - Mother Pays a Visit
What's going on?
You have no real clue as to who the main antagonist of this game is, sure the Shibito are giving us a hard time but they're easy. This is the scene where we find out.
Mamouru Itsuki has just been tricked into opening the "7 Gates" for Yuri Kishida - Guys will do anything for a pretty face, and the two descend underground.



Why is it memorable?
Mostly, this scene is memorable because it's freaky. When Yuri opens her blouse you're blown away immediately at the freakiness she's hiding.
This scene also marks the occasion where the Yamirei (soon to be Yamibito) are introduced to the game.
Another memorable part of this scene is that with the young Ichiko Yagura crouching over the now dead, Shigeru Fugita. Throughout the first part of this game, Ichiko comes across as a lost little girl and now, suddenly, she's killed one of our characters. Why did she do that?
We're made aware here that things are starting to kick off now, unfortunately though, this video has more effect on a bigger screen.


Others memorable to me

Silent Hill Homecoming: Scarlet's transformation
Why? Dolls are creepy, I think most people feel the same way and when she appears from the ground, shivers go down your spine.

Silent Hill Homecoming: Asphyxia Arrives
Why? Firstly it makes you jump, secondly the look on Alex's face when Asphyxia grabs Wheeler mirrors your own shock. It's easy to miss but Holloway's face on leaving leaves you wondering.

Silent Hill 4: Ghost Appearances
Why? The most scary parts of this game are when you come across the ghost of the various characters that were murdered throughout. Cynthia's and Andrew's in particular are very creepy.

Arrival of Cynthia
Arrival of Jasper
Arrival of Andrew
Arrival of Richard

Silent Hill 2: Maria's final death
Why? The most gruesome scene of the game and when both Pyramid Heads appear at each side of James means that a hard battle is on the cards.

Project Zero III: Battling Crawling Woman
Why? As soon as you get under those floorboards you know something is going to happen and it does. The detail in her face and the fact that she gets right in your face scares the s*** out of you.

Project Zero III: Shower Scene
Why? This scene will send shivers up your spine.

Condemned: On the Train
Why? Condemned will make you jump but there's few intense scenes. This one however reminded me that this was indeed a horror game.


Other recommended by others

Resident Evil: Jill Sandwich
On the video's You Tube page it seems this is mostly remembered for comedy reasons.

Resident Evil: Attacking Dogs
Well, it makes you jump and scream.

Silent Hill: Meeting Dahlia
She looks crazy and turns out to be just that. The person that recommended this said they didn't know why they liked it but they did.

Silent Hill 2: Wanna watch a video?
This when everything is made clear. I don't find it very memorable myself but these sure do:

"I was so shocked my mouth literally opened and I sat on the couch just like James...I've NEVER played another game and have EVER had the same reaction I had while playing this game. This game is beyond a masterpiece." - YouTube

"Best moment scene in gaming history!" - YouTube

Silent Hill 2: Angela on Fire
I don't like Angela very much so this scene means nothing to me but this is what was said:

"This moment was fantastic 'cause it gives you an insight as to how, while in the other world, minds can connect! Worlds overlap, glitches mix, etc. It was a wonderful scene with wonderful music." - Personal Contact

Silent Hill 3: Heather's Reflection
You're trapped and something bad is going to happen. Threat much?:

"I kept on spamming the x button on the door at this point." - YouTube

"I was in there more 3 minutes I couldn't get out, it was freaky." - YouTube

Silent Hill 3: They look like Monsters to you?
Another scene that is vague... This is what the person who chose this scene had this to say:

"What is really a joke? [it] is a question left open to interpretation." - Personal Contact

Biography

http://gamingissues.blogspot.com/2008/07/7-memorable-survival-horror-moments.html

http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id=offtopic&thread.id=649230

http://www.cameraslens.com/forum/index.php?topic=8221.0

Games the UK/US have missed out on.

Due to the Adult themes that are the norm in Survival Horror games, some regions decide to complain about some scenes/elements in the games that are released. This eventually means that some games are banned in some regions where others will tolerate it.
Sometimes it's the games' publishers that decide where a game is released. Sometimes they explain why the choice was made where others stay silent. Usually they don't give us an explanation and feel we should just except it.
The games below are examples of games that not all regions have had the chance to play, but why? I've tried to find out...



Imabikisou
Where Released: Japan
Why? Unknown - Market Differences?

It's not a game really, it's a "Graphic Novel" for the PS3 but it looks blooming marvelous.
Not a lot is known about it in the west and the official website is in Japanese. Google will translate for you but it still doesn't make much sense but what I can make out is that it revolves around a drug called "Vision" and a group of people including Hiroki Makimura and his girlfriend Manami Hayase. The people that use the drug end up dying in a fire leading to the belief that the drug is cursed in someway. Hiroki and Manami try and find out how to stop the curse.

The game consists of static images and short animated sequences but the graphics are amazing and the atmosphere still seems really intense despite the fact that you don't control the characters as in move left, forward etc. Instead, the game gives you options so you can tell the character what to do - at least, I think that's what you do.
I've tried to find the demo to get a clue as to how game play works but have had no success - my guess is that it was taken off the PSN.

The trailer above gives you an idea on what the game looks like and it isn't short of atmosphere at all. It's very dark and but I doubt it's something for Survival Horror gamers. If you're a fan of the Japanese horror films, like me, then this game should look interesting to you.

The game was developed by Japanese developers, Chunsoft and sega. Chunsoft has never released a game in the western market which is probably the main reason the US nor the UK has seen it.
It's easy to question whether this game would do well in the western market. Sound Novels aren't exactly the norm over here and the game would have probably bombed if it had been released here.

Chances of it coming to the US: None
Chances of it coming to the UK: None



Forbidden Siren 2
Where Released: Japan, UK, Europe
Why? No explanation.

Forbidden Siren 2 was released in Europe, Japan and the UK but wasn't released in the U.S. Forbidden Siren 1 was a huge success in Japan so the game was released in the UK four months later and then the US a month after that.
Poor sales figures of the original game may have been a reason why the US didn't get the sequel but Sony never made an announcement.

Several Survival Horror fans complained about the decision not to release Forbidden Siren 2. American Horror fans loved the original despite its difficulty and were quite unhappy about this.

It's a shame too because Forbidden Siren 2 really improved upon the original and the storyline and characters (including voice acting) as much better. In my opinion it was anyway. Youtube.com is a good source of seeing the game for yourself although it isn't the same as playing it.

Chances of it coming to the US: Very very small. The original was remade into Blood Curse so maybe FS2 has the same fate.



Rule of Rose
Where Released: US, Japan, Europe
Why? Banned

Rule of Rose was all over the gaming websites showing videos and screenshots etc. and it looked really good. The graphics looked fantastic and the storyline seemed interesting. The heroine, Jennifer is kidnapped by a group of snotty kids called the Red Crayon Aristocrats. They threaten to kill her if she doesn't do things for them so Jennifer is forced to search the ship where she is held hostage.

The games was due for release in all regions, that is until the Italian European Union minister Franco Frattini came along. He complained of the Brutality involved within the game along with the erotic aspects of the game involving female minors.
In 2007, Members of the European Parliament (MEP) proposed that the game be banned in Europe.
The game's publisher decided to withdraw it's release from the UK but, and this is the nonsense part, the rest of Europe would see it's release.
This annoyed a lot of people just because Frattini has no power in the UK. Why should the UK miss out when the rest of Europe is able to get it. Rule of Rose isn't the worst game ever released not when compared to the violence within GTA, Silent Hill and Resident Evil. These games pass just because they sell well and if the government can get money from a game (through V.A.T), who cares about the content?

I've managed to find some scenes on youtube to see what kind of subjects the game deals with and this is what I found:

• A dog can be found hanging from it's legs. The dog's eyes have also been covered. This can be considered cruel.


• In one cut scene, a grown man is consoling the young Diana by stroking her hair and arms.


• The children are regularly seen beating something in a bag. This is likely the Dog that Jennifer rescues


• The children bully Jennifer throughout the game

Maybe they were right to ban the game but giving it a more mature looking front cover and giving it an 18 certificate rating should have been good enough to stop parents buying it for their children. Adults should be able to make their own mind up about it - it's only a game after all.

Chances of it coming to the UK: Absolutely None



Fatal Frame IV?
Where Released: Japan (So far...)
Why? N/A - No Release status not confirmed.

We don't know what the deal is with this game yet. It was released in Japan in July 2008 but as of March 2009, the US and UK have not got it yet.
In January 2009, the Official Nintendo Magazine (UK Edition) announced that Europe and the UK were going to get this game in early 2009. Play.com, had a release date of 6th February down and things looked positive, for the UK at least.
It's now March '09 and nothing has been mentioned since, Tecmo haven't exactly been talkative on the subject and Nintendo (the game is for the Wii console) have been just as secretive.
Confirmation on a US release has not been mentioned AT ALL so it's quite likely the US will miss out.

It makes me wonder why Nintendo expressed interest in this when it only had the intentions to release it in Japan? Why Tecmo let it happen in the first place. Fair enough, the PS3 isn't the best selling console but at lease give it to Microsoft who are very Western friendly.
I think it's fair for me to say that the US is the series biggest market, especially when compared to the UK and it would be a bad choice to sell there.
As far as the UK is concerned, the Wii is the biggest factor in it's ever increasing games market. With advertising, it will sell especially with the good reviews it had in Japan (Edge Magazine - 8/10 and Famitsu - 34/40).

The UK has had confirmation and unless they change their mind we will get it though the US may, unfortunately miss out.

Chances of it coming to the US: OK. No confirmation yet but the UK hasn't been given a date yet so there is obviously still some time.
Chances of it coming to the UK: Very Good. It's been confirmed.

Forbidden Siren 2

Developer: SCE Japan
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Released (UK): Aug '06
Released (US): N/A

Luckily, Christmas was around the corner when Forbidden Siren 2 came out in Europe or I wouldn't have played this game at all. The original was so hard I thought this one would be just as bad so I got my Mum to buy me it as a Christmas present.

The game takes place on the fictional Yamijima Island, Japan. Years before the events of the game, a Tsunami occurred there killing everyone on the Island making it inhabited. However, various people have found themselves on the island for a variety or reasons (explained later) where suspicious events start to happen.

Like the previous game, Forbidden Siren 2 has a big cast of characters, playable or not. Each character is on Yamijima Island for their own reasons.

Mamoru Itsuki is the main character of the game an is also the guy we start off as. He's a Journalist for an Occult magazine and has come to the Island to find out more about the Tsunami that occurred all those years ago. He takes a boat there along with other characters in the game but the boat is capsized and he finds himself on the coast of the island where he meets Yuri Kishida.

Yuri Kishida is found locked in a small building at Yamijima Harbour. She starts off as nice as a puppy but ends up not to be as she seems. We never play as Yuri and she only appears at the start of the game before we find out who she really is.

Ikuko Kifune is a dockworker who was working on the boat that capsized with Mamoru and Co inside. She has Psychic abilities and can take control of the Shibito's/Yamibito's movements which she uses to eventually save Mamoru from Yuri. She helps Mamoru get rid of our antagonist at the end of the game.

Yorito Nagai is a Private in the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Squad. He finds himself on Yamijima Island along with his supervisors; Takeaki Misawa and Hiroshi Okita after their helicopter lost control and crashed. After finding Okita, Yorito's friend, dead on site he goes along with Misawa to get help.

Takeaki Misawa is a Major in the same force as Yorito but goes crazy throughout the course of the game. He is killed by Yorito after he is seen threatening Ichiko Yagura but comes back as a Yamibito then as a Kou Yamibito who is destroyed by Yorito near the end of the game.

Akiko Kiyota (right) is another of the passengers of the boat Mamoru took to the Island although she is cleverly disguised in a big hat and sunglasses. She's a Psychic who has been "hired" to help Soji Abe with a big problem, explained later. She later starts to receive connections from a recently deceased Shu Mikami and helps get rid of our antagonist by killing herself (explained later). She's one of my favourite characters in the game, although I don't know why.

Shu Mikami is a famous Romance Novelist who was born on Yamijima Island. His mother had died as a child and his father, Ryuhei Mikami, looked after him before he was brutally murdered. Shu was eventually adopted by a family and lived in Tokyo eventually forgetting his childhood. Shu Mikami is blind and can only see by Sight Jacking his dog Tsukasa.

Shigeru Fujita is a police officer who was born on Yamijima Island but moved to mainland Japan with his wife. He comes back to the Island to investigate the rumours that people were living there again. A possessed Ichiko Yagura eventually kills him later in the game.

Ichiko Yagura is a student at Kameishino Prefectural Middle School who had died after being thrown off the Bright Win Ferry during a storm. Her body is taken over by another of our antagonists and we find her on the ferry not knowing what has happened to her. She later goes on to kill Shigeru Fujita before turning on Yorito Nagai.

Soji Abe has been accused of murdering his room mate, Ryuko Tagawa. He goes to Akiko, Ryuko’s psychic to help prove his innocence. He goes to Yamijima Island at Akiko's suggestion, on the boat with Akiko, Mamoru and Shu. I love Soji, he's my favourite character giving a bit of comedy and goofiness to the game. Watch the actor's face...He does a really good job.

Other characters, that aren't playable include:

Kanae, who was found, washed up by a younger Shu Mikami who was out with his father looking for treasure. The Mikami family takes her in because of her resemblance to Shu's mother. The villagers turn against her, calling her a witch because she was afraid of the light and would only come out at night. One night Tsuneo Ohta, the head fisherman gathered the villagers to hunt Kanae down and kill her. His daughter Tomoe Ohta was also a part of the mob but fell onto a tall pole after running away from a Shiryo.

Pictures from the games Japanese homepage:
http://www.jp.playstation.com/scej/title/siren2/siren2_top/index.html

The Shibito's return to Forbidden Siren 2 but they're not alone. You have the problems of three new harmful creatures:
The Shiryo are red blobs that inhabit dead humans in order to create the Shibito. These weren't in the first game and they don't cause you too much trouble. They wander dark places and are afraid of light - they will die when exposed to it. They will bite you if they have the chance but can be beaten with a weapon.
The Yamirei look like slugs wrapped in black cloth. They are also afraid of light and will melt when exposed to your torch. They avoid light so go under lamposts if available to recover from them. They head butt you and are very sneaky, always coming fast from behind.

The Yamibito (below) are the biggest addition so I'll go into further detail:
When a Yamirei comes into contact with a dead body, that body will become a Yamibito. They're like Shibito's except they talk as usual thinking they are still the people they once were E.g. Shigeru Fugita, when a Yamibito can be heard saying phrases such as "I knew there was a reason I hated stake-outs." and "How about letting me cuff you?”
They stay away from light and they will shield their eyes if you approach them from the front making for an easy hit. They take less time to gain consciousness once down but they can be knocked out quite easily. They don't follow any set route like the Shibito do so they are less predictable.

There is also another kind of Yamibito around called the Kou-Yamibito. It is never explained what makes a Yamibito turn into a Kou-Yamibito and not every Yamibito in the game turns into one. Tomoe Ohta, Tsuneo Ohta, Takeaki Misawa, Ryuhei Mikami and Hiroshi Okita all turn into one eventually. The male Kou-Yamibito look like a hand (it's not a hand - just looks like one) walking on their fingertips (like Thing from the Addams Family). In place of where the wrist would be is the body of a usual Yamibito without a head. The head is in the palm of the hand instead. They have a black mist around them that block your sight if you're near them. The female Kou-Yamibito, Tomoe Ohta is in the form of a dog and is the fastest enemy you will encounter. All Kou-Yamibito will be attracted the light so turn yours off to avoid them and they are immune from attacks to the front. You need to shoot them in their back; a couple of shots will do it.

Our major Antagonist in this game is a creature called Mother. She is trapped and needs to open the seven gates in order to be released. She sends out a variety of 'Avatars' who kidnap women in order to use their body's to open these gates. Shu's mother was one as were Kanae, Ryuko Tagawa and Yuri Kishida. All these Avatars take on the appearance of Mother which explains Kanae's resemblance to Shu's mother and Yuri's resemblance to Kanae. It was Yuri who eventually completed the opening of the seven gates by using Mamoru to do the task for her.
Once these gates were open Mother could finally escape and with her, Yamirei would try and possess everyone on the Island.
Another Antagonist in the game is Otoshigo, the leader of the Shiryo and nemesis of Mother. Otoshigo also inhabits the sea and when Ichiko Yagura is thrown overboard the Bright Win Ferry, he takes over her body. I'm not sure why he infested Ichiko's body and what he was planning to do - The plot is very confusing. I don't even think Otoshigo was worth putting in the game to be honest.

Sight Jacking is back and you can use it to find Shibito, Yamibito and sidekick characters if they've gone missing. Some missions within the game force you to use the sight jack especially those involving Shu Mikami in some way. Ikuko Kifune can control the Shibito/Yamibito she sight jacks and Akiko Kiyota can see past memories through sight jacks when she reaches a certain place.

The Archive Items are also back but they're a lot more innovative in this one. It shows videos of events relating to the plot such as the film of Yuri Kishida's body being found on the ferry. ID's belonging to the characters can be found with some extra information such as a letter addressed to Mamoru from his girlfriend and a letter from Yorito's parents regarding his promotion within the force.
Unlike the first game, your archive items will stay in the archive once you've found it. If you die at all, the item will still be there and you don't even have to complete the mission through once you have it.

The weapons are the same...Pokers, Hammers, Crowbars, Pistols, Shotguns etc are all here. Yorito and Takeaki will always have a firearm of some sort with a good supply of ammo because of their link to the Army.

I loved this game very much and it's one of my favourites, below Silent Hill 4 probably. This second instalment has improved on the original a lot and here's why:

1) Hints are given at the beginning of each mission. Some are very vague but some are very useful. You'll get fewer hints as the game goes on but it's still a very nice addition to the game.

2) As already mentioned, archive items stay put once you collect them.

3) Checkpoints are easier to come by in this game. If you die throughout the mission, you won't have to start from the beginning like you did in the first one.

4) The maps are much better also. This time you can actually see where about you are on there. It's much harder to get lost.

5) The acting is so much better in this game than on the previous one. I've already mentioned Soji Abe and the actor that plays him so well but Shigeru Fujita and Akiko Kiyota also do good jobs with their faces. The actors also have a Japanese accent unlike in the first one where the actors had more of a British flare to them.

6) The Link Navigator can be accessed from the very beginning. It looks the same as the navigator from the first game with the characters on the top and the time at the side. Missions are split in two parts like in the previous game that unlocks when certain events happen in a previous mission.

It's unfortunate that this game was never released in the U.S. because it's much better than the first. I've been on American forums who have said how much Blood Curse improved on the series but most of the improvements mentioned were on this game too.
It's never been mentioned why it wasn't released over in the States. It may have been due to poor sales of the original or it may be because of a bad reception but it may be wise of Sony to release the game now after the release of Blood Curse. Maybe they could remake it the way they remade the original but I'd rather they do a whole new instalment.

This game really made the series for me and I have to give it a perfect score:

10/10

Why do you think it was never released in the US?
Is the acting better?
If I've completely missed the plot, please comment?